alcohol use and abuse

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Alcohol Use and Abuse B) This topic is relevant to ALL RAs because as college students, this problem seems to be occurring more and more among our age group. As RAs, we hear residents peer pressuring others in trying to build community by consumption of alcohol. According to "Alcohol Consumption and the College Student,” alcohol use works its way into daily lives and can affect grades, relationships, and may cause students to become depressed. We need to be familiar with how to react when we encounter these problems/issues from residents. We have to aim to prevent these problems from occurring: One [relevant] way is to implement programs. Our input /advice as college students/officials can make these programs more successful. Why? To bring awareness to the risks that are involved with using Alcohol. These programs could be passives and/or educational actives that provide students with information regarding alcohol use and abuse that is interesting, fun, and useful. Example Actives: Working the Party Scene , Alcohol Jeopardy , Drunk Buggy Example Passives: Alcohol Abuse Warning Signs, Haunting Facts about Alcohol , Alcohol Mythbusters

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Page 1: Alcohol Use and Abuse

Alcohol Use and Abuse B) This topic is relevant to ALL RAs because as college students, this

problem seems to be occurring more and more among our age group.

As RAs, we hear residents peer pressuring others in trying to build

community by consumption of alcohol.

According to "Alcohol Consumption and the College Student,” alcohol use works its way into daily lives and can affect grades, relationships, and may cause students to become depressed.

We need to be familiar with how to react when we

encounter these problems/issues from residents.

We have to aim to preventthese problems from occurring:

One [relevant] way is to implement programs.

Our input /advice as college students/officials can make these

programs more successful.

Why? To bring awareness to the risks that are involved with

using Alcohol.

These programs could be passives and/or educational actives that provide students with information regarding alcohol use and abuse that is interesting, fun, and useful.

Example Actives: Working the Party Scene, Alcohol Jeopardy , Drunk Buggy

Example Passives: Alcohol Abuse Warning Signs, Haunting Facts about Alcohol, Alcohol Mythbusters

Page 2: Alcohol Use and Abuse

Challenges…

C) Reasons why a residential student may use or abuse alcohol:

Peer Pressure

Depression

Relationship problems

Family life

Academic related issues

Health issues

D) Challenges Faced by RAs:

Perceptions that we are not letting residents live the “college life”. It is difficult

to get the point across that binge drinking is not the norm.

Difficulty to get residents not to follow the crowd. It is easier to persuade more

people when there is already a group. The trick - getting that first group.

Being busy with our own studies and family life may also challenge us when

trying to help our residents.

Encountering issues with our own friends, that happen to be residents, when trying to

intervene.

Difficulty getting the point across of alcohol abuse. Many residents may just ignore our

efforts.

What’s the reason residents are using and/or abusing alcohol? Not knowing the

real reasons and not knowing how to help someone who is having relationship issues

or depression issues, for example is a challenge.

We have to “Dig deeper”

Alcohol Use and Abuse

Page 3: Alcohol Use and Abuse

Resources

What happens when alcohol enters the body and how It causes damage to different body systems and parts(I.e. Immune System and Brain).

Social myths about alcohol use and provides the facts after each myth.

As RAs, the Facts Provided:

The Site, Alcohol Consumption and the College Student Explains:

What happens when alcohol enters the body and Various issues that

could arise such as aggression and sex crimes.

Make us better aware of how to deal with this issue if we encounter one of our

residents using this substance.

Help better educate residents through programs: Alcohol Jeopardy, The Facts and

Myths Behind Alcohol (Showing actual sizes of drinks and not showing what they’re

perceived to be), Working the Party Scene etc.

As Residents, the Facts Provided:

Show the dangers alcohol could do to their body.

Allow them to obtain information to get the appropriate help.

The Site, Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse Explains:

In depth, the signs and symptoms of alcoholism and alcohol abuse.

The myths about alcoholism and alcohol abuse and the real facts behind this issue.

As RAs, the Facts Provided:

Educate us on the signs/symptoms of alcoholism that could come into use if we notice a resident having any of the signs, we could confront him/her, and find out what is going on; “Digging deeper.”

