| A lot of hard work and planning goes into
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| | In fact, according to a college alcohol
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| choosing your college and then preparing
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| | study by the Harvard School of Public
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| for college life. But although your
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| | Health:
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| stacks of extra-long sheets, dorm-size
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| | A full 6 percent of college students meet
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| refrigerators, photos of friends and
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| | criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol
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| family and textbooks for every subject
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| | dependence (or alcoholism).
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| imaginable can go a long way toward
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| | 31 percent meet criteria for alcohol
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| making your college experience a happy
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| | abuse.
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| one, two of the most important aspects of
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| | Two out of every five students report at
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| college life cannot be bought--and are
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| | least one symptom of the above
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| often overlooked.
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| | conditions, which puts them at an
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| Learning how to deal with the effects of
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| | increased risk of developing an alcohol
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| stress and an abundance of alcohol is
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| | disorder.
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| essential for every college student.
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| | And although alcohol is readily
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| Whether it's your first year or your
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| | available, overindulging (if you have a
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| last, the information that follows can be
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| | hangover, you've definitely overindulged)
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| carried with you through college and then
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| | can cause serious health problems, both
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| applied to your life beyond it.
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| | immediately and over time. The World
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| Stress: You Can't Always Avoid it, But
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| | Health Organization (WHO) reported in its
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| You Can Deal With It
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| | 2002 World Report that alcohol is one of
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| You are living in a stress-filled
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| | the 10 leading causes of death and injury
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| society. In fact, stress is so widespread
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| | in developed countries and caused an
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| that the American Institute of Stress
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| | estimated 20-30 percent of:
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| (AIS) reports that 75 to 90 percent of
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| | Esophageal cancer
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| all visits to primary care physicians are
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| | Liver disease
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| for stress-related illnesses.
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| | Epilepsy
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| Some stress is actually good, like the
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| | Motor Vehicle Accidents
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| type that makes you stay alert and
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| | Homicide and other intentional injuries
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| focused when danger could be present.
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| | And at colleges themselves, alcohol is
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| Other stress, the type that occurs when
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| | related to a number of scary outcomes.
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| you're worried about a problem for a long
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| | According to the National Institute on
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| period of time or because you're
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| | Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), for
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| overworked, is bad and will eventually
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| | students between the ages of 18-24:
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| contribute to health problems.
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| | 1,400 students die each year from
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| College students, who are simultaneously
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| | alcohol-related unintentional injuries,
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| trying to juggle an academic career and
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| | including motor vehicle crashes.
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| social life while planning for their
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| | 500,000 are unintentionally injured under
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| future, are particularly vulnerable to
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| | the influence of alcohol.
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| stress. Why? Because college students may
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| | More than 70,000 are victims of
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| not realize just how much stress can
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| | alcohol-related sexual assault or date
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| affect their health, and choose to forgo
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| | rape.
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| sleep and healthy eating in favor of
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| | 400,000 students had unprotected sex and
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| all-night study sessions or parties.
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| | more than 100,000 report having been too
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| But stress, of course, is not something
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| | intoxicated to know if they consented to
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| that you only have to face during your
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| | having sex.
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| college years. Some 43 percent of all
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| | About 25 percent of college students
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| adults suffer from stress-related health
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| | report academic consequences of their
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| problems, according to the AIS. Common
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| | drinking including missing class, falling
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| complaints include back pain,
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| | behind, doing poorly on exams or papers,
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| stomachaches, ear and sinus infections,
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| | and receiving lower grades overall.
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| headaches and overall tension. Stress has
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| | How to Cut Down on Drinking
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| also been shown to weaken the immune
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| | If you suspect you may have a drinking
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| system, leaving you vulnerable to a host
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| | problem, please seek help from a health
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| of diseases.
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| | care provider. In this case, stopping
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| If stress is causing you major problems
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| | drinking all together (not just cutting
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| (you no longer feel like yourself or feel
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| | down) is necessary. If you are looking
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| you cannot cope), you should seek advice
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| | for ways to cut back on your own drinking
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| from a health care professional. But for
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| | for health or other reasons, the NIAAA
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| those facing everyday stress, the type
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| | offers these suggestions (
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| that inevitably occurs from, well, life
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| | Write down your reasons for cutting down
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| in general, the National Mental Health
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| | or quitting.
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| Association offers these tips for
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| | Set a drinking goal. Include a limit for
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| reducing stress in your life:
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| | drinks per day and drinks per week.
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| Learn to say no! Only take on activities
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| | Keep a drinking "diary," in which you
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| that you can manage.
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| | write down when and how much you drink
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| Meditate and visualize how to manage a
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| | for three to four weeks.
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| stressful situation with ease.
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| | Keep a small amount, or no, alcohol at
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| Resist the urge to be Superman or
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| | home.
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| Superwoman. Remember that no one is
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| | Sip your drink slowly, eat and drink
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| perfect!
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| | water while drinking and wait one hour
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| When you're feeling overwhelmed, take
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| | between drinks.
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| things one step at a time.
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| | Take a break from all alcohol from time
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| Exercise. It's a great stress reliever.
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| | to time.
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| Lead a healthy lifestyle--get enough
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| | Learn to say no. You don't have to drink
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| sleep, eat well, limit alcohol and
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| | because others around you are drinking.
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| caffeine and exercise.
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| | Stay active.
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| Take time for yourself. Don't overlook
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| | Get support from friends and family to
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| your hobbies. "Me-time" is essential for
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| | help you reach your goal.
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| stress relief.
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| | Finally, whether you are seeking to limit
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| Alcohol: Why You Need to Know When Enough
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| | alcohol or stress in your life, don't
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| is Enough
| |
| | give up. Changing habits and routines
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| Though you may think of having a few
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| | takes time, so don't expect changes to
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| drinks with friends over the weekend as
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| | happen overnight. Give yourself the
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| an innocent way to relax after the busy
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| | credit you deserve for making small
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| week, college drinking can easily, and
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| | steps, and watch how the small steps add
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| often does for many students, spiral out
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| | up to a healthier and happier future.
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| of control.
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