Alcohol and Other Drugs
For many students, going away to college is the point in life
when they begin the experience of making their own decisions
about their life on a day-to-day basis. There are many fewer
constraints on choices, and without parents nearby to enforce
their rules, adverse consequences often appear to be remote
or nonexistent. It is not surprising that college is a time of
personal experimentation in many areas of behavior. In fact,
much of the personal growth that occurs during the college
years occurs outside of the class room, through this process of
experimentation.
One area where students have the opportunity to experiment
is with their use of alcohol. Though colleges do not endorse
drinking for students under the legal drinking age, students vary
in whether they choose to drink alcohol.
ONLINE ASSESSMENTS
e-Checkup to Go Alcohol (eChug) Online Assessment
e-Checkup to Go Marijuana (eToke) Online Assessment
PATTERNS OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE IN COLLEGE
 Nationally, a very large majority, about 80 percent, of
college students use alcohol.
 Most college students drink four or fewer drinks on any one
occasion of drinking. This points to the fact that a very
significant majority of students drink moderately, if at all and
many students select a level of drinking which places them
within a comparatively safe range.
 About two-thirds of the students who drink at this problematic
level have reduced their drinking significantly with months or
years of leaving college. The remaining one-third (of the 25
to 30 percent who drink at this level) continues drinking and is
subject to all of the many problems associated with longterm alcohol misuse.
 College students most often engage in drug use to
compensate for their shyness in social situations, escape from
stress, or to enhance their academic performance. It is
important to remember that all drugs affect the mind and
body in several ways and have many adverse side effects.
Visit Drug Watch to see how drugs adversely affect the mind
and body.
HOW GENDER AND SIZE INFLUENCES BLOOD ALCOHOL
CONCENTRATION
Size influences alcohol tolerance, such that smaller people
have less tolerance than larger people. Gender is also a
significant influence. A woman drinking an equal amount of
alcohol in the same period of time as a man of an equivalent
weight may have a higher blood alcohol level than that man.
The gender difference is due to metabolic differences in how
the body processes alcohol. Women must exercise particular
restraint if they are to achieve moderate alcohol consumption.
For most people, drinking about one drink an hour can be
considered to be a good target to maintain safe, low risk levels
of consumption. This is the rate at which most people’s bodies
can metabolize alcohol. It should be noted that “one drink”
refers to 1 1/2 ounces of liquor, 12 ounces of beer or 5 ounces
of wine; these all contain approximately the same amount of
alcohol, and usually are referred to a “standard drink.”
View the Blood Alcohol Calculator.
DRIVING
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, a driver's ability to divide attention between
two or more sources of visual information can be impaired by
BACs [BAC = Blood Alcohol Concentration] of .02 percent or
lower. Two drinks in one hour would make most males and
females exceed .02. At BAC of .05 percent or more impairment
occurs consistently in eye movements, glare resistance, visual
perception, reaction time, certain types of steering tasks,
information processing, and other aspects of psychomotor
performance. Thus, driving safety is decreased even by a very
low level of alcohol consumption.
Alcohol and Other Drugs
HOW TO HELP A FRIEND
It is an act of great caring to share your concern with someone
if you believe they are doing something that is causing them
harm. It is not a confrontation, conviction, or personal attack
to tell someone you can enough about them to talk about
what’s going on and to offer a helping hand.
General Principles:
Ignore self-defeating behavior is not helpful to the person
about whom you are concerned
Helpful intervention is a process, not an event.
When people are confronted about a behavior that is part of
their lifestyle, they may become defensive and angry.
Attempt to:
 Let the person know you can about him/her by using “I”
messages e.g. “I’m worried about you.”
 Try to remain calm
 Refer to a specific and observable behaviors
 Remain non-judgmental. Emphasize the contrast between
the person’s positive sober behavior and the intoxicated
behavior.
 Be ready to provide education (printed information, a list of
campus and community resources, pamphlets on abuse).
Try to Avoid:
 Arguing with the person
 Getting Angry and losing control
 Letting him/her change the topic
 Assuming their responsibilities
 Diagnosing e.g., “You’re an alcoholic”.
WOOD COUNTRY ALCOHOLIC ANONYMOUS
Alcoholics Anonymous® is a fellowship of men and women
who share their experience, strength and hope with each
other that they may solve their common problem and help
others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for
membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or
fees for AA membership; we are self-supporting through our
own contributions. AA is not allied with any sect,
denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish
to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes
any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help
other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.
