What percent of female students did not drink at all in the past month?

College alcoholism affects millions of students every year. The college years are some of the most popular times to experiment with alcohol. Roughly 80% of college students – four out of every five – consume alcohol to some degree. It’s estimated that 50% of those students engage in binge drinking, which involves consuming too much alcohol in too little time.

Many young adults admit to drinking alcohol even before they enter college. After graduating high school and moving out on their own, college students want to experience their newfound freedom and independence. The availability of alcohol at sporting events and social activities is often tempting to students. What may start out as one drink can quickly turn into two, three or more. Drinking week after week causes the body to start building a tolerance to alcohol. This means it will require you to drink more in order to get the same high.

Frequent heavy drinking greatly increases your chance of developing an alcohol use disorder (AUD), which can cause serious physical and emotional damage. While some side effects are temporary and go away within a matter of days, others can affect you for years to come. That’s why it’s crucial to seek help at the first warning sign of a drinking problem. The specialists at an alcohol treatment center are able to provide top-notch care and assistance for those who have quit drinking. Contact a treatment provider today to find out more about rehab facilities and how they treat alcoholism.

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College Students And Binge Drinking

A large percentage of college students consume alcohol by binge drinking. Binge drinking is defined as when a person consumes an excessive amount of alcohol in a short timeframe. For men, binge drinking involves drinking five or more alcoholic beverages in two hours. On the other hand, binge drinking for women is considered four or more drinks within a two-hour time period.

The high-risk period of binge drinking for college students is during the first six weeks of their freshman year. Many of these students fall into peer pressure and begin drinking soon after the first day of classes. Alcohol use is commonly viewed as the “college experience” that students desire. They want to fit in and make new friends, so they keep drinking without thinking about the potential consequences involved.

Within the last couple of decades, college students have started consuming more hard liquor than beer. Rather than drinking to socialize, an increasing number of young adults are drinking to get drunk. Since liquor has one of the highest alcohol percentages by volume, it takes fewer drinks to feel its effects. The end goal for some is to drink as much as possible or black out. These outcomes are extremely dangerous and can possibly lead to life-threatening effects, such as alcohol poisoning.

Reach out to a treatment provider for free today for immediate assistance.

Consequences Of Heavy Drinking In College

Nearly every college student has been impacted by alcohol use during their academic career – even if they have never drank themselves. For instance, a person can witness a friend’s drinking pattern worsening over time, gradually taking over their life. Heavy drinking affects more than just an individual; it can destroy anything in its path, including friendships and relationships.

Alcohol-related problems begin to arise when an individual drinks excessively and puts their health – and the health of others – at risk. Several consequences associated with heavy drinking in college are:

Performing Poorly In Classes

Excessive alcohol consumption can take a toll on a student’s academics. Drinking may even become a priority over attending classes, completing homework and studying for exams. An estimated one in every four college students admit to having poor grades or other academic problems because of their drinking behavior.

A lack of effort in school can make a difference in whether a student passes or fails a class. It can cost thousands of dollars to retake a course or change majors due to bad grades. In addition, failing classes will push back a student’s graduation, taking more time and money to complete the degree program.

Risking Injury

Drinking can increase a person’s risk of injury, ranging from minor cuts to broken bones or concussions. The higher someone’s blood alcohol content (BAC) level, the greater the chance of getting injured. Each year, close to 600,000 college students unintentionally injure themselves due to heavy drinking. Injuries can involve bruising, fractures, muscle sprains and other similar issues.

For those who struggle with depression or anxiety, alcohol consumption can cause life-threatening effects. Students who face extreme mental instabilities are most at risk of attempting to commit suicide or other acts of self-harm. Alcohol can significantly alter a person’s mind, which can make them act irrationally.

Becoming A Victim Of Assault

Alcohol is known to lower a person’s inhibitions and therefore, makes them more vulnerable to physical or sexual assault. Close to 700,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by a student who had been drinking prior to the offense.

