Dangers of college Life ... [Alcohol - Know your Limits]

For many young adults, going to college is the first time they will leave home and be responsible for themselves. Inexperience and the desire for independence can be a dangerous combination for young men and women suddenly finding no authority figure to set boundaries. In an environment alive with potential, it is easy to fall victim to the dangers of the college lifestyle ....

Students coming to college just out of high school are not able to drink alcohol legally, but that does not stop the party. The college party culture encourages excessive drinking and for young adults who have little experience with alcohol, many go beyond their limit.

A new social scene and close contact with peers provides many opportunities for new friendships and love interests. Living conditions and the party culture encourage sexual interaction, but inexperience and alcohol again combine with tragic consequences. Young women and men often lack the confidence and self-awareness that comes with experience. Miscommunication and social pressure can lead to coercion and unwanted sexual contact. Alcohol dulls the senses and the ability to make decisions. Women often have not learned to speak up for themselves and have unhealthy perceptions of how dating should be. Pressure from trusted male friends, even when alcohol or violence is involved, often is not interpreted as rape. Young men are often taught that they have to be persistent to get sex, and cultures of sexual coercion and violence reinforce that. Using alcohol to “score” is an acceptable practice in some peer groups.

How much alcohol is too much? There's no simple answer to this question. If you're going to drink alcohol, you need to learn how to make this judgment call. You can try to figure out your blood alcohol content, but that's just part of the story. What does it mean to "reach your limit"?Here's some common sense tips to keep in mind the next time you're out drinking and are wondering if it's time to quit-- or, in some cases, if you have a problem with alcohol addiction and abuse.

First of all, there's a thin line between losing your inhibitions and losing control of yourself, and that's the line you don't want to cross. Losing your inhibitions may cause you to engage in silly, loud, or unusually bold behavior. You may look back on these things in the morning and cringe, but there probably won't be any dire consequences (unless you die from embarrassment). However, when someone loses control of their behavior, that's when they can put themselves in danger or become a danger to others.

Second, there's a point when the lousy effects of alcohol outweigh the fun effects. If you feel good after four drinks, this doesn't mean you'll feel good after eight drinks, when you're puking and hungover and feel like you've been run over by a rhinoceros. More is not better. The number of drinks you can handle comfortably is different for everyone, of course, but that number may be lower for you than you think.

Another important point to consider: are you drinking as a part of an evening of fun with your friends, or are you having fun with your friends as a part of an evening of drinking? If you drink, it should be a part of your fun activity, not the fun activity itself. If drinking becomes the primary source of your entertainment on a regular basis, you may be drinking too much.

Finally, if you're out drinking and you think you might be at your limit, you probably are! And if your friends think you are at your limit, they are probably right. Remember, it's highly unlikely that tomorrow morning, you're going to regret that you didn't drink enough. It's much more likely that you're going to regret getting wasted. So know when to stop.