A University assistant professor will present her research on the link between anxiety and addiction to Honors students today as part of the residential college’s attempt to expose undergraduate students to faculty research.
Julia Buckner, assistant professor and director of the LSU Anxiety and Addictive Behaviors Clinic, said the talk will revolve around a model she and her colleagues developed that maps out the different connections made between anxiety and addiction.
Buckner said much of her research concludes some people use marijuana or nicotine to avoid social interaction or situations that may cause any form of anxiety.
For instance, a smoker might use the excuse of having to go outside for a smoke break so they don’t have to partake in a particular social activity, even something as simple as a conversation, she said.
Certain factors associated with smoking are also often off-putting to other people, like the smell, Buckner said. This makes it much easier for smokers to be dismissed or for them to hide behind the abuse of a substance, she said.
This can even influence their personal preference for entertainment, opting out of certain social situations, Buckner said.
“Many people choose to just stay at home and get high instead of going to an event,” Buckner said.
With a possible tobacco ban coming to campus this fall, Buckner said there could be evidence of students experiencing anxiety because they cannot bank on cigarettes anymore. Tobacco and marijuana withdrawals often have harsh effects, so this could be evident as well, Buckner said.
Latrina Raddler, a practicing professional counselor in Baton Rouge, said taking away tobacco on campus could force students to seek help for their anxiety issues.
Though the talk focuses around a particular topic that could affect students on campus, the main goal is to expose Honors students to the research University faculty is doing, Buckner said.
Showing students how to go about conducting research and using a variety of methods is one of the things hopefully accomplished by the presentation, she said.
Honors College associate dean Granger Babcock said the focus of this semester’s lecture series is to bring new faculty on campus to the students and have them present their work.
Because Honors students conduct undergraduate research, it’s important to expose them to researchers and what they are doing, Babcock said.
“Part of the beauty of being at such a large research school is the research,” Babcock said.
The funding for the events come from the extra cost of living in the residential college, Babcock said. Though the event is advertised for Honors students, the doors are open to anyone who is interested in attending the talk. The lecture will be held at 6 p.m. tonight in the West Laville Library.
“Part of the beauty of being at such a large research school is the research.”