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The Effects of Excessive Drinking in College

Alcohol and college students seem to go together like a horse and carriage. Unfortunately, drinking too much alcohol in college can lead to a lifetime of addictive and dangerous behaviors. It can also cause you to form habits that are difficult to break. Alcohol and drugs negatively affect the brain and affect how we process learning, risk, memory, and pleasure. When everyone around you is partying too much, it is important to slow down. This can be especially difficult in college, where binge drinking culture surrounds many activities. However, it is important to break bad habits before they begin— the rest of your life depends on it. Read on to learn more about the negative effects of excessive drinking in college, and how you can stop addiction before it happens.

Alcohol Abuse in College

College drinking is a widespread issue. Of the 80 percent of college students who drink alcohol, roughly half binge drink. Binge drinking is a dangerous practice defined by consuming more than 4-to-5 drinks in less than two hours. It is a habit that leads to alcoholism, which is a life-threatening disease. It is important to break the habits that contribute to alcoholism early on so you do not have to deal with the negative consequences of addiction later. Thousands of college-age students have died or sustained an injury as a direct result of alcohol consumption. Sexual abuse, assault, problems with schoolwork, and health issues — including suicide — also strongly correlate to alcohol consumption. The problems do not end after graduation, however. Alcohol abuse in college often leads to a pattern of negative behaviors that persist well into adulthood. Therefore, it is important to monitor the amount you drink in college and create good, healthy habits for yourself so that you do not experience the negative effects of excessive drinking for the rest of your life.

How College Drinking Affects Adult Life

Alcohol and drugs negatively influence how the adult brain processes executive functions such as decision making. Although college students may appear fully grown, their brains are still developing — so the effects of abusive drinking are magnified. Developing brains learn that binge drinking and getting drunk are socially acceptable when they are surrounded by those activities on a consistent basis. With a pattern of abuse firmly in place, the graduate continues drinking throughout their adult life, which could lead to negative consequences as the teen may become addicted. Although other adults may stop at one or two drinks, the alcohol abuser carries on with profound health and well-being consequences. These are just some of the negative effects of excessive drinking in college. Additionally, alcohol produces physical and emotional dependency. In physical dependency, the struggling addict must drink to feel good or normal. Without alcohol, uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms persist. These symptoms include cravings to drink, nausea and vomiting, anxiety and depression, shakiness, seizures, and more. Most people who are addicted to alcohol are in denial about the extent of the problem. That is because the brain relates alcohol with good feelings as it downplays memory (and the negative consequences of drinking). If you or someone you know is addicted to alcohol, contact a treatment center like The Ranch PA to help get them back on track. We can create a treatment regimen that works for them and helps them live their life without the dependence of alcohol.

The Ranch PA Can Help

As abuse progresses into addiction, the health and well-being problems progress in severity. Not only do life-threatening health problems such as liver disease result from alcoholism, but relationships, finances, reputation, and career can suffer. If someone you know consistently drank too much alcohol during college and is still drinking too much today, quitting is possible with help from The Ranch PA. Call The Ranch PA at 717.969.9126 now for more information. (Photo via)

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