Frequently Asked Questions About Alcohol & Other Drugs

Is alcohol considered a drug?

A drug is any non-nutritional chemical that alters the body functions producing physical, psychological or behavioral changes. Alcohol fits this description and is a drug.

What are some signs of a drinking or other drug problem? When should I think about seeking professional help?

The acronym RAGS, a series of questions you can ask yourself to assess an on-going interaction with a substance, may be helpful in assessing a drinking or other drug problem:

• Have you ever felt you should…Reduce your substance use?
• Have you ever felt…Annoyed by people criticizing your substance use?
• Have you ever felt…Guilty about using a substance?
• Ever needed a substance to…Start your day?

Answering yes to two or more questions may indicate an unhealthy relationship with substances. In this circumstance, consultation with a professional is recommended.

What is alcohol poisoning?

Alcohol Poisoning occurs when the body's functions (heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing) have been severely depressed by the effects of alcohol, enough to produce unconsciousness and in some cases death. Acute alcohol intoxication, or alcohol poisoning, can occur after the ingestion of a large amount of alcohol. Inexperienced drinkers or those sensitive to alcohol may become acutely intoxicated and suffer serious consequences after ingesting smaller amounts of alcohol. An acronym useful in emergency situations such as possible alcohol poisoning is CUSP:

• Cold, clammy skin
• Unconsciousness
• Slowed or irregular breathing
• Puking, particularly while passed out

If a person is exhibiting one or more of these signs, it is strongly recommended that medical attention be sought.

What does it mean to get "help" with an alcohol or other drug-related issue?

Help can take many forms. Examples of what a person might find helpful could be: reading a pamphlet, having a conversation, checking out a website, attending a support group or a more formal treatment program. Given that individuals can be at varying levels of readiness to take action, it is very important to try to match a program, therapist or support group to an individual's needs. The goal of all support services at NYU is to encourage students to explore their options.

Another word for help is treatment. Treatment can be low cost, high cost, or free. It can be one-to-one, in a group setting, and more or less structured. Treatment can be traditional, alternative, experimental or some combination thereof. Self-help groups like AA can be a supplement to more formal treatment, a tool for continued recovery, or a place to start.

What if I'm not ready to quit but would still like to talk to someone?

People change at different rates, in different ways. Most people do not decide to make a big change out of the blue. Somewhere, in their conscious or unconscious mind, they have been grappling with the pros and cons of making that change. Getting to the point where someone is determined to change can take months, even years, and people change their minds about making changes.

If you're not ready to quit, but have thought about it, you can talk with someone about your ambivalence. You can discuss strategies for reducing risk and making smaller changes. Staff is available to engage in a discussion about your substance use that need not center on why you must quit. Of course, if you decide you want to quit, we can talk with you about that, too.

What can I do if I'm worried about my friend's use of alcohol or other drugs?

Some common signs of a possible substance-related issue are changes in mood, behavior or appearance; sleeping or eating too much or too little; grades slipping, attendance problems; nodding off or displaying manic behavior; defensive or secretive affect.

It's important to remember that while a number of factors could contribute to the above and there is no one guaranteed way to help a friend, there are many things worth trying. Once you feel that you're ready to talk with your friend, here are some tips that may help things go more smoothly. (Remember, your friend may not see things the way you do, or may not be ready to admit that they do.)

• Wait until your friend is sober; make sure there is enough time for the talk
• Know that it's okay to be nervous, but try to stay calm
• Use what are called "I" statements:
• I really care about you.
• I have noticed that you have been acting differently lately.
• I have missed you in classes and it seems like you've been going out a lot.
• I'm just wondering if everything is okay."

Your friend may say that everything is fine. You may need to play it by ear about whether to push more or back off. There is no one right answer. Even if your friend seems to have completely ignored you, your effort still has value. You have done what is called 'planting the seed.' You have articulated a concern, and while it may not produce immediate change, your words may resonate with your friend over time. You may not be the only one to raise a concern-the effect can be cumulative. The remarks of one person can be more easily ignored than those of numbers of people.

