Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: This show is not a substitute for professional counseling and no relationship is created between the show host or guests and any listener. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, we encourage you to contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
[00:00:26] Speaker B: Foreign.
[00:00:41] Speaker C: Hey, guys. Welcome back to the BAMA Balance podcast. Real stories about college students, mental health.
How's your week been, guys? How have you all been?
[00:00:50] Speaker D: It's been. It's been a good week. I mean, I've.
I actually feel very confident with our football team, don't you think? After performance last couple weeks.
[00:01:02] Speaker E: I like it.
[00:01:03] Speaker D: It's good.
It's good.
[00:01:06] Speaker E: Tough tests ahead.
[00:01:07] Speaker D: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:01:08] Speaker E: This will release next Wednesday before. Right.
[00:01:12] Speaker D: So we're recording this biggest before Mississippi
[00:01:15] Speaker C: State game, but it'll come out before Georgia.
[00:01:18] Speaker D: Oh, yes, that's right. Because we play Georgia after Mississippi State.
[00:01:22] Speaker B: Right.
[00:01:22] Speaker E: Next week.
[00:01:24] Speaker D: Dang. That's right.
You know, I.
I feel good about that Georgia game.
[00:01:31] Speaker C: I'm glad you do.
[00:01:32] Speaker D: I do. I feel like. Like threadbare good about it.
[00:01:38] Speaker C: What? Like House. Like, why is it just Because I think maybe I'm.
[00:01:42] Speaker D: Maybe I'm riding on a Keon wave right now.
[00:01:47] Speaker C: Which, I mean, fair.
[00:01:48] Speaker D: Right. And our O line last couple games have played very well.
[00:01:51] Speaker E: Very well.
[00:01:51] Speaker D: Right. So I'm riding that wave.
And I'm also thinking too, that, you know, there's got to be some payback for that SEC loss in January.
[00:02:02] Speaker E: I agree with that.
[00:02:03] Speaker D: Right.
[00:02:04] Speaker E: I like it.
[00:02:05] Speaker D: And what better way. You're right. What better way to.
[00:02:07] Speaker E: And it's a night game.
[00:02:08] Speaker D: That's a night game. I just. Yeah.
[00:02:10] Speaker C: It'll be reality for sure.
[00:02:12] Speaker D: I think that's going to be fantastic.
But other than that, I mean, week has been okay, not finals, but exams have finished. Maybe not for you, Edmund. You've got a couple more. You got one more.
[00:02:26] Speaker F: Yeah.
[00:02:26] Speaker D: Does it ever end for you?
[00:02:28] Speaker C: You know, I think it's just the nature of being a new college because all my classes come from different departments.
[00:02:34] Speaker D: Right.
[00:02:35] Speaker C: All of them have different midterm.
[00:02:37] Speaker D: Right.
[00:02:38] Speaker C: Their idea of a midterm is different depending on each. Whatever class. Class you're doing. So, I mean, I feel like the last. I've had some kind of evaluation the last three weeks.
[00:02:48] Speaker D: So you're always like, on and always under the.
[00:02:51] Speaker C: Unfortunately, yeah.
[00:02:52] Speaker D: The grading microscope.
[00:02:54] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:02:55] Speaker D: How's. How's grad school progressing for you, Brooksie?
[00:02:58] Speaker E: It's good.
We don't really have a ton of test, which is nice, but I mean studying for the CPA exam, so. So that basically is like a big test.
[00:03:09] Speaker D: Right?
[00:03:11] Speaker E: It's going well, though. I enjoy it. It's weird. Definitely.
I have not been in Tuscaloosa a single weekend still this year.
[00:03:21] Speaker D: Really? I know you were out for the. Was it the FSU game?
[00:03:25] Speaker E: Yeah, I was out for the FSU game and then last weekend went to Buffalo.
[00:03:32] Speaker D: Oh, right, right, right, right.
[00:03:34] Speaker E: That was awesome, by the way.
[00:03:35] Speaker D: Cool. You're been Niagara Falls ages ago when it was. When it was just a river.
[00:03:41] Speaker E: Super cool.
[00:03:42] Speaker D: So it was a night. Was it? Did you stay on the. Were you in the New York side, the Canadian side?
[00:03:47] Speaker E: We stayed in Orchard Park.
Like, it's pretty interesting. It's kind of like Green Bay. Have you ever been to Lambo?
[00:03:56] Speaker D: I've not. You've been.
[00:03:58] Speaker E: Yes.
Lambo is like in the middle of a neighborhood. Like, it's weird, really, but Buffalo is kind of the same way.
It kind of reminds me of before Saban really took off here.
[00:04:11] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:04:12] Speaker E: Like Tuscaloosa 2013.
[00:04:14] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:04:15] Speaker E: No high rises, like neighborhood around. People were tailgating in their front yards, that sort of thing.
[00:04:21] Speaker D: Really?
[00:04:21] Speaker E: That's how Buffalo was. It was really cool.
[00:04:25] Speaker D: Neat atmosphere, though.
[00:04:27] Speaker E: Oh, yeah.
[00:04:27] Speaker D: Sort of neighborhood tailgating.
[00:04:28] Speaker E: They get after it.
[00:04:29] Speaker D: That's fantastic. Well, that's one reason to live in Buffalo.
