The Danger of Mixing Alcohol and College Students

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College is oftentimes a very exciting period in a young person’s life. This is likely the first time they are away from their parents for an extended amount of time, and they are able to make more decisions for themselves. There are hundreds, if not thousands of new people to meet and plenty of free time to make new experiences one would not necessarily have the opportunity to do if they stay at home.

Perhaps it is a combination of the above points that makes it more likely that college students will abuse alcohol, but regardless of the reason it is clear that college students continuously place themselves at risk for alcohol poisoning, risky sexual behavior and violence while under the influence of alcohol. They’re also potentially setting the building blocks for a long-term alcohol abuse or addiction problem in the future. In order to better understand why alcohol remains such a problem for college students, many researchers are working on studies and investigations into the life of a college student and how they can best be helped when it comes to making smarter decisions regarding alcohol consumption.

Studies have shown that at least 60% of college students have gotten drunk in the last thirty days. This large number certainly indicates that many students are not only able to purchase alcohol, despite being under the age limit, but they are also able to purchase enough that they can attain a feeling of being drunk. This is important because it has been found that alcohol causes around 1,800 deaths a year among college students.

Peer pressure and the college environment have also been noted as reasons why many students drink, as many become swept up in the “traditions” of Greek Life and other collegiate activities. Without the constant guidance of their parents or other responsible mentors, students will often make poor decisions when trying to fit in. This conformity often shows itself in drinking heavily.

In order to minimize the damage that alcohol can have on the developing brain and the effects that it can have on someone’s behavior and decision making process, further studies may reveal more adequate prevention measures.

Alcohol Misconceptions More Harmful to Some Groups

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If time and research has told us anything, it’s that commonly held beliefs regarding alcohol and drug use are oftentimes untrue and damaging. For instance, many people believed that a glass of wine every day was healthy, however new research proves that a glass of wine a day is more harmful than it is beneficial. Another misconception that has proven to be false is that alcohol is less harmful than illicit street drugs. Medical professionals warn that the effects of a long term alcohol problem are extremely dangerous and can prove fatal. In the vein of debunking alcohol-related myths, one research team examined the common belief that Native Americans have a higher rate of alcohol consumption than other ethnicities, therefore leading to an increased threat of alcohol abuse.

Researchers at the University of Arizona got together and analyzed information from a survey of over 4,000 Native Americans and 170,000 Caucasians. And contrary to popular beliefs, Native Americans seem to consume alcohol at the same rates as white people, except for one instance. When it comes to which group is more likely to abstain from alcohol, Native Americans actually refrain from drinking more than white people refrain from drinking. The analysts noted that 17% of Native Americans reported binge drinking, this compares to the 17% of white people that admitted to binge drinking behaviors.

Unearthing the truth behind Native Americans drinking behaviors highlights an important point,
“…falsely stereotyping a group regrading alcohol can have its own unique consequences. For example, some employers might be reluctant to hire individuals from a group that has been stereotyped regarding alcohol. Patients from such a group, possibly wanting to avoid embarrassment, may be reluctant to discuss alcohol-related problems with their doctors,” explained James Cunningham, lead author of the study.

Perhaps the most important point to take away from this study is that there is a significant need for ongoing alcohol-related research and public education. United States residents are continuing to consume alcohol, some at alarming rates, and one way to combat against alcohol abuse problems is to educate.

Research Examines Link Between Alcohol and Domestic Violence

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According to studies, almost twenty people are physically abused by their intimate partner every minute in the United States. In response to this statistic, researchers at the University of New Mexico are developing a study to determine what the relationship between alcohol consumption and domestic violence. Understanding this connection will better assist with intervention methods for people suffering from domestic violence and also for people suffering from an addiction to alcohol.

“We hope to learn why intimate partner violence (IPV) is more likely to occur when people are drinking alcohol. IPV is a serious public health problem, and we are hoping to identify new ways to intervene with this problem,” said Brandi Fink, assistant professor at the UNM Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

Researchers at the UNM are looking into several other studies that may explain why drinking and violence seem to go hand in hand. In addition to the investigation, researchers will also perform their own study that includes an experimental phase. Study subjects will consume alcohol while hooked up to a monitoring device as they are answering questions on the computer. The hope is that they will be able to identify if there are any mechanisms of the brain that are being affected by the alcohol that would also increase the likelihood of violence.

Other studies have shown that men who consume large amounts of alcohol are three times more likely to abuse their significant other, while women are eleven times more likely. Researchers also know that as each drink is consumed the risk for violence increases by 13 percent, and in some cases up to 70 percent if both partners are drinking. These statistics point to the severity of the problem and the need for further research. Additionally, children can be present in the home when alcohol is being consumed or when violence is taking place. Separate studies have proven the connection between parents behaviors and the behaviors of the child in the future. Understanding how to prevent IPV, especially when one or both of the parents are under the influence, is vital in maintaining a safe and healthy home life for the children.

