Contacts: Justin Eakin, Chief Executive Officer

Jason Jacobs, Chief Operating Officer

June 28, 2019, Huntington Beach, CA: Coastline Behavioral Health is dedicated to working within the collegiate community to help students find support for their addiction and behavioral health issues. With the summer break upon us, many students will be returning home and their parents may be noticing changes in their behaviors. The trained clinical and admissions staff at Coastline works with families to better understand when a person is dangerously teetering on the edge of ‘college life partying’ to dependence or addiction, or if they are using substances as a crutch to mask underlying mental health issues such as anxiety, depression or trauma. Education materials are provided on the company’s website that include signs and symptoms of substance abuse, the four stages and addiction, and resources for co-occurring disorders and mental health.

“We are excited to work with the on campus groups, health centers and directly with students and their families. Our mission is to remove the negative stigma that is often associated with treatment. From our personal experiences working with hundreds of young adults, we understand the pressures that college students face while at school. Our goal is to open the dialog so we can help families understand the severity of the issue and to provide  the best care possible to meet their individual needs,” Justin Eakin, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Coastline Behavioral Health.

More About Coastline Behavioral Health

Located in Huntington Beach, California, Coastline Behavioral Health offers all levels of care (partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, outpatient and transitional living) in their men’s and women’s alcohol and drug treatment programs throughout California including our Orange County location. Their exceptional staff has over 100 years of combined experience in treating addiction and behavioral health issues such as PTSD, OCD, depression, anger management and trauma, offering both male and females only rehab facilities. They have a unique approach for care based on individual treatment plans and experiential therapy, including their music and faith-based programs that cater to special interests of clients. With Joint Commission accreditation, the company holds itself accountable to the highest level of care and treatment ethics to foster long-term, sustained sobriety.

Coastline Behavioral Health

18377 Beach Blvd. Suite 210

Huntington Beach, CA 92648

714-841-2260   

https://coastlinerehabcenters.com/

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Dealing with Stress, Anxiety, and Depression

For many college-age students just like you, the transition from high school to dorm life can be a major adjustment. Surrounded by new peers and pressures, you may be focusing on how you are coping as compared to your friends. Perhaps you are seeking new peer groups that make you feel comfortable and wanted.

You may be dealing with mental health issues such as depression or anxiety or issues with substance abuse. Like so many other college-age students, you are probably looking for clues that others are struggling as well. Perhaps you are hoping to see signs that some peers are dealing with the same mental and behavioral health struggles that you are.

This is normal. It protects you from feeling like you are you alone in your fears, anxieties, or even your possible addictions. It can be difficult to distinguish what appropriate responses to your stress levels should be, and so many students find other alternative ways to deal with pressures and anxieties. Some of these may include partying, underage drinking or recreational drug use.

Do you find yourself asking questions like these?

• Are my peers dealing with the same pressures?
• Do they feel as lost and overwhelmed as I do?
• Do they drink/get high as often as me?
• How do I know if I need help?

It is important that you understand that you are not alone.

The Truth About Mental Health Among College Students

As you can see, statistics have shown that over 41% of all college students express that anxiety is their prevailing mental health concern. It has been said that this number is low and that many more students experience high levels of anxiety on a regular basis. ¹  The fact that 85% of college students report overwhelming stress during the course of a year is worrisome.² Should you feel that you are part of this statistic, there are many resources available to you.

Stephanie Lake, Intervention Services Coordinator within University of California Davis' Student Health and Counseling Center, shared her insight on the growing trends on college campuses.

“At UC Davis, we are always compiling statistics within our own student demographic. We create information reports specific to Davis’ own students to aid with recognizing substance use vs substance abuse. The data collected is structured into charts that include alcohol and drug statistics allowing students to see where their own drinking or pill popping compares to other students within the Davis student body.”

Stephanie has worked with the UC Davis students for 20 years and her focus of expertise is substance abuse and mental health intervention. Through this work with students, she has helped shape the landscape of care within their on-campus Health Services Center.

Here are a few more interesting facts. A 2015 study¹ performed by the Center for Collegiate Mental Health reports a 30% jump in college counseling center visits. Even when taking enrollment rates into account, the overall increase is over 24%. The timing of these increased visits seems to coincide with midterms and finals, traditionally very stressful times for college students.