[00:04:34] Speaker E: Weather was great too.
[00:04:35] Speaker D: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I bet.
[00:04:36] Speaker E: Until October. Until probably Halloween then. That's going to be tough to bear and.
[00:04:42] Speaker D: And they're building a new stadium as well. Right?
[00:04:43] Speaker E: It's done.
[00:04:44] Speaker C: It's done.
[00:04:45] Speaker D: So is that where you.
[00:04:45] Speaker E: So that was the second game in the stadium.
[00:04:48] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:04:49] Speaker E: Loudest stadium I've ever been in.
[00:04:52] Speaker C: Really.
[00:04:53] Speaker E: Death Valley.
Not near as loud.
The decibel reader at High Mark Stadium was like steady. 114.
[00:05:06] Speaker D: Holy smokes.
[00:05:07] Speaker E: Which like, if I'm not mistaken, I think Bryant Denning the loudest has ever gotten is like 120, man.
But like it didn't compare to the pick six against Tennessee last year, but.
[00:05:19] Speaker D: Oh, okay.
[00:05:19] Speaker E: It was the. As far as like a steady noise. It was the loudest stadium I've ever been in and it helped. It was a close game, so.
[00:05:28] Speaker D: Wow. That's pretty cool.
[00:05:30] Speaker E: It was fantastic.
[00:05:31] Speaker D: Are you. Do you plan on being in town for the next couple games or.
[00:05:34] Speaker C: For sure.
[00:05:35] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:05:35] Speaker E: I'm debating right now. Going to Starkville.
[00:05:38] Speaker D: Are You. But okay. That's an early game.
[00:05:40] Speaker C: Pouring.
[00:05:41] Speaker E: It is. I like Starkville. Is it Swiss rain?
[00:05:44] Speaker D: Swiss rain?
[00:05:44] Speaker E: Never mind.
Count me out.
[00:05:51] Speaker D: That would be awesome, though.
It'll be like the Mud bowl last time.
[00:05:56] Speaker E: Last time I was at a super rainy football game was Jalen Melrose game at LSU where we steamrolled them. Yeah. And it rained the whole game.
[00:06:06] Speaker D: Well, even more reason to go. They need you there.
[00:06:09] Speaker E: Yeah, I like Starfleet. Yeah, It's a fun place to go watch a game.
I've never.
[00:06:14] Speaker D: Yeah, well, I've never been. And maybe it's the cowbells that keep me away, but that's a whole other story.
[00:06:20] Speaker E: I think you got to go here once.
[00:06:22] Speaker D: Yeah, yeah, I agree. I agree. It'll be. It'll. It'll be. It'll be a good game. I'm looking forward to Georgia coming here then, too.
[00:06:29] Speaker C: Absolutely. Well, we got a lot of good things ahead of us, including some really awesome guests. So we're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back. You've been listening to the BAM Balance,
[00:06:55] Speaker B: Wvuafm, Tuscaloosa.
[00:06:57] Speaker A: This show is not a substitute for professional counseling and no relationship is created between the show host or guests and any listener. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, we encourage you to contact the UA Counseling center at 341 83863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
[00:07:39] Speaker D: Welcome back, everybody, to the BAMA Balance. And as Edward alluded, we've got some special guests with us on for this episode, Episode six. We got some folks from our Collegiate Recovery and Intervention Services. Joining us today.
We've got Kelly Miller, who's assistant director for clinical services, and Alex Leibok, who's assistant director for Collegiate Recovery Community. So welcome to both of you. Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Let's start. Kelly, if you want to tell us a little bit about yourself, your. Your role at Collegiate Recovery and some of the things that you do there. Sure.
[00:08:16] Speaker B: So I'm Kelly Miller. I'm a licensed marriage and family therapist. Been working as a therapist for about 20 years because I started when I was like 10, and then I came to Alabama. I think we decided earlier in 2012. So I've been here about 14 years.
My whole career, I've worked in substance use, so I worked in a residential treatment center. Before coming here, and then helped build these programs back in 2012, and have stayed around because I enjoy it so much.
So mainly working with students who are struggling with substance use, either voluntarily coming in, wanting to just kind of explore their use, or maybe adjust some things all the way to mandated clients who are being sent from student conduct or the court system who have to complete some requirements for our office. So we sort of do ultimately all of that and try to tailor the treatment to the student and what they need and where they're at with all that.
And then I also, being a marriage and family therapist, also enjoy working with families. And so a lot of times I'll talk to the families on the front end if needed, or coordinate that, or do family sessions when we need them, or couple sessions.
[00:09:26] Speaker D: Great. And then, Alex, how about you?
[00:09:29] Speaker F: Yeah, my name's Alex Live Oak.
I run the collegiate recovery community side of the hall.
And so I have a.
I have about 35. I think it's like 37 students that are all in recovery from, you know, substance use, eating disorders, a couple other process addiction.
And we basically just try and create the college experience without all that extra stuff.
And so we. We just try and make it fun.
We help with their academics, obviously, we help with their recovery.
My students take two things very seriously. They take their recovery very seriously and their academics very seriously and not much else.
