The Truth About Alcohol and Mental Health

Alcohol and the Effects of it to College Students and their Mental Health

Written By Anne Ross

Alcohol has always been prevalent on college campuses. Despite there being drinking laws, students have access to obtaining alcohol through various sources. Not only does alcohol have effects on the body physically, but it also effects the body mentally, especially those who deal with mental illness. 

There are multiple factors that can contribute to how alcohol can alter the body negatively and differently depending on the person. Alcohol effects individuals differently, and this depends on numerous elements including age, weight, alcohol/blood levels, food intake, and more. 

Alcohol is a known substance that people drink everyday all around the world. It is used in social settings, during meals, and even to relax and assisting individuals in sleeping. Some may even believe that certain alcohols can help aid in lowering cardiovascular disease and other conditions such as diabetes. Recently, the United Kingdom has actually lowered recommended drinking units and, according to BBC News, “men and women who drink regularly should consume no more than 14 units a week - equivalent to six pints of beer or seven glasses of wine,” (Triggle, BBC). This amount of alcohol should be spread out throughout the week and not to be consumed all at once, as heavy drinking can result in serious complications. This however raises a new question. Alcohol is known to affect individuals differently, but why? Many believe that there is a gender gap between how much alcohol an individual can intake. In other words, men are able to consume more alcohol than woman can. In some instances, this belief can be deemed true, but it is not because of simple DNA prejudice. The Oxford Dictionary of Psychology defines blood alcohol concentration as “The amount of alcohol in a given volume of blood, usually expressed in units of mass per units of volume.” How drunk one feels is all down to the concentration of alcohol in ones blood. Furthermore, the concentration of alcohol in ones blood is all due to the amount of water in ones body. The amount of water in ones body can vary from person to person, but it is particularly concentrated in those who have a lower BMI, meaning there is less fat in ones body than there is muscle. The more muscle an individual has, the more water is in there body, as there is more water in muscle than fat. Water dilutes alcohol, so the more that is in ones body, the less they will feel the affects of alcohol. 

In a documentary called The Truth About Alcohol, Dr. Javid Abdelmoneim explored the relationship

between blood alcohol levels and how much water is in their bodies. Abdelmoneim gathered a focus group where they participated in study to prove the aforementioned theory. They measured the amount of water in the participants’ bodies by measuring their body volumes as well as analyzing how much of their bodies were fat versus muscle. The results displayed that the participants who had a higher body volume and more muscle were able to intake more alcohol and feel less of its effects. It is commonly known that alcohol dehydrates the body, so if an individual has more water in their body, the less likely they are to feel the effects and become dehydrated. Alcohol is not sexist. While women tend to feel the effects more it is only because they may have less muscle than men, thus creating the stereotype that women are “lightweights” and can not drink as much as men can. According to Livestrong, Men biologically have a higher percentage of lean muscle than women due to differences in hormones. While this is true, that does not mean that women cannot have as much muscle. Cespedes writes, “women can experience similar gains in strength and should train in ways similar to men to develop muscular fitness,” (Cespedes, LIVESTRONG).

At young ages, drinking is seen to be a symbol of popularity and fun. It is used at parties, during dining hours, and as a way to de-stress after a long day of hardships. A study by Anu Katainein and colleagues on Adolescents’ sense-making of alcohol-related risks, it was found that their perceptions of risks associated with drinking were far different than those of the opinions of adults. The risks are also accepted as a part of the drinking experience and do not deter drinking: “the wish or the possibility of fun, intense sociability in a good drinking situation is more important in their experience,” (Katainein, Vol 19, Issue 5, pp. 542 - 558). Not only did the study display that adolescents regard side effects as a product of the situation, they also are not necessarily aiming to achieve the “rush of risk-taking,” (Katainein, Vol 19, Issue 5, pp. 542 - 558). The mere knowledge of this does not stop them from drinking, as drinking heavily, and in social situations is merely for the fun and engagement of social interaction. Because of this, it can put them at higher risk of binge-drinking, long-term health issues, and even alcohol poisoning.

