A quarter of adults between ages 18 and 34 binge drink, according to 2010 figures from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Ohio University students are not exempt from the pressures of drinking and drug use.
To help combat this, approximately two years ago OU welcomed the Collegiate Recovery Community, CRC, an organization that provides support for students and even faculty members seeking recovery as well as those impacted by a loved one’s addiction.
CRC, which meets twice per week in Baker University Center, encourages students to live healthy lives and move on from their hardships at each individual’s pace, said Kris Washington, assistant director.
“It’s not (necessarily) based on a 12-step program,” Washington said. Members also get to spend time together during monthly dinners and socials.
Participants have the option of receiving their counseling through group meetings and one-on-one sessions.
OU’s party school reputation can be harmful to people seeking recovery, Washington said, adding that selecting substance-free living on campus can encourage students to avoid substance abuse.
“Students have a hard time,” said Katie Thomson, graduate assistant at the center. “(When it’s) common to drink excessively and to party excessively, it can be hard to recognize ‘what I’m doing may be a problem.’”
Because the organization has only been around for two years and currently holds no funds, Washington said it can be difficult at times to find students seeking recovery and to make the organization known to students since CRC is still in its “infant stages.”
Although gaining members can be challenging, Danielle, a member of CRC from Massillon, Ohio, said that she is always looking for ways to maintain her progress and make herself available to prospective members.
“Even if all I’ve done by the time that I graduate is plant the seed in one person’s head that there is a better way of life for them, that’s total success to me,” she said.
Some students find information at CRC as a way of staying on the right track in college in a group flexible with their schedules.
“There are a lot of opportunities to make bad decisions,” said Ethan from Dublin, Ohio. “I was arrested over the summer for (a situation involving) marijuana. I went to meetings over summer and wanted the same resources (at school).”
Although some OU students have an imperfect record, CRC members and advisors feel that it is important for them to take advantage of their resources and understand that despite partying in college, most students really are serious in advancing their education, Washington said.
“Anyone who struggles with substance use has little windows where they reach out or look for information,” said Austin from Columbus, Ohio, a new member of CRC. “I just want to be there to (help) get the ball rolling.”
kf398711@ohiou.edu