They like to have a good time, and we like to try and show them how to have a good time, either sober or in other types of recovery. And as far as what I do, it's. I get to do a lot of things. I get to wear a lot of different hats. So it's really fun. I set up all the programming I do. I oversee all the marketing, all the outreach, all the fundraising, all the academic advising stuff, and all the numbers. So owing the budget, I get to do all of it. And every year it's different.
And it's a lot of fun, for sure, to get to watch my students.
[00:11:02] Speaker D: Yeah, it's amazing. So our collegiate Recovery and Intervention services department, I think, is still pretty much one of a kind across campuses in the United States.
It's one of the few, if not only department that I'm aware of that offers this sort of continuum of services that encompass both counseling and therapy and a collegiate recovery community.
So we're really fortunate to have that department and the services there.
One of the things I thought maybe you could kind of talk about in general is college is a time when there are students who may abuse or misuse substances or Experience addiction.
Could you just talk a little about what. What is the difference between substance abuse or misuse and addiction?
[00:11:57] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, we get asked that question a lot, as you can imagine. And so the simplest way I try to break it down for people is continuing to use despite negative consequences.
Obviously, it can be way more complicated than that, but that can sort of be a litmus test, if you will. So for college students, that might mean, you know, I'm not making it to class or I'm not doing as well on my assignments as I normally would.
Maybe I get a dui. Maybe I get in fights with my friends or my girlfriend. And all of those things maybe not be. They may not all be happening to one person, but some of those things happening is enough to make somebody go, okay, is it the drinking? Is it not?
And then they could come talk to us, and we can help tease that out for them.
But I guess the other side of that would be if you try to cut back or quit on your own and are not able to do so, that would be maybe another kind of red flag that there might be something more going on than just experimental use.
[00:12:55] Speaker D: Right, right.
And how would a student realize if. If they're, like, crossing that boundary or that line towards addiction?
[00:13:06] Speaker F: Yeah, I would say, like she said, use despite negative consequences. Also, like, if you're going out and you're like, I'm only going to have one, and you find yourself drunk more often than not, or you say you're not going to go out and you do anyway.
But really, what I tell all of our students, and this goes across a lot of different mental health stuff, but is it. Is it negative? Is it interrupting your life?
Is it interrupting your life in ways like relationships or school or, you know, you don't really. Physically, emotionally, if it's interrupting any of that, then it's certainly worth going and talking to somebody about it.
[00:13:51] Speaker D: When you've. When you've seen, you know, students who are seeking services, how many are coming in on their own? How many are coming in as a result of a referral or.
[00:14:04] Speaker B: Yeah, so on our. On the clinical side of things, I would say we're at about 50% that are mandated and then 50% that are coming in on their own. So that's a really nice balance. I think that speaks to the work we're doing that, you know, we've made a space where it's comfortable enough for people to come in and have these conversations.
And then with Alex's side, it's all voluntary.
[00:14:29] Speaker D: So for students who are in recovery? How do they connect? How do they engage in the collegiate recovery community?
[00:14:36] Speaker F: So, like, how do they get there? Okay. Yeah. So most of our students go to our website, Cris UA Edu, or you could just Google Collegiate Recovery ua, and we'll be the first one that pops up. And there's a join our community tab on the website. And so all it asks is name, number, and email. And then we reach out to them. So we get a lot through that.
And lately we go and we speak to classrooms about what we do. The last two classrooms we've been to, we've had people come up to us afterwards.
[00:15:11] Speaker D: Oh, really?
[00:15:11] Speaker F: Yeah. And be like, we didn't know you guys existed.
[00:15:14] Speaker D: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:15:14] Speaker F: And will you guys be there today? Yeah. Come on.
[00:15:18] Speaker D: Right.
[00:15:18] Speaker F: So variety of ways. Or our students tell their friends about it, and that's how they hear about it, and they're like, oh, that sounds cool.
[00:15:26] Speaker D: So word of mouth as well.
[00:15:27] Speaker F: Yeah.
[00:15:28] Speaker D: Have either of you. Have either of you guys heard about collegiate recovery before?
[00:15:31] Speaker E: I have.
[00:15:32] Speaker D: You have?
[00:15:32] Speaker E: Okay.
[00:15:33] Speaker D: Okay. Okay.
[00:15:35] Speaker E: Now that I think about it, I'm
[00:15:36] Speaker D: not sure how I was just gonna about to say, did you hear from friends or, like, through, like, an outreach program or something?
[00:15:45] Speaker E: I don't know. Yeah, I. I don't think I know anybody in the program, but I think just by word of mouth somehow.
I'll have to think about that.
[00:15:54] Speaker D: Yeah. Like, over time, it seems like. Yeah, I mean, any way is a good way to. To get the word out. But. But certainly by word of mouth over time, it seems like that sort of pervades, you know, people's awareness and things like that. Is there a cost for surfaces on either side?
[00:16:12] Speaker F: For the collegiate recovery community side, there are no costs.
[00:16:15] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:16:16] Speaker F: So all the events we do, the sober tailgates, and we're doing, like, apple picking.
[00:16:23] Speaker D: Right.
[00:16:23] Speaker F: Paintball, bowling, whatever it is. We do conferences in Atlanta, New Orleans. All that stuff is covered by us. So, yeah, no cost for us.
[00:16:32] Speaker D: Great.
