Office of Student Counseling Services

You can use this tool to check in on your substance use and explore the impact it may be having on you.

Addiction is a chronic disease that impacts a person's behaviors, body, and brain. Learn about the complex impact of substance abuse below.

FACT: Alcohol is a drug — and one of the most harmful.

Alcohol contributes to liver disease, cancers, heart problems, accidents, and addiction. It causes more deaths worldwide than many illegal drugs combined. Even small amounts of alcohol impair reaction time, judgment, and coordination. Most alcohol-related crashes involve people who were “just buzzed.”

FACT: Marijuana can be addictive and about 1 in 10 users develop cannabis use disorder; risk rises to 1 in 6 for those who start young.

Cannabis use directly affects brain function. It specifically impacts the parts of the brain responsible for memory, learning, attention, decision making, coordination, emotions, and reaction time. Cannabis can make the heart beat faster and raise blood pressure immediately after use. It could also lead to increased risk of stroke, heart disease, and other vascular diseases.

FACT: Misusing prescription drugs can be just as dangerous as illegal drugs.

Painkillers, sedatives, and stimulants can cause overdose, dependence, or dangerous heart effects when taken without medical supervision. Additionally, commonly misused prescription drugs such as anti-anxiety meds, and ADHD meds can all cause overdoses.

FACT: Even one use can be risky.

Drugs like fentanyl, MDMA, meth, and inhalants can cause overdose, heart failure, or brain damage on first use. Additionally, some studies show that a single exposure to some drugs/substances can “prime” the brain, making it more sensitive to the next dose. 

FACT: Vaping exposes the lungs to chemicals, metals, and ultrafine particles that can cause inflammation, breathing problems, and long-term lung damage.

Additionally, most vape liquids contain nicotine, which is one of the most addictive substances known. Some vapes contain higher nicotine levels than cigarettes. In recent years, several reviews have been published which showed that e-cigarette use might increase risk of several respiratory conditions including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), and pulmonary inflammation

FACT: Nicotine changes brain development, especially in people under 25, affecting memory, attention, and impulse control.

Cigarette smoking or tobacco use disorder (TUD) is the main cause of preventable death in developed countries, with an estimated number of 435,000 premature deaths in the U.S. and 5 million worldwide every year.