Stephanie understands that students within UC Davis, and other campuses, will often avoid reaching out for counseling or treatment because they fear their peers with know.

“There is a stigma that runs through society that can discourage students from receiving the help that they want and need. This stigma is the link between substance abuse and mental health issues. The rate of this co-occurrence is near 80%, a staggering number when we think about it.

Students want to feel normal. They want to be seen as healthy, which is how they perceive their peers. What we have to remind them is that looks can be deceptive.

We have set up our waiting rooms as a part of the acute care center. This way students can wait in anonymity. They are called back just as students with other health issues are. This makes reaching out for care less stigmatizing. “

When Substance Abuse Becomes a Crutch

You may be so busy filling your schedule with classwork, activities, and relationships, that feeling stretched becomes normal. Living on or off campus, students are surrounded by peers walking through the same life phase, and some can quickly lose perspective. Popping pills to relieve anxious thoughts or binge drinking to escape feelings of depression has become accepted behavior on many college campuses.  In fact, the SAMHSA, or Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, cited these statistics in their 2014 study² regarding substance abuse among college students.

• 1.2 M full-time college drank alcohol, sometimes more than 4 drinks per day.
• More than 700,000 of the student sample used the drug Marijuana.
• 29,057 students reported using illicit drugs (cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin, or inhalants).

Self-medication to deal with the stresses of college life is commonplace. Stephanie shares the foundation of replacement counseling at UC Davis.

“We help students recognize that self-medication isn’t the only way to deal with the intense pressure to succeed. Encouraging students to replace substance abuse with healthier options such as a favorite hobby or activity often helps.” 

Drug and Alcohol Abuse Trends Have Changed

So, perhaps you are reading this article and thinking about what campus life is really like for you in 2019. The stories your parents shared about when they lived on campus probably seem a bit outdated. There may be more than a few reasons why you may feel that drug and alcohol abuse isn’t as big a deal as it used to be. Some of these include:

• Basic shifts in drug regulation.
• Changes in public perception and acceptance of drug and alcohol use.
• Easy access to most illicit and legal drugs on campus.

There are some basic signs and symptoms of substance abuse.

• Loss of interest in activities and academics that used to be central to a student’s life.
• Drop in grades, academic performance and class attendance.
• Withdrawal from family and friends, an increase in secretive behaviors.
• Marked personality changes and strange behaviors.
• Physical changes including weight loss, sleep changes, and new health issues.
• Emotional changes, erratic mood swings and agitation.
• Changes in social circles, the addition of negative peer group activities.

On-Campus Health Services

Most college campuses have a student health services department. These services are often low-cost or free of charge to students who have paid a health fee. Some of the common services are medical health care and psychological therapy. This would include seeing a mental health therapist for issues involving your anxiety or depression.

Your college may have a chaplain or religious leader available to meet with you about any concerns you may have on a spiritual level. Look at your school’s online department directory to find out whether you have one on campus.

Residential advisors (RAs) are common at schools where students live on campus. While their availability may vary, they do live on the floors with the students, so it would be easy to drop in for advice. RAs are not able to provide psychological or substance abuse support, but they can often function as a mentor and help you find the professional help you are looking for.

Off-Campus Behavioral Health Services

Your family physician is often a good resource for help and referrals as they likely already have any pertinent medical records on file. Often, your primary care doctor can send you to a professional that deals with anxiety disorders in college students or depression treatment for young adults.

Leaning on a family member you trust to support you can actually relieve the stress and anxiety of seeking treatment for substance abuse or mental health issues. You can look for local support groups in your area that offer opportunities to share your substance abuse history with and find out about local treatment facilities.

Addiction Treatment Centers

Finding a treatment center that specializes in drug and alcohol abuse and addiction recovery can save your life.  While the choices that you will make while in drug rehab can change your life, your trust in the center’s staff and programs is vital.

