Alcohol and Drug Abuse
- feeling less inhibited, and consequently doing things you would otherwise not do
- drinking or using drugs after a confrontation, an argument, or other emotional trauma
- feeling you need to drink to feel normal
- developing a tolerance to drugs or alcohol
- having blackout spells or being unable to remember what happened while drinking or using drugs
- lying about how much of the substance is being used
- drinking alone
- distancing contact with friends and family members who do not use drugs or alcohol or disapprove of their use
- experiencing withdrawal symptoms such as trembling, diarrhea, cramps, vomiting, or confusion
- finding that drugs or alcohol have become a focal point of your activities
- using drugs or alcohol every day
Some of you will choose to drink at some point in your college careers. If you choose to drink, you should choose to drink responsibly, for your own protection and that of others. Drinking responsibly means learning to recognize the point when casual, social drinking turns into the abuse of alcohol and may become a major problem that can jeopardize many facets of your life. In fact, drug and alcohol abuse can completely undermine everything that you have worked for so far.
The signs of alcohol and drug abuse can be difficult to recognize in yourself and in others. These signs vary from drug to drug and person to person. However, individuals who abuse drugs or alcohol often exhibit changes in behavior that may gradually affect personal relationships and academic performance. Their behavior may be erratic and their mood unpredictable, alternating between periods of exhilaration or agitation and exhaustion or lethargy. Some addicted individuals find that they no longer sleep well; others “crash” and sleep for long periods. They may lose interest in eating or experience unexplained weight loss. Alternatively, many alcohol and drug dependent individuals appear normal, even to their friends, when, in fact, all aspects of their well-being are suffering.
Alcohol and drug abuse can be devastating, expensive, and life-threatening if it continues, but there are some things that you can do to help if you are concerned:
- Contact the Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse (617.496.0133) for education and referrals to services.
- Find support from friends, family members, or others who can offer you help while you are trying to stop using a substance.
- Explore group options like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. Get a list of meeting times from the Center for Wellness and Health Communication (617.495.9629).
- Take an online, anonymous screening to determine if what you are experiencing is alcohol or drug dependence. You can find this screening tool by going to the Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) website at www.huhs.harvard.edu and clicking on mental health.
- Recognize when you are experiencing a problem with drugs or alcohol. This is an important first step, so that you can get the help that you need.
- Contact your Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) primary care clinician team (617.495.2001 or 617.495.8414), a mental health professional at Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) Mental Health Service (617.495.2042), or the Bureau of Study Counsel (617.495.2581).
- Consider talking with a Drug and Alcohol Peer Advisor (DAPA) or stopping by the Office of Alcohol & Other Drug Services (617.496.0133) for additional resources and information about alcohol and drug abuse.
"X," "Adam," and "MDMA" are slang names for Ecstasy, which is a stimulant and a hallucinogen. People may use Ecstasy to improve their moods or get energy. Its effects last approximately 3 to 6 hours, though depression, sleep problems, and anxiety have been reported for days to weeks afterwards. Use over time of Ecstasy appears to damage the brain's ability to think and regulate emotion, memory, sleep, and pain.
"G," "Liquid Ecstasy," "Georgia Home Boy" or Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is a central nervous system depressant and its intoxicating effects begin 10 to 20 minutes after the drug is taken. The effects typically last up to 4 hours, depending on the dosage. At higher doses, GHB's sedative effects may result in sleep, coma, or death. GHB has been increasingly involved in poisonings, overdoses, drug-facilitated sexual assaults, and fatalities.
"Roofie" or "Roche" (Rohypnol) is tasteless and odorless. It mixes easily in carbonated beverages. Rohypnol can cause profound "anterograde amnesia;" that is, individuals may not remember events they experienced while under the effects of the drug. Other effects include low blood pressure, drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, and stomach upset. "Roofie" is most commonly used to facilitate rape.
"Special K" or "K" (Ketamine) is an anesthetic. Use of a small amount of ketamine results in loss of attention span, learning ability, and memory. At higher doses, ketamine can cause delirium, amnesia, high blood pressure, depression, and severe breathing problems.
"Speed," "Ice," "Chalk," "Meth" (Methamphetamine) is a toxic, addictive stimulant that affects many areas of the central nervous system. Methamphetamine use can cause serious health consequences, including memory loss, aggression, violence, psychotic behavior, and cardiac and neurological damage.
"Acid" or Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) may cause unpredictable behavior depending on the amount taken, where the drug is used, and on the user's personality. A user might feel the following effects: numbness, weakness, nausea, increased heart rate, sweating, lack of appetite, "flashbacks," and sleeplessness.