Substance Use in a Cultural Context



by Michelle Lara-Canlas, LPCC

Meet Michelle Lara-Canlas, our new licensed mental health counselor at Health Services who works especially with students who are undocumented or from mixed status families. Below Michelle is sharing her expertise on substance use.

Substance use has become integrated into the fabric of our lives for many cultures and people of various ages. Whether it’s alcohol, caffeine, or illicit drugs, many have been exposed or have partaken in its use. When coming to college, there is an added stress of academic pressure while also balancing other responsibilities like work or home life, which can then increase your exposure to using substances. Folx are turning to substances especially now, after the ongoing stress and uncertainty that the pandemic has brought about, to help deal with all the challenges these last two years.

Substance Use in a Cultural Context

We learn in our households and neighborhoods expectations of what is and is not acceptable when using substances. Sometimes we see folx deal with stress by having a drink to wind down every night. Other times we see how addiction has been passed down from generation to generation, causing harm in our families. In some cultures, substances are used strictly only for medicinal or celebratory reasons. In other cultures, like the Latinx culture, some mental health issues simply do not exist, but many use substances like alcohol to deal with stress or depression. The way substances are viewed and the expectations around it changes depending on your cultural beliefs and the context you are in, making it complicated to really learn and develop your own beliefs around substance use.

Reasons why you might use Substances

Sometimes you want to have a drink to celebrate passing a tough exam, or you get a double shot latte at your local coffee shop to help you stay up to write an important paper. It could also be that after two challenging years of uncertainty and stress, you have used substances to help you get through this time. It could also be for any of the reasons below:
  • As a reward to get you through a tough day/week/month
  • As a way to cope with a lot of stress or change in your life
  • Feeling pressured from peers
  • It seems like a normal and accepted part of being a student
  • You don’t see it as necessarily harmful
  • School is becoming difficult

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