College drinking culture in the U.S. has normalized alcohol abuse. Students are often drinking in excess, to the point of being sick. There is also a major issue when it comes to underage drinking. Drinking excessively, vomiting, and reckless behavior have become normalized and may be standard for college students but is actually alcohol abuse. In fact, in 2022 about 15% of full-time college students met the criteria for alcohol use disorder.
Binge Drinking
Binge drinking is known as a sign of alcohol abuse. In college, it may just be a regular Friday, Saturday, or even Tuesday activity. Although some universities and colleges take preventative action through educational workshops and policies – college students know how to work around these with their newfound freedom from parental supervision.
The party culture in colleges encourages students to binge drink – especially with things like “BORGs” or “black-out rage gallons.” College students often think the worst that can happen is getting sick or having a bad hangover the next day. They do not always understand that alcohol can cause an overdose. Likewise, they do not realize that binge drinking frequently can result in lifelong health conditions like liver disease and kidney problems.
Sickness from Alcohol Abuse
Drinking to the point of sickness is another common sign of alcohol abuse that has become normalized in college culture. Students often binge drink and get sick to the point of vomiting. When this occurs once or twice it’s written off as “alcohol not agreeing with me,” but when it happens every week it can indicate something more is going on.
Students may be using alcohol as a way to cope with the stress and pressure of being in college. This is not a healthy coping mechanism and is often doing more harm than good. When students binge drink all weekend or during the week, they are not in their best mindset to be attending classes and participating in extracurricular activities like sports teams or clubs.
Reckless Behavior
Alcohol abuse can lead individuals to participate in reckless behavior that risks their life and others. Drinking in college often leads to making poor choices. Research has shown that over 1,500 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries – this number includes car accidents.
From a non-physical standpoint – drinking also makes college students more likely to make poor academic or financial decisions. This may appear as spending too much money on a night out or skipping class too often due to hangovers or illness. Reckless choices from alcohol abuse can derail a young student’s life in one night.
See Something – Say Something
If you or someone you know is exhibiting signs of alcohol abuse or binge drinking, give the team at Solution Based Treatment a call. We offer a comprehensive range of services to ensure that individuals from all walks of life can get treatment. Our team offers detox, residential rehab, as well as intensive outpatient treatment and partial hospitalization programs that are tailored to the specific needs of each client. If you’re a college student, we offer outpatient programs that allow you to work towards your academic and sobriety goals at the same time. Take the first step towards a healthier future.
About Solution Based Treatment
Solution Based Treatment is a national leader in detox and rehab programs. We offer inpatient medical detox, substance rehab, intensive outpatient programs, partial hospitalization programs, faith-based recovery, and sober living options. We maintain a 2:1 client to staff ratio to offer the best support possible to our patients within upscale living environments. At Solution Based Treatment, we support better living for brighter futures, all starting with our detox and rehab services. For more information visit our website at solutionbasedtreatment.com or give us a call at (833) 999-1941.