ABSTRACT
Discussion about substance dependence and recovery is often highly charged. Because of the moral and social stigma associated with drug use, faculty and student affairs professionals may be tempted to adopt a “don’t ask, don’t tell” approach. It is unlikely campuses collude to discourage students in recovery to apply to attend their institutions; more likely, the scenario rests in the belief that “regular” or non-clinical college personnel are not qualified, unable or unwilling to talk about topics related to substance and process addictions. Public discourse on substance dependence and recovery is treated as a secret under the guise of “protecting” the student. For example, a student shared her experience of talking about her recovery in a graduate class of social work majors; after class, her professor advised her to be careful sharing too much information because “people might talk.”
