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This week (27 November to 1 December) is Student Drug and Alcohol Awareness week. It’s run annually by SOS-UK to encourage awareness and discussions of student substance use, with a focus on reducing harm and improving student health and wellbeing.

To mark this important awareness week we will be distributing information about how to safely use alcohol and drugs, bust some myths about drug and alcohol use, and let students know about how and where to access support if they’re worried about the impact of their, or somebody else’s, substance use.

Our local community partner, Change Grow Live, will also be on campus running information stalls in the Students’ Union at Free Wednesdays (12 noon to 1.30pm in Falmer House), and at the weekly Wellbeing Stall in the Student Centre (12 noon to 2pm in the main atrium).

You can follow the University of Sussex Wellbeing Instagram account for more details of this and other wellbeing campaigns.

There is often an assumption that students will be punished by their universities for any mention of substance use while studying – this is not the case. At Sussex we want to raise awareness of the support that we have for students who need it. This ranges from helping students notice the levels of their drug or alcohol use before a problem develops, to one-to-one therapy or practical early interventions with a trained professional, while also supporting people to access recovery or addiction support with our local partners in Brighton, Change Grow Live, if needed.

Students can read more about alcohol and drug use on Student Hub, before deciding if they’d like, or need, to talk to somebody about getting more support. Alternatively, you can register directly for support from the therapy service, and somebody will contact you regarding the most appropriate appointment for you.