Allow us to refer the residents to get help on this problem.

Allows us to educate the building by publishing a passive program on the “Signs of Alcoholism,” for example, or various actives.

As Residents, the Facts Provided:

Allow them to look up information at their own will and decide if the symptoms listed

relate to what they’re experiencing.

Let residents see the help that is out there and they could even refer a friend to this

site

Alcohol Use and Abuse

Page 4: Alcohol Use and Abuse

ResourcesThe Site, College Drinking – Changing the Culture Explains:

As RAs, the Facts Provided:As Residents, the Facts Provided:

Relevant information for college students in addition to providing

information for college officials and parents as well. Common alcohol myths

How alcohol specifically affects college students.

Allow them to see tips for “cutting down on drinking”

Allow them to see the true facts behind this issue and not just myths they may have heard or read

Allow them to see the consequences drinking could have on their body and social life

Allow us to see how alcohol specifically affects the college population.

Allow us to become more aware of alcohol policies for various other

colleges.

Allow us to further explore this topic as there is “supporting research” for additional study that we could use if

we experience a resident abusing alcohol.

The Site, About Alcohol Abuse Explains:

As Residents, the Facts Provided:

As RAs, the Facts Provided:

Allow them to view various resources available to get treatment on this issue

Will open their eyes up to shocking statistics relating to alcohol use and abuse

Allow them to see consequences relating to this issue

Allow us to further educate residents on this issue

Help us become more aware of the signs and symptoms of this issue

Make us become better aware of what alcoholism and alcohol abuse are

Accurate information relating to alcohol and binge drinking

Short-term and long-term effects of using and abusing alcohol

Different treatments and different methods of intervention

How alcohol abuse can lead domestic violence and other forms of violence

as well

Alcohol Use and Abuse

Page 5: Alcohol Use and Abuse

The Site, College Students and Alcohol Abuse Briefly Explains:

What alcohol abuse and dependency areWhat causes alcohol abuse and dependence

As Residents, the Facts Provided:

Allow them to see the causes behind this issue

Allow them to gain treatment if needed from the information provided

As RAs, the Facts Provided:

Allow us to see the true causes behind this issue

Educate residents on the causes of this issue

Help us help the residents obtain help if needed

The Site, Underage Alcohol Use among Full-Time College Students Briefly Explains:

Statistics behind this issue in relation to college students

Specifically how alcohol influences college students between the ages of 18 to 20

As Residents, the Facts Provided:

Show how alcohol not only affects them personally but all other college students their age

As RAs, the Facts Provided:

Help us better relate to the residents because for the most part we are a part of this age

group ourselves; we are able to better educate the residents with

relevant statistics with this demographic

ResourcesAlcohol Use and Abuse

Page 6: Alcohol Use and Abuse

As RAs we can refer students to:

• Wellness Center

• Rochester Organizations (University of Rochester: University Health Service, Alcoholics Anonymous of Rochester, Delphi Drug and Alcohol Center Inc.

• Campus Ministry

• Oasis

• Other RAs

• RDs

•Other RAs•RDs

•Wellness Center •Campus Ministry

•Safety and Security•Rochester Organizations such as the ones listed above

As RAs, we can get more information from:

Alcohol Use and Abuse

Page 7: Alcohol Use and Abuse

There are a tremendous amount of resources that are relevant to this issue. The six that

are listed provide useful information that is both helpful and relevant to RAs and

residents.

