“I’m Fine”
We’ve all said it before “I’m fine”
Telling our friends that we’re okay and we can walk back to our dorm in a straight line.
Making sure you drink a few extra sips of water so you can sober up quicker. Weekend after weekend, throughout the four (more or less) years of college, we’re always “fine”.
The truth is, we are not fine. Data indicates that 43% of males and 32% of females on college campuses have crossed the threshold of binge drinking in a two week period. College students show upward trends in the amount of alcohol that is being consumed. The problem that subsequently arises are the negative impacts alcohol has with our health.
Developing AUD
With excessive alcohol consumption comes alcohol use disorder (also known as alcoholism) which is a medical condition where a person has the inability to control their drinking. Overtime in people who have chronic alcohol use disorder, their bodies become dependent on alcohol. It becomes difficult to quit. When a person attempts to quit drinking alcohol cold turkey, they face life threatening risks like developing withdrawals (Example: tremors, nausea, anxiety, sweating, hallucinations) and withdrawal seizures. According to 2019 surveys, studies show 9% of college students (ages 18-22 years old) have already developed alcohol use disorder.
Aside from symptoms related to alcohol withdrawals, there’s other complications that can arise from excessive alcohol drinking
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- Liver diseases – Increased fat in the liver, increased liver inflammation, and irreversible scarring of the liver
- Digestive problems – Acid reflux, inflammation of the stomach lining, inflammation of the pancreas
- Heart problems – High blood pressure, heart failure, stroke, heart beat abnormalities
- Birth defects – If pregnant women drink alcohol their babies can be born with physical and neurological damage
- Bones – damage to bone marrow (inability to make white blood cells), thinning of the bones
- Neurologic complications – short term memory loss, numbness in hands and feet
- Cancer risk– excessive drinking is linked to cancer of the liver, esophagus, stomach, mouth, throat, and colon.
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Peer Pressure
We know what you’re thinking, you heard that “Peer pressure is bad, don’t drink”. Well yes that’s what we’re still saying because college students are easily influenced by their peers, specifically if they are in greek organizations or prominent athletic programs. Drinking is high
est among student who live on campus and those who are in sororities or fraternities. Being parts of the party scene may initially feel “cool” and fun, but everyone is different. Some people process alcohol at different rates than others. Other people have underlying medical conditions that they put them at a higher risk to develop alcohol related illnesses such as hepatitis or cirrhosis. All of these factors are important when deciding to pick up a cup of alcohol. It’s best to completely omit alcohol, or for legal drinkers, in moderation.
For more information regarding the impact alcohol use, please go to https://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/CollegeAIM/
Work Cited:
White, A., & Hingson, R. (2013). The burden of alcohol use: excessive alcohol consumption and related consequences among college students. Alcohol research : current reviews, 35(2), 201–218.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2021). College Drinking. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/college-drinking.
Mayo Clinic (2018). Alcohol Use Disorder. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alcohol-use-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20369243.