 If two students, one female and one male, drink the same amount of liquor, the result is often quite different  Alcohol affects women differently than it does men!  It all comes down to making empowering choices and having the information to make those choices

“Sometimes when you drink too much, you forget what you know...” Here are some tips if you choose to drink: Consume a maximum of 1 alcoholic drink an hour Space your alcoholic drinks with water Do not drive a car after drinking Do not take a ride with a driver who has been drinking Recognize that everyone has the right to abstain from drinking If you drink underage, you could pay the consequences of breaking the law

“Most of the time I can deal with life. But there are nights when I can’t fall asleep no matter how hard I try. There are days when all I want to do is stay in bed. I suppose everyone goes through this, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed...”

 Depression can precede alcohol use  People who are suffering emotionally may use alcohol or other drugs as an escape or to self-medicate  Are you using alcohol (or other drugs) to “help” you through the day? If so, seek help!  The Student Counselling Center or Student Health Services provide free and confidential support for students Contact information for these services is available on the last slide  You owe it to yourself to check it out.

“I was playing a drinking game at a party last week. Most of the people playing with me were guys... So anyway, we had played for about an hour, we were laughing, having a great time, and all of a sudden it hit me... I mean, I was really drunk.”

 We may become more intoxicated than men after drinking the same amount of alcohol, even when we weigh the same Why? We generally have less body fluid and more body fat. Therefore we typically dilute alcohol more slowly  Studies show that women tend to be affected more by alcohol right before their period  If you are taking birth control pills, you may feel the effects of alcohol longer

“My friends and I spend all this time trying to be healthy. That’s why I have a hard time to understand why these same girls go out and get drunk two, three nights a week...”

Here are some facts about heavy alcohol use (or drinking more than once a week, and more than 5 drinks in one sitting):  Research indicates that the majority of students (63%) drink twice per month or less often Most students are not participating in this behaviour, even if they say they are  Alcohol use can result in your body’s inability to use vitamins and calcium, which in turn affects your overall health  Continued abuse can result in dull skin and hair, aggravated acne and dandruff  Heavy drinking can cause anemia, malnutrition, stomach irritation, cirrhosis of the liver, low resistance to other diseases, pancreatitis etc.

 Student Counselling Centre (Free and Confidential Services) › Room 293 CAW Student Centre * (519) Ext * *  Student Health Services › Room 242 CAW Student Centre * (519) *  Your Student Alcohol Education Coordinator › Room 303 Leddy Library (West) * (519) Ext * * › Room 303 Leddy Library (West) * (519) Ext * *