Fact: People who drink alcohol by the time they are fourteen years old are four times more likely to become addicted than people who wait until they are twenty-one.
On Thursday, January 12, Brandon Costerison, from the National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse (NCADA), and Sarah Roberts, a former user, visited Nerinx Hall to talk about substance use. What students usually consider to be a “nap time” or a “cram-session-before-a-Fry-test” was actually an engaging and informative assembly. Costerison started off by clarifying that his presentation was not going to be about addiction or addicts, but rather people with substance use disorders, or people with mental health conditions. Costerison informed students that substance use disorders can affect anyone. One of the most common misconceptions about a substance abuse disorder is the thought that, “It can’t happen to me.” Costerison went on to explain how movies and tv shows provide a very stereotyped, inaccurate depiction of what a substance user can look like. “Strength and determination matter, but when you are talking about brain determination, it doesn’t,” Sarah Roberts stated. Ms. Roberts first started using doctor prescribed opioids for her migraines. Roberts described her “probably very similar upbringing” to the audience, growing up and going to highschool in St. Louis, to reinforce the fact, that a substance abuse disorder can happen to anyone. When students asked if the speakers had any advice for Nerinx students, Roberts said to “Avoid any substance use until the latest possible point- this includes drinking!” Costerison added, “Don’t be afraid to say something. Concern comes from a place of love.” Roberts followed up, saying “There is a fear of punishment, (but) people will be receptive to your honesty.” For more information on NCADA, one can visit http://ncada-stl.org or call 314-962-3456 for no charge counseling on substance abuse.