1 Lanti Reanne Lanti Professor Dianne McDonald English 1201 A3 April 18, 2012 Alcoholism in College Students Alcohol

has been a source of both enjoyment and harm since the beginning of recorded history. It has been used to celebrate ritual and tradition, ease tension and generate social interactions, restore and preserve physical and emotional well being, and provide relief from feelings of worry, boredom, or inferiority (Goodale, p.5). There is also over a century of evidence of the harm and destruction from the irresponsible use of alcohol that has affected individuals and society. As students take to a new chapter of their life and mature into college students the pressure of alcohol enters their lives at full force. The pressure to fit in and drink with friends becomes some students main focus. By examining the thoughts of students, the trends in alcohol consumption, and the consequences that students face because of heavy consumption of alcohol, one will be able to understand the affects that alcohol has on students. College tends to affect each student differently. When some students are under stress, they lean towards the easiest and quickest route out, alcohol. As alcohol consumption increases, the term alcoholic seems to be coined to those who drink on a regular basis. Drinker is certainly a much less alarming description than drug user, similarly, to say of someone he can hold his liquor, is in the nature of a compliment; to call him drunk, plastered, stoned, or even worse a

2 Lanti rummy, problem drinker, or alcoholic would sound degrading (Fort, p. 6). These words all address the problem of alcohol but affect students in a negative way. By feeling like an addict, students do not feel comfortable asking for help when needed (AADAC). They feel as though they will be judged for their actions and view that their elders will be disappointed in the activities they have been engaging in. There was a time when if a person was to say the words alcohol on a college campus, everyone perked up their ears and asked where the party was. When you say alcohol today, educators as well as students respond in a different way. Students are weary of the negative connotations the older generation bestows on college students and alcohol (Goodale, p. 43). For many college students, college brings about a new set of freedom and many exercise this newfound freedom to the wrong extent. Since alcohol education is becoming prominent in most societies, students are becoming aware of alcoholism prevention and becoming activists in the programs provided on their campuses. They realize that drinking has become a problem and see the many effects that it has on their peer groups, future and total happiness. Through this realization, students realize that the problem of alcoholism should at least be addressed or dealt with. The trends of alcohol consumption among post-secondary students have been described as increasing, decreasing and stable. There is great controversy existing over these trends but as the number of studies increases, people are able to draw their own conclusions. Summaries of the studies done were presented in one of AADACs prevention plan books published in 1993. The studies conclusions were presented in this fashion:

3 Lanti Since 1980, the percentage of American post-secondary students who have used alcohol in their lifetime has remained essentially stable at 94% (Johnston et al., 1991). Over this same time span, the proportion of students who have used alcohol within a twelve-month period has also remained stable at about 90%. Compared with 82% of students who used alcohol during a thirty-day period in 1980, 75% reported similar use in 1990. Daily use has also decreased somewhat from 7% in 1980 to 4% in 1990, and the percentage of students drinking five or more drinks in a row has decreased marginally from 44% to 41%. A slight decrease in daily use is also reported by Meilman et al. from 12% in 1977 to 7% in 1983 to 5% in 1987(AADAC.a). One who is willing to examine all aspects of statistics on alcoholism trends will be able to conclude that alcoholism depends on the way that alcohol was presented prior to entering college. Most studies indicate that drinking has remained relatively stable over the past 50 years, with slight decreases in daily use. The elders of college students are quick to judge their drinking behaviors because of the environment they are in (Dowdall). When many drinkers are placed together to thrive, many view this as a negative aspect of society. It is up to the student to be able to withstand the pressures of college and rise above to succeed. The consequences of heavy consumption of alcohol seem to out weight the positives. There are four main areas that are affected by drinking: physical, social, academic and legal consequences. Hangovers are the most common physical outcome. Many students who participate in alcoholic functions wake up the next

4 Lanti morning with a pounding headache, a feeling of nausea, and the coined term beer poops, along with cuts and bruises from the rocky night before (Ratcliffe). Hangovers usually only last for a maximum of two days but the symptoms make it seem as though it lasts longer. The social consequences of alcohol use are somewhat less common than physical consequences. Thirty two percent of students had done something they regretted during a one year period, and 8% had been criticized by a date for their drinking (Gliksman et al. , 1989). While fifteen percent or less of students report that friendships or other relationships are damaged due to drinking (Perkins). Drinking excessively causes hidden thoughts, or thought that would not normally be expressed to be verbalized. This can either create great happiness for a person or it can cause ongoing negative affects to ones social life. Academics suffer the most from problematic drinking. 27% of Ontario students have missed class due to a hangover, 11% have gone to class after drinking, and 13% have cut class after drinking (AADAC). GPAs are at a constant downfall because of weekday drinking. When students attend class with full attention and not under the influence they are able to retain information to the best of their ability. College administrators believe that alcohol is a factor in 41% of all academic problems, and 28% of dropouts (AADAC). The least common consequences are legal. Less than 1% of Ontario students have been arrested for illegal activity while under the influence (AADAC). Each consequence of excessive drinking does not seem to out weigh the positive attributes of not drinking. Evidence shows that alcoholism in college students affects each aspect of their lives. By knowing the effects of drinking, students can learn how to drink

5 Lanti responsibly to prevent the downfall of their lives. There are many programs that are set up with in each city/town and even within each post-secondary institution. The pressure to live the college life can lead to alcoholism. Through the examination of the thoughts of students on drinking, the trends in alcohol consumption and the consequences that come from excessive drinking, one understand the affects that alcoholism has on college students.

6 Lanti Works Cited AADAC. Campus Alcohol Use and Prevention Programs. Ontario, 1993. Print.

AADAC. Preventing Campus Alcohol Abuse: Research for a Campaign. Alberta, 1993. Print.

Dowdall, George. College Drinking: Reframing a Social Problem. West Port, CT., 2009. Print.

Fort, Joel. Alcohol: Our Biggest Drug Problem*. San Francisco, 1973. Print

Gliksman, L. , Hart, D. , Simpson, R. , and Siess, T. (1989). Progress on Campus. Evaluation of the Campus Alcohol Policies and Education (CAPE) Program. Toronto, Ontario: Addiction Research Foundation.

Goodale, Thomas. Alcohol and the College Student. San Francisco, 1986. Print.

Johnston, L.D. , Peterson, T.L. , Murphy, R.J. & Emmerling, D.A. (1992). Drug Use Among American High School Seniors, College Students and Young Adults, 1977-1990. Volume 2. College Students and Young Adults. Rockville, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse.

7 Lanti Perkins, H.W. (1992). Gender patterns in consequences of collegiate alcohol abuse: A ten-year study of trends in an undergraduate population. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 53(5), 458-462.

Ratcliffe, William. AADAC Edmonton High School Student Intoxication Survey. Edmonton, 1979. Print.