Bingeing Begets Bingeing in Failed College Ads - Page 2
If it seems that 20 is way too young for a student to be an alcoholic, think again. Substance-abuse counselors and Alcoholics Anonymous groups talk of giving aid to young alcoholics who started drinking at 10 years old.
According to the 2000 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, an estimated 46 million people aged 12 or older were binge drinkers. Of these, almost 7 million were younger than 21, the legal drinking age and the physical effects aren't pretty.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that in a study of college freshmen, a diagnosis of alcohol abuse or dependence was twice as likely among those with anxiety disorder as those without this disorder. In another study, college students diagnosed with alcohol abuse were almost four times as likely as students without alcohol abuse to have a major depressive disorder.
To make a successful ad that counters peer pressure, addictive urges and general depression, Dr. Agrawal believes it's best to emphasize what young people do best.
"Have a conversation about what (the student) is good at," she says. "It doesn't have to be alcohol. They are smart, capable and constant. If you can see that, maybe you can talk them out of that extra drink."
The professor believes that these messages are being delivered at a time when Hollywood seems to expect the worst of them (see the Harold and Kumar movies for examples).
Dr. Agrawal added, "This is a time, in their late 20s when they are asking 'Who am I?' How am I feeling?' Shame and feelings of depression will shape how they are in the future….We want to be molding more stable personalities."
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