Continuing on with the topic of addiction, chapter 7 discussed alcohol consumption and tobacco use and how both affect the body. Just like people can be addicted to caffeine or other drugs, many people struggle with breaking the habit of drinking excessively and using tobacco products.
As I began reading the chapter, the first thing that struck me was alcohol and college students. As a college student myself, I have seen the factors that encourage drinking take effect on my friends and peers on campus. These factors include peer influence, traditional celebrations, norms, and advertisements specifically targeted to college students. I noticed during my freshman year a lot of people were walking in large crowds to the houses off campus on a Thursday or weekend night. It wasn’t something shocking to see, but I figured that for many of the students, it was their first time away from home, away from parental control. Many other students use drinking as a way to cope with stress, anxiety, academic pressures, and social pressures. Other students think that their independence is rooted with the consumption of alcohol. Before reading this chapter, I knew what binge drinking was, but I was unaware that 40% of all college students follow through with this action. For men, binge drinking is having five or more drinks and for women it is having four or more drinks. Binge drinking is dangerous because it can lead to serious health risks which include unconsciousness, alcohol poisoning, intoxication and worst of all, death. It’s important to be aware of the risks involved with drinking in order to keep yourself, friends, and peers safe.
(Donatelle, 2019, p. 153)
Drinking and driving is a serious problem, in which I don’t think anyone should take lightly. It’s shocking that there are nearly 10,000 deaths a year due to alcohol-impaired drivers. Additionally, 21% of college students have reported driving after drinking. I found it interesting that over the past 20 years, fatal crashes that involved intoxicated drives has decreased in all age groups. The factors that contributed to this decrease include: laws that made the drinking age 21, educational programs that discourage drinking and driving, and vehicles with increased safety features. In high school, I remember we had assemblies where guest speakers would talk about the dangers of drinking and driving, and since most of us where getting our learner’s permit and soon to be licenses, it was important for us to learn about the effects of drunk drivers. Some of the guest speaker’s weren’t the ones intoxicated behind the wheel, however a stranger’s decision to get behind the wheel drastically changed the lives of the non-drinking drivers as well. These stories impacted all of us because after the guest speaker finished, the whole auditorium would be in silence thinking about how one decision can change our lives forever. I think it’s important to educate students on these behaviors because we aren’t just putting our own lives at risk, but others in our community.
(Donatelle, 2019, p. 162)
To wrap up chapter 7, I thought learning about the components and effects of tobacco was interesting to learn about. Focusing on cigarettes, this type of tobacco product is the most common form that is available still to this day. Cigarettes contain more hazardous gases than the nonfiltered brands, which reduce the level of gases such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide. When a person smokes, strong doses of nicotine enters the lungs and there are also 7,000 other chemical substances. Smoking cigarettes causes exposed mucous membranes to be irritated by all the harmful chemicals that weaken tissues. These harmful chemicals can lead to cancers of the mouth, larynx and throat. (Donatelle, 2019, p. 171) Before my parents met, my Dad was an avid smoker because his father smoked, and so did his peers. He told me it was because it made them feel “cool” and “tough”. However, after my parents started dating, my mom told him that she did not like it when people smoked and found it unappealing. She also had a negative view on smoking because her father, who also smoked, died of cancer when she was only eighteen, which was caused by his smoking habits. Realizing that smoking wasn’t something he wanted to hold onto, and for my mom to stay with him, my dad decided to quit. Hearing the story of my Dad quitting smoking, not only for a healthier life, but also to be with my mom has made me never want to light up a cigarette. There are so many health benefits for someone looking to quit smoking, just like my Dad did. These benefits include better sleep quality, feeling more alert, and the sense of taste and smell improves. The risk for heart disease decreases after a year of no smoking and after 10 years, the risk of cancers of the lungs, pancreas, and kidney are reduced significantly. A huge benefit for someone who is looking to quit smoking is the amount of money they save. Cigarette costs range from $5.19 (including tax) to $12.60 a pack, which is around $2,912 per year. I used to work at a family owned restaurant that had a convenience store attached to it, and customers would come into buy cigarettes. It’s crazy to think that a single pack costs that much, and sometimes customers would by two or three packs at a time.
(Donatelle, 2019, p. 175)
My Health Aspect:
Because of the long weekend, this past week felt very short and I couldn’t believe it was already the start to the weekend. Things are starting to build up and I’m getting slightly stressed, but this weekend I am getting my work completed, while also enjoying some time with my family. It was great catching up with them since I am busy during the week. They came to visit me for Family Weekend and took me out for breakfast at Sunnyside Cafe in West Bridgewater. It was my first time going to that breakfast place and I had an avocado omelette, which was very tasty. I usually stick to my eggs benedict, but I wanted to try something new! I went to the gym and ran a mile on the treadmill, however, it hurt my knees because I tend to slam my feet back on the ground. I need to work on my form as I run so I don’t incur more serious injuries in the future.
Health Aspect 