Alcohol also contains polyphenols which is a chemical compound that have proven to be evident in the role of prevention of degenerative diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases, (Manach, Volume 79, Issue 5, Pages 727–747). Cardiovascular disease is one of the major leading causes in death world wide. Gemma Chiva-Blanch and colleagues sought out to research and analyze the differences in polyphenol levels in various alcohol beverages. They dive a little deeper into what is known as the French Paradox. The French Paradox, as described in, ”The "french paradox" and beyond,” (Sun, Volume 32, Issue 4, Pages 314-318) is that there is an observation that French people have relatively low cardiovascular heart disease (CVD) rates while having diets rich in saturated fats. This phenomenon lead to the belief that polyphenols in the wine they consume help lower their risk of CVD. While it is true that the polyphenols in some alcohols have higher counts of polyphenols, they can be comparable to various foods. Once again in The Truth About Alcohol, Abdelmoneim addresses this issue as well. He conducted a study with researcher Dr. Wendy Hall of Kings College in London to dive deeper into this phenomenon. It was found that the wine that was consumed helped dilate blood vessels in the body and decreased blood pressure. This can contribute to the benefits of fighting CVD. Abdelmoneim states, “red wine in particular is potentially good for our hearts because of the effects from its polyphenols,” (Abdelmoneim). They discovered that red wines in particular contain higher percentages of polyphenol counts. 

However, polyphenols that are found in a standard glass of red wine are also found in lot of other foods and drinks such as walnuts, dark chocolate, apples, onions, blueberries, tea, pomegranate juice, filtered coffee and more. According to the study, you can actually receive the same, if not more, polyphenol benefits without even consuming alcohol thus proving the French Paradox inconclusive. While consuming red wine in moderation according to the appropriate amount of unit intake per week, one may receive the benefits attributed by polyphenols, but that result is only marginal for some. Wine drinkers tend to consume more than one glass at a sitting and more than the allotted moderation guidelines. While Dr. Hall did not suggest to start drinking red wine, she stated that red wine is simply a good example of a polyphenol enriched food, and that diet varied in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and wholegrain, you will be consuming a large variety of polyphenols that will be protective in CVD and stroke.

So what does this all have to do with college students and mental health? Drinking is
prevalent on many campuses across the United States, and when paired with alcohol, it can leave various side effects other than those aforementioned (Dvorak, Lamis, Malone, Volume 149, Issues 1–3, July 2013, Pages 326-334). There is heavy alcohol use among college students that is identified as a major health problem (Cranford, Eisenberg, Serras, Volume 34, Issue 2, February 2009, Pages 134-145) for the reasons about to be mentioned. These heavier implications that can occur are depression, suicide, and death. Those who have mental disorders oftentimes do not receive enough help to begin with, and may not be educated on what alcohol can do to their minds, not just their bodies. Daniel Eisenberg of Empirical research states, “The majority of adults with mental disorders in the United States do not receive mental health care,” (Eisenberg, Downs, Golberstein, & Zivin, 2009, Page 522). There are many factors that can contribute to generating mental disorders and how it can affect college students. Many have connected not seeking help for mental health challenges to the stigma that surrounds mental health. Eisenberg discusses how “the term mental illness stigma is often used in a broad sense, it takes several distinct forms,” (Eisenberg, Downs, Golberstein, & Zivin, 2009, p. 523). There are three distinct types of stigma identified in the literature: different ways people can perceive stigma: public stigma, perceived public stigma, and self-stigma (Eisenberg, Downs, Golberstein, & Zivin, 2009). Within the article, they also touched upon other studies from which they looked over results and developed research questions for their own testing.

