Binge Drinking in College - Research Paper Example

0 Causes and Effects of Binge Drinking Among College 1 Introduction Alcohol is a drink manufactured through the process of fermentation. After alcohol is consumed, it enters blood stream through absorption in the small intestines. Alcohol consumption alters the normal functioning of the body and the brain. There are different types of alcohol but they are all manufactured in the same process. Differences in color, flavor and strength occur because of the different fruits used in manufacturing. Excessive alcohol consumption is very dangerous for human health. There are two main ways of measuring alcohol consumption. The two channels of quantifying include the amount an individual takes at a particular time (quantity) and the duration from one drinking occasion to the next (frequency). The two measures should be put into consideration when determining negative impacts of drinking, because concentration on one measure may make greater differences. For example, a likelihood that an individual who takes ten drinks once in a week engages in dangerous acts more than another takes the same number of drinks in a week but one at a time. 2.0 Discussion Binge drinking is a characteristic of alcohol abuse that involves consumption of large quantities of alcohol at the same time. Many people understand the term as consumption of too much alcohol within a short period. Research bodies like the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study have come up with a universal term of defining the concept. According to Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study, binge drinking involves consumption of five or more drinks at the same time for men and for women for four drinks and above. The differences occur because of the differences in the body sizes and metabolic rates in men and women. The research body further argues that binge drinking is the most harmful form of alcohol abuse because it leads to intoxication. Dasgupta (80) reports that binge drinking is very common among the youth in modern societies. Studies have shown that large numbers of students in colleges and universities consume alcohol heavily. For example, Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol conducted a research in which they studied the rate of drinking among students in colleges and universities within a period of four years in 1993, 1997 and 1999 in America. The researchers selected full-time students randomly and issued them with questionnaires to fill. During each of the three periods of study, 15,000 students responded to the questionnaire. After the results were compiled, they found that out of five students in a college, two of them were binge drinkers. Also, they established that one student out of five in a college is a frequent binge drinker who engages in binge drinking three or more times within a period of fourteen days. According to the study, the rate of alcohol consumption kept on increasing year after year. Binge drinking among students in college and universities is a matter of national concern because its effects are detrimental to the development of a country. The government should try to minimize the problem because it not only affects an individual, but also the welfare of the society as a whole. Although, all age groups consume alcohol, studies have shown that youths aged between 18 and 24 years show the highest rate and are, therefore, at a high risk of facing problems associated with heavy drinking. The government should establish policies against binge drinking among students in order to improve academic performance in many schools. 2.1 Reasons for Binge Drinking Among Students Binge drinking among students is influenced by various factors that vary from one student to another. Asserts that students develop interest in alcohol consumption during their growth. During physical, cognitive and social development of a child, many changes take place in their lives that contribute to their behavior later in life. These factors contribute to binge drinking. Some students drink because they are physically mature and therefore want people to perceive them as grownups. Because of their adult appearance, some drink as to prove that they are adults, given that alcohol is associated with adults. When students join colleges and universities, they become free since parents do not closely monitor their movements anymore. Since they are free, they can now make their own decisions on what to do. During this time, students engage in behaviors that their parents prevented them from, as well as going against virtues that their parents forced them to follow when they were still under their parent’s watch. During adolescents, people want to pass through as many as experiences as possible before they are tied up by responsibilities of the family. The influence from peer pressure makes students drink when they get themselves in a company of drinkers. Slowly, non-drinkers will be attracted to binge drinking. The environment in which an individual lives influences his/her drinking habit. For instance, students brought up by heavy drinkers are likely to copy the behavior from their parents. In this case, the parents should not blame their children because they act as role models to them. Availability of alcohol encourages students to drink. There are many brands of alcohol ranging from cheap to expensive. In other societies, brew is manufactured locally so that people do not need to buy. Easy accessibility of alcohol encourages students to drink. Residing in areas where people drink heavily may entice an individual to take alcohol. Additionally, lack of rules governing buying and selling of alcohol products makes students drink. To curb this menace, the government should ensure that alcohol products are not sold to students. However, students buy these products from supermarkets without any problem. Imposing such laws will also be difficult because it may be difficult