[00:16:33] Speaker B: And then our services are a little trickier to explain, but certainly if you're coming in voluntarily and just wanting counseling, it's just $15 a session, and that just goes to their student bill. And we also have some financial waivers that we can use if needed for services. So I always tell people, don't let cost be a deterrent. We will work with anybody.
[00:16:53] Speaker D: That's great. So if anybody wants to come in or is looking to come in, but may sort of struggle financially, there are ways to address that.
[00:17:02] Speaker B: Absolutely. Yes.
[00:17:03] Speaker D: Okay. Is it.
Is it open to Anyone or just students at the university?
[00:17:10] Speaker B: It is just students at this point. So for our accreditation and licensure requirements and stuff, we are only able to treat students at this point. That being said, of course, if it's like a prospective student or family member, you know, we can certainly have phone conversations and consultation type, you know, appointments with them.
[00:17:27] Speaker D: Gotcha.
[00:17:28] Speaker B: And same for the Collegiate Recovery community.
[00:17:30] Speaker D: Recovery community, too. Okay.
[00:17:32] Speaker B: Although y' all have worked with students at Shelton or things like that that might be looking to come to ua.
[00:17:38] Speaker F: That is true. Yeah. Yeah. So if they're. If they're students at Shelton, then they can come and hang out and do seminar and recovery night and, you know, come to our events and stuff like that. And we've got two students right now.
[00:17:50] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:17:51] Speaker F: One's in grad school and the other one's going to grad school.
[00:17:54] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:17:54] Speaker F: Who came from Shelton, went to Bama, and now they're going to grad school at Bama. So that's great.
[00:17:59] Speaker D: That's. Well, that's fantastic.
[00:18:00] Speaker F: Yeah.
[00:18:01] Speaker D: Good way to. It's a good way to get them here. That's amazing. So there's a ton of services and a scope of services that Collegiate Recovery provides, and which is amazing. Again, I think it's one of the few, if not only resources that is distinctive to our campus. And I know that there's also been a lot of news recently regarding, you know, college instances of drug abuse and things of that nature. And maybe that's something we can talk a little bit more about in the next segment. So stay tuned, everybody. We'll be right back. This is the BAMA Balance.
[00:18:58] Speaker B: Wvuafm Tuscaloosa.
[00:19:00] Speaker A: This show is not a substitute for professional counseling, and no relationship is created between the show hosts or guests and any listener. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, we encourage you to contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective county's crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
[00:19:42] Speaker E: What's up, guys? Welcome back to segment two of the BAMA Balance.
This has been great so far.
I mean, even our talk during the break, I feel like some of the times, those are the best moments we have in this. I wish our mics were running all the time.
[00:19:59] Speaker D: We might have to do that one day. Just keep it on.
[00:20:03] Speaker E: I do have a question, though. What does A day in the life or really day in the week look like of a collegiate recovery student like in your program.
[00:20:13] Speaker F: Yeah, so we do have a space on campus that's right across from the counseling center. And I don't know if our listeners know that we're getting a brand new building, the Wellness Hub, over across from the rec pool.
[00:20:28] Speaker C: Heard a thing or two.
[00:20:29] Speaker F: Yeah, right on. Fantastic.
But yeah, so we have a space on campus and it's really like home away from home. We got like couches and TV and you know, a big table where they can study or you know, we have a computer lab and all that stuff. So a lot of our students will park at our building and then go to class and you know, come back in between classes, just kind of hang out and really just be together. It's a place for them to go and just kind of hang out like I said. But yeah, we, we do those and on Thursday nights we have recovery night. So they have an all recovery meeting where it's all student run. They don't want the gray hat, gray, gray haired guy in the room so I stay away.
And so they, they have a recovery meeting where they just kind of talk about what's going on with them and get some support.
Um, and usually, usually on weekends, you know, if it's a game day, then we have a sober tailgate right in front of Little Hall.
We'll bring the big screen out there and watch all the other games. We had Southern Ale House cater last week and cornhole and cam jam and all that good stuff. So hang out, do something like that or we'll have some, some kind of event.
Like I said, go bowling or do something, whatever they want to do, whatever fun thing they want to go do.
We had family dinner this week where we took them to the sand lot.
[00:21:53] Speaker D: Oh yeah.
[00:21:54] Speaker E: New restaurant.
[00:21:55] Speaker F: Yeah, yeah, they seem to really enjoy that.
It's. Yeah, it was really nice. So you know, just, just random stuff really. Just like most other organizations. Right. Like they're just regular students doing regular student stuff. So um, yeah, that's, that's what it would look like for, for us, I'll add.
[00:22:17] Speaker B: Cause Alex sells himself short sometimes. They, some of them are gray haired themselves. So we have a lot of non traditional students too that might be in grad school or they've come back to school after getting sober and so they will, they sometimes influence I think what events, you know, and activities they do as well.
And then there's also the downtime in between classes where somebody might be sitting at the table working on homework, and somebody else might be in watching tv and somebody else, you know, might be talking about whatever news is happening in the world or whatever. And so it can just kind of be that space for community, too, right?
[00:22:56] Speaker F: Yeah. Like, we were hanging out today, and Tony got to catch a glimpse of it. You know, we were just like, hanging out, watching the new Unabomber thing on Netflix. Right. So just, like, I actually got to hang out with the students a little bit today, which was nice.
