Students blame fun, peer pressure, and university culture for binge drinking
Anew report from the Canadian Center on Addictions and Substance Use (CCDUS) cites fun, peer pressure, and university culture as the main reasons behind an upsurge in binge drinking among post-secondary students
Binge drinking, or "episodic heavy drinking," is associated with serious health and safety risks, and young adults, especially post-secondary students, are particularly vulnerable to these risks. It should be noted, however, that, as a general rule, the focus group participants who participated in the report did not see their consumption patterns as harmful.
The study demonstrates the seriousness of alcohol seizure and its risks for students, as well as examining the consequences associated with risky drinking, such as memory loss and non-consensual sex, and looked at drinking as a means of dealing with problems like stress and anxiety. Students also talked about how their drinking experience evolves over time as they learn to know and manage their limits.
Some reasons often used by students to explain why they binge include Boredom and having nothing else to do as well as a university culture of consumption focused on socialization. Pleasure and time spent with friends; the pressure to drink as much as others, whether by participating in activities such as drinking games or paying rounds plays a significant role.
The students also offered possible solutions that could discourage binging including, informing students about alcohol early and often; making moderate consumption an integral part of everyday life, rather than condemning it; offering students interesting activities to do in the evening, other than attending bars and clubs, and preventing certain risky behaviors through sound strategies, such as: bringing a fixed amount of money to the bar or club or setting a maximum amount of alcohol to drink before going out, asking a friend to watch how much they drink or to tell them to stop after a certain amount, or drinking non-alcoholic drinks during drinking occasions.