| Many students believe that the signs of a substance abuse problem are daily use and severe cravings or other withdrawal symptoms. Those features are more descriptive of someone in the latter stages of chemical dependency and problematic use begins long before that point. Here is a short quiz to help you decide if you have or are developing a problem with alcohol and/or other drugs.
Do You Have a Substance Abuse Problem?!
Take this short quiz:
- Do most or all of your social activities include drinking or using drugs?
- Have you had regrets about your behavior after drinking or using?
- Do you drink or use more than you used to in order to get the same effect?
- Have you ever forgotten all or part of an evening after drinking?
- Have you ever missed homework, a class or done poorly in classes because of drinking or using?
- Have you ever had personal, legal or financial problems related to drinking or using but didn't alter you use patterns?
- Do you have any family members with an alcohol or other drug problem?
- Have you ever tried to stop or cut down but weren't always successful?
- Have you ever driven while under the influence of alcohol and/or other drugs?
- Do you usually drink to get drunk or find you cannot stop once you have started drinking?
If you answered yes to 3 or more questions, you may be developing unhealthy drinking or drug using habits. It may be helpful for you to talk to a peer or professional counselor. Many students benefit from looking at their alcohol and drug use early on to avoid developing a more serious problem in the future.
Help is available at Counseling Services . Call 756-2511 to make an appointment.
Websites for more information:
Responsible Drinking
Alcohol has long been a part of the social scene on university campuses and has provided both pleasure and problems. There are many students who choose not to drink for various reasons and there are a majority of students who choose to drink moderately. 60% of Cal Poly students drink 0-4 drinks a week and 80% drink less than 2 times a week if at all. The heavy, problematic drinkers are really a minority of the students at Cal Poly although misperceptions still exist that most college students drink frequently and heavily.
You don't have to have an alcohol problem to have a one night problem that changes your life forever. Some examples are DUI, arrest for drunk in public, alcohol poisoning, sexual assault, violence, vandalism, accidents and at the worst, death. Some students seem to avoid these consequences even though they are drinking heavily or out of control. For them, they may be on their way to developing alcohol dependence or alcoholism. Both one-night problems and alcohol abuse/dependence are preventable through responsible drinking. What does that mean?
Guidelines for responsible drinking
- Plan ahead how many drinks you will have and make arrangements for getting home safely.
- Everyone's biochemistry is different. Know how many drinks will allow you to feel relaxed without losing control or getting drunk.
- Make people the focus of the activity, not drinking.
- Eat a meal before drinking to slow the rate of absorption so that the alcohol enters your blood stream slowly. This allows you to stay in control of the effect of the alcohol.
- Drink diluted alcoholic beverages like beer, wine and mixed drinks rather than "shots" of hard alcohol. Drinking "shots" raises your blood alcohol level rapidly and leads to higher levels of intoxication than you may have planned. Many one night problems are related to drinking "shots".
- Be sure you know what is in your drink. Punches are often a combination of different kinds of alcohol but taste sweet so it is easy to overdrink without meaning to.
- Use alcohol cautiously in combination with any medication or other drugs. Alcohol can enhance the sedative qualities of other drugs.
- If you see a friend is very drunk, make sure to help them get home safely or get medical help if they are unresponsive with slowed breathing and cold, clammy skin. Friends taking care of friends have saved lives.
WEBSITES
Facts on Tap National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
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