There are many factors that can contribute to generating mental disorders and how it can affect college students while they are away at school. When college students move away from home, some for the first time, this can cause a lot of negative outcomes and stress placed upon the student that may not have been there before. In turn, they may not seek help because they may not want to be judged, or may not know how they can receive help. In a study why Cranford and colleagues, it was reported that “only 38% reported receiving mental health services in the previous year,” (Cranford, Eisenberg, Serras, Volume 34, Issue 2, February 2009, Pages 134-145). The research questions presented in the above source, correlate with the research findings by David E. Balk in his book, Helping the Bereaved College Student (2011). Balk focuses on the percentages of specifically college students who struggle with mental health. Not only does it focus on the percentages, but it also acts as a guide with helping to students in providing the right knowledge for seeking help, and, as written, “readers will have the basics needed for planning that is responsive to college student bereavement in their particular campus milieu,” (Balk, 166). As discussed in the Journal of Affective Disorders, “Impulsivity is associated with alcohol use, depression, and suicidal behaviors in a variety of populations. Research shows that impulsive individuals consume more alcohol than those who are not impulsive... Further, depression and impulsivity often co-occur in individuals with substance use disorders,” (Dvorak, Lamis, Malone, Volume 149, Issues 1–3, July 2013, Pages 326-334). There was shown to be a link between suicide process, impulsivity, depressive symptoms, and alcohol use. The risk factors that were discussed earlier with alcohol are heightened when suicide proneness increased as well, (Dvorak, Lamis, Malone, Volume 149, Issues 1–3, July 2013, Pages 326-334).

Taken together, the results of the various surveys and research used to report these research

findings support the negative reinforcement models that alcohol contributes to on college campuses. With all this we can understand why mixing mental disorders and alcohol would not be ideal. Alcohol in itself is already not something to be consumed in large quantities, so when mixing it with social situations on college campuses where there is not a lot of supervision can cause harmful health effects. As such, these findings may suggest that stigma-reduction efforts may be more effective in preventative strategies when designed and implemented accordingly. By spreading the awareness of mental health and the effects alcohol can have on the body and the mind, students may be able to seek the help they need without feeling pressured or judged. Active college groups and organizations can also help in this preventative matter, as well, by providing students with resources and further instruction on where to receive help.

Written by Anne Ross

References

Abdelmoneim, J., Dr. (2017, August 01). The Truth About Alcohol. Retrieved from https:// www.netflix.comwatch80185861trackId=13752289&tctx=0%2C0%2C24f6c971-0d8 6-4bc6-8e01-d9b3e726a0ab-46267963

Balk, D. E. (2011). Helping the bereaved college student. New York: Springer Pub. Co.

Cespedes, A. (2017, September 11). Amount of Muscle Mass in Men Versus Women. Retrieved from https://www.livestrong.com/article/246036-how-much-more-muscle-mass-does-a male-have-than-a-female/

Chiva-Blanch, G., Arranz, S., Lamuela-Raventos, R. M., & Estruch, R. (2013). Effects of wine, alcohol and polyphenols on cardiovascular disease risk factors: Evidences from human studies. Alcohol and Alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire), 48(3), 270-277. 10.1093/alcalc agt007

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Dvorak, R. D., Lamis, D. A., & Malone, P. S. (2013). Alcohol use, depressive symptoms, and impulsivity as risk factors for suicide proneness among college students. Journal of Affective Disorders, 149(1), 326-334. 10.1016/j.jad.2013.01.046

Eisenberg, D., Downs, M. F., Golberstein, E., & Zivin, K. (2009). Stigma and help seeking for mental health among college students. Medical Care Research and Review, 66(5), 522-541. 10.1177/1077558709335173

Katainen, A., Lehto, A., & Maunu, A. (2015;2014;). Adolescents’ sense-making of alcohol relatedrisks: The role of drinking situations and social settings. Health, 19(5), 542-558. 10.1177/1363459314557966

Manach, C., Scalbert, A., Morand, C., Rémésy, C., & Jiménez, L. (2004, May 01). Polyphenols: food sources and bioavailability | The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition | Oxford Academic. Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/79/5/727/4690182

Sun, A. Y., Simonyi, A., & Sun, G. Y. (2002). The "french paradox" and beyond: Neuroprotective effects of polyphenols. Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 32(4), 314.

The Truth About Alcohol (2016) - Netflix | Flixable. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://flixable.com/title/80185861/

Triggle, N. (2016, January 08). Alcohol limits cut to reduce health risks. Retrieved from http:/ www.bbc.com/news/uk-35255384

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