HARM REDUCTION: OUR APPROACH

GatorWell’s Substance Use Services utilizes a trauma-informed, multi-tiered approach to empower students to make responsible decisions around their substance use and how it might be impacting their wellbeing.

We recognize students fall under different levels of the continuum of use and aim to have programs that meet students where they’re at with their substance use. Ultimately, our vision is to have students self-regulate their decision making to succeed academically and professionally in a dynamic global community.

No Use
- No use occurring. There are many reasons why someone may choose not use or partake in using substances.
Experimental
- Curious about effects or could occur do to surrounding social environment. Use may be only one or two times, but no pattern is maintained.
Occasional
- There may or may not be a pattern. Use typically occurs during some special occasion/event (i.e. Tailgates, socials, holiday parties, etc.) However, you don’t use when others are because you don’t feel like it.
Regular
- Time of using has become predictable and some form of pattern has been established. Use occurs whenever there is a stressor, or is a regular thing every weekend. Use could be considered “recreational” or form of self-medicating
Heavy
- Here, heavy can be defined as using more than you should. This could be subjective to the user and what they want their relationship to look like with the substance, along with how use might intersect with other health factors specific to the individual. Heavy could also be used in a sense where your use might be more frequent/heavy compared to the group you might use with.
Chaotic
- This level is what some might considered “addiction”. Use is compulsive in nature. Causing all around detrimental effects. Difficult/unable to give up use and experiencing heavy short/long-term consequences from use.

HARM REDUCTION: OUR APPROACH

Areas of Focus