The length and type of addiction treatment program will depend on the length, severity, and type of substance abuse you are dealing with. Rehab centers often support clients with dual diagnosis programs. This means that they are able to help you with your mental health and addiction issues at the same time. Their staff will be highly trained in both behavioral health and physical health, working alongside you to ensure that you make sobriety your focus.

1. CCMH 2015 Annual Report https://sites.psu.edu/ccmh/files/2017/10/2015_CCMH_Report_1-18-2015-yq3vik.pdf
2. SAMHSA 2014 Annual Report https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/report_2049/ShortReport-2049.pdf

Support for College Students with Substance Abuse

On campuses across the nation, students deal with the stress, anxiety, and depression in numbers that may surprise you. There is support available on and off campus for students needing counseling. 

You are not alone. Finding support can be a phone call away.

For many college-age students just like you, the transition from high school to dorm life can be a major adjustment. Surrounded by new peers and pressures, you may be focusing on how you are coping as compared to your friends. Perhaps you are seeking new peer groups that make you feel comfortable and wanted.

You may be dealing with mental health issues such as depression or anxiety or issues with substance abuse. Like so many other college-age students, you are probably looking for clues that others are struggling as well. Perhaps you are hoping to see signs that some peers are dealing with the same mental and behavioral health struggles that you are.

This is normal. It protects you from feeling like you are you alone in your fears, anxieties, or even your possible addictions. It can be difficult to distinguish what appropriate responses to your stress levels should be, and so many students find other alternative ways to deal with pressures and anxieties. Some of these may include partying, underage drinking or recreational drug use.

Do you find yourself asking questions like these?

• Are my peers dealing with the same pressures?
• Do they feel as lost and overwhelmed as I do?
• Do they drink/get high as often as me?
• How do I know if I need help?

The Truth About Mental Health Among College Students

As you can see, statistics have shown that over 41% of all college students express that anxiety is their prevailing mental health concern. It has been said that this number is low and that many more students experience high levels of anxiety on a regular basis.

1. The fact that 85% of college students report overwhelming stress during the course of a year is worrisome.
2. Should you feel that you are part of this statistic, there are many resources available to you.

Stephanie Lake, Intervention Services Coordinator within University of California Davis Student Health and Counseling Center, shared her insight on the growing trends on college campuses.

“At UC Davis, we are always compiling statistics within our own student demographic. We create information reports specific to Davis’ own students to aid with recognizing substance use vs substance abuse. The data collected is structured into charts that include alcohol and drug statistics allowing students to see where their own drinking or pill popping compares to other students within the Davis student body.”

Stephanie has worked with the UC Davis students for 20 years and her focus of expertise is substance abuse and mental health intervention. Through this work with students, she has helped shape the landscape of care within their on-campus Health Services Center.

Did you know that college campuses, perhaps your own, have counseling clinics with hours to fit your class and work schedule? 

Substance Abuse Statistics on Campus

Here are a few more interesting facts. A 2015 study¹ performed by the Center for Collegiate Mental Health reports a 30% jump in college counseling center visits. Even when taking enrollment rates into account, the overall increase is over 24%. The timing of these increased visits seems to coincide with midterms and finals, traditionally very stressful times for college students. Stephanie understands that students within UC Davis, and other campuses, will often avoid reaching out for counseling or treatment because they fear their peers with know.

“There is a stigma that runs through society that can discourage students from receiving the help that they want and need. This stigma is the link between substance abuse and mental health issues. The rate of this co-occurrence is near 80%, a staggering number when we think about it. Students want to feel normal. They want to be seen as healthy, which is how they perceive their peers. What we have to remind them is that looks can be deceptive. We have set up our waiting rooms as a part of the acute care center. This way students can wait in anonymity. They are called back just as students with other health issues are. This makes reaching out for care less stigmatizing. “

When Substance Abuse Becomes a Crutch

You may be so busy filling your schedule with classwork, activities, and relationships, that feeling stretched becomes normal. Living on or off campus, students are surrounded by peers walking through the same life phase, and some can quickly lose perspective. Popping pills to relieve anxious thoughts or binge drinking to escape feelings of depression has become accepted behavior on many college campuses. In fact, the SAMHSA, or Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, cited these statistics in their 2014 study² regarding substance abuse among college students.