It is not appropriate to attend this closed meeting solely for
educational purposes. Please do not send students to this
meeting in order to fulfill class assignments or extra credit. The
broader community hosts Open AA meetings, which are
appropriate for this purpose. A list of area AA Meetings is
available at: http://district02aa.org/
The Oshkosh "Campus Friends of Bill W." are now meeting at 8
pm every Wednesday. The meeting is located in the basement
of Four Square Church, 454 Church Avenue, Oshkosh, WI.
The Alcoholics Anonymous in Southern Wisconsin website
provides the telephone numbers and addresses of the four
local central offices and one intergroup located in southern
Wisconsin. These offices and intergroup provide such services
as: receiving, arranging, and following up on calls from
individuals and/or family members regarding A.A. and A.A.
meetings; publishing local A.A. meeting lists; and ordering,
selling, and distributing A.A. Conference approved literature.
Local listing of Alcoholic Anonymous and Narcotics
Anonymous meetings is located on the District 02 A.A. website.
Winnebago County Al-Anon Meetings in Oshkosh, WI
The purpose of Al-Anon to help families and friends of
alcoholics recover from the effects of living with the problem
drinking of a relative or friend. Similarly, Alateen is the recovery
program for young people. Alateen groups are sponsored by
Al-Anon members.
Our program of recovery is adapted from Alcoholics
Anonymous and is based upon the Twelve Steps, Twelve
Traditions, and Twelve Concepts of Service.
The only requirement for membership is that there be a
problem of alcoholism in a relative or friend.
Alcohol and Other Drugs
The Counseling Center is a resource for students who are
struggling with issues relating to alcohol and other substance
abuse. We encourage you to make an appointment with a
counselor at the Counseling Center if you have questions,
would like to pursue treatment, or could use a listening ear and
support. For information on how to make an appointment,
click here.
SIGNS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MISUSE
People often put a great deal of energy into the question: Is
she/he an alcoholic or drug addict? The answer to this
question requires a professional evaluation. The most important
question is: Is her/his alcohol or drug use causing a problem in
their life? A concerned person can identify areas of concern
and seek more information, not to diagnose or accuse, but to
help the individual clarify their situation.
THE UW OSHKOSH
COUNSELING CENTER
STAFF IS AVAILABLE TO
HELP STUDENTS DEVELOP
PERSONALLY AND
ACADEMICALLY. CALL
(920)424-2016 TO MAKE
AN APPOINTMENT TO
TALK TO A COUNSELOR.
Alcohol and Other Drugs
Alcohol or Other
Drug Use
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Frequent use to intoxication or infrequent use that almost always leads to intoxication.
Frequent excessive use with negative consequences.
Continued use despite negative consequences.
Unsuccessfully attempts to quit or cut-down.
Loss of control over consumption, e.g., says, “I am only going to have a few,” but ends up intoxicated.
Very concerned with maintaining a supply of chosen chemical.
Blames problems related to use on other people and things, e.g., parents, friends, significant other, stress, school.
Experiences blackouts, e.g., does not remember parts of an episode of use.
Does things while intoxicated or as a result of intoxication that goes against their morals/values (e.g., promiscuous sex, misses classes
and/or does not study, misses work, gets in verbal or physical fights, etc.)
Physical Status
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Shows decreased concern with personal appearance.
Changes in degree of alertness (from day-to-day or hour-to-hour).
Frequent changes in levels of energy and/or activity.
Change in weight (decrease or increase).
Frequent accidents, e.g., falling, cuts, burns, auto accidents.
Person appears depressed or negative about life when not using.
Mood changes dramatically when using, e.g., crying, hostile, self-abusive.
Expresses remorse (after an episode of inappropriate behavior) and promises to change.
Copes poorly with stress. Uses stress as a reason for using substances.
Begins spending more time with those who use heavily.
Social activities generally involve alcohol/drugs.
Denies any problems, may become angry or hostile when concern is expressed about use.
Avoids contact with concerned persons.
Gets into more arguments and fights with friends, significant others, and family.
Might be more likely to defy rules or resent authority.
Gradual or sudden decline in grades.
Reduced amount of time spent on studies.
Skips classes more frequently.
Drops courses.
Schedules classes around use, e.g., avoids morning classes, classes where tests are given on Friday morning
Emotional
Expression
Interpersonal
Relationships
Academic
Performance