to tell who a student is because they are grown ups. In addition, students in colleges and universities do not put on uniforms to identify them. Drinking with family members makes students think that alcohol consumption is good. Some parents visit drinking places like bars in the company of their children. Even though they may not take alcohol, they start having positive attitude towards it. When alone, they will make sure that they experiment how it feels like to be drunk. The most influential factors that encourage students to drink excessively are cognitive factors. Students lack adequate information about dangers related to alcohol intake while others are just ignorant. Alcohol related beliefs held by students encourage them to drink. For example, the belief that people should not only work hard but also relax hard. From the belief, students get the mentality that they can drink as much as they want on weekends, as long as they work hard during the weekdays. Students believe that drinking on weekends alone cannot affect their performances in class. The other belief is that the effects of alcohol are universal. If other people can overcome the effects of excess consumption, then students could also do so. Finally, it is argued that alcohol increases sexual performances for both males and females. Based on that, people take it to increase their sexual appetite. In addition, people believe that alcohol consumption is a way of relieving stress and therefore necessary for social interaction. Parental approval of binge drinking encourages students. If students are aware that their parents and friends will allow them to drink, they will have no fear. There are those parents who do not care about the behavior of their children and would not be a barrier to them in anything they decide to do. Religion is another factor behind binge drinking. In some religious groups, consumption of alcohol in small amounts is allowed. An example is the Catholic faith, one of Christian denominations. Students argue that if alcohol was bad, then the doctrine could be against it. Alcohol is used in such denominations as the congregation partakes of the Holy Communion. Some students take binge alcohol because it is allowed in their religious faiths. Other students take alcohol because they see others taking it. Out of curiosity, others want to know how it feels to be drunk. They want to feel the effects take place in their own bodies. Finally, alcohol is consumed for pleasure and entertainment. After six days of class work, students are tired and should entertain themselves. Alcohol consumption is one of the many ways students choose to entertain themselves. Students organize occasions in which binge may be available. For example, during birthdays, students like organizing parties in which all kinds of drinks are available. 2.2 Reasons against Binge Drinking Among Students Based on the causes of binge drinking among students discussed above, the statement can also be invalid. For example, environment may not determine students’ behavior because there are children brought up by heavy drinkers and others in whose homes prepare local brews but they have never tested alcohol. Instead, such children see the negative effects of alcohol and avoid it. By the time children join colleges, they are already grown ups, they know what is right and wrong for them. Being away from their parents does not mean that they will engage in bad behavior. During this time, parents have already molded them into people of good characters. It is not necessary for a student to change their character once they associate with bad companies. People have different principles guiding them that they can maintain even in the company of other people. All parents like to see their children prosper in lives. No parents, even the heavy drinkers, will encourage their children get drunk. There are better ways of relieving stress like seeking guidance and counseling rather than taking alcohol. During parties and other joyous celebrations, other drinks like soda can be used instead of alcohol. 2.3 Rebuttal Environment, freedom, peer-pressure and pleasure are factors contributing to binge drinking among students. However, it is not necessary that these factors prompt students to drink. Exposition to such factors may or they may not make them engage in binge drinking. 2.4 Effects of Binge Drinking Among Students The results of binge drinking vary from one individual to another depending on the extent to which alcohol is consumed. Research findings indicate that the rate of drinking among college students decreases gradually, as years pass in college and later in their lives. This process is known as developmentally limited alcoholism. It implies that young adults reduce drinking as they grow because they gain other responsibilities like employment and family roles. These responsibilities limit their time, as well as money, that could have been used for buying alcohol. They have families to take care of, who also need their time and clients to serve in their work places. Many problems are linked to consumption of excess alcohol. Problems associated with binge drinking range from minor for example failure to attend classes to severe problems like death. Alcohol consumption leads to death and injuries because of accidents that happen from time to time. According to a research conducted by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in 1984, the main cause of death among young adults between the age of 17 and 22 is accidents. Results of the study showed that there were more than 1400 accidents arising from alcohol consumption in the United States that caused death in the year 1998.Moreover, more than 500,000 college students’ attained injuries because of influence from alcohol yearly. Alcohol poisoning is another cause of death among college students. Incidences of fire, vehicle collision, drowning and falls causing death are also common in the United States of America. The