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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 1990)
What are weekends made for. Ask Dr. Duck* DearDr.Duck When I'm out at a party and don’t feel like drinking, l often feel pressured to drink. How do I turn down a drink without turning off my friends? Signed. Hi ,, Business. Dear IK A straight forward "Thanks, I'm not drinking alcohol todav ' or 'I've got all the gusto I can handle'' might bo all you need to sav lk' clear about your decision not to drink before you meet with your friends and allow yourself to led gixxi about being an individual whodoesn't have to conform Dear Dr. Duck I ately, when I go out and party with friends, lend up getting drunk and feel hangover the next day. Do I have a drinking problem? Signed, ).K., journalism. I Var I k The fact that you end up getting drunk each time you party might imply you are no longer in c ontrol over how much alcohol you consume at any one time (although you might tell yourself that you want to get drunk) Furthermore, your hang overs might indeed indicate that your btxiv is having physical withdrawal-type reactions. Both the loss ot control and with drawal are known symptoms of alcohol dependency Towhatextent you have a problem with alcohol depends on various factors It's best if you assess your behaviors with a professional counselor. In the meantime, however, you might want to explore in what ways your drinking affects. a) your emotional, psychological and physical wellbeing, b) your relationships with friends and family; c) your academic /professional performance and aspirations i fy th* titunar/iijf t min ut* b§*> 1227 You might want to keep track of: a) how much time and energy you use thinking about getting a i hance to drink; b) how often you "alter" your plans (and perhaps even friends) tor the opportunity to get high, c) what the specific circumstances are when you are drinking; d) how much you consume each time you drink, etc. • Dear Dr. Duik: l very Friday and Saturday nights, my roommates t ome home drunk and act obnoxiously. I pretend I'm asleep so I don't have to deal with them. Should I talk to them, and if so, what should I say? Signed, D.H., I eisure Studies. Dear D H In any relationship, it is generally most helpful to lx- honest in a caring and nonjudgmental way By pretending to be asleep, you only create distance between you and your room mates You may either resent them for waking you up, or you might toe! that thev really don't care about or respect you. Before you talk to them, vou need to be clear about your observations and feelings. Writedown the frequency of behaviors and bo specific in what you note. Then 1) express vour care for them; 2) state objectively your observations; 3) express how you feel - 1 feel upset. tired of. . . abused Campus health issues are related to alcohol abuse According to a 1989 U.S. Department of Health and 1 luman Services report, the greatest threat to the health of college students is AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STD incidence rate: 1 /10). The leading cause of death for college students is "accidental" — a fall from a balcony, a drowning in a river, asphyxiation due to aspiration of vomit. Statistics show that alcohol use by college students is a significant contributing factor in cases of STD, assault, and accidental death: > 60% of women were intoxicated when infected with STD > 90% of gay men were intoxicated when infected with HIV > 40% of criminal assaults on campus involved alcohol use > 33% of students who are heavy drinkers reported physical injury to them selves or others as a consequence of drinking i! mi.. mm...uni'.. h :■ . A' * M — Gender may play role in alcohol absorption Women appear to have significantly lower amounts of a stomach enzyme that breaks down some of the intoxicant in alcohol before it circulates through the bodv. The stomach plays a protective role in the metabolism of alcohol in men and only a negligible role in metabolizing alcohol in women, according to a report released in January, l4l>0, by researchers from the University School of Medicine in Trieste, Italy, and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, N'.Y. The lack of enzyme may account for the greater susceptibility of women than men to the effects of alcohol. If differences in body weight aa> taken into account, a woman might become legally intoxicated after consuming 20-to-30 percent less alcohol than a man. If weight differences are not considered, an average-sized woman might reach a given blood alcohol level after consuming about 50 percent less alcohol than a man. Is it worth the price? Being arrested for drunk driving is expensive. A DUII (Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants) conviction costs approximately S3,260 after adding tines, attorney's fees, insurance costs, etc. Here is a list of what you can buy with $3,260: • 217 concerts • 327 albums or tapes • 82 pairs of shoes • 13,040arcade videogames • 93 pairs of )eans • Two-fitths of a new car • 1,841 Big Macs • 724 movies • 65 ski trips • 2,608 gallons of gas • 26 portable stereos • 181 haircuts Ten Ways to say “No" 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. I don't need to loosen up — 1 just got it together. My weekends are made for something else. If 1 were any more mellow. I d melt. I like my happy hours to happen on their own. It sloshes too much when I jog. 6. I like me just the way 1 am. 7. My liver and I have an understanding. 8. Chocolate and alcohol don't mix. 9. Things are polluted enough as they are. 10. My life is weird enough as it is. T 4*™ fro- . ■' hr OflterfH.fi—yS*** •*!'**"' . Time to have fun! Here are some great leisure-time activities •Go to coffee • Ride a bike • Go to the movies* • Get involved in Club Sports •Feed the dmks •Call vour grandparents •Brows*.’ the Sth Street Market* •Try new recipes •Skate at l ane County Ice* •Volunteer at the YMCA* • Pic k (lowers • Write a letter •Ik' creative at the 1 Ml Craft Center •1 like Spencers Butte* • Work out •Canoe the Mill Race •Helpan elderly person • Rent movies •Swim at the l ively Park Wave Ptx>l* • Ask someone out* • Read •Swing in the park • Play 11v ial Pursuit • 1 like the McKenzie I rail* • 1 isten to tapes *>o»<r Widmi U i you to fte* t mJI l II1 Ways to Reduce Stress • Plan some unscheduled time every day. • Laugh more often. • Practice relaxation exercise's when you feel tense. • Make time for tun and recreation. • Build up your general strength get rest and eat right. • Talk out your problems with someone. • Be flexible and don't take yourself Ux> seriously. J CAN'T about your health and the well being of others within the University community. For more information on how you can get involved, call Joanie Robertson, Assistant to the Dean for Training and Prevention, or Karlin Conklin, Media Relations Assistant, at COSAFE. COSAFF (Dean of Students) • 686-3105 Counseling Center • 686-3227 Student Health Center • 686-4141 Crisis Line • 686-4488 Public Safety • 686-5444 Alcoholics Anonymous • 342-4113 Adult Children of Alcoholics • 683-6533 Narcotics Anonymous • 341-6070 ©SAFE Campus Organization for a Substance Abuse Free Environment
