During this time many college and university students are returning to their campuses for school, and this includes students who are also recovering addicts.  Although this is a very exciting time for many students, it can also cause anxiety. Here are 5 tips for students in recovery returning to college or university. 

• Seek Substance Free Housing

The first tip for students in addiction recovery who are returning to college is to seek out substance free housing. This is especially important if you have just recently undergone an alcohol or drug detox. This will limit your exposure to drugs and alcohol while at school, and living in this environment will likely help you with staying focused on your studies. “The first key condition of a successful detox is keeping clients away from any substance long enough so that they can rid their body from any substance”, says Mat Gorman, CEO at Briarwood Detox.

• Stay Connected With Your Support System 

Although you will likely be traveling away from home when you return to college or university, this does not mean that you shouldn’t stay in touch with members of your support system. Keeping in touch with them while you are at school will allow them to check in on you easier, and it will likely just make you feel better overall as well. 

• Know What Resources Are Available

Every school is different with what resources they have available for recovering addicts, but they usua;lly have some type of service available. These could be addiction counselors, therapists, and more. You can usually find out what your school has to offer by looking at their website. In addition to this, you should also look into your schools study resources such as tutors and study groups as well. 

• Get Connected With Your Campus Counselors

Recovering addicts returning to school should also get connected with their campus counselors. These include addiction counselors, mental health counselors, and even the counselors involved with school work itself. This will limit stress and anxiety, and also set you up for success. This is especially important if you have gone to an Austin drug rehab recently, or if you feel as if you are at a high risk for a relapse. 

• Pace Yourself 

College can be stressful. Being in a new environment, having a big course load, and being around new people can be very stressful and even anxiety inducing for many people. This is especially true for recovering addicts. Therefore, it is important to remember to pace yourself when going back to college or university. Doing this and the other above tips will prepare you for a good term by limiting stress and allowing you to focus on what you entered school to do. 

Conclusion 

Returning to college or university during addiction recovery can be pretty nerve wracking, but there are some helpful tips that can make this process less stressful. These include seeking substance free housing, staying connected with your support system, and knowing what resources that your school has to offer. In addition to this, it is a good idea to stay connected with your school's addiction counselors, therapists, and the counselors involved with school work itself. Doing these things and pacing yourself will set you up for success.