• 1.2M full-time college students drank alcohol, some more than 4 drinks per day.
• More than 700K of the student sample used marijuana.
• 30K students reported using illicit drugs (cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin, inhalants).

Self-medication to deal with the stresses of college life is commonplace. Stephanie shares the foundation of replacement counseling at UC Davis:

“We help students recognize that self-medication isn’t the only way to deal with the intense pressure to succeed. Encouraging students to replace substance abuse with healthier options such as a favorite hobby or activity often helps.”

Signs of Substance Abuse

Substance abuse is a growing concern among college students. You may know friends and classmates that depend on drugs like heroin, meth, and marijuana to get through their days. It isn’t uncommon for students to have a roommate that binge drinks during the week, as well as the weekends.

When there is anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues, students often choose to suffer silently rather than seek help.

There are confidential sources of help available to students both on-campus and off-campus. Often the first place to start would be your student health services.

There are some basic signs and symptoms of substance abuse.

• Loss of interest in activities and academics that used to be central to a student’s life
• Drop in grades, academic performance, and class attendance
• Withdrawal from family and friends, an increase in secretive behaviors
• Marked personality changes and strange behaviors
• Physical changes including weight loss, sleep changes, and new health issues
• Emotional changes, erratic mood swings and agitation
• Changes in social circles, the addition of negative peer group activities

If you feel that you are experiencing any number of these, it is important to reach out for help.

On-Campus Health Services

Most college campuses have a student health services department. These services are often low-cost or free of charge to students who have paid a health fee. Some of the common services are medical health care and psychological therapy. This would include seeing a mental health therapist for issues involving your anxiety or depression.

Your college may have a chaplain or religious leader available to meet with you about any concerns you may have on a spiritual level. Look at your school’s online department directory to find out whether you have one on campus.

Residential advisors (RAs) are common at schools where students live on campus. While their availability may vary, they do live on the floors with the students, so it would be easy to drop in for advice. RAs are not able to provide psychological or substance abuse support, but they can often function as a mentor and help you find the professional help you are looking for.

Off-Campus Behavioral Health Services

Your family physician is often a good resource for help and referrals as they likely already have any pertinent medical records on file. Often, your primary care doctor can send you to a professional that deals with anxiety disorders in college students or depression treatment for young adults.

Leaning on a family member you trust to support you can actually relieve the stress and anxiety of seeking treatment for substance abuse or mental health issues. You can look for local support groups in your area that offer opportunities to share your substance abuse history with and find out about local treatment facilities.

Substance Abuse and Addiction Treatment

Finding a treatment center that specializes in drug and alcohol abuse and addiction recovery can save your life.  While the choices that you will make while in drug rehab can change your life, your trust in the center’s staff and programs is vital.

The length and type of addiction treatment program will depend on the length, severity, and type of substance abuse you are dealing with. Rehab centers often support clients with dual diagnosis programs. This means that they are able to help you with your mental health and addiction issues at the same time. Their staff will be highly trained in both behavioral health and physical health, working alongside you to ensure that you make sobriety your focus.

1. CCMH 2015 Annual Report https://sites.psu.edu/ccmh/files/2017/10/2015_CCMH_Report_1-18-2015-yq3vik.pdf
2. SAMHSA 2014 Annual Report https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/report_2049/ShortReport-2049.pdf

Courage. Passion. Determination.

Sometimes life can get stagnant and boring with the same routines and schedules that we inevitably fall into, especially in sobriety. As there is a huge focus on personal growth in recovery, it is important to remember to add things to your life that bring you joy. The following story is an inspiration from one of our co-founders who took action to search within himself to add something new, fulfilling and challenging to his life.

From an early age, Jason has always been involved in athletics. Whether it was swim team as a child, junior guards, body surfing, or soccer, he has always excelled in a competitive or team atmosphere. Having a bright future in sports, he especially excelled in soccer and found himself on a club team at an early age. Barely missing the Varsity team in sophomore year, he was on track to play in college. But drugs and alcohol started to take its grips. Once the disease took full possession of Jason, all of his interests including sports went to the wayside and drugs became his main focus. Besides surfing in some brief periods of sobriety, Jason was not active at all for the next 7 years.