Hadn't got to do that very much lately. That's the best part.
[00:23:12] Speaker D: But.
[00:23:13] Speaker F: But, yeah, so just. Just regular stuff, for sure.
[00:23:16] Speaker E: Yeah. That's awesome.
And I know we were talking about, you know, the problem that students all across the world have recently been having with drugs and substance abuse. And something pretty interesting got brought up over the break, but.
And we. And we covered it a little bit. But have you all really noticed anything along with gambling, sports betting, that sort of thing? How's that affecting students?
[00:23:42] Speaker B: Yeah, so I think it's something that a lot of people are asking about, but not a lot of people are kind of coming for services.
So we do offer counseling for any kind of process addiction or addictive type of behavior. And so we have had some come for gambling, but not as many as we know probably could benefit from it.
So we've been trying to kind of improve our outreach on making sure people know we're here and that we can be happy to help with that, too. But it's. It's such a cultural norm right now that I think it's hard to.
For people to realize it's a problem because everybody else is doing it right. And which is a lot of the problem with recovery in college, too. It's hard to realize that maybe there's a problem with the way that you drink when your friends drink just as much as you. But that's what I always have to challenge my clients on is like, what is different for you? You know, that's brought you in is other. You might literally be drinking the same amount, but it's hurting you in different ways. Same thing with gambling. Right. You might be, in your perspective, not doing any more or less than your friend sitting next to you. But how's it affecting you? If it's causing you extra stress and anxiety and it's affecting your ability to focus in class or your family relationships or your financial situation, then that's time to go talk to somebody about it.
[00:24:57] Speaker D: So with you mentioned process addictions, I'm going to back up a little bit. Could you Explain that a little more. What are process addictions versus, like, substance?
[00:25:05] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, I think that we just sort of call anything that's not substances process addiction, just in the sense of it's usually some type of compulsive behavior, which also substance use is. But I guess people sort of know what you mean when you say substance use addiction.
But I think that, you know, the ones we see the most common are eating disorders, gambling and sex addiction.
And then we've been talking recently about there's definitely kind of been an uptick in social media or Internet addiction, people identifying that as like a compulsive problematic behavior and coming to get some help and support for that too.
[00:25:42] Speaker D: Right, right. I know there's, you know, recently been a lot of concern and a lot of news. I'm sure you guys have heard about or aware about it regarding some of the news at some of our SEC institutions and particularly around opioid use and, and some synthetic opioids. And do you have a sense of.
Not necessarily how pervasive, but what are the kinds of substance use issues that students present with other than alcohol?
[00:26:21] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, I definitely, I know in the news Kratom's been talked about recently.
The benefit with Alabama is that they outlawed Kratom a couple of years ago, and since then we really haven't seen it.
I know it's illegal in Mississippi too, so I'm not really sure why that was so accessible for students. But I guess maybe the way that we're policing it in Alabama has helped really cut it down here. That being said, a lot of the things that are out there now are just spin offs. So. So Kratom originally was like a brand name.
The plant is also called Kratom that it comes from, but there was a brand called Kratom when it kind of first came out. And so when that became illegal, then what people do, as they do with any substance, is they chemically alter one thing or change something on the ingredients list. So then all of a sudden it meets criteria to be sold again.
And so that's where I think some of these synthetic spinoffs of Kratom even are coming out, which I think is what they were hypothesizing at was happening at Ole Miss with those bad batches. But we also know that at least on all campuses in the sec, that cocaine use is also up a lot right now compared to a few years ago. And certainly the biggest problem with that is that you don't really know what you're getting with a substance like cocaine. And so a lot of times it's getting laced with fentanyl or some of these other synthetics.
We've seen students get laced with methamphetamine that thought they were buying cocaine.
I've had students get, like, have heroin that thought they were buying cocaine. So, I mean, it can really, you know, your plugs are not always the most honest, trustworthy people, and they don't always even know. Right. What they're getting from their person and so on and so forth. So it's just really kind of a dangerous time right now, which I think has gotten a lot of people nervous, as it probably should.
[00:28:20] Speaker D: And is it. Is it. This was a new term to be cyclophene.
[00:28:23] Speaker B: Is that a newer cyclo, chlorophyne or something?
[00:28:26] Speaker D: Is that a newer synthetic?
[00:28:28] Speaker B: It was the first time I heard of it last week. I did a little research on it. It sounds like it's been around a little bit more in the Northeast before, but is making its way across.
[00:28:39] Speaker D: I don't know if you've noticed this, Kelly and Alex, but over the course of my years and working with college students and college student mental health,
[00:28:50] Speaker E: that
[00:28:50] Speaker D: certain substances cycle in and some cycle out at some point. It used to be hallucinogenics, LSD mushrooms, that kind of thing.
Seems that, you know, marijuana has always been there.
[00:29:03] Speaker B: Sure. And alcohol.
[00:29:05] Speaker D: And alcohol.
[00:29:06] Speaker B: Those are the constants for sure, right?
[00:29:07] Speaker D: Those are constants. But then some of the other things, like. Like hallucinogenics, some of the opioids, use of the illicit, use of prescription medication, it seems like that seems to come and go. And I don't know what your take on it is currently, with recent news of cocaine use on campuses, are we sort of in a phase of that?
