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College Binge Drinking Tags

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The Dangers of College Binge Drinking

David Emmert, a psychologist for counseling services at San Jose State University (SJSU), said binge drinking is a huge problem among college students, and just being in college puts individuals at a higher risk of consequences.

Jenn Elias of the University’s news website, The Spartan Daily, writes that according to a study by the State University of New York at Albany, 20 percent of students met the criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence within the past 12 months.

Peer health educator Mufaro Zakers said he thinks binge drinking is a subtle disease and is more common than people think. He added that binge drinking is common at SJSU because of drinking games that students play, such as beer pong.

"You can get caught up in the competition, so you can really lose track of your drinks, which can lead to alcohol poisoning, black-outs, and brown-outs," Zakers said.

Emmert said a lot of cognitive development occurs during the early 20s, until about age 25 or 26, and that students don't have the ability to recognize the extent of the risks. "A lot of students think 'It can't happen to me,'" he said.

Cecilia Lopez, a junior psychology major, said she received a startling phone call from a roommate when another roommate drank to a dangerous point. "She ended up in the hospital for over 24 hours with alcohol poisoning," Lopez said.

Weight, gender, and other factors can determine the level of a person's level of inebriation, Emmert said. For some people, binge drinking can turn into alcohol dependence.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the younger a person is when he or she starts drinking, the greater his or her chance is of becoming addicted to alcohol at some point in life. Hangovers from drinking and sudden withdrawal from alcohol typically produce a general state of unhappiness, with elements of anxiety and depression mixed with physical discomfort. "The hangover affects your ability to go to class the next day or to study, or to write that paper," Emmert said.

Foreign exchange student Frederick Spitz said he rarely drinks and does not like to get drunk. "I don't think that I will have a better time at a party if I drink," said Spitz, a Spanish and business double major. "To me, people tend to believe in the fact that they are more interesting when they are drunk because they act out."

He said he sees a difference between students here at SJSU and students in France. "I feel that here a lot of people who are not 21 get in the habit of pre-drinking, which means that they get completely wasted before going out," Spitz said.

Although people still get drunk in France, he said there isn't the pressure that exists at schools like SJSU.

Louis Cortez, a Resident Advisor, said most college students binge drink because it is the first time they’re away from home and their parents' supervision.

"Students lose control and don't know how to handle all their new freedom," he said. "They find binge drinking to be a source for all their new experiences and stress."

When underage students are caught drinking, Cortez said they are sometimes kicked out of the dorms and SJSU altogether.

Cortez said, if caught drinking, underage students break the contract they signed when they agreed to live in the Building B residence halls.

"The long-term effects on their health, I think, is the biggest consequence of all," he said.

David Emmert said he co-leads an alcohol education class called "Party with a Plan," for sanctioned students. "I have worked with so many students who have had their lives dramatically changed through alcohol-related events that I just wanted to do something more proactive," Emmert said, adding that the program corresponds with the best treatment recommendations from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

"We find creative ways to reach out to students without boring them," Emmert said. "We get the students to participate in games and activities."

Emmert said some students binge drink to blow off steam, release stress, or take a break and relax. "Even if you're not dependent on alcohol, one night of binge drinking can change your life and cause irreparable damage," Emmert said, adding that high-risk behaviors for college students include drinking and driving and having unsafe sex.

Peer Health Educator Mufaro Zakers said as a result of binge drinking, students often experience the danger of blacking out. "They pass out and they can't recall anything, and memory is totally gone forever.”