Alcohol & Drug Abuse

Contrary to what you’ve probably heard about college, you don’t have to get liquored up or high every night in order to have a memorable experience. In fact, you’ll have many more memories of your years of higher education if drinking and drug use isn’t a central part of it. So don’t let college folklore influence you to be under the influence.

Here are a few sobering statistics on how drinking too much, too often can put a serious damper on your dreams of achieving academic glory–or even your dreams of just graduating:

• According to the Core Institute, an organization that surveys college drinking practices, 300,000 of today’s college students will eventually die of alcohol-related causes such as drunk driving accidents
• 159,000 of today’s first- year college students will drop out of school next year for alcohol- or other drug-related reasons. The average student spends about $900 on alcohol each year. Do you want to know how much cash the average student drops on his or her books? About $450.
• Almost one-third of college students admit to having missed at least one class because of their alcohol or drug use, and nearly one-quarter of students report bombing a test or project because of the aftereffects of drinking or doing drugs.
• One night of heavy drinking can impair your ability to think abstractly for up to 30 days, limiting your ability to relate textbook reading to what your professor says, or to think through a volleyball play.

Although these statistics might be true, they still don’t do much to curb our habits or motivate us to stop drinking.  But, what will? 

When it comes to Christians and alcohol in particular, most of us are accustomed to hearing the same thing: drinking is from the devil (combined with a judmental look and a finger pointed at your face)!  And although we believe alcoholism and the misuse of alcohol by those in college is incredibly destructive, more needs to be said on the topic than simply “Drink and you’ll find yourself in Hell!”

In I Corinthians 10, we read the following – “‘Everything is permissible’—but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible’—but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.”  In these two verses we are presented with one of the strongest reasons for severly limiting, if not altogether putting an end to your drinking.  Although it is not a sin (against the will of God) to have a drink (Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding) the question becomes how beneficial and constructive is this behavior?  As the verse above points out, and as the gospel makes clear, as a Christian you no longer live for yourself.  You were bought by Christ to be used for Christ.  And a common theme throughout Scripture is that while drinking is not always viewed as wrong, its dangers and harmfulness were such as to call forth numerous warnings.  In some cases (priestly service, Nazirite vow, Timothy’s apostolic efforts) abstinence was seen as commendable and appropriate.

Proverbs 23 – “Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder. Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind utter perverse things.” This verse, along with numerous studies points out that drinking causes you to not operate at 100% of your intellectual ability, it tends to weaken your capacity to make split second decisions, and greatly impacts your moral restraint.  Someone who is seeking to be used by God at all times, who is to “always be prepared to give an answer”, whose conversation is to ”always be full of grace and seasoned with salt” , cannot seek to live out these commands and be under the influence of alcohol at the same time.  Not drinking is a sacrifice that many of us are called to make, not merely for our own benefit and well being, but equally importantly for the benefit of the world around us – for “the good of others”.  Life is about so much more than simply having a good time, relaxing with, and getting your mind of things for a while.  It is about always being in tune with God.  Always seeking to do His Will.  So whether you are  the designated driver, the person who is able to stop others from making dumb mistakes, the only one who fully present in any given situation, or one of the few who is willing to make a statement about the negative effects of drinking, the use (and abuse) of alcohol is something that Christians need to take much more seriously. 

Where to Go For Help

• Enlist the help of family, friends, professors or your Resident Director.  Letting someone else know about your struggle and your desire to change is a huge first step.  When they hear that you want to try to curb your drinking, we are sure that they will be happy to do whatever they can to help and encourage you.
• Call or e-mail the campus ministry office or the counseling center right away (www.services.pepperdine.edu/counselingcenter)   We are here to assist and walk with you as you seek to break free from your dependance and addiction to alcohol or drugs.
• Learn about all of the different resources that are available to you right here around campus.  Whether it be peer support groups, accounatiblity partners, etc. you will probably be surprised to learn how many people and organizations there are that can help.  One of the best online Christian based resources that we have found is www.celebraterecovery.com.   

Posted by LT

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