[00:29:36] Speaker B: Yeah, I think so. I mean, I think that, you know, ever since Xanax use went down, the cocaine use has really gone up.
I'm not sure how directly related those two things are, but that's definitely what we've seen in our office and across campuses with our peers at other schools.
But I think, to me, the biggest change with cocaine use recently is that it's become so normalized that it's just way more out in the open than it used to be. So, I mean, I don't think cocaine on campus is new, but I do think even back then it was a lot more. There would just be a few people doing it and. Or it would be in a, you know, back room or somebody's bedroom hidden out of the way. You're not like advertising it, whereas now it can be. Apparently it's a lot more normalized and out in the open.
[00:30:24] Speaker A: Right.
[00:30:25] Speaker D: So if a student has identified themselves as having, you know, problematic use or addiction to cocaine or any other substance and they seek treatment and they're at a place where they're ready to pursue recovery, how does that happen?
And how do they not only enter recovery, but how do they then join the crc?
[00:31:00] Speaker F: Yeah. So if they're ready for that kind of thing, then they can just come talk to us. They can do the website thing if they want, or they can just walk in our office.
They don't need an appointment or anything like that.
And if they. If they want, like, inpatient treatment, you know, we have really good relationships with treatment facilities around here. I don't. I don't send people to treatment centers that I haven't personally visited and checked out the staff and facilities and all that.
[00:31:28] Speaker D: Right.
[00:31:29] Speaker F: So a lot of several that are really good for students.
[00:31:34] Speaker E: Okay.
[00:31:34] Speaker F: And then, you know, I've got one that's in treatment right now, and he's going to do a halfway house in Huntsville for a little while, and then he's going to come back.
So it's not like that's the end of the relationship either. Like, the goal is to always get students back if that's what they feel like they need. But as far as entering a recovery, it's just like, whenever you're ready, you know, like, we're here.
[00:31:58] Speaker D: Right. So are there other, like, criteria that. That students need? Criteria. But are there things that students need to be aware of about entering recovery or starting their recovery journey?
[00:32:12] Speaker F: That it's probably not as scary as they're making it out to be.
It is. It is a big change.
But. And there's not going to be like, any judgment or, you know, anything crazy like that.
[00:32:25] Speaker D: Right.
[00:32:26] Speaker F: It's just going to be like a lifestyle change, but it's completely possible. And it's like, students. One of students biggest fears is how are they going to have fun?
Right, Right. And so it's really hard for me to communicate to somebody whose idea of fun is like, doing cocaine all the time and drinking booze all the time, that kind of thing.
But it's just one of those things that you got to do and find out. Right, Right.
And that life is, in fact, very fun without all.
[00:32:58] Speaker D: Without all of it.
[00:32:59] Speaker F: And if it wasn't, nobody would be sober.
[00:33:01] Speaker D: Sure.
[00:33:01] Speaker F: So sure. If everybody was miserable, nobody do it.
[00:33:04] Speaker D: So you were talking earlier, Alex and Kelly, about the new well, being Hub, and I got to tell you, one of the highlights of the Collegiate Recovery Intervention Services area is the game room, the video game.
[00:33:17] Speaker F: Oh, man.
[00:33:17] Speaker D: That is in the crc.
We'll need to take a look at it because it's gonna be pretty amazing. I may hang out there myself, even though I have no idea.
[00:33:28] Speaker E: It's gonna be tough to get work done.
[00:33:29] Speaker D: No, I have no idea what I'm doing on many video games, but it's gonna be amazing.
[00:33:34] Speaker C: A lot of fun.
[00:33:34] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:33:35] Speaker D: It's gonna be so cool.
[00:33:36] Speaker F: Oh, yeah. That was something that we really wanted, was like a. Like a gaming room slash. Like, movie slash watch football or basketball or whatever. Just a place for them to go and just forget about everything else for a little while and just.
Yeah. Just kind of be together and have some fun.
[00:33:55] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:33:56] Speaker F: But, yeah, super excited.
[00:33:58] Speaker D: That's cool.
[00:33:58] Speaker E: Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah. Now that I look back on my time in our fraternity and stuff, like, those are some of the best times ever. Like, in between class.
[00:34:07] Speaker F: Yeah.
[00:34:08] Speaker E: All hanging out in one room watching a movie or, you know, playing. Playing a college football game or something like that.
[00:34:14] Speaker F: Isn't that crazy? Like, that's what all my students say, too, is, you know, we set up all these crazy events, and, you know, event planning and execution is super hard and super time consuming. And their favorite part of being in the CRC is just the people singing out. Is the community just hanging out, and those are the things that they remember the most, is, you know, just coming in between classes and having a place to go and just chilling, cutting up.
[00:34:39] Speaker E: That's how, you know things are going well right there.
[00:34:41] Speaker D: That's right.
[00:34:42] Speaker E: But this has been a great segment right here.
We're not done yet. We've got one more that we'll come back to.
We'll be right back after the break. This is the MEM Balance.
[00:35:07] Speaker B: Wvuafm Tuscaloosa.
[00:35:10] Speaker A: This show is not a substitute for professional counseling, and no relationship is created between the show hosts or guests and any listeners. If you feel you are in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, we encourage you to contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency.