Treatment opportunities, myths, facts, statistics, college policies, effects on social life, effects on the body, and other useful

information

*All the resources listed are useful tools when dealing with this issue*

http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/2k6/college/collegeunderage.htm

Underage Alcohol Use among Full-Time College Students

http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/Default.aspx

College Drinking – Changing the Culture

http://www.healthyminds.org/Document-Library/Brochure-Library/College-Students-and-Alcohol-Abuse.aspx

College Students and Alcohol Abuse

http://www.uas.alaska.edu/wellness/articles/alcohol.pdf

Alcohol Consumption and the College Student

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/alcohol_abuse_alcoholism_signs_effects_treatment.htm

Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse

http://about-alcohol-abuse.com/

About Alcohol Abuse

Our Sources:

These sites outline:

Alcohol Use and Abuse

Page 8: Alcohol Use and Abuse

FACT

SHEET

Alcohol Use and Abuse

599,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are unintentionally injured under the influence of alcohol

A 2002 study by Henry Wechsler of the Harvard School of Public health found that among college women who drink alcohol, unplanned sex and sexual assault increased by 50 percent.

More than 150,000 students develop an alcohol-related health problem and between 1.2 and 1.5 percent of students indicate that they tried to commit suicide within the past year due to drinking or drug use.

About 11 percent of college student drinkers report that they have damaged property while under the influence of alcohol

More than 70,000 students ages 18 to 24 are victims of a sexual assault or date rape in which alcohol is involved

31 percent of college students met criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse and 6 percent for a diagnosis of alcohol dependence in the past 12 months, according to questionnaire-based self-reports about their drinking

Page 9: Alcohol Use and Abuse

Every day in the U.S. more than 13,000 children and teens take their first drink.

Almost 50,000 people experience an alcohol overdose each year in

the United States.

In the United States during 2004, 16,694 deaths occurred as a result of alcohol-related motor-vehicle

crashes. This amount was approximately 39% of all traffic fatalities. This amounts to one alcohol-related death every 31

minutes.

Every year in the U.S. more than 150,000 college students develop health

problems that are alcohol-related.

The 25.9% of underage drinkers

who are alcohol abusers and alcohol

dependent drink 47.3% of the alcohol

that is consumed by all underage

drinkers.

More than 600,000 students ages 18 to 24 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking.

Every year, 1,400 American college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related inadvertent injuries, including motor vehicle accidents.

FACT

SHEET

CONTINUED

Alcohol Use and Abuse

Page 11: Alcohol Use and Abuse

Monica is a junior at St. John Fisher College and she is the roommate of Julie, also a junior at St. John Fisher College.

Late Sunday night, Monica came to JP, the RA on her floor saying that she was worried about Julie. She told JP that Julie had been going out almost every night during the week and doesn’t come home until about 2am smelling like alcohol each time. Julie also has been sleeping through her classes and because of this, she is failing 2 out of the 5 she is taking.

Monica also told JP that Julie’s group of friends stopped hanging out with her because all she wanted to do was go out every night and her friends aren’t the “party” type. Julie also was “fired” from her position as president of the Student Activities Board, and treasurer of the Student Government Association. The vice president of the Student Government Association said, “she continued to miss meetings and she didn’t fulfill her responsibilities as president.”

Monica had no idea what got into Julie. She also didn’t know why she kept going out every night and was drinking so much. Later that week on Tuesday afternoon, Monica told JP that she walked in the room and Julie was drinking a bottle of Vodka by herself. Monica asked Julie why she was drinking and Julie replied “my boyfriend broke up with me, and alcohol is the only way to make me feel better.” Monica said that when Julie said this, it surprised her because her boyfriend broke up with her months ago. Monica said she never realized how depressed Julie was until her alcohol use and abuse began.

Later that day (Tuesday), JP saw both Monica and Julie walking in the hallway. He asked them if there was any chance that the three of them could get together and talk about some issues. Julie immediately glared at Monica and replied, “No, everyone should just mind their own business.” He then ends the conversation, tells the girls good luck with their exams, and sends them on their way.

CASE STUDY

Alcohol Use and Abuse

Page 12: Alcohol Use and Abuse

Case Study

Some questions to consider:

Was there anything that JP did wrong? If so, what should he have done differently?

In regards to Julie’s alcohol use and abuse, what steps should JP take?

In regards to Julie’s depression, what steps should JP take?

If Julie lashes out at Monica for going to JP, what are his precautionary steps?

(I.e.: Mediation, direct Monica and Julie to the RD, etc).

Alcohol Use and Abuse