Ask yourself: how many people in your life are negatively affected by substance use?
It can be assumed that nearly everyone knows someone struggling with substance use—whether it involves drugs, alcohol, or food; it is likely each of us has at least one person we wish we could help. For some, that person is ourselves.
Substance use on university campuses is (not surprisingly) popular with young and emerging adults. This is a time for many young adults to begin to solidify their health behaviours; many habits (both positive and negative) are established during this time (Elswick et al., 2018). Canadian research indicates that within the age cohort of 17-25:
- 12% of students had used illicit drugs in the last 12 months (Health Canada, 2023)
- “47% experienced at least one of 28 different harms from their alcohol use in the past month” (Health Canada, 2023)
- “Among students who used cannabis in the past 3 months, 64% experienced at least one of 5 different harms from their cannabis use” (Health Canada, 2023)
These figures underscore the importance of prioritizing substance use reduction and recovery efforts for the student body.
Words like ‘harm-reduction’ and ‘recovery’ can carry implicit biases and deter people from seeking help. Here at UBCO Campus Wellness & Education (CW&E) we aim to change that by launching a Peer-Support Model on September of 2025. Key principles include:
- Respecting individual goals, whether that is complete abstinence or a gradual reduction
- Building supportive social networks as a foundation for starting and sustaining recovery (Elswick et al., 2018)
- Addressing stigma head-on, since shame and judgment often prevent individuals from reaching out
Whether one’s intent is to live in abstinence or simply reduce their usage from a harm-reduction standpoint, we know that supportive social networks are essential in beginning and maintaining reduction in recovery efforts (Elswick et al., 2018). One of the hardest things for many people to do is to look at their behaviour and how it affects others, and when stigmatization around substance use prevents someone from seeking help, it can be detrimental to their future. By fostering an environment free of stigma and rich in peer support, we can help more students to begin—and maintain—their journeys towards reduction and recovery.
We are currently looking for people who are interested in sharing their hope and lived experience with others in similar situations. Your experience matters! We would love to hear about it. When we can listen empathetically to another’s story, it can inspire us. Although our situations may be different, much of the time, the feelings associated with events are the same. Therefore, we are interested in finding out what works for you and how we can further help you achieve your goals. In turn, this community-building effort allows you to be that person for someone else as well. The goal is to continually build reciprocal relationships within peer support.
Some things we may discuss together, but are not limited to:
- How does substance use affect you and your relationships (this could be from your own perspective, or just as importantly, how someone else’s usage affects you)
- Designing and executing upcoming safe usage plans (what does your usage this weekend look like; how do you plan to accomplish this?)
- Check-ins (how did your plan work out, and what are things you can do differently next time?)
It can be hard to initiate change, and sometimes it feels like no one can really understand where we are coming from, but by using our lived experience to provide supportive social networks and community building around recovery, we can create a foundation where healing isn’t just possible—it’s sustainable. Most importantly, we want you to know you’re not alone.
Come join us at our inaugural “Mocktail Meet-Up” on Wednesday, September 10th between 6:30 and 8:00 pm the Upper-Level Collegia in UNC355. This is a weekly meeting that will be held henceforth. We would really like to have your input on creating a holistic all-pathways model for our university. This meeting is open to all people who are curious about substance use and the role it plays in our lives. Additionally, click here, if you would like to participate in a quick survey that will help to guide our efforts.
For more information about attendance, registration, or if you are looking to volunteer as a peer support worker, please contact Michael Young at campus.wellness@ubc.ca
References
Elswick, A., Fallin-Bennett, A., Ashford, K., & Werner-Wilson, R. (2018). Emerging adults and recovery capital: Barriers and facilitators to recovery. Journal of Addictions Nursing, 29(2), 78–83. https://doi.org/10.1097/JAN.0000000000000218
Health Canada. (2023). “Substance use among university and college students in Canada, 2021–2022”. https://health-infobase.canada.ca/src/data/alcohol/cpads/downloads/infographic-en.pdf
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