Everyone has his or her own ideas about what it means to be a good friend. Sometimes it means being brave enough to say your piece.

Why do people use drugs?

People may use drugs for a wide variety of reasons. Some people may use substances to relieve stress, feel good, experiment with something new, satisfy curiosity, "fit in," lose inhibitions, change physical state (for example, become energized or relax), self-medicate (either knowingly or not), or for any number of other reasons.

What's the big deal about using drugs? Do they really affect the brain?

No matter how a drug is put in the body, it travels through the blood until it reaches the central nervous system. Psychoactive drugs affect the chemistry of the brain, especially that of neurotransmitters which transmit messages throughout the body. The drugs work by mimicking or modifying the effects of various neurotransmitters. This is what causes most of the effects on the mind and body. In addition to these direct effects, phenomena such as tolerance, tissue dependence, withdrawal, and metabolism determine a user's reaction to psychoactive drugs.

What is addiction (or dependence) and how can I tell if someone is an alcoholic?

The difference between abuse and addiction or dependence has to do with the degree of compulsion in the drug use. When someone spends most of the time getting, using or thinking about the drug; when he or she disregards all health consequences; when, after withdrawal, the person is compelled to use again because the psychoactive substance is still the most important thing in life, then that's addiction. Dependence and withdrawal can be both physical and/or psychological. Some drugs can cause a strong physical dependence that leads to a difficult, sometimes dangerous, withdrawal that might require medical supervision. While the presence of physical dependence can complicate the treatment process, it is the psychological aspect of the relationship with the substance that is the most challenging to alter.

As for the term "alcoholic," there are varied meanings and judgments attached to it. Many clinicians are moving away from using it as a descriptor and prefer to talk in terms of "dependence" on a substance. The decision to use the term "alcoholic" is a personal one. Wellness Exchange staff prefer not to use the term in a generic or generalized way.

What is tolerance?

Tolerance is the development of body or tissue resistance to the effects of a chemical so that larger doses are required to reproduce the original effect.

Is marijuana addictive?

While some professionals in the field disagree about the extent to which marijuana may produce a physical dependence, many will acknowledge that people can develop a strong psychological dependence that can cause great discomfort and difficulty when trying to stop or cut back.

Marijuana Anonymous has information on its website about the range of effects that users have reported as well as strategies that may be helpful when trying to change one's relationship with pot.

Why doesn't throwing up lower your Blood Alcohol Level (BAL)? Why does throwing up make you feel better?

Throwing up only empties the contents of your stomach. Alcohol is quickly absorbed into your system and your bloodstream - therefore throwing up does not appreciably affect the amount of blood in your system and your blood alcohol level. Only time can lower someone's BAL. As to why throwing up can make a person feel better, alcohol can irritate the lining of the stomach so even though alcohol has been absorbed into the blood, the irritating effects can still linger in the stomach. Throwing up can sometimes diminish these effects for some people.

What if I need treatment - how would I pay?

Although health insurance plans may pay most or all of the costs of treatment, each plan is different. If you are enrolled in an NYU- sponsored student health insurance plan, you should refer to the Student Health Insurance Handbook for details of your coverage. The Handbook can be downloaded at www.nyu.edu/shc/about/insurance.html. If you are covered under another insurance plan, you should call the telephone number on the back of your insurance ID card to find out the details of your coverage. Speak with a Wellness Exchange staff member to discuss confidentiality, billing options or resources outside of NYU.

I'd like to speak to a counselor about my alcohol/drug use, will our conversation be confidential?

You can call the hotline anonymously. We will not ask for your name unless, through the course of the conversation, we determine that it is necessary. If you do decide to tell a counselor your name, we will keep your personal information confidential. Counselors and medical staff will not share this information with any other offices within the University or release it to individuals outside the University without your written permission. The exceptions are in response to a court order, as required by law (including certain situations relating to public health and child abuse), or in cases of an immediate threat to your safety or to the safety of someone else.