Alcohol Awareness
Taking part in binge drinking has become an expectation of peers and a desire to assimilate at colleges and universities across Canada. It is all seemingly fun and games, as letting loose after a stressful finals week can’t possibly do that much damage. However, multiple studies have shown that heavy episodic drinking among post-secondary students could lead to both long-term and short-term effects. To spread the message about the dangers of alcoholism and other alcohol related issues, April is acknowledged as Alcohol Awareness Month. During April, it is intended to help communities and individuals dealing with drinking problems.
The perception of drinking can be evaluated by conducting studies among postsecondary students, and The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction did just that in 2018! The participants in their study suggested that normalizing drinking could help break the dangerous habit (Meister , Barker , & Flores Pajot, 2018). Scare tactics and banning alcohol is not going to work. It might work for a short period of time, but once they graduate, they will most likely seek out the same drinking habits. Students even explained that making alcohol taboo inspires rebellious behaviour and a stronger desire to drink (Meister , Barker , & Flores Pajot, 2018). The only plausible solution is informing students about the dangers of reckless drinking and promoting responsible drinking.
Some of the less obvious effects of drinking are the long-term ones. Heavy episodic drinking can lead to significant cognitive, structural and functional brain changes in young adults. Potential health issues, such as liver disease or cancer, can also result. . The short-term consequences that are associated with drinking is impaired drinking, engaging in violence and blacking out (Meister , Barker , & Flores Pajot, 2018).
There are various reasons why students would engage in drinking. Peer pressure, socializing or making up for times when they couldn’t drink, such as the exam period, are just some reasons that students have explained. Out of all the reasons stated from the study, using drinking as a method to cope with academic stress was seemingly the most concerning. Some students explained that they drank to avoid studying or assignments and lower anxiety when writing a paper. This is concerning, because alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, therefore can slow down brain function and neural activity. It does create a feeling of relaxation, however does reduce judgment and memory as well. That could lead to harmful decision-making. It is nice to take a sip to ease the nerves and help feel confident, but it shouldn’t be fully relied on. Habits, such as drinking, are very hard to break once built at a young age. At university, it seems harmless to grab a drink when procrastinating just one assignment, however “old habits die hard”. Today it might just be to avoid school work for a night, but it could turn into a method to cope with death or mental health issues in the future. The more reliant you become on alcohol now, the harder it will be to break that habit in the future.
Now, if you are aware of your bad drinking habits and would like to stop, you most certainly can do that! It might not be the easiest depending on the severity, however the main consensus is to replace a bad habit with a good one. The Power of Habit is a book that explains the underlying science of habit forming and recreation. The author suggests that you need to understand your habit loop to be able to change it (Alicia, 2021). What is the cue to start drinking? For example, exams just finished and the plan always is to get drunk at the bar with your friends. Breakdown what is really motivating you to go to the bar. Is it being with your friends that is ultimately the reward after exams? Or is it the drunk you? This is important, because your next steps will depend on your purpose. If it is for your friends, make sure you order a non-alcoholic drink next time or limit yourself to 1-2 drinks. You will still have a good time, regardless if you are sober or not. However, if it is to drink, you need to stay away from the bar. Replace the bar to an activity you enjoy, like swimming at the beach or going to a drive-in movie theater.
All you need to do is to be honest and patient with yourself to break a habit. Be honest and confront any bad habits, like smoking or drinking. Be patient, because routines don’t form or change overnight. Organizations, like Good2Talk, are always available to provide support for post-secondary students if you are looking for additional guidance. Remember that you have the power to change your life and be in charge.
Sources:
Alicia. (2021, January 25). The science behind replacing bad habits with good ones. Retrieved March 14, 2021, from https://soberish.co/dry-january-replace-bad-habits/
Meister, S., Barker, B., & Flores Pajot, M. (2018). Heavy Episodic Drinking Among Post-secondary Students: Influencing Factors and Implications [PDF]. Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction.
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