[00:35:52] Speaker C: Hey, y'.
[00:35:52] Speaker D: All.
[00:35:52] Speaker C: Welcome back to the Bama Balance podcast, and I think we've had a really good episode today. Very informative. I Think. I think there's a lot of stuff that, I mean, I've. I've heard of some of this, but kind of having it all, you know, spelled out for me has been, I think, really helpful because it just, you know, awareness is so important about all of these things.
But, yeah, there's a couple things I think we were talking about over the break that we wanted to mention about
[00:36:17] Speaker D: other crc, other programs, services at other colleges in the sec.
[00:36:22] Speaker F: No. Yeah, sure. So with some of the stuff that's, you know, everybody's got concerns over drug use and that kind of thing. There's. There's more CRCs than us.
Kennesaw State has a really good one. Georgia has a really good one. The Ole Miss has a really good one. Mississippi State, who we play this weekend.
[00:36:40] Speaker E: Right.
[00:36:41] Speaker F: They're. They're having a tailgate at their crc. So there are services out there at these other colleges and doing some good work. So if this makes it to somebody else that might need it.
[00:36:54] Speaker D: Yeah, yeah.
[00:36:55] Speaker F: There's services all over the Southeast like ours.
[00:36:58] Speaker D: So you mentioned the tailgate early on, and I know we. The CRC has their tailgate here. How do we. So your tailgate's at little hall, but there are a number of tents.
[00:37:08] Speaker F: Oh, yeah.
[00:37:09] Speaker D: Cross even a little Hall. How do we know which one is yours?
[00:37:13] Speaker F: Yeah, so ours is the biggest and the best one. But also.
But also we have yellow balloons hanging outside of them. So just look for the yellow balloons.
[00:37:25] Speaker D: Yeah, I noticed you're wearing. Yeah.
[00:37:26] Speaker C: You're also kind of wondering about that a little bit.
[00:37:28] Speaker D: But.
[00:37:29] Speaker F: Yeah. Yeah. No. So I've got my Tide yellow balloon.
Peter Millar on.
We partnered with the shirt shop.
So for the month of September, we have yellow balloon merchandise there.
And they're great. And they give us.
They donate 20%.
[00:37:48] Speaker D: Nice.
[00:37:48] Speaker F: Of whatever they sell.
[00:37:50] Speaker D: That's been. That's been a nice partnership.
[00:37:53] Speaker F: Yeah, we did it last year and it was great. And Bethany, the shirt shop is just so nice and just so awesome, and she let us do it again this year. And I got a 3/4 up coming my way.
[00:38:05] Speaker D: Look at you.
[00:38:05] Speaker F: I'm super excited about color. It's crimson sport.
[00:38:09] Speaker E: Awesome.
[00:38:09] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah.
[00:38:11] Speaker B: Added swag this year.
[00:38:12] Speaker F: Swag. Yeah. The store across the street.
[00:38:15] Speaker D: All right. For women's clothes.
[00:38:16] Speaker F: For women's clothes, yep. So, yeah, it's. It's been a really cool partnership. That's very cool to just kind of get the word out a little bit more. But it's. It's also kind of a.
If you know you know, kind of situation.
Like a lot of people see the yellow balloon, they don't know what it is and.
[00:38:32] Speaker D: Right,
[00:38:35] Speaker F: right.
[00:38:35] Speaker E: And you can count on me to go get one.
[00:38:37] Speaker D: That's right.
[00:38:38] Speaker F: Yeah. Well, you got today. Oh, today's the last day it ends.
[00:38:43] Speaker D: And you. And you can't. You can't get it outside of that.
[00:38:45] Speaker F: That's right.
[00:38:45] Speaker D: That's right. Oh, that's right.
[00:38:46] Speaker F: Because it's for recovery, right? Yeah, it's a limited thing.
[00:38:50] Speaker B: All right, well, mark your calendars for next September.
[00:38:52] Speaker D: Well, or go.
We got some time tonight, and so we. An alumnus designed that logo. Yeah, that's right.
[00:39:01] Speaker F: Yeah, he sure did.
[00:39:04] Speaker D: Yeah. That's a great testimony right there.
[00:39:07] Speaker F: Yeah, absolutely.
[00:39:09] Speaker D: That's very cool. This has been. I mean, are there other things that you would want us to know about Collegiate Recovery and Intervention Services that we haven't touched on yet that I thought about after we.
[00:39:21] Speaker B: After I finished talking last segment, maybe just to add in case anybody's wondering, when they come in for counseling, you know, like I said, we'll meet them where they're at. So if it is somebody, for example, that's struggling with cocaine use, like we talked about, but maybe they don't want to give up drinking or other things, you know, we will work with them on that. Some people, it is best for them to be abstinent from everything, at least in the beginning. But some people are able to find a balance where they can just cut one substance out that's really causing more of the problems. And so, you know, I just don't ever want anybody to be unwilling to even ask or come for counseling to have that conversation because they'd be worried that we would say, you have to quit everything or whatever. We will, you know, we will work with them as their therapist, trying to come up with a treatment plan that. That works for their life.
[00:40:06] Speaker D: And how confidential are the services there?
[00:40:09] Speaker B: Yes, that's great. Great point, too. They are very confidential. We are licensed therapists, so we're bound to the rules of confidentiality there. We're not mandated reporters.
