Substance Use & Final Exam Prep


Meet our new counselor, Chris Mazzo. Chris is working on his Master’s degree in Marriage & Family Therapy at UMASS Global, and has spent the last three years working as a drug and alcohol counselor at various substance use disorder and chemical dependency centers.

Whether the upcoming final exams are your last at MCC, or they are just the end to a semester, they can be quite stressful. And what do a lot of people tend to do when feeling the stress of final exams? Maybe…grab a drink or two (or ten) to relax, smoke some Marijuana to take the edge off, or take an Adderall to power through those study sessions?

Let us help you understand the dangers of substance use during final exam prep.

Dangers of Substances in Final Exam Prep

  • Substance dependency – through continued use of alcohol, marijuana, or stimulants, students may end up being dependent on substances which can lead to unwanted mental, emotional, or physical changes.
  • Substance overdose – with or without substance dependency, students may end up taking too much of a substance. This process happens when the body cannot process the substances being taken, therefore damaging vital organs and can lead to serious harm or even death if not treated.
  • Missing or failing exams – taking too many substances during final exam prep may result in a physical, mental, or emotional shutdown. Withdrawals from substances can not only cause poor concentration and lack of energy, but may lead to serious harm.

Healthy Ways to Prepare for Your Final Exams

Even though it may seem as if you cannot make it through final exam prep without substances, there are many healthy ways to prepare for exams. The sooner you implement these techniques, the less stress you will feel when it gets closer to the actual exam. 
  • Allot 30-60 minutes each day for required readings.
  • Avoid cramming, and instead alternate set periods of studying with clearly-defined, healthy downtime.
  • Take practice tests. 
  • Join or create a study group.
  • Contact Health Services for a counseling session.
  • Down Shine, the daily self-care app to help you rest, heal, and grow.
  • Attend one or both of our upcoming workshops on Managing Stress & Anxiety (May 10th at noon) or Reducing Study Stress and Improving Focus (May 17th at 4pm).

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Understanding Interpersonal Violence: A Call to Action for National Coming Out Day and LGBTQPIA2S+ History Month

Image
By Van Ethan Levy, LMFT 118131, LPCC 8269  Van is a queer, non-binary, trans, AFAB (Assigned Female at Birth), POC (Person of Color), dually licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist and a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. Van is passionate about holding space for all intersections of one’s identity(ies). Van is dedicated to social justice & believes it is vital to cultivate an awareness of our own internal strengths, specifically our resilience as we continue to grow and discover ourselves. Van also provides trainings on trans and non-binary identities and is author of the interactive book Exploring My Identity(ies) (2020). As we approach National Coming Out Day on October 11th and celebrate LGBTQPIA2S+ History Month, it’s crucial to shed light on a pervasive issue that often goes unnoticed: Interpersonal Violence (IPV). Many individuals may not recognize the signs of healthy versus unhealthy dynamics in relationships. IPV can take many forms, including physic...
Read more

Here’s why you shouldn’t test for COVID

Image
  By Kim Marquardt, RN MSN This blog post is from the Nurse Kim archives of myth busting. I want to share some "alternative" or maybe just lesser known health and wellness viewpoints for you to chew on. *These posts are not intended as official medical advice. They ARE meant to be fun, informative, and thought provoking, hopefully sparking an interest for you to do your own research (you can start with the links I provide!) and discover the marvels of the human body, and how it can function at its optimal performance level if we understand how it works and interacts with our environment and our diet. I have a passion for health and wellness through lifestyle and nutrition and have done thousands of hours of research in addition to being a registered nurse for 23 years. I have done A LOT of self-experimentation in and around diet, lifestyle, body care, and supplementation and have spent a lot of time looking into the science behind it all (or lack thereof!). Check back weekly ...
Read more

TWO QUESTIONS: Adela Sanchez on Narcan Trainings

Image
TWO QUESTIONS FOR Adela Sanchez on Narcan Training  1.       What led you to bring Narcan training to MiraCosta? Narcan (naloxone) training in community colleges, especially when provided by a nurse, offers numerous benefits. As someone who grew up in this community being able to offer training for students, faculty, and staff is especially important to me. There are so many obstacles in healthcare so when there are opportunities for free programs and resources, I am immediately drawn to them. Empowering community members, especially in a college setting, fosters a sense of responsibility and community care. Trained individuals can act confidently in emergencies, contributing to a safer environment for everyone! I’ve seen too many accidents turn fatal so anything we can do to help is worth it. ·          Narcan equips us with the ability to respond swiftly to opioid overdoses. This can save lives in situation...
Read more