Another serious crime linked closely to alcohol use is sexual assault. All too often, perpetrators prey on victims who have been drinking. Victims are sometimes too incoherent to fight back or pass out before knowing what happened. Sexual assault can have a lasting effect on someone emotionally and physically, including getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD), having an unwanted pregnancy, or causing lasting psychological damage.

Committing Criminal Activities

When someone is under the influence of alcohol, their actions may be entirely different from how they would normally behave. This involves committing a crime, no matter how minor it may be, that a person wouldn’t have committed if they were sober. Highly intoxicated college students usually partake in vandalism, property damage, driving under the influence and other criminal activities.

Sometimes though, alcohol-related crimes can be extremely serious and put other people in danger. Harmful criminal activities involve battery, kidnapping and homicide. College students who commit crimes while intoxicated can face legal punishments such as fines, probation, suspended license and jail time.

Developing Health Issues

The effects of heavy drinking do not always happen immediately. It may take months or even years for some effects to occur. Nearly 150,000 college students develop some type of alcohol-related health problem every year. This may include liver damage, high blood pressure, inflammation of the pancreas and other health complications.

College students who participate in frequent drinking activities are also more likely to develop a dependency on alcohol later in life. Although alcoholism typically results from years of drinking, it can also happen during periods of heavy and frequent drinking during college. Bad drinking habits in college can evolve into other issues, like alcoholism, in the future.

College Drinking Statistics

Roughly 20% of college students meet the criteria for having an alcohol use disorder (AUD). Close to 60% of college students between the ages of 18 and 22 admitted to drinking in the past month. Of those, nearly two in every three engaged in binge drinking. A little less than 2,000 college students ranging from 18 to 24 years old die from unintentional, alcohol-related injuries each year.

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Find a Treatment Program Today

There are many safe and effective ways to treat a college student’s drinking problems. More rehab facilities are introducing treatment programs tailored specifically to young adults.

Speak with a treatment provider today and get started on your recovery plan.

While alcohol is prevalent on college campuses and in our society in general, it can cause many problems and consequences. Not drinking may be a good choice for you, and many students choose not to drink or drink in moderation. If you do choose to drink, it's important to learn ways to reduce your risk of getting hurt, getting in trouble, doing things you might regret, and messing up your health and well-being.

Facts

• People often overestimate the percentage of college students who drink and underestimate the percentage who don't drink (thinking "Everyone is doing it"): Nationwide, about 65 percent of traditional-age college students (late teens to early 20s) report they drank alcohol in the past month, and about 20 percent say they have never used alcohol.
• You don't have to be "an alcoholic" (physically addicted to alcohol) to have a problem. Alcohol abuse (drinking too much, drinking in unhealthy ways, continuing to drink despite negative consequences) can also cause many problems, such as health issues, injuries, relationship problems, financial issues, and problems at school or work.
• Alcohol affects people differently depending on their size, sex, how much they’ve eaten that day, physical condition, medications being taken, speed and quantity of alcohol consumed, and other factors. Because of sex-based differences in body fat, body fluid levels, and metabolism, cisgender women (people born with a female body) typically are affected faster and more intensely by alcohol than cisgender men (people born with a male body).
• Even if you have a higher tolerance for alcohol than other people (i.e., you feel less drunk than others your size and sex who have had the same amount to drink), your body is still affected by alcohol similarly to others. In other words, your blood alcohol level will be the same as another person who "seems" more drunk than you if you had the same amount and are the same size and sex. High tolerance for alcohol is a risk factor for alcoholism and alcohol abuse.
• Drinking may make you feel good for a short time, but generally, the pleasant short-term effects disappear and the negative effects increase if you keep drinking past the “slightly buzzed” stage. Also, alcohol is a physical depressant on the body and mind and can cause depressive symptoms after use.
• Your liver can only process 1 ounce of alcohol (i.e., one shot of liquor, one normal-strength 12-ounce beer, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or one 3-ounce glass of fortified wine) in an hour, so if you drink more and/or faster than that, your system becomes saturated, and additional alcohol accumulates in blood and body tissues until it can be processed. This is why pounding shots and playing drinking games can be especially problematic.
• If you have a first-degree relative (e.g., parent, sibling) who is an alcoholic, you have a greater risk of becoming an alcoholic yourself. The risk for male relatives of alcoholics may be even higher. These risks are both genetic and learned through living with an alcoholic person.
• Some people of Asian descent have trouble metabolizing alcohol and may experience facial flushing, nausea, headache, dizziness, and rapid heartbeat when drinking.

