Smoking by college students soared in the 1990s, and by 1999 one-third of students were reportedly current smokers, many of them having started after entering college. But more and more colleges are making it very hard to be a smoker on campus. Many forbid smoking in all campus buildings. Some campuses have become entirely smoke free and instead offer smoking-cessation programs for students and faculty.
Drinking alcohol -- especially binge drinking -- has long been a troublesome college pastime, even when most students are below the legal drinking age. Many students drink alcohol simply to be part of the crowd. Others drink to help them relax and forget their problems.
But what most students -- in fact, most people -- do not realize is that alcohol is a depressant that only temporarily masks ill feelings and in the end makes matters worse. And binge drinking is plain dangerous. Each year, students die directly from alcohol intoxication. Many more die indirectly by doing something stupid while drunk.
Meanwhile, some colleges are working hard to help students resist the temptation to drink and are providing alternative activities to those where alcohol is most likely to flow. Rather than being stigmatized for refusing alcohol, students who participate in such activities are increasingly seen as campus leaders.
Another all-too-common but ill-conceived mechanism for coping can lead to an eating disorder. The problem may start with stress-induced compulsive eating, leading to weight gain or a fear of it. Desperate attempts to control unwanted pounds may lead to risky diets or even bulimia, the binge-and-purge syndrome that is said to afflict up to 15 percent of young women on some campuses.
Young people with emotional problems often think that they are the only ones so afflicted and that no one understands them. But few if any such problems are unique, and talking about them to a good listener, professional or otherwise, can often make matters seem less serious and more manageable.
It can also lead to creative solutions for even seemingly impossible problems.
A student overwhelmed by a difficult course load may find that dropping a troublesome course and taking it or an alternative in summer school or in the next semester is more workable.
Those plagued with monetary worries can consult financial aid offices and explore options like scholarships, part-time jobs or government loans that do not have to be paid back until after graduation.
Healthy choices
Instead of using food, drugs, alcohol or tobacco in a counterproductive attempt to relieve stress, students might consider any of a number of wholesome relaxation techniques including meditation, yoga and physical exercise.
Sometimes a short walk or bike ride can help give a healthier perspective and renewed vigor for dealing with challenging tasks. No matter how busy a student is academically, everyone needs a break and some fun from time to time to restore emotional reserves.
Finally, when emotional distress seems beyond self-help solutions, troubled students should not hesitate to seek professional counseling on campus or off.
Often the campus medical clinic can provide free or low-cost mental health services.
Using such help no longer creates a stigma. Rather, it is a smart move that can be lifesaving. Plus, you never know where it might lead. It led me, for example, to a very rewarding career.
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