Some Wine Companies Misleading About Alcohol Content

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Any type of alcoholic beverage label contains the amount of alcohol within that bottle. This is done so that the consumer is aware of exactly what they are putting into their body and can make the most well informed decisions on how much to drink. The idea is that knowing the alcohol content of one’s drink will allow that person to predetermine how much they will be able to consume. However, it has been found that some wine companies are misrepresenting exactly how much alcohol is in their wine. This deception can prove dangerous by leading to over consumption of alcohol and can increase the likelihood that someone would make poor decisions because of an elevated amount of alcohol in their system.

Researchers at the University of California released their study to the Journal of Wine Economics after finding that alcohol content was actually, on average, 0.42% higher than reported on the labels. And while this type of discrepancy might not seem like a big problem, researchers are insistent that the misleading of consumers is not only unethical, but dangerous as well.

“A discrepancy of 0.4 percentage points might not seem large relative to an actual value of 13.6 per cent alcohol by volume, but even errors of this magnitude could lead consumers to underestimate the amount of alcohol they have consumed in ways that could have some consequences for their health and driving safety,” explained Professor Julian Alston, of the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of California.

In response to the study, some wine makers have admitted to altering the stated alcohol content on the label because they are trying to keep more in line with what consumers are expecting. According to the research, Spanish and Chilean wines were the biggest offenders in the red wine category, while American and Chilean wines were the biggest offenders in the white wine category.

Accurate and truthful labeling, especially when it comes to alcohol, is necessary to ensure that drinkers are given the proper opportunity to engage in safe alcohol consumption. Covertly decreasing the amount of stated alcohol content can lead some people to consume more alcohol than intended and set the drinker up for dangerous decision making and alcohol habits.

Social Drinking Often Fueled by Peer Pressure

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Social drinking may seem harmless and acceptable, but it can sometimes lead to excessive drinking and other unhealthy habits. And while some people may rarely drink by themselves or with dinner, there is no shortage of reasons to partake in drinking when out socializing. Parties, holidays, events, special occasions, celebrations, meeting new people and sometimes even work functions are all typically times when alcohol is consumed by more people. For many people, especially middle-aged adults, it has become expected to consume at least some alcohol on a regular basis, and this form of peer pressure or expectation can be disheartening when it has negative effects.

This expectation may be ok for some people, but for others, it is the catalyst for an alcohol abuse problem or even alcoholism. Additionally, it has also been found that older adults are at greater risks for developing alcohol addictions because of a lifetime of consuming alcohol and their inability to cope with major life changes like retirement.

One reporter recently decided to challenge herself when it came to alcohol consumption. Rozalynn Frazier eliminated alcohol and sweets from her diet for one month. Her decision was fueled by the desire to lose weight, but along the way she discovered that other people had a harder time with her alcohol abstinence than she did. “One of the more interesting lessons from my little experiment is that it’s much more socially acceptable to skip a piece of cake than it is to not have a drink in your hand. I guess because so much socializing happens with the help of alcohol, being the non-drinker means being a pariah,” explained Frazier.

Many people use alcohol as a social crutch. After a drink or two they begin to ease their tensions and seem more comfortable to talk to strangers or coworkers or even friends. However, it is very hard to predict when the amount of alcohol being consumed is too much. It is difficult to stop an addiction to alcohol if everyone around the person consumes alcohol as well. Because alcohol addictions are difficult to spot, they can also be difficult to treat. Oftentimes an alcoholic has been allowed to drink heavily for years before anyone is able to realize that a problem may exist.

If you have a friend or family member who you suspect has a problem with alcohol, contact us today to find out what solutions are available.

Regulators Warn Kombucha Makers with High Alcohol Content

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According to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Trade Bureau (TTB), kombucha is “a fermented beverage produced from a mixture of steeped tea and sugar, combined with a culture of yeast strains and bacteria. Some kombucha products also have fruit juice or other flavors added during production. The combination of sugar and yeast triggers fermentation, which may produce a kombucha with an alcohol content of 0.5% or more alcohol by volume.”

The popularity of this drink has exploded in recent years, especially in health food stores, and bottlers have been cashing in on the fad. A recent story broke that claimed the TTB had warned makers of the drink that are generating more than the allowable amount of alcohol.

Is there any real danger in that amount of alcohol, or is it just an arbitrary number? Good question, as it would take a very large volume to produce inebriation. However, it is good that the TTB is seeking to limit would could potentially be dangerous if some kombucha makers let their alcohol content rise much higher.

In a similar fashion as energy drinks that have alcohol content, if young people get their hands on beverages with borderline amounts, they can be abused and cause harm. While this would be exactly the opposite of the intent of kombucha makers, it is a very real possibility they have to be aware of if they let their alcohol content rise up above 1% or more (by comparison, light beer is usually about 4.5%).

Medicare’s Strange Stance on Substance Abuse Research

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In order to correctly gauge the substance abuse problem in the United States, researchers have to examine data from all sorts of different agencies. One of the agencies that have been able to supply massive amounts of information to researchers is Medicare. Medicare is a federal health care program that is responsible for the care of adults over the age of 65 and people with disabilities as well as people with certain types of diseases. Because of the population that Medicare serves, they are in the possession of valuable information that helps researchers determine how drug and alcohol abuse is growing or declining and what sorts of people tend to gravitate towards substance abuse. However, Medicare has recently declined to offer any sort of demographic information, effectively hindering any attempts at further research.

