Top 10 Binge Drinking Universities in CO | AspenRidge

Top 10 Universities in Colorado Where Binge Drinking is a BIG Problem

For some of the top universities in Colorado, binge drinking has become a serious issue.

The college years are known to be the best times of your life. This may be – at least in part – because it’s the time when the most partying takes place. For many Colorado colleges and universities, alcohol consumption has become the norm. So much so that it earned them a place as being among the top schools for binge drinking.

For many new undergraduate students, this isn’t something they’re concerned with. In fact, many of them will actually seek out the top party schools for their educations. This has become a serious problem in Colorado, and it’s something that needs to be addressed quickly. Most of them don’t believe that binge drinking is as big a problem as most are making it out to be. What they don’t realize is that this behavior carries a lot of negative, life-changing consequences.

What is the Binge Drinking Definition?

First of all, what is binge drinking? It’s important to define binge drinking in order to understand the dangers of it.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism gives a clear definition on what binge drinking is. It is defined as a pattern of drinking that brings BAC levels to .08. This can mean different things for different people. Most women can reach .08 BAC by consuming 4 drinks within two hours. For men, it generally takes consuming 5 drinks within that same time period.

Of course, this is going to vary, depending on the person. Heavier individuals may take longer to reach .08 BAC levels. Whereas for smaller people, it can take a shorter period of time, and less drinks.

Many college students don’t see the harm in this at all. In fact, it has been shown that during binge drinking sessions, they usually consume even more than this. For a growing number of undergraduates, binge drinking has become a way of life. It’s something they participate in regularly on the weekends. It may be a way to cope with the stress of college life. It may also be a way to let loose and relax with friends. In either case, it is dangerous.

What is Considered Heavy Drinking for College Students?

Heavy drinking may or may not involve binge drinking for college students. Some don’t participate in binge drinking, but they do drink heavily. The CDC defines heavy drinking as consuming more than 15 drinks per week for men. For women, it is defined as consuming 8 or more drinks per week.

SAMHSA states that when someone binge drinks five or more days during the month, it is also heavy drinking.

For those who don’t binge drink, they often think that heavy drinking isn’t a problem. They may consume enough alcohol to simply unwind at the end of the day, but not get too drunk. Heavy drinkers often feel that they have their alcohol consumption under control.

Regular heavy drinking places people at a high risk for alcoholism. Students who are participating in underage drinking may be even more at risk for becoming alcoholics.

What is Moderate Drinking Considered at a University in CO?

The definition of moderate drinking is the consumption of up to 4 drinks per day for men. For women, it is up to 3 drinks per day. It is also defined as consuming 14 drinks for men and 7 drinks for women per week.

Men should not be drinking more than 3-4 servings of alcohol per day. Women should not be drinking more than 2-3 services of alcohol per day. Of course, college students who are underage should not be drinking at all.

Still, all across the United States, college and university drinking rates are going up.

Binge Drinking Facts and Statistics in Colorado Among College Students

It’s interesting to take a look at some of the binge drinking statistics among Colorado students. Some of these statistics are shocking, and it’s clear that binge drinking has become more the norm than the exception.

In 2008, The University of Colorado-Boulder conducted a survey regarding alcohol use among students. They found that:

  • 64% of college students had binged at least once during the last two weeks.
  • 31% of college students had participated in binge drinking as many as twice in the last two weeks.
  • 34% had binged three or more times during the last two weeks.
  • 24% of them had drank alcohol, but they had not binged.
  • 91% of the students had consumed alcohol at least once in the last year.
  • 27% had consumed alcohol on 10 or more occasions in the last month.
  • 48% of them admitted to usually binging when they consumed alcohol.
  • 35% of them admitted to being drunk at least three times in the last month.

If these statistics aren’t bad enough, it gets worse. The study further found that:

  • 25% of students drove after drinking during the last 30 days.
  • 6% of them drove after having five or more drinks during the last 30 days.
  • 23% of them rode with a driver who has drunk in the last 30 days.
  • 18% of students ever thought that they had a drinking problem.
  • .2% of them ever thought of themselves as “problem drinkers.”

The scariest statistic of all is the fact that many of these students never consider getting alcohol treatment.

Clearly, this is a serious problem that’s not being adequately addressed. So many college and university students are hovering on the edge of alcoholism. Sadly, most of them don’t know it.

