And finally, we come to the end of the results from the alcohol use survey we conducted this semester. Be sure to check out part 1 of the comments and also the quantitative results. Thank you all, enjoy:
24. Drinking on the weekends lets students have some fun socialisation after a hectic week of study
25. Don’t drink as much when busy with exams coming up.
26. I think I drink much less because I am a married 30 year old rather than a single 23 year old. If I were to take this survey 7 years ago, my answers would be much different. I went out more and drank more in my early 20s.
27. Wasnt sure how to answer some questions: I don’t drink so it doesn’t effect my school (but maybe if I did it would?) and if I did drink and someone showed concern about it I would seek help to change those behaviors.
28. The averages per day thing is hard for me to calculate. I dont really have a night I tend to go out… just when things are happening/we finish a test
29. The amount I drink differs week to week. I generally dont drink at all but then some weeks that are lighter academically I may drink more than one night per week.
30. I’m really glad this is starting.
31. I don’t know if this matters, but the reason I drink so much is because I grew up in a European household and so I usually have a glass a wine at dinner every night. I don’t drink to get tipsy/ wasted.
32. It would be interesting to do this for marijuana usage! I think its extremely common
33. Some of my classmates I believe are addicted to alcohol. I never drank as much alcohol before vet school as I have while in vet school. The stress is so high that alcohol is a significant coping mechanism. My alcohol use skyrocketed first year, although it has decreased since then.
34. Time management is essential if you want to drink a lot. I suggest ending every study session with a bottle of wine.
35. I actually used to drink (and smoke weed) a lot more before vet school because I had a real job and free time to party with friends or go have a beer after work. I don’t have the time or money to do that now. Waking up with a hangover and having to spend most of a study day recovering just doesn’t work for me anymore. I appreciate the experience of vet school because it has shown me that, when I need to, I can cut back these activities to prioritize getting things done.
36. Don’t drink, but maybe I should start….
Is alcohol good or baa-d? What do ewe think?
37. thank you for doing this research!
38. I feel like it’s useful to examine alcohol consumption as an indicator of psychological distress, but I don’t think that should be the only measure. I hardly drink, but I have an anxiety disorder and am in and out of depression. No one would know based on my (very limited) alcohol consumption. I think it might be useful to examine a LACK of dedicated self-care as a warning sign for mental illness onset.
39. I’m much older, so I think my age & level of maturity/life experiences has quite a bit to do with coping mechanisms. Unfortunately, I’ve witnessed many of my classmates indulge too much and far too often. Reputations stick with you, even many years later. It’s disheartening to watch so many talented young people affecting their futures in ways they can’t even begin to anticipate.
40. I would drink more if I had time to, haha
41. The 80% may be skewed since we just had a vet med prom.
42. Caribbean drinks I think = 2 drinks rum proof is higher
43. I feel that going out at least once a week if the workload isn’t too much helps relieve stress. Being out and having a drink with friends and being social instead of sitting in a study hall studying my life away probably benefits my mental health. It may be different for people who do not enjoy drinking.
44. If you’d sent this out a month ago my answers would have been different, but I decided to take a month off drinking. It’s been successful!
45. I’ve found that my drinking has increased since I’ve started veterinary school and I don’t find this to be a bad thing. I’m responsible when I drink. I have friends who are responsible when they drink and we look out for each other. I think drinking can be a great, relaxing experience if done correctly. I also understand that it can be a slippery slope and can become a problem quickly.
46. Wine is the drink of choice for stressed out, tired, post exam female students.
Any time there is an exam, there will be binge drinking.
Thought of the Week:
What role does alcohol use play in mental health?
Ideas:
it can be good for your mental health
it can be bad for your mental health
??? (post in comments)
Beasts, Unburdened 