How to Navigate Drug & Alcohol Recovery Aftercare in College

A shift from school life to college life is one of the most significant transitions in human life. Suddenly, many choices are unlocked, which creates a lot of mental pressure on an individual’s mind. These things consume energy, from adopting a new culture, environment, and syllabus to encountering a whole new group of people.

Oftentimes, individuals begin taking drugs and consuming alcohol during this transition phase as it becomes a new escape for them. Colleges not only expose students to the real world, but they also put a lot of new responsibilities onto students that they must deal with. Therefore, much of recovery depends upon how we take care of ourselves in college.

If you or someone you know has recently recovered from an addiction and needs guidance regarding the aftercare procedure in college, you are in the right place. This blog deals with the steps that an individual should follow during the recovery process while attending college.

Healthy Food Habits

It is a widespread habit to ignore good eating habits and consume junk food frequently as a student. However, if someone is recovering from any sort of addiction, let’s say alcohol addiction, having a good diet becomes especially important.

During the recovery process, an individual must consume a diet that creates a balance in serotonin levels in the brain. Individuals suffering from addiction can choose foods rich in complex carbohydrates like peas, lentils, and beans, to name just a few. Also, foods such as root vegetables, pasta, and bread in combination with the right amount of protein help maintain your health.

People who consume alcohol for a long time generally lack certain minerals, including magnesium, calcium, and zinc. Therefore, it is essential to garner these minerals through diet or supplements, along with an adequate amount of vitamin B and C.

A healthy diet leads to a sound mind and a healthy body which dramatically increases your chances of successful recovery.

Peer Support

At times, an individual feels like falling back into old habits that once worked as an escape. At such moments, peer support plays a crucial role in influencing the decisions of these individuals. 

Having good company is just like having a good role model; they can effectively reduce the chances of a person falling back to the same habits by encouraging them to make healthy decisions (such as exercise), which helps in the overall recovery progress.

Support Groups

According to a report by Statista, substance abuse has increased on college campuses across the United States in the last few decades. Alcohol was the most commonly used substance among college students in the United States in 2020, followed by cannabis and tobacco products. In addition, roughly one-fifth of students said they had consumed marijuana in the last 30 days. Unfortunately, using such substances to cope with academic and social pressures, challenging emotions, and stress is frequently a maladaptive coping approach.

However, being with the right support groups is one of the best decisions that one can take to avoid the influences that increase their chances of relapse.

Setting Up Good Routines

During the rehabilitation process, you’ll encounter new challenges in different environments as your life changes completely. During this time, establishing new routines and patterns helps you adjust to early recovery situations where you might feel uncomfortable.

Having an effective routine adds a rhythm to your day so that your body can absorb new behavioral patterns like sleeping at the right time, healthy eating habits, and working out. When you add new actions, they gradually replace old habits, and it will be easier for you to accept a positive way of living. Here is the list of things that can help you stay on track during aftercare in college life:

• Good sleeping habits

• Good eating habits

• Time for socializing with new people

• Gym time

• Discovering what you like (new activities and hobbies)

• Personal hygiene

• Personal time for self-exploration and meditation

• Adding new work to your schedule

• Engaging with members from your recovery support group

Self-Care: Your Best Defense Against Burnouts

Burnouts are very common during the rehabilitation process, especially when you adopt new patterns, deal with your emotions, and socialize with new people. These burnouts are most effectively avoided by taking care of yourself. Whenever you feel tired or overworked, ensure that you take breaks at regular intervals to re-energize yourself by doing activities that you love. For some people, it might be running, while for others, it can be having a cup of coffee.

After all, breaks are the best solutions to burnout.

If you choose or have chosen the college route, it can potentially be one of the most crucial stages of your life. It might serve as the foundation for excellent career successes and opportunities, or it can be the beginning of an unwanted journey through alcoholism and addiction to drugs, including cocaine and marijuana.

While this life period will most certainly offer some extraordinary challenges, you can overcome them; and this begins with the correct aftercare in college. If you or someone you know needs help recovering from alcoholism or addiction, feel free to reach out to our caring team at The Forge Recovery Center today to learn more.

Written by

Brian Moore

Content Writer

Reviewed by

Jeremy Arzt

Chief Clinical Officer

April 22, 2022