interview

Mary Jane and Molly discuss their substance use history, starting with weed in their early teens. They mention how college influenced their habits and mental health. Both admit to using substances as a coping mechanism but differ in dependency views. They find it easy to access substances on campus and discuss the stigma around mental health services. Molly and Mary Jane haven't utilized campus mental health resources due to negative feedback and stigma. They agree that discussing mental health and substance use in class may not be effective. And we are back with our lovely interviewees, Mary Jane, Molly, how are we doing? Good. Good. That's good to hear. So, I'm sure you know the reason I've asked you here today, so why don't we go ahead and dive into the questions. Okay. Awesome. So, I have about ten questions, and to start us off, I want to ask, when did you first begin using substances, and what substance or substances did you use? Well, I started with weed at 12, I think that was my first time, and then, yeah, I just continued from there. How about you, Molly? I started with weed also, I probably started around 16, 17. Oh, wow. And would you say attending college affected your substance usage, and if yes, how so? Yes, definitely. I was surrounded by people who were definitely into consuming more substances, just the culture in college definitely promotes that. Yeah, I agree. I think that it was like surrounding, but also at the same time, I think I kind of slowed down, because before college, I was just doing it every day, and then when I got to college, I wouldn't do it during classes, or just, I would only do it at night, so, yeah. And have you noticed any effects on your mental health since using substances? I think so, some, yeah. Here and there, I feel like, I feel like even if I did, I was too high to notice. How about you, Molly? I think for me, I noticed I would experience really high highs and really low lows a lot more often, so I think when I was using substances more often, that would occur. And how has the usage of substances shaped your daily life and the way you function? I think it's so common to use substances as like a coping mechanism, so sometimes when I'm really sad or really anxious, the first thing I think is to use substances, which is like not a good habit, and I think that's definitely something that's affecting me. Yeah, I agree with Molly. I think that the stress and the, like, just being upset at daily hassles would definitely make me more enticed to use. So, how often did you consume substances, and what substances were they, and how much of it did you consume? Weed and nicotine, like, daily, multiple times a day, and then alcohol, probably every weekend. I think weed and alcohol every weekend, maybe on, like, Wednesdays or Thursdays, depending on if, like, the people I was around were going out or going to participate in some sort of social event. Okay, and we are ASU students, so let's be realistic. How easy is it to come across and or access substances on campus? I mean, ASU is definitely well known for being a party school, and it lives up to that standard in some ways, so I think it's pretty easy to get access to any substance that you would want to have if you, like, were looking for it, so it's super easy if you know someone or even if you could meet someone who would provide you with some sort of substance. Yeah, I definitely think it was really easy. Honestly, I think it would probably be better, easier on the ASU campus to get weed than, like, a free meal. And would you say you are dependent on substances? Why or why not? Personally, for me, no. I feel like I view it as more of a social thing, so I only really partake in those substances when I'm around other people who are trying to partake in substances, but, like, if I wasn't with other people, I probably wouldn't think about doing it on my own. Thank you for that, Molly. How about you, Mary Jane? I agree. I think that I am sometimes. I think that it's... I feel like it's not as much as... Actually, yeah, I am. So, if there was a mental health and substance use discussion during syllabus week in every single class, what would you guys think about? I feel like I would probably just ignore it. I agree. I think most students would probably ignore it. Like, it's nice to have the reminder, but I'm pretty sure ASU provides some sort of course that's mandatory for substance abuse, and most students kind of just disregard it. That's right, yeah. So, are you aware of the mental health resources available to students on campus? I'm... Yeah, I'm aware of the mental health services. I know ASU provides, like, free therapy, and there's always someone you can talk to. I just know that, personally, if someone, like, talks to the other students, they feel some sort of stigma, or they don't really feel confident in the services that are, like, provided to us. So, maybe there needs to be some sort of, like, service that makes them feel more comfortable about using those services. Yeah, I definitely agree. I think that that's not really something you want to talk about, you know, to people that are at school, too, especially because a lot of us are underage, and we're scared to, like, get in trouble. It's a mandated supporter or whatever, and then just at the same time, I think, with those student-led resources, you can get nervous talking to, like, a peer or something about your issues. Right. So, have you ever tried to utilize said sources, and how? And if not, why? I've had friends... I personally have not used any of the mental health services. I've had friends use it, and they've always reported, like, not-so-great things about the mental health services that ASU provides. Just, like, the therapy just didn't really provide very much reassurance, and I think, for me, that deterred me from using any of those services. Yeah, I also think that there's just, like, a lot of stigma around it, and I think that it could be awkward or whatever, so I've just never utilized it myself, personally. Well, that includes all the questions I have for you guys. Thank you so, so much for being a part of this interview. And now, we'll be taking another break, and after that, we will discuss a solution, along with counter-arguments that we may come across when trying to implement said solutions. Thank you for having us. Want a break from the ads? If you tap now to watch a short video, you'll receive 30 minutes of ad-free music.