I always tell my students, the only thing I have to do anything about is if you say you're going to actively hurt yourself or somebody else, otherwise everything is safe.
And even that would be safe. But, you know, we would need to get that person some help quickly. But, you know, if they talk about things they've done that might be illegal or anything like that, it's. It's protected information. There's no, you know, no reporting that has to be done. Or anything.
[00:40:44] Speaker E: Awesome.
[00:40:44] Speaker D: All right.
[00:40:45] Speaker C: Yeah. Well, we have one question before we, before we sign off. So we have a playlist for our podcast that we have our guests and really anyone can kind of DM the Instagram and try to add a song to. But what are some of Yalls favorite music, favorite songs we can put on this, this playlist that we have?
[00:41:04] Speaker B: Well, I am known to be a Swifty, so our catalog.
Yes, I would add the whole catalog, but if that's too overwhelming, probably my favorites would be all too well, 10 minute version, of course.
And then also her newest single, Patient Zero, that's out on every streaming platform.
Yeah, that probably be. I mean, I don't know how many you want. That would be my. That would be my top two for now.
[00:41:30] Speaker D: Nice.
[00:41:31] Speaker B: Alex.
[00:41:33] Speaker F: Yeah. I mean the obvious ones are like Dixieland Delight and Sweet Home Alabama, but I'm a big Red Hot Chili Peppers guy.
[00:41:41] Speaker E: Okay.
[00:41:42] Speaker F: First time I heard him I was like 12 and I was like, this is the most amazing thing I've ever heard. They're in recovery and they're also in recovery and I didn't find that out till I got in recovery.
So that was pretty cool.
But so Californication is my favorite song of all time and My Lovely man is a really good one. That's a deep track. He wrote it for the guitarist who died of heroin overdose. So yeah, that would be mine.
[00:42:10] Speaker D: Boom. Done.
[00:42:11] Speaker C: Put those on there.
[00:42:12] Speaker E: Yeah, I don't. I'm going to, I'm going to look up song you just mentioned right there. Because I've never heard that before.
I'm a RHCP fan.
[00:42:21] Speaker F: Oh, awesome.
[00:42:22] Speaker D: We had again, we were talking about our, the, our Bama Bounds playlist which we, we started last year or last season rather.
[00:42:30] Speaker E: Or last year. Let's get some numbers.
[00:42:32] Speaker D: Yeah, let's get some numbers. What's like total songs and total hours? Our ultimate goal is to have enough songs or enough hours to cover a coast to coast road trip.
[00:42:43] Speaker C: Yeah.
All right, so it's.
[00:42:46] Speaker D: You can take your favorite song with you.
[00:42:49] Speaker E: 12 hours and five minutes. I'm not sure if I can see.
[00:42:52] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:42:53] Speaker B: 12 hours on song on there.
[00:42:55] Speaker E: There. There's two at the very bottom.
[00:42:57] Speaker D: And there could be more.
[00:42:58] Speaker F: There could be more there.
[00:42:59] Speaker B: Aaron Destner writes with them. I think some. No.
[00:43:03] Speaker C: Okay, maybe they probably does.
[00:43:05] Speaker B: Or. Well, there's a song with Taylor Swift and one of the Mumford Brothers that I think they worked on with Aaron Destin.
[00:43:11] Speaker C: That's right.
[00:43:12] Speaker B: Cowboy like Me I think is that song. And it's a very good one. So you can add that to your Mumford and Son list.
[00:43:16] Speaker C: Yeah, will do.
[00:43:19] Speaker B: And she's got a song with Kenny Chesney, too, I'm sure.
[00:43:22] Speaker D: Look at this. Yeah, this is so this is another episode. We just moved right into another episode.
Favorite roll right into the music. That's right.
[00:43:32] Speaker E: Again, we've got to do that again.
[00:43:35] Speaker C: 100%. Well, this has been a great episode. Thank you all so much for coming on. Really appreciate y'.
[00:43:39] Speaker E: All.
[00:43:40] Speaker F: Thank you.
[00:43:40] Speaker C: Just sharing what y' all have and what you all are doing.
It's great to raise awareness. We're really appreciative of it. So thank you, everyone, for listening. This is the Bama Balance. My name is Edward Felton.
[00:43:51] Speaker E: I'm brooks Barbary.
[00:43:52] Speaker D: I'm Dr. Toady Perez.
[00:43:54] Speaker F: Alex Live Oak.
[00:43:55] Speaker B: And I'm Kelly Miller.
[00:43:56] Speaker C: And we will see y' all next week.
[00:44:14] Speaker B: Wvuafm, Tuscaloosa.
[00:44:17] Speaker A: This show was not intended as a substitute for professional counseling. Further, the views, opinions and conclusions expressed by the show hosts or their guests are their own and not necessarily those of the University of Alabama, its officers or trustees. Any views, opinions or conclusions shared on the show do not create a relationship between the host or any guest and any listener, and such a relationship should never be inferred. If you feel you're in need of professional mental health and are a UA student, please contact the UA Counseling center at 348-3863. If you are not a UA student, please contact your respective counties crisis service hotline or their local mental health agency or insurance company. If it is an emergency situation, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
