As college students, many take on a more independent stance as well as shouldering the weight of responsibility.

With all the stresses of the new semester, students find themselves tangled in an unbalanced schedule. They stay busy attempting to balance school, work, friends and personal time.

The aspects that seem the most important to us, such as personal time, tend to be put last because of the pressure from school and work. As college students, many take on a more independent stance as well as shouldering the weight of responsibility.

Besides all of the underage drinking and partying, students are at risk of creating their own drug or alcohol addiction that is much more serious than a simple Friday night of drinking with friends

With the media always updating us about celebrities, many are aware of the death of the young 28-year-old actor, Heath Ledger. Police say the death may have been drug-related and that prescription drugs were found near his body.

Here, at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, there are facilities to accommodate those students who may be battling addictions.

According to Dr. Paul Dupont, a senior psychologist at the Norris Health Center at UWM, student drug use is nothing new, but there’s another element involved, too.

“We have had many students come in for alcohol or other drug problems but more students with anxiety or stress, depression or relationship problems,” Dupont said. “A fair percentage of those with depression have had thoughts of suicide at some point.”

The psychology department clinic has a depression program; however they don’t provide alcohol and drug treatment. For those cases, Norris assists the student in finding a community resource that can help them, depending on the nature of the problem, their insurance and where they live.

According to Dr. Dupont, students can always call Norris if they need suggestions on somewhere else to go. Norris provides weekly individual and group counseling sessions to students dealing with alcohol and drug related problems.

With addictions, abuse and suicidal issues on the rise, Norris wants to provide as much help as possible. There are cases that are too intense and require more than just one weekly meeting. Psychologists will not only work one-on-one with students but they will also assist in finding an area close by that can further help with treatment.

Dupont says there are areas beyond Norris that students can go.

“With cases that are not treatable through us here at Norris, we refer patients to areas that they can get the help they need. Patients can go to Ravens Wood Counseling, located on North and Prospect Avenues,” Dupont said. “They can also go and check out Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital’s ‘New Vision’ program which works with drug and alcohol withdrawals as well as detoxify.”

To make an appointment with Dr. Dupont, or another specialist, call Norris Health Center’s main line at (414) 229-4716.

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