same case applies to other countries throughout the world. The effects of binge drinking are not only felt by individual persons but also other people around them. For example, binge students make noise to an extent that their roommates cannot concentrate well in their studies. Large numbers of students in campuses have at one time experienced some form of second hand effects of binge drinking. Such effects include insults, unwanted sexual advances, and lack of peaceful nights all caused by binge drinkers. Second-hand effects affect academic performance of students in colleges. Binge drinking is associated with irresponsible sexual behaviors that affect individuals and the society. Studies have shown that many binge drinkers engage in unprotected sexual behaviors. Out of ignorance, they make love without protective devices like condoms with people whose HIV status is not known to them. This has increased transmission of sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV and aids virus that has no cure. Large numbers of people die on daily basis because of the disease, in addition to the fact that the disease is spreading at a very high rate. The disease has left many children without parents, as well as men and women without spouses. Others engage in sexual activities with multiple sexual partners under the influence of alcohol. Cases of unwanted pregnancies are common because of alcohol consumption. There are reported cases in which drunkards have raped young children after which they become pregnant. This is a disadvantage to them because they begin assuming the role of parents at a very early age. Unwanted pregnancies also happen between married couples if they fail to plan their families. Binge drinking is related to certain health problems. Alcohol consumption causes diseases that can cause death if they are not treated early. Examples of such diseases include liver cancer. Binge drinking is also associated with poor eating habits. Most heavy drinkers do not take adequate meals. Some will take alcohol and sleep without eating anything. This makes the bodies weak and their immunity is lowered so that they are vulnerable to diseases. Health diet makes the body strong and resistant to diseases. As far as academic work is concerned, excessive alcohol consumption is very dangerous. Heavy drinkers tend to come late in class probably because they slept late. Because of this, other students will leave them behind because the teacher will not wait for them to begin the lectures. In other cases, they may fail to attend the class completely because of hangovers. Studies conducted show that the possibility of getting low grades is very high among binge drinkers because they have little time devoted for their studies. Some will never think of sitting quietly in their rooms to read the notes provided to them by their teachers until the last time when the examination time has just come. In order to pass exams, students should start preparing themselves early enough. Finally, cases of school dropouts are common among binge drinkers. When they realize that academic work is becoming difficult for them, they decide to quit. Education is the key to better living conditions because with education we get good and well paying jobs. Students should put efforts in academic works to better their lives. Fights and quarrels are common among binge drinkers and especially students. The conflict may be caused by a minor disagreement between two parties that can be solved peacefully. During this stage, most of the youths have a feeling that their ideas are the best. This makes it difficult for them to reach a common agreement because none wants to be inferior. Settling disputes between youths and especially drunkards is a difficult task. Engaging in a fight is dangerous because injuries may occur in the process. Drunkards find it hard to perform their roles. Some students in colleges are married and have families to care about. Once they have gotten themselves into the act, some forget about the needs of their families. Money that should have been used to help the family to meet their financial needs is spent on alcohol. Most binge drinkers are violent to their spouses. An example is violence against women. In the modern societies, the rate of wife battering has increased at a high rate. This is common among drunkards. They beat up their wives with no reason of doing so. This has contributed to high rates of divorced witnessed in the modern societies. Being the basic unit of the society, the disintegration of the family affects society’s development. Finally, children lack full parental love when one of the parents is less concerned about their welfare. Some parents, and especially men, will spend most of their time drinking so that they cannot spare anytime to share with their children. In such cases, children may develop a negative attitude towards their parents because they think that their parents do not love them. Effects of binge drinking are so many, and, therefore, individuals should ensure that if they must take alcohol it should not have negative impacts. 3.0 Conclusion Even though it is hard to completely eradicate alcohol consumption among the youths, it is good to try to reduce its effects because effects are felt by individual binge drinkers and the whole society. We expect that the youths will be the leaders in future and will help in building the nation. If they grow up as irresponsible citizens, it will be hard for them to carry out their roles effectively. It is the duty of the society to ensure that they bring up moral citizens with the vision of developing the society. This will be achieved if we live in alcohol-free environment. 4.0 Works Cited Biden, Joseph. Excessive drinking on America’s college campuses. A Report.19 Oct. 2000.Web. 13 Nov. 2011. Caudill, Barry et al. “High-risk drinking among college fraternity members: A national perspective”. 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