At the age of 26, Jason was finally able to get some time sober and co-founded Coastline Behavioral Health with his long time friend Justin Eakin. And as so many do when they get into recovery, Jason’s focus on nutrition and health (physical, mental, and emotional) became a priority. The business partners, and friends, started to workout at the gym, surf and start eating better.  This continued for several years - with each being each other’s advocate for health.

Looking back to early 2018, Jason was several years sober, had a strong support system with family and friends, and everything was good at work, but he started to have some underlying feelings that something was missing.

He was getting ‘bored’ with the gym and realized that he missed the personal fulfillment of ‘team sports’. He explored some options to join a local adult soccer league but opted not to join because it did not have the practice and drills that reinforce the teamwork and camaraderie. He wanted to challenge himself in a new way but was unsure how. His attendance at the gym started to diminish and he started to run. Running he found, started to afford him certain mental benefits that he did not expect. After experiencing that, he turned towards other endurance sports and decided to purchase a road bike. After a time of doing some biking and running, Jason finally developed and found his goal of competing in a triathlon. Jason committed himself to weekend runs and biking, and soon started swimming again. He knew what he wanted to do and had the motivation but he wasn’t sure how to get there.

As any sports enthusiast will understand, working-out creates natural endorphins that are released in the brain and it is these chemical reactions that bring pleasure to the body during exercise. This was the perfect outlet to re-balance Jason’s mental and physical health.

Jason was soon connected with a local team called Tristar Athletes in October 2018 when his real training began. He was now was part of a team, on track to compete in his first triathlon race and was being guided by a coach to help him achieve his goals. Jason met with his coach, Cliff, for an assessment to organize his personal health, athletic and performance goals. This is exactly what Jason was looking for - while he had the motivation, commitment and drive, he needed a professional coach to steer him in the right direction along this new journey. He met monthly with Cliff, tracked his daily progress and was able to ask questions about his training.

Just like sobriety, sometimes we can achieve our goals without the help of others but the outcome might not be as good as if we had.

Armed with a support network, motivation, drive, and a coach to lead the way, Jason was ready to embark on a new journey to achieve a new goal. He engaged in many different types of workouts ranging in distance, intensity, and time. Doing something every day, Cliff was careful to plan the training to avoid injury. The training regiment consisted of swimming, biking, running, strength training and stretching. What, and how much Jason was supposed to eat changed dramatically as well. Going from a high protein, low carb diet switched to high carbs and low protein with an even lower fat component was also very challenging. But he stayed committed and arrived at his first race in April 2019 prepared. He was competing with about 50 athletes of all levels of experience for a half mile swim, 16 mile bike and a 3.1 mile run. Jason ended up placing 1st in his age group! Looking back, Jason says that while he was very happy with his performance, it was really more about the opportunity to meet other athletes and gain some more experience. More recently Jason participated in a larger even in San Diego in May 2019 with over 700 participants and once again, did really well by placing 6th in his age group.

More important than how he finishes in the race, Jason utilized a key principle he practices in his 12-step program and that is asking for help.

Jason hopes that this story will inspire others, who might be feeling stagnant in their lives, to look within to find something to strive for that will bring you joy. In this case, it was a personal challenge of competing in a new sport. But it can be anything you want it to be. Jason didn’t know what was going to materialize once he started his reflection process. He just knew that he wanted a little more out of life. And let this story be proof that if you continue to seek out the things that bring you joy, ask for help, and focus on personal growth, you will be amazed by some of the outcomes that come from doing the work.

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THE COASTLINE DIFFERENCE

Coastline Behavioral Health helps clients deal with the stronghold of addiction and behavioral health issues to develop healthier life skills to facilitate sobriety. Alcohol and drug addiction changes behavior in ways that are detrimental and we work in all areas of a client's life including employment, personal relationships, finances, and health. Coastline Behavioral Health is set apart from the others in modality and treatment options, including the components of experiential therapy that have been developed by specialists in the addiction recovery field to meet individual client needs.

To find out more about our treatment program in Southern California, you can call to speak with a member of our admissions team. We are here to help you every step of the way.