Students & substance use
Drug, set, setting & student
‘Being prepared is half the battle!’ Perhaps a well-known statement in approach to the exams, and this also applies to the use of different substances. If you are planning to use something, it is important to know that the use of alcohol and other drugs affects how you feel. You can see exactly how that works in this video!
And read more about the 3 factors that determine how you feel.
Drug (substance, intake, dosage)
The first question to ask yourself is; what am i going to use? We can distuingish three different types, or categories, of substances: downers, uppers and trippers. Read about the differences carefully in advance so that you know what to expect. In addition, the way of intake also determines how a drug acts and thus how the effect takes place. For example, substances can be smoked, injected, snorted and swallowed. Oral use can take a long time before you notice the effects. Finally, the dosage also influences the effect. If you want to know how strong your pill or powder is, have it tested at the drug testing service.
Set
Set is about you. How do you feel; are you experiencing stress because of the exams? Are you nervous because your whole house is going to try psychedelics and you don’t know what to expect? Have you eaten healthy and got enough sleep in the last few days? Do you have a genetic susceptibility? These are all factors that can determine how the drug will hit you.
Setting
Finally, setting is about the environment in which you are going to use. Is this outside at a festival? Or somewhere inside the association, where it is very busy and warm? Do you feel safe and comfortable with the people you are? Or do you hardly know the other people? These kinds of environmental factors also determine how it works and how you will experience your use.
Read more about substances such as: alcohol, cannabis and ecstacy/MDMA, magic mushrooms / truffles and 2C-B.
Your brain, drugs and studying
You are going to college or university. In the next few years, you’ll be taxing your brain to the limit. You’ll be cramming for exams, and you may spend your free time in a student society or at pubs and parties. You might even drink alcohol or take other drugs there. How can you keep your brain working as well as possible, without missing out on student life? We consulted 3 experts to find answers.
Want to know more about how drugs work in the brain, check out our interactive animation ‘Drugs in the brain‘.
Check & update your knowledge
How is your knowledge about alcohol and other drugs? Check it with our student tests.
If you first want to improve your knowledge on how drugs work in your body, take a look at ‘Drugs in the Body’.
Learn & Enjoy!
Information about alcohol, cannabis and gaming
Drug info & drug testing
Do you use other drugs besides alcohol? Inform yourself well about the risks and how you can reduce them. Find more info on the Unity website. Unity is a peer education project for visitors of dance events. Their volunteers provide objective and open-minded information about alcohol and other drugs. They share their knowledge on the website and help you to make well-informed choices.
One of the ways to reduce the risks of using it is to have your drugs tested at a testing service. You can find these throughout the Netherlands. Jellinek also has a number of locations. Want to know more about the test service? Then read on below.
How to party in a safe way
When it comes to nightlife in the Netherlands, there are many options. Even during a pandemic you can still visit bars, coffeeshops and other venues and enjoy the ‘gezelligheid’ this country has to offer. Prepare yourself and be at your best with these videos.
Why you should avoid street dealers
Amsterdam is a fun, free-spirited, laid-back city. But, like any other city, it’s important to be street smart. This video will show you just why you need to avoid drug dealers in the street when you’re in Amsterdam. For more info, including how to report crimes, see Iamsterdam.com/besmartbesafe
Support for students
Pulling an all-nighter, going to a lecture hungover or calling in sick due to Tuesday Blues may not be problematic immediately. But what if it happens more often than you would like? What if your study results suffer? Or what is this makes you feel sad, anxious or stressed for a longer period of time? You may not be completely in control of your substance use (or gaming or gambling habit). What can you do? Jellinek can support you.
Free consultation
Contact us for free consultation. You can reach us with any questions about drug use and addiction. For yourself or if you are concerned about someone close to you. Reach us through email, chat, phone or face-to-face.
- Ask your question here and we’ll email you within 2 working days.
- Chat with us: opening hours Mon-Fri 13-17h.
- Call the Jellinek Advice Line: 088 505 1220: Mon-Fri 13-17h
- Face-to-face consultation: if you need more help, we can offer you (a maximum of) 4 conversations where you will map out the problem, gain knowledge about the substance and the effects it has on you and gain more insight and awareness about your own use. Call us for an appointment: 088 505 1220.
Therapy
Sometimes treatment is needed. Students can contact the Youth department within Jellinek. Usually our patient treatment is sufficient. This means that you have a weekly meeting with a psychologist from Jellinek. Here, too, the goal of the treatment is determined together with you.
Are you physically dependent? Then more intensive treatment may be required. For example, part-time treatment or admission to a clinic. However, this is rare among students.
For a treatment at Jellinek you need a referral from the doctor. Dutch health insurance reimburses everything, but you still have to pay your deductible. Call the Jellinek Advice Line (088 5051220) for more information.