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

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 3 rd 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!)

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 Immediate Health Risks

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 drink 11% of all alcohol # More than 90% of this consumption is bingeing # In 2009, 37% of 8 th graders and 72% of 12 th 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… Bath Salts SpiceMarijuana Four Loko K2

Your Resources: NOVA catalog – htm NOVA website – ugpolicy.pdf Dept. of Human Resources Management

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

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