Top 10 Colorado Universities and Colleges for Binge Drinking

Let’s take a look at the top colleges and universities for binge drinking in Colorado. They are:

  • University of Colorado – Boulder, in Boulder, CO
  • University of Denver, in Denver, CO
  • Colorado State University, in Fort Collins, CO
  • Colorado College, in Colorado Springs, CO
  • Fort Lewis College, in Durango, CO
  • University of Northern Colorado, in Greeley, CO
  • University of Colorado – Denver, in Denver, CO
  • Regis University, in Denver, CO
  • Metropolitan State University of Denver, in Denver, CO
  • Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design, in Lakewood, CO

If you’re a student, do you see your school listed here? If you do, your college or university is known as being a party school. Still, that doesn’t mean you need to participate with that. There is a way for you to stop drinking successfully, and recover.

The Problems with Excessive Drinking for CO University Undergraduates

So many college and university students think they’re doing something harmless by binge drinking. What they don’t realize is that consuming large amounts of alcohol can cause serious harm to them. Below are just a few of the issues involved with alcohol use among undergraduates.

The Risk of Alcohol Poisoning

It’s so easy for students to lose track of how much they’re drinking in a short period of time. Because of this, they are at a very real risk of alcohol poisoning. This is also known as alcohol overdose.

When you suffer from alcohol poisoning, it affects your breathing and your gag reflex. Your gag reflex is there to prevent you from choking. Drinking alcohol excessively is known to cause people to vomit. If you’ve overdosed on alcohol, you run the risk of choking on the vomit. This can lead to death by suffocation. You could also have breathing problems, low body temperature and suffer from seizures.

The Risks Associated with Underage Drinking

There is a reason why the drinking age is 21 in the United States. Younger people are more at risk when they drink alcohol than someone who is of legal age. Excessive drinking by underage drinkers can lead to a host of problems. Their brains can be negatively impacted by alcohol. This can lead to learning difficulties in the future. Also, it can lead to liver damage and problems with the endocrine system in the body.

The Risk of Alcoholism

There is a very real risk of college students becoming alcoholics when they binge drink, or drink heavily. Alcoholism is defined as having an actual addiction to alcohol. Many students don’t feel that this is something they need to be concerned with. They believe that other people become alcoholics, but not them. Of course, this isn’t true at all.

Anyone, at any age can become an alcoholic. Every year, many college students across the United States succumb to alcoholism. In many of these cases, it began because of binge drinking and heavy drinking behaviors.

How Can You Tell if You’re a Student Abusing Alcohol?

Once college students find out that they could become alcoholics, they sometimes panic. Maybe you’re feeling the same way. You enjoy drinking because it helps you relax and have fun. However, you never meant to form an alcohol addiction.

You need to know if you really are an alcoholic. One of the ways you can do that is to take an alcoholism quiz. This quiz will answer many of the questions you have about your alcohol use.

You can also start by answering some basic questions about your alcohol use right here. For example:

  • Do you find that you constantly think about using alcohol?
  • Has alcohol become one of the most important parts of your life?
  • Do you drink alcohol at odd times during the day, such as when you wake up in the morning?
  • Do you find that you’re frequently recovering from a binge session?
  • Is your alcohol use starting to impact your performance in your classes?
  • Do you ever experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking?
  • Have you tried to stop drinking permanently in the past, but failed?
  • Do you often set limits for how much you’re going to drink, but then surpass them?

If you answered yes to even one of these questions, you may be an alcoholic. If so, alcohol rehab is the solution you’re looking for.

Alcohol Treatment in Colorado for Students Can Help with Recovery

Perhaps you’re a college student who has been participating in binge drinking. You live in Colorado, and it seems as though all your friends are involved with this behavior. Honestly, you never really thought of it as being a big deal. You thought for sure that it was something you could do for a little while and then stop. You didn’t realize it was dangerous, or that it could affect you for the rest of your life. You also may not have known that this was such a widespread behavior among college students.

Now, you know more about binge drinking among college students, and the dangers involved. It is our sincere hope that this has opened your eyes. If you’ve found that you fit the criteria for alcoholism listed above, alcohol rehab might be the solution for you.

An alcohol addiction is dangerous. Here at AspenRidge Recovery, we have options for you that will allow you to continue school and get treatment. It’s so important for you to not brush off the idea of alcohol treatment. It’s dangerous to stop using alcohol on your own, without professional assistance. We can provide you with the support you need.

Our intensive outpatient treatment program is designed for people like you in mind. The goal is to offer you the support you need while addressing your alcoholism. The program is flexible, so you won’t have to miss your classes. So many college students have found great success with our 5-Day IOP program.

Are you interested in learning more about 5-Day IOP? Are you a Colorado university student who binge drinks and you need treatment options? Please contact us today to get more information.

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