According to a study that will be published in the October 2013 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, female college student drinkers exceed national drinking guidelines more frequently than males when it comes to weekly drinking. A Major Flaw? This study is based around 2009 guidelines set forth by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse. Those guidelines state that men should limit themselves to four drinks per day and 14 drinks per week, while women are limited to three drinks per day and a maximum of seven weekly drinks. While it may seem unfair that the NIAA thinks it’s safe for men to have twice as many drinks a week as women, there is a reason for this disparity. Bettina B. Hoeppner, who helped author the study, said that “recommended drinking limits are lower for women than for men because research to date has found that women experience alcohol-related problems at lower levels of alcohol consumption than men.” Even though female college students are the main focus of this study, binge drinking is still a serious concern for male students. A 2008 study found that 44% of students attending 4-year colleges drink alcohol at the binge level or greater. 7 Signs a College Student May Have a Drinking Problem Whether you’re a college student who’s concerned about your own drinking, are worried about a college friend, or have a child in college who you think may be drinking too much, here are seven early warning signs of alcohol abuse:
- Thinking about cutting back on drinking
- Missing classes more than once due to a hangover
- Fighting as a result of drinking
- Blacking out and/or passing out from alcohol
- Actively trying to cut back on drinking but failing to do so
- Regularly drinking alcohol to relieve stress
- Only enjoying social activities that involve drinking
If you believe that you or a loved one has a problem with alcohol, the best thing you can do is seek professional alcohol rehab treatment. Securing holistic treatment will ensure that physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, and social needs are accounted for throughout therapy. (Photo via)
