For many students, substance use can seem like the relief to common collegiate ailments like social anxiety and stress. But where should students turn if substance use becomes abuse?
Many students struggling with substance abuse feel like they have no place to turn in times of need, and this struggle can be alienating at a school that prides itself on “never losing a party.” However, thanks to an ever-evolving awareness of mental wellness, there are more resources available to students than ever before.
The William Magee Center was founded on campus in September 2019 following the death of William Magee, a highly accomplished student who died following an accidental drug overdose. The institute provides students with the resources necessary for success and mental stability throughout their college careers.
Mason Glaze has spent the past several months working alongside students in the recovery process as a graduate assistant for the Collegiate Recovery Community. Glaze also served in a similar position at Mississippi State University, and he was surprised when he made the switch to UM.
“It’s just a different culture. I’ve been to several college campuses in my time, and there hasn’t been one that just kind of lives and breathes the party atmosphere (like Ole Miss),” Glaze said. “Harder substances are so easily accessible.”
Though some students do struggle with substance addiction on the UM campus, USA Today reports that Mississippi is among the bottom half of states with self-reported substance abuse.
Unfortunately, the UM community knows the fatal impact of addiction all too well.
“Every once in a while, in a terrible way, you’ll hear about a student passing away from an overdose or something related to an overdose. And, in a really sad way, it becomes less and less surprising. And I’ve only been here two semesters,” Glaze said.
There is help available to UM students suffering from addiction. The Collegiate Recovery Community and the William Magee Center have collaborated to create a wealth of confidential resources for affected students.
“I think in every avenue, those resources and those organizations should be connected to the William Magee Center, to the (UM) Counseling Center. We should have every quick ability to engage with a student in whatever capacity,” Glaze said. “(We can) help them, find someone else that can, because we have so many abundant resources that are there to help students, and I just don’t think students are utilizing that.”
The UM Counseling Center offers one-on-one counseling towith individuals who struggle with substance addiction. The center can be reached at (662) 915-3784 to set up an appointment.
The Daily Mississippian reached out to the counseling center for further comment on the services it provides and the state of substance addiction on the UM campus, but representatives of the center declined to respond.
One student, who wished to remain anonymous, shared their thoughts on the campus’s wellness centers and what they have to offer.
“I think they give a wonderful resource to students that are either struggling with, have struggled with or have family who struggle with substance abuse to (have) a place where they can get support for these circumstances and a safe place that is free of temptations,” they said. “I think one of the biggest ways to show this resource to students is to make it more known that this is a safe space, free from judgment, where students will not be in trouble for any past or current actions.”
The Collegiate Recovery Community and the William Magee Center also educate students on the realities of addiction and what they can do to help.
“It’s all about education,” Glaze said. “This is important. And it’s as simple as saying ‘Don’t take pills that aren’t prescribed to you.’ It’s as simple as learning what harm reduction is.”
A large part of this harm reduction is Narcan training.
Narcan, also known as naloxone, is a nasal spray used to treat opioid overdoses. When administered correctly, it can reverse overdose effects, allowing time to get the victim to the hospital. Narcan is easy to use, and it can be requested for free from the Mississippi Department of Health or acquired over the counter.
“We were able last semester to get Narcan into every fraternity, every sorority all over campus, which is a huge deal. Universities across the South have been trying to do that for the better part of two years, if not more,” Glaze said.
Easy access to Narcan is important because of the recent prominence of fentanyl, a deadly and highly addictive opiate that is sometimes cut into party drugs like cocaine.
Glaze says honesty and openness as essential steps to begin any recovery journey.
“You just need to talk to people. I think one of the biggest problems is people will tell health professionals or mental health professionals half of the story, and so they’ll give you half of the answers,” Glaze said. “If you don’t tell them the whole thing, they can’t give you the correct help.”
