0 Binge Drinking: What you should know before your next tailgate party

By Heidi Huang, Medical Student

Reviewed by Claudia L. Reardon, M.D.



Have you ever been in a situation where one alcoholic drink led to another and before you knew it, you had one too many drinks?

Whether it’s at college parties, summer cookouts, or tailgating at sports events, millions of Americans have experienced what it is like to binge drink and some do so regularly. Recent studies show that 1 in 6 Americans binge drink at least 4 times a month with an average of 8 drinks each time they binge drink.

Have you ever wondered if this is harmful and what to do to prevent drinking too much? Here are some commonly asked questions about binge drinking.

What is the definition of binge drinking?

Binge drinking is drinking 5 or more alcoholic drinks for men and 4 or more drinks for women in one sitting.

What are the consequences?

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  There are over fifty different injuries and diseases associated with heavy alcohol use and binge drinking. Some of these include car accidents, violence, arrests, unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, depression, and suicide.

  
  
  
  


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  Heavy alcohol use causes 80,000 deaths in the U.S. each year, and binge drinking accounts for more than half of these deaths.

  
  
  
  


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  Binge drinking increases your chances of developing a full-blown alcohol addiction.

  
  
  
  

Why do people binge drink?

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  Some people may not be aware of the safe limits for drinking.

  
  
  
  


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  People often feel social pressure from friends and peers to drink. For example, while tailgating at a football game or attending college social events, you may feel pressure to binge drink because everyone else is drinking a lot, and people are offering you too much to drink.

  
  
  
  


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  Most binge drinkers are not alcoholics and are able to go many days without having a drink. Because of this, they may feel their alcohol use is not a problem and may not be aware of the serious consequences of binge drinking.

  
  
  
  


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  BUT binge drinking may be part of an alcohol addiction problem.
  
  

 What are some strategies to avoid binge drinking?

1. 
   Stay within safe limits: For men, this means no more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 in a week. For women, this means no more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 in a week.
   
   


2. 
   Keep track of the number of drinks you have: Take mental note or write it down. One drink is the same as 12 ounces of beer or 5 ounces of table wine or 1.5 ounces of liquor.
   
   


3. 
   Pace yourself: Try to have less than 1 drink per hour.
   
   


4. 
   Alternate with non-alcoholic beverages such as water or soda.
   
   


5. 
   Avoid drinking contests and drinking games.
   
   


6. 
   Find someone who you can trust and who can offer some support to help limit the amount you drink.
   
   


7. 
   Know that it is perfectly acceptable to politely refuse a drink when you have had enough.
   
   

When to get help from a health professional?

It can be difficult to tell when binge drinking will become or is already part of a more serious alcohol addiction such as alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence. If you are unsure about your alcohol use pattern or want to reduce your drinking, you should talk to your doctor or other health professional for more information and guidance to cut down. In the meantime, try some of these tips at your next get-together or sports event.

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0 Caring for the Mental Health of Your College Student

By Roberto A. Blanco, M.D.

A recently released national survey on the state of mental health for entering college students revealed that this year's freshmen class has the highest stress levels in the history of the 25 year survey.  There are several reasons.  According to study authors, students face increased competitiveness and demands in high school as well as more financial challenges due to today's economy.

Although it's an exciting time, your child's transition to college can be a difficult one - especially if he or she suffers from a mental illness.  Here are some things that you and your prospective college student should be thinking about prior to choosing a university and heading off to school:

1.    What can I do to ease the college transition? 

Some schools offer an orientation program over the summer to help students become comfortable with the campus and surroundings, learn organizational and study skills and socialize with fellow freshmen.  

Apart from these organized programs, it is important that, as a parent, you work on transition issues and independence.  Make sure that your child has all materials needed for school including an organizer and a computer.  If your child is getting psychiatric treatment, teach your son or daughter the importance of their medicines, therapy and attending their appointments regularly.  If they haven’t yet been self-administering their medications, before going to college, it is important that they learn and start taking their medicines without supervision.

If you have serious concerns about how your child will do with the college transition, you may want to consider schools close to home.  Depending on the amount of concern, it may be best to choose a school which would allow your child to drive home for the weekend if needed.

2.   What’s the quality of the college's mental health program?

Some colleges and universities do not have mental health services available through the school.  If they don’t, you need to understand how a student can go about getting help.  If the school is not in a major city, you need to make sure that there are enough providers close by so that your child can get the services that he or she needs in a timely manner.

Some universities have therapists but no psychiatric providers on staff.  Others offer both counseling and psychiatric services but put a cap on the number of appointments at the university mental health center prior to referring students out to the community.  All of this information should be provided by each individual school.  And you should know all of this information prior to committing to a particular school, especially if your child is likely to use mental health services.

3.    What is the educational environment of the university?

Some universities are known to be high-pressure, unforgiving environments.  This could be due to the rigor, expectations or challenges of courses.  Sometimes, this can be eased by a strong academic support team or advising system.  Often, peers can make the university culture overly competitive in unhealthy ways.  Some places are notorious for students stealing other students’ lecture materials and notes or not helping out when needed.  If your child is particularly sensitive to stress, it may be best to go to a school where the environment is more collegial and supportive.

Other schools are notorious for having easy access to drugs or alcohol on campus.  While drugs and alcohol are available at most schools, they are easier to get at some schools which are located in major cities or areas of high accessibility.  If your child has a history of drug or alcohol abuse, you should be extra considerate of these location factors.

4.    Will the financing of this school put my child in overwhelming debt?

While a good college education is one of the most important investments, your child should not mortgage his or her future by creating large amounts of unnecessary debt.  In addition, universities with higher tuition may necessitate your child working during school to avoid excessive debt.  This can also add stress.  If schools are relatively equivalent in meeting your child’s long-term career goals, choose the college which will put your child in a better financial position after he or she graduates.

