Alcohol addiction is something that not everyone takes as seriously as an addiction to drugs like cocaine, heroins, or opioids. Alcohol is a substance that is accepted greatly by our current society as it is legal to purchase and consume at age 21, and serve at age 18. In some countries, it is even common to see children around the age of 14 to begin drinking every now and then. In America, binge drinking is a huge problem among early adults from ages 18-25. This problem tends to develop around the time more emerging adults move off to college and experience the freedom to make their own decisions, leading to extensive partying and other risk behaviors. “One in six US adults binge drinks about four times a month, consuming about seven drinks per binge. This results in 17 billion total binge drinks consumed by adults annually, or 467 binge drinks per binge drinker,” (“Binge Drinking”).
In chapter 4 of our textbook, binge drinking was brought up for discussion relating to intervention usage. Of course, substance abuse is one of the first things we think of when the word “intervention” comes up in conversation. Although the textbook looked at the efforts Northern Illinois University has made to decrease binge drinking in college, it is important to look into the resources provided in your own area. Here at Penn State, there is one widely known program that helps students who are experiencing alcohol abuse called BASICS. BASICS is an intervention program that focuses on exploring an individual’s alcohol use, and provides different methods to assist someone in recognizing that they are in a situation they can make the effort to change in order to better themselves (“Alcohol Intervention”). This program consists of two on-hour meetings with a health professional, and is free to those who self-refer (“Alcohol Intervention”).
BASICS relates to the topics discussed in lesson 4 because it was heavily focused on the conduction of interventions and the different steps taken during them. Lesson 4 explains how we must first identify a problem, which is how substance abuse is incredibly harmful to both our physical and mental health. We then must recognize a solution, which would be to have one become more in control over their drinking habits, or even have them make the decision to choose sobriety. Following this, the goals set in this specific intervention is to “help you explore your alcohol use in a non-judgmental setting, reduce risky behavior, identify changes that could reduce your risk, and provide information and skills for risk-reduction,” (“Alcohol Intervention”). Finally, using the meetings that the program provides is how the intervention is implemented.
Alcohol Intervention (BASICS) Program. (n.d.). Retrieved December 15, 2020, from https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health-wellness/alcohol-drug-education-recovery/alcohol-intervention-basics-program
Binge Drinking is a serious but preventable problem of excessive alcohol use. (2019, December 30). Retrieved December 14, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/binge-drinking.html