Alcohol and Your Students

Information for Parents, Teachers, Advisors, Friends, and Others Concerned About a

Student’sUse of Alcohol

Counseling & Psychological Services UC

How much do today’s students drink?

ACHA NCHA-II Fall 2009, >34,000 respondents

Any use past 30 days 59%

If used, median number of drinks 5, male; 3, female driving after any drinks 25% driving after 5 or more 3% median BAC .05 (cognitive effects start at about.03) alertnesss, concentration, judgment,

inhibition

Some are heavier users

NCHA-II:In past 30 days… used 1-9 days 47% used 10-29 days 11% used all 30 days 0.9%

Last time “partied”: drank 4 or fewer drinks 38% drank 5 or 6 12% drank 7 or more 15%

NCHA-II:

In past two weeks, drank 5 or more drinks in one sitting…

1-2 times 21% 3-5 times 7% 6 or more times 2%

It becomes abuse…

Slutske, 20053184 students ages 19-21

Clinically significant problems 18%Alcohol abuse 11.9%Alcohol dependence 6.1%

esp. problems at home, school, work and drinking then physically dangerous

activities

Harmful effects of drinking

During past 12 months did something later regretted 31% forgot where you were or what you did 27% had unprotected sex 15% physically injured self 15% got in trouble with police 4% physically injured someone else 3% had sex without giving consent 2% seriously considered suicide 2% had sex without getting consent 0.5% One or more of the above 47%

ACHA-NCHA-II

Academic Effects

25% of college students report academic consequences of drinking, including missing classes, falling behind, doing poorly on exams and papers, receiving lower grades

(several studies, reported in NIAAA Snapshot/College Drinking)

“A” average 3.3 drinks per week “D” or “F” average 9.0 drinks per week

Community Effects

On campuses with >50% of students binge drinkers, 68.9% of non-binge drinkers said studying or sleep

had been affected since the beginning of the school year

>696,000 students 18-24 assaulted annually by drinker

11% students have vandalized property while drinking 2.1 million students drive under the influence

(NIAAA)

What is “normal” drinking?

Moderate user…alcohol use does not exceed: Men 2 drinking days per week 14 drinks per week 5 drinks per occasion

Women 1 drinking day per week 7 drinks per week 4 drinks per occasion

What about more than moderate use?

“At-risk” user exceeds the amount but no indication of negative effects

Problem user/abuser exceeds the amount and has negative effects

Dependent user shows abuse and 3C’s: compulsion to use, loss of control, continued use despite consequences

Binge Drinking

Men >5 drinks per sitting

Women > 4 drinks per sitting

Abuse and dependence

In past 12 months

Abuse (1 or more): drinking has repeatedly contributed to risk of bodily harm, relationship trouble, role failure, run-ins with the law 31% of students

Dependence (3 or more) : not been able to cut down or stop, kept drinking despite problems, spent a lot of time on drinking, spent less time on other pleasurable or important matters, shown signs of tolerance or withdrawal (tremors, sweating, nausea, insomnia when trying to cut down) 6% (NIAAA)

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)

NCHA-II:

Students having one or more drinks last time they partied (estimated using number of drinks, how much time, sex, and weight)

> .08 34.3%

> .10 27.1 %

BAC Correlates

Principle effects are on memory, coordination, judgment

Effects can last for substantial time after drinking

REM sleep, hangovers

And it’s not just alcohol…

MarijuanaCocaineAmphetaminesInhalantsSedativesClub DrugsHallucinogensOpiates (pain meds)

Why do students use excessively?

American culture

College culture

Social lubricant

Self medication

What can you do to help?

Ask about usage

Educate

Set expectations

Enforce with consequences—within your role

Refer/require treatment if indicated—within your role

Send home—within your role

If you are concerned…

Ask

ask your student about substance use, explaining purpose is to assist; discuss/plan/troubleshoot

and /or help your student to access simple tools for screening

(AUDIT-C, BAC calculator, Personalized Feedback)

Educate

Discuss personal reasons and goals for college

If substance abuse has been an issue in your family, talk about it

Provide resources about harm reduction and cutting back

Counseling center website www.uc.edu/counseling Life-enhancing workshops “Alcohol and Your

Goals” Self-help information

CAPS services Personalized Feedback Urgent Care Counseling/Treatment

Commission on Alcohol and Other Drug Education (CAODE) website

www.uc.edu/caode

Set clear expectations about behavior in writing

Code of Conduct? Attendance? Academic performance? Safe behavior? Social functioning/rights of others?

Be pro-active…

Notice, communicate, enforce

Pay attention to any signs of low functioning, including missing or being late for classes or other activities, poor grades, isolating, over-partying, decline in personal hygiene, tiredness, odd behavior, self-destructive behavior (cutting, risk-taking), impulsivity, moodiness, irritability, aggression, large weight changes, eating and sleep changes

Bring it up

I am concerned about you/I care about you

I have noticed….

Is there something I might help you with?

Reiterate behavioral expectations, be clear about time frame for improvement, expected behavior (positively worded if you can—what the student should do)

Friendly but not a friend!

Empathy but not enabling

Refer or require* evaluation or treatment

Depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety co-occurring disorders are high risk Suicidal thoughts or behavior Black out

Medical emergencies: Withdrawal—may need supervision Alcohol poisoning (unconscious or confused; cold, clammy, pale, bluish

skin; slow or irregular breathing; vomit while passed out; seizure)

*Parents can require; faculty and staff cannot except as part of a University Judicial Affairs process

Taking time off from college to get treatment

If problems are severe or persist Endangering self or others Disrupting learning environment

From a mental health perspective

Treatment follows stages

Pre-contemplationContemplationPreparationAction MaintenanceRecurrent Use

Consultations Welcome

“Faculty, staff, family friends” on our website

Call us for guidance in addressing your concerns with your son or daughter

References

American College Health Association, National College Health Assessment-II, fall 2009 data

www.acha-ncha.org

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), A Snapshot of Annual High-Risk College Drinking Consequences -2007

www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov

Slutske, W. (2005) Alcohol Use Disorders Among US College Students and Their Non-College-Attending Peers. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62, 321-27.

Counseling Center

Confidential counseling for UC students – individual and group

Free walk-in urgent care services during business hours

Consultation for faculty, staff, family, and friends concerned about a student

Workshops and presentations –

225 Calhoun St Suite 200 (513) 556-0648

www.uc.edu/counseling