Irresponsible alcohol use can result in accidents, dependence

During his very first quarter at UCLA, Steven Rogers faced criminal charges for being caught underage with alcohol and was given the choice between paying a $1,400 fine or completing 72 hours of community service.

Another student, a third-year English major, who preferred to be identified as J.B., got so drunk he stole a vehicle, crashed and barely remembered what had happened the next day, when he woke up in prison.

Alcohol usage undeniably exists on college campuses and can sometimes result in devastating repercussions for students.

The national collegiate average of students who consume heavy amounts of alcohol is 44 percent, while UCLA’s is closer to 22 percent, said Colby Moss, a clinical social worker at UCLA Counseling and Psychological Services.

The side effects of prolonged alcohol use can cause serious diseases of the liver, heart, brain and pancreas.

However, college students especially engage in binge drinking, which raises the likelihood of fatal car accidents, dangerous falls from loss of balance, sexual and physical assault, and increases acts of violence, Moss said.

But the most dangerous aspect of binge drinking is the bridge it can provide to a full-blown alcohol addiction, she added.

“Risk factors include family history, an earlier start to alcohol consumption, more regular usage, and how alcohol is used as a coping mechanism to the vicissitudes of living,” she said. According to Moss, alcohol addiction is defined as the point at which someone becomes dependent on alcohol, to the point where it causes them significant social, physical and emotional harm.

“It changes from a question of if you are going to use alcohol to a question of when,” Moss added.

Social drinking can seem harmless to most students, but in some cases, it can lead to a physical, chemical addiction if the risk factors are strong enough, Moss said.

Whether somebody becomes dependent to alcohol or not, the damage can be done if alcohol is not used responsibly after a night of social drinking, as was the case with J.B. He said he found himself on the streets of Westwood, very drunk and very lost, and proceeded to drive a street-legal golf cart all the way home.

Thinking he couldn’t get a DUI for driving on the sidewalk, he ended up crashed and stuck between a concrete wall and a parked car. He said he spent the night in jail and faced charges of grand theft auto as well.

The charges in his case were allegedly dropped due to clerical errors, he added.

“I felt like I had gotten a fresh start. It was like what people say it must feel like to win the lottery,” J.B. said.

In another case, Rogers, now a third-year engineering student, was apprehended by police while leaving a party on Landfair Avenue with an open beer can in his hand.

“People pointed out I was still holding a can, but I was pretty drunk and didn’t get rid of it,” Rogers said.

The point of becoming so drunk that one is no longer in control of their actions comes after different amounts of alcohol and depends upon the individual, Moss said.

Factors that contribute to these differences include gender, weight, how much a person has eaten, hydration, family history and regularity of alcohol consumption, Moss said.

“People who are physically dependent feel sick when they do not have alcohol. Side effects can include sweatiness, shakiness, nausea, depression or anxiousness, and even hallucinations and seizures,” Moss said.

UCLA offers counseling and psychological services regarding responsible alcohol consumption, including screenings and advice.

Since there are many possible social, emotional and physical repercussions of drinking too much, Moss said students must learn to be more aware of themselves in order to avoid drinking more than they can control.

“People should consider coming in for a screening. It gives you feedback at where you are at and what to look for. It’s not intended to be anything that tries to make anyone change their behavior,” Moss said.