The counsellors said students are turning to marijuana and cocaine, hallucinogenic drugs like Ecstasy, and opioids like Fentanyl as a coping mechanism against unemployment-induced stress. They reported a monthly average of five to eight cases over the past few months.
One student from Badlapur in Maharashtra, currently in British Columbia’s Burnaby city for a degree in environmental science, said the realisation that even degree-holding seniors were relegated to paid-by-the-hour gig workers drove him to depression.
“In my second semester, I saw seniors around me doing ad hoc jobs to get by. It stressed me out, and I started to believe I’d meet a similar fate. I started smoking, then alcohol, and eventually marijuana,” the 25-year-old said.
After failing a semester, he sought professional help from a psychologist and is currently undergoing treatment. However, therapy sessions are expensive — each session ranging from Canadian $70 to $150 (Rs 4,249 to Rs 9000-odd) or more.
“Earlier, addiction cases were predominantly among students from Punjab, Haryana, and Jharkhand. Now, we see students from Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana reaching out for help,” said a counsellor of Indian origin practising in Richmond, British Columbia. The counsellors chose to stay anonymous to respect the patient confidentiality agreement.
There are currently around 3 lakh Indian students, according to Canadian Bureau for International Education. Many of them take loans, ranging from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 40 lakh on average, to enrol in universities and colleges in Canada. But the transition from campus to corporate life appears bleak as Canada’s unemployment rate stood at 6.1% in March.
Still, students find ways to fund their addiction, including deceiving family members back home or working multiple odd jobs. “My former roommate has moved in with four others in a crammed accommodation. He stopped eating either at home or outside, works multiple shifts, and rides a bicycle to faraway locations,” said a 27-year-old in Vancouver. “Drug dealers extend credit, knowing they’d come back for more.”
A counsellor from Delta, British Columbia, shared the story of a patient who had moved to Richmond from a town near Kolkata in 2021.
“He finished his master’s degree in June 2023. Following that, he worked at a restaurant and a convenience store to cover his expenses. The frustration of being unable to support his family back home led him to recreational drugs,” the counsellor said.
His addiction swirled out of control last year. “He stopped eating, left his jobs, and began ingesting drugs regularly. His roommates reached out to his distant cousin, who brought him to me. Since Dec 2023, he has been undergoing rehab,” the counsellor said.
Many students are left vulnerable to self-harm. “I’ve had suicidal thoughts over the prospect of being unable to repay my loan. I searched for a job for six months. I couldn’t get one. So, I have moved in with my distant aunt because I can’t afford rent,” said Mahima Chaudhary, a computer science student in Surrey, British Columbia. She has no addiction-related issues, but struggles with stress. “I don’t have the funds for it,” said Mahima on seeking professional help for her mental health. “So, I’m relying on therapy provided by my college counsellor.”