Substance Abuse-- Should it be a Concern?

Substance Abuse-- Should it be a Concern? NOVA New Faculty Training August 15, 2012 Connie J. Kirkland, Director Office of Student Mental Health and Behavior 703-323-2136 ckirkland@nvcc.edu

An atmosphere conducive to learning… • …doesn’t include the abuse of alcohol and/or other drugs Several policies, laws and regulations govern the use of alcoholic beverages and drugs, including NOVA’s own policy

What are the facts? • CDC tells us that there are about 79,000 deaths attributable to excessive alcohol use each year in the US. • That makes excessive alcohol use the 3rd leading lifestyle-related cause of death for our nation. • An average of 30 years of potential life is lost for each death

binge drinking for women – 4 or more drinks during a single occasion for men – 5 or more drinks during a single occasion heavy drinking for women – more than 1 drink per day on average for men – more than 2 drinks per day on average What is Excessive Drinking?

Other Considerations • Pregnant or trying to become pregnant • Taking prescription or over-the-counter meds • Under 21 years of age • Recovering from alcoholism or unable to limit the amount one drinks • Driving, planning to drive, or participating in other activities that require skill, coordination, and alertness (coming to class!)

Immediate Health Risks Alcohol poisoning – can result in coma or death Unintentional injuries – traffic, falls, drownings, burns, firearm injuries Violence -- including intimate partner violence and child maltreatment and neglect (anti-social Risky sexual behavior – unprotected sex, multiple partners, increased risk of sexual assault

Long-Term Health Risks • Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to development of chronic diseases, neurological impairments and social problems, to include: • Dementia, stroke and neuropathy • Cardiovascular problems • Psychiatric problems – depression, anxiety, suicide • Social problems – unemployment, lost productivity, and family problems • Cancer of the mouth, throat, liver, colon, breast • Liver diseases – alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis • With another person near you, choose one and talk a bit about that person: • What did she/he say of significance? • What did she/he do of significance?

Underage Drinking--under 21 use of alcohol is a major public health problem in the US! # Alcohol is most commonly used drug among youth – more than tobacco or illicit drugs # Youth aged 11-20 drink 11% of all alcohol # More than 90% of this consumption is bingeing # In 2009, 37% of 8th graders and 72% of 12th graders had tried alcohol

Snapshot of College Drinking Consequences (18-24 age group) • Death – 1825 students (2009) • Injury – 599,000 unintentially injured (2009) • Assault – 696,000 assaulted by another student who has been drinking • Sexual Abuse – 97,000 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape • Academic Problems – 25% report missing class, falling behind, doing poorly due to own drinking

+ Suicide attempts – 1.2 to 1.5 % indicate that they tried to commit suicide due to drinking +Drunk driving – 3,360,000 students drive under the influence of alcohol +Police involvement – 5% are involved with police or campus security as result of alcohol +31% met criteria for diagnosis of alcohol abuse; 6% for alcohol dependency

Misuse of Prescription Drugs? • Increased fivefold from 1999 to 2005 • Easy to get and not seen as risky • Non-medical stimulant misuse -6-20% use • Exhibit ‘sensation-seeking’behavior and psychological distress (hostility, phobias, depression, paranoia, OCD) • Express need for academic performance

And the drugs that entice…

Your Resources: • NOVA catalog – • www.nvcc.edu/curcatalog/student/substance.htm • NOVA website – • http://www.nvcc.edu/docs/NOVAalcoholanddrugpolicy.pdf Dept. of Human Resources Management • www.dhrm.virginia/gov/hrpolicy/web/po11_05

Let’s see the world not as it is, but as we are. Albert Einstein For more information, contact: Connie Kirkland Student Mental Health and Behavior ckirkland@nvcc.edu

Recommendations for Colleges • Research strongly supports the use of comprehensive, integrated programs that target --- **individuals – at-risk or alcohol-dependent **student body as a whole **college and the surrounding communities

Multiple factors interact to produce various drinking patterns • The risk for alcohol problems exists along a continuum • Targeting only those with identified alcohol problems misses students who drink heavily or misuse alcohol occasionally • Non-dependent, high-risk drinkers account for the majority of alcohol-related issues

Questions Campus Leaders Should Ask • What type of problem needs to be addressed? • What strategies are most likely to succeed? • Who should participate in developing strategies? • How can environmental and individually focused approaches complement each other? • What resources are needed to implement? • How should new ideas be evaluated? • How will we know when we’ve made a difference?

College students may like substances…. We just need to help them drink and use responsibly! Connie J. Kirkland, Director Student Mental Health and Behavior

Substance Abuse-- Should it be a Concern?