The experience of Family Week has been freeing and I’ve gained the tools to help begin the process of letting go and thus being a more effective parent.
— Jenny C.
Alcohol and College Students
- Prevalence of College Student’s Drinking
- Binge Drinking
- Factors Associated with Heavy Drinking
- The Path to Healing
Many college students do not grasp what an enormous health problem alcohol abuse represents.
The permissive culture of drinking on many campuses puts students at risk for serious problems, ranging from car crashes to date rape. Heavy drinking over a long period of time leads to major health problems, including addiction and various types of cancer.
Prevention, early detection, and timely intervention are vital if we are to reduce the number of alcohol-related problems on college campuses.
Prevalence of College Student’s Drinking
It is clear that an overwhelming number of college students, many of whom are below the minimum drinking age, use alcohol. Today there is a pattern of binge drinking which is widespread on our college campuses.
Binge drinking is of particular concern, not only because of its risks to the drinker but because of the problems it causes others.
Research on the extent of the problem is detailed and persuasive. Unfortunately, little evidence exists about which corrective actions would be successful if widely applied. Other questions that must be answered involve college policies on drinking.
Campus administration, faculty and alumni may differ on the degree to which schools should act as surrogate parents and which action steps are acceptable to student government.
Numbers of colleges and universities are now addressing campus drinking problems by adopting prevention education programs. Still others are expanding their counseling services, while some are offering more alternatives, including alcohol-free events.
Most importantly, college students should be encouraged to take personal responsibility for making healthy choices with their lives.
Most research on drinking among college students focuses on the widespread pattern of binge drinking. Over 50 percent of college students in 1998 reported binge drinking within 2 weeks of being surveyed.
Thirty-one percent of college women binge drank compared with 52 percent of college men.
Developmentally, the ages 18 through 21 is the period of heaviest alcohol consumption for most drinkers. Within this heavy-drinking age group, binge drinking is most often seen among college students.
In one multicampus survey, white students reported the highest percentage of binge drinking (43.8 percent), followed by Native American (40.6 percent), Hispanic (31.3 percent), Asian (22.7 percent), and black (22.5 percent) students.
Many Dangers are Linked with Binge Drinking
Students who binge drink are more likely to damage property, have trouble with authorities, miss classes, have hangovers, and experience injuries than those who do not. Alcohol-related problems of this nature increased between the early and late 1990’s.
Student’s drinking patterns vary with their ages and their years in college. Interestingly, binge drinkers and those who report experiencing specific alcohol-related problems do not see themselves as problem drinkers.
Research among men indicates that greater alcohol use is related to sexual aggression. At one university, 67 percent of the male sexual aggressors, as well as about 50 percent of female victims, had been drinking at the time of the sexual assault.
Students living on campuses with higher proportions of binge drinkers experience more incidents of assault and unwanted sexual advances resulting from peers drinking. These students also report having their studies disturbed or having to take care of a drunken student.
Drinking and driving has been reported by more than 60 percent of college men and almost 50 percent of college women who are binge drinkers.
Researchers define binge drinking as drinking five or more drinks at one sitting.
Factors Associated with Heavy Drinking
Heavy drinking during college may be associated with personality traits.
Such issues may include being impulsive; psychological problems such as depression or anxiety; or early deviant behavior. A family history of alcohol abuse appears to be a major risk factor for problem drinking in college students.
Several studies report that students believe their peers’ drinking levels to be higher than their own and higher than they actually are. Exaggerated perceptions of others’ drinking is associated with greater individual consumption.
Students’ expectancies that alcohol will loosen inhibitions or promote relaxation appear to be correlated with increased drinking. Such expectancies are also predictors of drinking by college students and other youth.
Binge drinking during high school is strongly predictive of binge drinking in college. Studies report that fraternity and sorority members drink more and drink more frequently than their peers. In these groups, this is accepted as normal.
Fraternity-sponsored parties often foster heavier drinking. Studies have found that students who consider parties important and those drinking to get drunk are most likely to binge.
Students’ perceptions of drinking behaviors which their peers approve exists before they enter college.
Gaining the benefits of treatment begins by recognizing the signs of alcohol addiction. This step is best facilitated by having a comprehensive assessment by a qualified healthcare professional. Although alcohol addiction can be diagnosed by primary care physicians, most often the physician will refer the patient to a psychiatrist, psychologist, or a clinical counselor specializing in addictions.
Treatment is a partnership between the patient and the healthcare provider. It is important that informed consumers understand their treatment options and discuss all concerns with a treatment provider as they arise.
A key element of Rimrock’s treatment is the active involvement of patients in the management of their own illness.
Empowerment is developed through the use of patient education, skills training and a strong emphasis on encouraging the individual patient to accept responsibility in managing their own condition. Along with the empowerment of our patients, is the emphasis on a treatment regimen which includes comprehensive clinical assessments and individualized patients plans.
Another important part of Rimrock’s program is the emphasis we place on the integration of a broad spectrum of community, health, and human services for the benefit of the patient. This includes addressing patient’s physical, psychological, social and economic needs, which improves the likelihood of a successful treatment experience.
Healthcare services chould be readily available to those persons needing treatment for addictions, since taking advantage of opportunities when they are ready for treatment is often crucial. Many times, patients can easily be lost in red tape if treatment is not immediately available or is not readily accessible.
Counseling (individual and/or group) and other behavioral therapies are critical components of effective treatment for an addiction. In therapy, patients address issues of motivation, build skills to resist drug use, replace drug-using activities with constructive and rewarding non-drug-using activities, and improve problem-solving abilities. Behavioral therapy also facilitates interpersonal relationships and the individual’s ability to function in the family and community.
Successful recovery principles in addiction treatment are charactized by the integration of personal, family, professional and other community resources toward the goal of enhancing the duration and quality of life of those we serve.
For further information on Rimrock Foundation’s treatment of alcohol abuse, call Jamie Hixson, Admissions Supervisor at 1-800-227-3953 or 1-406-248-3175, or visit our website at rimrock.org. For more educational information on alcohol, contact the Rimrock Foundation Library at 1-800-227-3953 or 1-406-248-3175.
