By JEREMY MORALES
Student-athletes consume an equal amount of recreational drugs as there college peers, experts believe mentorship and early intervention among these impressionable young athletes are the hallmarks toward a successful future.
As millennial drug use drops and recreational marijuana use increasingly becomes decriminalized across state lines, millennials, including student athletes still abuse. Student athletes cope with the stress and commitment to broad obligations through self-destructive means.
“Although millennial drug use is on a decreasing trend, and America is beginning to take a softening stance against certain kinds of drug use, it is imperative that we still teach and mentor students on the perils of substance dependency and abuse,” said psychology professor, Judith Green.
Studies show that drug abuse is still a problem among young people. A 2013 study lists the statistics that 22 percent of all college students in America partake in some form of illicit drug use as well as Division one, two and three athletes, which separately also account for 22 percent of drug use demographics in the 18-24 age range. As a local confirmation of these findings.
As a vital way to keep the student body engaged, this past October Ramapo College invited motivational speaker and former NBA player Chris Herren to visit and speak on his triumphs in life, as well as his pitfalls, mainly due to substance abuse. The Denver Nuggets drafted Herren in 1999 at the age of 25 and afterward his hometown signed him to there team, the Boston Celtics.
As of August 1, 2008, Herren has accumulated several drug felonies, a date that coincides with Herren’s new found sobriety. Herren has gone on to launch a basketball player’s development company to mentor basketball players on and off the court
Herren also became the center of an ESPN documentary called 30 for 30 -“Unguarded” which examines Herren’s own personal struggles, was nominated for two Emmy’s, now he spends a majority of his time motivating and encouraging the youth around America.
Herren now travels is to promote The Herren Project, which grants scholarships to over 1,600 students who may be in need of assistance from addiction, recovery, coaching and aftercare planning as well as a support system during the treatment program.
After his Ramapo College visit, a response he gave an audience member resonated with everyone in attendance.
“I cannot control what happened or still happens in my life to an extent, but I can control how I feel every morning and how much effort I put into each day,” Herren said.
Students struggling with (but not limited to) eating and body image challenges, anxiety, issues of depression, bipolar disorder, self-esteem concerns, emotional dysregulation or self-injurious behaviors, then seek confidential guidance from Dr. Judith Green, jgreen2@ramapo.edu.
Very informative article. I remember when Chris Herren visited my school a few years ago. This articles leads me to question how many schools Herren has been to to share his story. Also, knowing the percentage of college students that use illicit drugs in the state of New Jersey would have been useful.