Nick Hayes: College students, be smart on Halloween

Many universities and college campuses maintain unique, decades-long Halloween traditions. While most emphasize inclusion, engagement and creativity, others can promote excessive partying, heavy drinking and drug use.

As communities gear up for the holiday season, it’s a good time to begin knowing the risks associated with heavy drinking and recreational drug use, especially at a young age.

It’s also vital for parents to understand how to communicate their concerns to their adult children attending post-secondary school and for students to have available resources if they struggle with addiction or mental health issues.

Unfortunately, problems associated with drug and alcohol use often begin with binge drinking. These problems impact students, their families and college communities.

Binge drinking can lead to assault, sexual assault, academic issues, and alcohol or drug addiction. It can also increase suicide risks, health problems and personal injury, and lead to drunk or drugged driving. These risks have become amplified amid the ongoing opioid epidemic.

In Pennsylvania, about 300,000 people in 2020 had a drug use disorder. The number of accidental overdose deaths that year increased sharply, to over 5,000.

Prevention and education begin with parents. Here are some tips for conversations with adult children about drugs and alcohol.

• Avoid lecturing, threatening or using scare tactics. Engage in two-way discussions — be a reliable source of factual information.

• Help them understand that some choices have consequences that can potentially be severe or life-changing. Communicate to them about making responsible decisions and show them how to avoid dangerous situations.

• Share personal experiences and tips to avoid and manage peer pressure. College social life should be enjoyable without the pressure to engage in heavy drinking or drug use.

Fortunately, there are resources for students who are struggling. Parents and students should become familiar with student-led campus advocacy groups, many of which are specific to mental health and addiction. Campus mental health, counseling and disability centers provide many services, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness operates on many campuses.

Halloween allows college students to get creative and let loose, providing relief from studying. But they should make good choices and look out for one another.

Nick Hayes is a health care professional in the field of substance abuse and addiction recovery.