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Confronting Alcohol AddictionDear Shrink Rap: I think I am actually waking up to a reality that I was unwilling to face. I have been a fairly regular user of alcohol. I was convinced that my drinking was not interfering with my ability to perform and function, but now I think I was kidding myself. Plus, I am realizing that I had built alcohol into my "fun quotient" and have only wanted to do activities that somehow involved alcohol, and hang out with people who either encouraged or at least tolerated drinking. It has dawned on me that people look at me as an "alcoholic," and that this stuff is starting to take a toll. (Someone told me that I always smell like booze, even in the middle of the day when I haven't been drinking!) I'm not convinced that I want to just up and quit. Do you have any suggestions for how I can look at this and figure out what to do?—Facing Reality Dear Facing Reality:You have actually made one of the most important steps in dealing with your alcohol issue: you have faced the fact that you have a problem. As you may understand, many individuals who regularly use alcohol convince themselves that their problem is "not that bad; I could quit if I wanted to," or that they will "deal with it tomorrow, but I just need one more drink to get through the day." And they go from day to day like this, until it adds up to months and years. As anyone who has come through the ordeal of becoming alcohol-free will attest to, nothing works unless and until you have the desire to confront the truth and do something about it to change your life. We witness a lot of young people who do not reach this point until they are facing a drastic outcome, such as failing out of school, becoming alienated from friends or family, or serious illness. The fact that you are reaching out now is a good sign.Alcohol problems usually require professional help and guidance. Your motivations to seek and follow through with some sort of treatment for your dependence on alcohol will play a major role in how well you recover from what is probably an addiction. We suggest that you talk with one of our counselors to help define what your motivations for quitting might be, how you came to depend on alcohol, and to explore ways of bringing this problem under control. Depending on how serious your problem is, you may have to consider an alcohol treatment program. There are programs that you can regularly attend on an outpatient basis, and there are programs that last from 15 to 30 days for individuals who need more intense, in-patient treatment. These do not necessarily take place in a hospital. There are excellent programs that are offered at independent treatment centers that are often located in rural settings. If you have the Juilliard health insurance, you should know that such treatment is covered. There are certain limitations, so be sure to ask your counselor about the insurance coverage and which centers participate in our plan.
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Your motivation to seek and follow through with treatment for alcohol dependence will play a major role in how well you recover.
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We wanted to address the issue of treatment right off, because addiction to any substance is a very powerful force and recovery can be a challenging ordeal. A strong support system is key, and you can start to build that by turning to the Counseling Service. You may find that you have to redefine what a "friend" is, because, if the crowd you currently hang out with encourages you to drink, that is not what you need. Family support and understanding can be a key element in a person's successful recovery from an addiction, but it is not right for everyone. You can explore with a counselor whether involving your family in your recovery is advisable, and how and when to approach family members.As a Juilliard student, you undoubtedly feel that trying to deal with and get treatment for an alcohol abuse problem is almost impossible while you are a student. There are a lot of factors that make facing your problem especially difficult when you are trying to get through a very rigorous and demanding performance-oriented conservatory program. It is important for you to know that, through the years, we have helped other students with substance abuse problems. Some have taken advantage of our confidential services to begin work towards recovery. Others have taken a medical leave from the School so that they can get the treatment necessary to allow them to resume their academic and performance studies mentally and physically prepared, and sober.There are a million reasons we could give you about why trying to get through school with an alcohol problem is ill-advised. You must realize and come to terms with the fact that you are cheating yourself and not getting the absolute most out of your education or your relationships, and you are potentially closing the door of opportunity on yourself. (The performing arts world is small; word travels far and wide, and if you are known to have an alcohol problem, you will be identified for that and not for your skill, talent, and dedication as a performing artist!) But without the real desire to confront your problem and become sober, no amount of persuasion from us will do any good.There are numerous helpful brochures about alcohol in the hallway on the 22nd floor of the Rose Building, outside the Health and Counseling Offices. Take a look at those, and check out the following Web sites:College Student's Guide to Drinking: A guide to prepare students for the countless college drinking decisions ahead. http://www.glness.com/ndhs/Facts on Tap: Resource for the college experience, addressing alcohol and the unique needs of college-age children of alcoholics. http://www.factsontap.org/ We hope to see you at the Counseling Service. Call (212) 769-3918 to make an appointment, or drop in during one of our posted walk-in hours.Shrink Rap is the monthly advice column of the Juilliard Counseling Service. We welcome students' questions that we can print and answer here. Please submit any anonymous questions for consideration by depositing them in the Health Services mailbox, located in the Student Affairs Office. Address any correspondence to Shrink Rap.
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