ALCOHOL
ABOUT ALCOHOL
Alcohol is classified as a depressant because it slows down the central nervous system, causing a decrease in motor coordination, reaction time, and intellectual performance. It is particularly dangerous to mix alcohol with other depressants, such as GHB, Rohypnol, Ketamine, tranquilizers or sleeping pills. At high doses, and when combining depressants, effects can lead to memory loss, coma or death.
Once swallowed, a drink enters the stomach and small intestine, where small blood vessels carry it to the bloodstream. Alcohol is metabolized by the liver, where enzymes break down the alcohol. In general, the liver can process one ounce of liquor (or one standard drink) in one hour. If you consume more than this, your system becomes saturated, and the additional alcohol will accumulate in the blood and body tissues until it can be metabolized.
DO YOU DRINK TOO MUCH?
Ask yourself a few key questions:
- Do I drink more than 7 drinks per week, or more than 4 drinks per occasion?
- Do I drink so much that I forget what happened or regret some of my actions the next day?
- Have my friends or family ever said that they were concerned about my drinking?
- Do I ever drink to deal with stress, anger, anxiety or sadness?
- Do I ever skip responsibilities or neglect what is expected of me because of drinking?
- Do I drink in risky situations, or take risks after drinking?
- Have I ever injured myself or someone else as a result of my drinking?
- Have I ever tried to cut down on my drinking and found that I couldn’t?
- Am I concerned about my drinking?
If you’ve answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, find out what you can do to lower your risk of having difficulties related to drinking. Visit http://www.marquette.edu/dsa/alcohol/programs.shtml#alcoholinnerview to take a confidential online alcohol screening.
To find out more about how alcohol affects you or someone you love, or to talk to a professional, contact the Marquette University Counseling Center at 414-288-7172.
ALCOHOL EDU
As part of Marquette’s proactive approach to help ensure that students stay safe and healthy, the university asks each first-year student to complete AlcoholEdu for College, an online alcohol education and prevention program.
AlcoholEdu uses science-based research and interactive strategies, including personalized feedback, to educate students about alcohol and its effects. Whether you drink or not, the course can empower you to make well-informed decisions about alcohol and help better manage drinking behavior – your own, and/or that which may happen around you.
For more information about AlcoholEdu, visit www.marquette.edu/dsa/alcohol.
OUTREACH PROGRAMS AND AWARENESS EVENTS
The Center for Health Education and Promotion staff (Peer Health Educators and Professional Health Education staff) offers a variety of educational and interactive outreach programs that can be scheduled at your convenience. The outreach program linked to this health issue is
Also available is programming for body art, credit card debt, gambling awareness, and other topics. If there is something that you have an interest in but do not see it listed, please contact us and we will work together to determine what will best meet your needs.
CAMPUS SERVICES
RESOURCES
Our resource area contains brochures, articles, bulletin board packets, books, videos, and handouts on a wide variety of health related topics. If we don't have it, we will help you find it!
ONLINE RESOURCES
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