In 1987 a rule was enacted that stated that in order to use someone’s information for research purposes, the researchers had to obtain that individual’s permission. In the past this rule has been overlooked, yet in 2013 Medicare began taking things into their own hands. They started deleting information from their database that, in the past, had been available to researchers. While nothing can be done to obtain this information, many are working to get the rule reversed or altered to allow researchers can conduct proper investigations.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) stated that they were almost done drafting an appeal to the rule. Representatives from the New York Times and New England Journal of Medicine have also been vocal in the need to change or edit the rule. Despite this, it is unlikely that researchers will be granted access to the demographic information any time soon, as once the rule change is drafted; it has to be passed by the government.

Research conducted using Medicare’s database has been able to shape hospital policies, alert law enforcement of certain drug-using trends and provided researchers with valuable information for other studies relating to drug and alcohol abuse. As the drug environment continues to expand beyond teenagers and young adults, researchers are clamoring for vital information relating to an entire section of the population that has proven that they are at just as much risk for developing drug and alcohol addictions as anyone else.

Research Reveals Risk for Alcohol Abuse Among Adolescent Females

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A group of researchers in Sweden examined the social life of 357 girls over four years. The purpose of the study was to determine what sort of factors influence young girls to try alcohol and drugs. After compiling the data, the research indicated that girls who grow up in families with little supervision are much more likely to consume alcohol.

The study is important because experts agree that children who start experimenting with alcohol at a young age are more likely to develop an addiction as they get older. Parents who are unsure how much control they should exert over their teenage daughters may take some cues from the results of this study, and feel more comfortable enforcing slightly more rules and guidelines for supervision.

In order to conduct the study, researchers followed girls from the age of 13 to 17. For the four years during the study they were asked questions about their curfew and the frequency that they consumed alcohol. The outcome of the study showed that no matter how much parental intervention, teenage girls are likely to experiment with alcohol. However, girls whose parents are more strict tended to drink less than girls whose parents are more lax with their rules. Young girls who fell within the category of strict parent had an 84% increase in alcohol abuse. This is in sharp contrast to the girls who fell into the category of less strict parents. This group had a 234% increase in alcohol abuse.

“…girls alienated from same-age peers seek the company of older, more mature youth during a developmental period when alcohol consumption becomes increasingly normative,” explained the authors of the study. This is important because it shows that parents who go too far with being strict with their girls are more likely to push them into experimenting with alcohol and drugs. There does seem to be a fine line of strict and too strict, according to the study. Researchers pointed out that girls in both groups the girls drank alcohol, however it moved to abuse more often in the group whose parents had less control over the girls.

Latest National Survey Shows Youth Alcohol Consumption Down

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Each year the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) releases the results of the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) in September during National Recovery Month. Among the annual tracking of substance abuse and related behavioral health information, the ongoing survey finds patterns in usage statistics that help give not just a snapshot of consumption, but also help predict trends in drug and alcohol abuse.

The latest survey found some mixed results. Predictably, there was a rise in marijuana usage, given the legalization for adults in several states. However, one positive note was that alcohol consumption among adolescents decreased over the previous year. More specifically, past-month drinking among teens aged 12 t0 17 fell from 17.6 percent in 2002 to 11.5 percent by 2014.

Overall underage drinking is down over the past decade, but there was little change from the previous year when looking at binge drinking and heavy drinking rates. Some believe that the total usage statistics remain generally equal year after year, but the trends in the substances change. While plausible, this doesn’t negate the fact that less young people abusing alcohol equals an improvement in our society.

What Happens When You Stop Drinking for a Month?

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There is a movement that is gaining steam throughout the country, it is called Sober September. The idea is that people give up alcohol for the entire month to give their bodies a chance to recover from the rest of the year of drinking. However, how beneficial is a month of sobriety? Does it only take one month to make up for the other eleven months of damage inflicted to the liver and the brain? The truth is that an alcohol-free month is only temporarily beneficial, as it is not a long enough period of time to allow the body to recuperate from heavy drinking.

“I would look at a month of sobriety as equivalent to an intermittent fast, or juicing, or a cleanse. And we have no real evidence that they are physically beneficial per se. But it’s like rebooting a computer – they make you stop, they make you conscious, they make you mindful, and there’s the opportunity to get into a pattern that’s better for you,” explained Dr. David Katz, the founder of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center.

Katz also wonders why people would feel a need to take a break from alcohol. If someone feels that they are due for a month long break, it is likely because they are consuming too much alcohol in the first place. Researchers have determined that women who drink more than a few glasses of wine a week are in danger of drinking too much. Men who drink more than 21 units of alcohol fall into the same category. Oftentimes binge drinking (drinking several drinks in a short amount of time) is a behavior that occurs without the person realizing that they are participating in this type of dangerous behavior.

While maintaining sobriety for a month will make a person feel better, it will not repair the damage that was created in the liver. In order for liver damage to be addressed, a person needs to stop drinking altogether for a significant amount of time. However, one major benefit of taking a month off of drinking is that it will help break the habit of going out every night and feeling like the only way to have fun is to drink.