Of course, after your children go to college, you will want to monitor how they are doing intermittently.  Particularly stressful times are usually at the beginning of school, around exam time (midterms and finals) and anytime a romantic relationship ends.  Checking in around these times may be the most beneficial.  If it turns out that they need more help than some parental TLC, make sure that they see a professional.

I hope that these suggestions have been helpful.  Feel free to leave comments or questions for further discussion.

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0 A Parent’s Guide To Social Networking

By Adair Parr, M.D.

If you are like most parents, your teenager knows more about social networking than you do. According to a Pew Internet Project study, nearly three-quarters of teens online use social networking sites. What’s more, many teenagers now access social networking through cell phones, further increasing their online presence. The phenomenal rise of Facebook is documented in the movie, The Social Network, which was number one at the box office this past weekend.



Are your teenagers on Facebook? Are you wondering where to draw the line? Many parents feel overwhelmed by understanding media and technology and feel that they will never catch up to their kids. While you may not text as fast as they do, making an effort to learn about social networking is important. Teens are designed to experiment with risky behavior and social networking is one area in which they may try such behaviors. By educating yourself on the topic, you will be better prepared as a parent to help your child to use media and social networking responsibly.



What can you do to help ensure your teen’s responsible use of social networking?

1. Talk to your kids about the media in their life. Ask your teen how social networking changes lives.


2. Keep the lines of communication open with your teen. Know who they are communicating with online.


3. Remind your teenager to limit the amount of personal information online.


4. Remember that everything your teenager posts is public information. Once it is posted, it is online forever.


5. Educate your teenager about cyberbullying and what to do if he or she is a victim of cyberbullying.


6. Model responsible media use behavior for your teenager.

The Healthy Minds website has additional information about mental health for college-age students and children. Check out these resources to help parents navigate the murky waters of social media:

• Common Sense Media


• Be Net Savvy


• Net Lingo


• Facebook Safety


• Frontline, KidsOnline 

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0 TXT me when U get there: Helicopter parenting as kids go off to college

By Tristan Gorrindo, M.D.



Thousands of teenagers have headed to college and for many it is the first time that they lived away from home. And while this process of separation is often anxiety provoking for the college freshman, their parents may be equally anxious.



With modern technology, it has never been easier to stay in touch. Text messaging, cell phones, social networking websites, video chatting and email, have all made constant contact simple and expected. But at times it can go too far. In my clinical practice I have heard stories of parents who call each morning to wake their child up for class; parents who panic if they don’t get at least two text messages a day from their child; or, even parents who require that their child parade new college friends in front of a Skype camera before granting permission for their teen to befriend them.



But what is the developmental cost of this collegiate level helicopter parenting? Certainly parents want (and should) be involved in the lives of their child as they branch out into adulthood, but when parents’ constant checking in distracts or disrupts the process of development, college-aged kids have a problem.



The goal of moving away to college is just as much about forming one’s identity as it is about late-night cramming and classes. Further, it is a time for the young adult to develop self-reliance and responsibility for one’s actions. It’s also a time for teens to form new friendships. Well-meaning, but over-eager parenting has the ability to disrupt all of these normal developmental steps. Young adults need the chance to find others to depend on, to learn to pick up after their own disappointments, and to experiment with new behaviors without having to report back.



The exact amount of contact that parents and their college kids should have is a personal negotiation between each child and each parent. The best time for such negotiation is before a child departs for college, preferably before both parent and child are deep in separation anxiety. Parents need ground rules about how often they should expect texts from their child and guidance about how long they should wait before panicking if a phone call isn’t returned or a Skype call goes unanswered.



Kids can be asked how they would like to be contacted, and with what frequency. Establishing a regular routine around check-ins -- like calling Dad each Sunday morning on the phone for a debriefing of the past week and planning for the week to come -- can go a long way in managing parental anxiety. Perhaps, after a few weeks at school, parent and child can check-in on how these check-ins are going. With some experience at being apart, students may want to adjust the type and quantity of contact that they have with their parents.



Never before have college students and their parents had such a rich array of ways to stay engaged with one another. While kids continue to benefit from their parents guidance and interest, they also need to know that their parents believe in their new skills to pilot their own planes.

Detail: TXT me when U get there: Helicopter parenting as kids go off to college

0 But not my kid!

By R. Scott Benson, M.D.



A recent study by the Jed Foundation and the American Psychiatric Foundation showed that most parents of college age children understand that there is a high rate of depression, suicide, and substance abuse problems in college.



“But not my kid!” Nearly two-thirds thought these problems would not affect their children.



Surveys of college students show that most experience important mental health issues in themselves or a friend. And other studies have shown that emotional problems are a leading impediment to college success.



Now that the excitement of senior trips and graduation has settled families are putting the finishing touches on a transition plan as their teenager moves to the excitement of higher education. Most families have discussed the obvious needs – a place to live, what courses to take, how to pay for all of it. But families should take time to discuss the possibility of problems and how to get help.



Since this new territory is fraught with emotional pitfalls the American Psychiatric Foundation has teamed with the Jed Foundation to develop a website of information that will provide a framework for this important discussion. Transition Year has material to help parents and teens learn the warning signs of problems. And systematically collect contact information preparing for the situation where help is needed. The site has collected links to reliable sources of information about psychiatric conditions that are often seen in college age youth.



The site would be useful to families who are still considering their child’s college options. An entire section on “Choosing a school” provides guidance on important issues to explore in order to find a best fit.



Of course in some communities the choice is simple. Go, Gators!

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