Although you may think that you will never end up with a drinking or other drug problem like your parent’s, when you grow up exposed to substance abuse in your family, you are already at high risk for just that.

A compulsion to drink or use other drugs may be there from the very first time you experiment. It has nothing to do with values, intelligence or willpower. It has everything to do with environmental and biochemical risk.

When you are around someone who abuses substances, it’s easy to develop unhealthy ways to deal with feelings. Alcohol or other drugs can seem like a good way to numb the pain and gain control when life seems unpredictable and scary. But ultimately, they only magnify the pain and leave you feeling worse.

In the case of alcohol, research shows that abuse problems can be hereditary. That means that if your biological parent or grandparent has had an alcohol problem, physiologically, your body may process it differently from your friends’, and you may have a more difficult time stopping if you use alcohol.

College adds an entirely new dimension to your personal risk for substance abuse. You may have successfully avoided using alcohol or other drugs in the past, or used them occasionally with seemingly little consequence. But because alcohol and drug use are more prevalent on college campuses, you will undoubtedly face new pressures to use them.

Pay special attention to the choices you make about alcohol and other drugs, and watch for signs that you may be in trouble, such as:

  • wondering if you are using too much
  • using alcohol or other drugs to solve problems
  • doing things while you are high that you wouldn’t do otherwise
  • losing interest in friends, academics, hobbies, athletics or other activities you
     once enjoyed
  • spending more time getting high or thinking about the next possible
     opportunity to do so

If you experience any of these signs, seek advice immediately from a counselor, health educator, peer educator or other knowledgeable professional on campus or in the community.