A Bridge to Recovery on Campus
Jan 20, 2012
The social fabric of college can be harrowing for students who are trying to shake addictions. After rehab, some don’t return to school, or they live at home while continuing their studies. Students living on campus often face relapse triggers—old drinking and drugging buddies as well as stress over exams, finances, and social lives—without a supportive environment. That’s why some colleges now have programs and living options specifically for students in recovery.
At Rutgers, which is believed to be the first school to have a residential recovery program on campus, recovering students live in one of two designated dorms tucked away in anonymity. Lisa Laitman, Director of Rutgers’ Alcohol and Other Drug Assistance Program, helped create the program in 1988 after seeing students struggle to abstain as dorm-mates partied. A number of colleges have followed suit with their own recovery programs, for which students typically pay no additional fees. These programs often include classes on how to prevent relapses, community service opportunities, and an array of substance-free activities. A key element of these programs is community building. “The most noticeable thing is all the friends I’ve made,” one Rutgers student explains, “I have some good laughs these days, good true laughs. I really didn’t have that before.”
Help, Consequences of Drug Abuse
Return to view all news
Source
New York Times