Tips

• Consider avoiding alcohol, especially if you are under 21, have had issues with alcohol, are taking certain medications, and/or have a first-degree relative with an alcohol problem.
• Know your limits, as well as what is considered unhealthy for your weight and sex. Generally, more than 7 drinks a week for women and 14 drinks a week for men is considered unhealthy. More than 4 drinks in a sitting is considered “binge drinking” for women, and more than 5 drinks in a sitting is considered a binge for men. Binge drinking increases short-term and long-term health and safety risks. These are just general guideless—keep in mind that fewer than 4 or 5 drinks might be too much for you.
• To help yourself drink less and slower, eat before drinking alcohol, decide ahead of time how many drinks to have and stick to it, keep track of drinks (e.g., put a mark on your hand for each drink or use a tracking app, don’t “top off” your glass), drink to enjoy the taste rather than to get drunk, alternate alcoholic with non-alcoholic drinks, measure the alcohol you put in mixed drinks, avoid doing shots, and bring less money when you go out.
• Use the “buddy system”—be with friends who will help you stick to your limits and keep you out of trouble if you start to lose your ability to make good decisions; do the same for your friends.
• Don't drive after drinking. Have a designated driver, take the bus or a car service or cab, or wait until you have sobered up (which can take 30–60 minutes per drink you have consumed or longer) to drive.
• Avoid mixing alcohol with energy drinks, as this can have more serious effects.
• Avoid using alcohol with prescription, over-the-counter, or recreational drugs, especially sedatives (e.g., Xanax, Valium) and opiates (e.g., OxyContin, Heroin), which can result in serious health consequences, including death.

Warning Signs That You May Have a Problem

• Increased use of alcohol
• Needing to drink more to get the same effect
• Ignoring responsibilities because of time spent drinking or hung over (e.g., skipping class, failing exams)
• Using alcohol in isolation and/or shutting people out because of your drinking
• Dropping friends who don’t drink and/or associating only with people who drink
• Spending more money than you should on alcohol
• Finding it’s hard to be happy or feel OK without drinking
• Thinking about drinking a lot of the time
• Trying to quit or cut back but being unable to do so, or going through repeated patterns of problematic use (e.g., cutting back for a few days or weeks and then resuming problematic use)
• Needing to drink in the morning to “get going” or drinking when hung over (“hair of the dog”) to mask hangover symptoms
• People expressing concern or annoyance about your drinking
• Continuing to drink despite serious consequences (e.g., DUIs, fights, failing classes)

Common Consequences

• 70% of college students say that as a result of drinking, they had unplanned and/or unwanted sexual activity.
• At least 1 of 5 college students abandons safer sex practices when they're drunk, even if they do protect themselves when they're sober.
• Alcohol is involved in more than 90% of all campus rapes.
• Alcohol makes some drinkers violent, and more than 50% of non-academic discipline cases at UCSC involve alcohol.
• Heavy drinkers consistently have lower grades than those who don't drink or drink in moderation.
• One night of heavy drinking can impair your ability to think abstractly and grasp difficult concepts for a month!
• Drinking can lead to getting sanctions, losing your housing contract, getting kicked out of school, legal problems, losing important relationships, injury, or even death.

Alcohol Poisoning

If you see someone who has been drinking who appears to be asleep and can’t be woken up; has slow or irregular breathing; has cold, clammy, pale, or bluish lips or skin; and is vomiting while passed out, he or she probably has alcohol poisoning. That person is at risk of dying or having serious health issues, so it’s important to get help. Do not leave the person alone or let them “sleep it off.” Call 911 immediately.

For more information about alcohol and other drugs, visit the SHOP Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drugs website.