Essay Sample on Binge Drinking Among College Students: Causes & Consequences

Introduction

Binge drinking is a term that is normally used to describe the excessive use of alcohol over a short period of time. It is the most common immoral behavior among college students, and the main cause of this misconduct is basically negligence from both parents and teachers. (Black, & Mullan, 2015). Also, students are blamed because they internationally consume alcohol when stressed up with such issues that include broken relationships and lack of school fees. The need for fame is another cause of engaging in binge drinking among college students. Students believe that taking drugs such as alcohol at a given time will make their colleagues fear them. There would therefore a detailed discussion of stress, peer pressure and need for fame as the main causes of binge drinking among the college students. Further, the paper will discuss some of the effects of this misconduct to help in understanding how to arrive at the appropriate solutions which include enrolling the students in programs such as guidance and counseling.

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Causes of Binge Drinking in College Students

Stress

Anxieties have interfered with the lives of college students. Examples of anxieties that are common in most of the college students include; broken relationships, lack of school fees disagreement between them and their fellow students. Anxieties that are linked to broken relationships are usually caused by disagreements and lack of trust by each partner. Also, lack of school fees has forced students to engage in drug abuse (Chen, & Feeley, 2015). Moreover, disagreements may occur between students, and as a result, students will end up engaging in heavy intake of alcoholic drinks.

Peer Pressure

Peer pressure is a major cause of binge drinking among college students. Most of the colleges admit students from different parts of the world without inquiring more about their behaviors. Students usually differ in terms of their behaviors, depending on how they were brought up by their parents or guardians. Students may find themselves in a bad company whenever they associate with their fellow students. This is because the majority of the colleges rarely provide supervision to their students.

Need for Fame

Also, college students take part in binge drinking because they want to be recognized. They normally demonstrate this by engaging in a drinking competition. Males students believe that competing in taking a lot of alcoholic drinks at a given period of time will make other students fear and honor them.

Effects of Binge Drinking

Binge drinking has some effects on the involved students. The effects can be classified as short-term or long-term effects. Short-term effects of binge drinking refer to the impacts that undermine individual health status immediately after the usage (Lopez-Caneda, Holguin, Corral, Doallo, & Cadaveira, 2014). Examples of short-term effects include; poor performance, conflicts, school dropouts, and immoral behaviors. Long-term effects of binge drinking involve the buildup of health disorders. These accumulations of health-related disorders will, thereafter, be manifested in individual health after a long period. Examples of these long -term effects include; addictions, mental disorder, and deaths

Short-Term Effects

Poor Performance

College students have experienced a lot of impacts due to the high intake of alcoholic drinks. It has not only affecting their academic performances but their set goals. Poor performance is normally contributed by various factors. Time is one of the factors that play a key role in academic success. Some students spend much time drinking hence leaving aside less time for learning. When it comes to handling their exams, they may not be able to give answers concerning certain areas, thus making them attain poor grades.

Engaging in Immoral Behaviors

Suicide is an example of immoral behavior that is usually present among college students. The problem of suicide is caused by excessive intake of alcoholic drinks up to the extent of not making a decision concerning what is right or wrong. Due to the inability to make the right decisions, college students may end up denying themselves a right to live by killing themselves whenever they are faced with challenges.

Engaging in Conflicts

Students who have taken binge drinks are pride, and they can cause any harm whenever they quarrel with their fellow students. Students with pride cannot control their anger whenever there is a conflict. Also, such students may engage in disagreement with their teachers for example when told to abstain from immoral behaviors, instead of accepting it, they react to the extent of fighting (Rhodes & Clinkinbeard, 2013).

School Drop Out

High intake of alcohol affects the student's behavior. Rudeness is one behavior developed by the students involved in alcohol consumption. The rude students end up being forced out from school because of failing to adhere to the school rules. Alcohol consumption could also lead to school drop outs. The school dropout arises as a result of early pregnancies. The affected students drop out from school because of shame and discrimination from their colleagues.

Long-Term Effects

Addiction

Alcohol is one of the additive drugs. Continuous consumption of alcohol causes addition. Addictions have some side effects among the students involved. Most of the addicted students are immoral (Yoshimoto, 2017). Immoral behaviors, such as robbery could be developed by the addicted students because of the need of money to purchase alcohol.

Mental Health

Excessive intake of alcohol may undermine the functions of the brain. The brain has been designed in a way that its role is to receive and interpret the information before relaying to other regions of the body. Damage of the brain alters its functions and the affected persons develop a lot of health effects which has rare medication. Rare access to medication is normally contributed by factors such as long-term side effects on the affected person.

Deaths

A high intake of alcohol may also lead to sudden death. Some of these side effects associated with alcohol consumption are vomiting and slow heartbeat rate. Excessive vomiting may lead to loss of blood, and it may result in death. Also, death may occur as a result of slow heart beat rate. Excessive use of alcohol may block the breathing systems hence hindering the functions of the heart leading to death (Yoshimoto, 2017).

Conclusion

In conclusion, the majority of college students mainly engage in binge drinking because they want to be superior as compared to their fellow students. College students consume a lot of alcohol as a way of avoiding stress whenever they are faced with certain challenges. Teachers, parents, and guardians also contribute a lot to student's behaviors. This is because they rarely interact with their students, and as a result, students will end up doing according to their will. It is, therefore, the responsibility of the parents/guardians and teachers to team up and try to find the causes of immoral behaviors among the students. Through these, college students will be able to acquire good moral behaviors hence aiding them in the achievements of their goals.

References

Black, N., & Mullan, B. (2015). An intervention to decrease heavy episodic drinking in college students: The effect of executive function training. Journal of American college health, 63(4), 280-284.

Chen, Y., & Feeley, T. H. (2015). Predicting binge drinking in college students: Rational beliefs, stress, or loneliness? Journal of Drug Education, 45(3-4), 133-155.

Lopez-Caneda, E., Holguin, S. R., Corral, M., Doallo, S., & Cadaveira, F. (2014). Evolution of the binge drinking pattern in college students: Neurophysiological correlates. Alcohol, 48(5), 407-418.

Rhodes, T. N., & Clinkinbeard, S. S. (2013). College students and binge drinking: Exploring the relationship between control and intention on behavior. Applied Psychology in Criminal Justice, 9(1).

Yoshimoto, H., Takayashiki, A., Goto, R., Saito, G., Kawaida, K., Hieda, R., ... & Kobayashi, Y. (2017). Association between excessive alcohol use and alcohol-related injuries in college students: a multi-center cross-sectional study in Japan. The Tohoku journal of experimental medicine, 242(2), 157-163.