Denying Demons

Slogans like “Just say no” and “This is your brain on drugs” are common messages seen on prime time television shows, movies and advertisements that depict the images of drug and alcohol consumption. Many of these venues portray glamorous images that are contrary to reality, creating false images of what is normal behavior, trapping many individuals in peer pressure when they are most vulnerable.

Peer pressure and escapism are reasons cited by experts from multiple agencies when addressing alcohol and drug use. Alcohol or drug-related deaths are emphasized to warn of the dangers of substance abuse. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) cites the cost to the U.S. economy at $100 billion per year. NIAAA material states, “For many people, alcohol is part of religious observances. But there is a darker side.” One significant issue, the NIAAA says, is continued drinking despite having ongoing relationship NIAAA says, is the continued drinking of individuals despite having ongoing relationship problems that are caused or worsened by the effects of alcohol.

While working with recovering alcohol and drug users, James van Loon, North Lake College psychology instructor, has seen false images accepted in the United States and Europe.

“Countries where emotions are repressed have a tendency to abuse drugs and alcohol,” he said. “Some southern European countries frown on the image of being drunk. Other countries, such as England, Finland or the United States, may not take issue with intoxication.”

He said his studies show there is a correlation between being emotionally healthy and the use of alcohol or drugs. The emotionally balanced individual does not feel the need to have sensory alteration.

The May 2003 Journal of Studies on Alcohol states in an effort to fit in, an individual experiencing abnormal unhealthy behavior may adopt an unhealthy lifestyle when interacting with other individuals or groups. When entering a new group, an assumption often is made about what is normal behavior. If heavy drinking is assumed to be the accepted norm, one must drink at the same level to fit in.

NLC psychology instructor, Christan Amundsen, said drug and alcohol usage is a method to anesthetize life’s experiences which have produced pain. People turn to drugs and alcohol, he said, as they seek a release of social restrictions and freedom by breaking social taboos.

“The more rigid a society, there is a gravitation to such things as alcohol or drugs,” said Amundsen. “For instance, in the United States where people are treated as a commodity, human life is devalued. Therefore, substance abuse is a way of escaping.”

The NIAAA suggests a way to address these problems is to examine the situations that trigger unhealthy drinking patterns, and develop new ways of handling those situations. Excessive use, the institute says, is often triggered by major life changes and stresses, changes, it says, that typically represent a loss causing emotional and/or physical pain or changes in lifestyle or disruption of family roles.

So why should we stay sober? According to the Journal of Instructional Psychology, in an article titled “The Great Psychological Dilemma in our Schools and Colleges,” the dopamine levels are lowered so an individual loses sensitivity to “maintain self-esteem (relation to others) and even self-efficacy (personal aspirations).” Dopamine is a chemical essential to the functioning of the central nervous system.

Other brain chemicals beside the dopamine are impacted. Chemicals such as acetylcoholines, which stimulate digestive process, beta-endorphins, which impact feelings of well being and encephalin, which is associated with pain control. The alteration of these chemicals inhibits personal development and adaptations to their aspiring goals and life plans. In other words, one is not motivated to do anything.

According to the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse the long term side effects can range from miscarriages, anxiety attacks and convulsions, induced Parkinsonism, peripheral neuropathy, and toxic psychosis.

Short-term effects are often excused as a hangover when someone is having difficulty cognitively after an evening out of drinking or drug usage. Actually the chemicals in the brain have been altered which impact the ability to understand or process information and circumstances. This can impact the comprehension and retention of material when sitting in a classroom.

Each person must make a decision when faced with altering the brain’s delicate balance of chemicals. These results can last a lifetime, long after the friends in the peer group have disappeared.

You can get help on North Lake’s campus to fight the urge for drugs or alcohol. Jean Mills, a registered nurse in Health Services in C-200, said, “Help is just a step away and the start can begin today. In Health Services, we have available confidential community resources and treatment referrals,” she said. “Reaching out is a step towards a healthy future in mind and body for a drug and alcohol free community.”

Brochures and pamphlets are free of charge and located in Health Services. For more information, call 972-273-3170.