University of New England

Alcohol, Other Drug & Tobacco Education

The UNE Health & Wellness Education Department serves to provide educational resources and referrals pertaining to Alcohol, Other Drug & Tobacco (AODT) concerns for all UNE students.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How can I help a drunk friend?

I have friends who I think are drinking too much.  What do I do?

What exactly does "blacking out" from alcohol mean?

What about drinking when I'm on a medication (antibiotics, antihistimines, Adderall, Zoloft, etc).  Is it ture that it's a bad thing to do?

Is social smoking all that bad for me?  Is it likely to impact my health?
I only smoke occasionally.  I only smoke when I go out (party, club, bars, etc).  I only smoke once or twice a week.

What about smoking withdrawal symptoms- How long do they last?  Do they come all at once?  How do you deal with them?  What about weight gain?

Campus Resources
UNE Alcohol & Drug Policy

Residential Education & Housing

Judicial System

Pett's Health Center

Counseling Sercives

Services Offered
Tobacco Intervention Specialist

Maine Tobacco Helpline

• 24 Hour Helpline - 1-800-207-1230

Answers to FAQs

How do I help a drunk friend?
Taking care of your friends after they've had too much to drink is certainly a noble and important thing to do. It can be a challenging and unpleasant job.  Any friends who've had a lot to drink need to be taken care of. It might help to start by understanding some of the common signs that someone is intoxicated to the point of concern. Some to look for are:
     • slurred speech
     • stumbling or having difficulty maintaining balance and walking 
     • trouble making eye contact
     • feeling excessively cold or warm (to oneself or to the touch) 
     • shortness of breath
     • erratic, withdrawn, or aggressive behavior
     • queasiness, vomiting, or dry heaving
     • a tired stupor
     • unconsciousness
The first thing to do when someone has had a lot to drink is to make sure that s/he doesn't drink any more alcohol. If your friends are willing to drink water on their own, you can offer it to keep them hydrated.  However, only time will allow the alcohol to work its way through the system and eventually out of the body.

If there are any signs that your friend is having trouble breathing, is severely ill, or is already unconscious, call 911 immediately!  Or 366 from any campus phone.

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I have friends who I think are drinking too much.  What do I do?
It's not unusual for people to get defensive when friends approach them about excessive drinking. It's also normal for you and the others who have been trying to help to feel frustrated, defeated, sad, and at a loss for what to do next. Your friends are lucky to have such a dedicated and persistent person looking out for their well-being.
Here are some pointers to get you started:
     • Approach each of your friend separately.
     • Choose times when your friends are sober.
     • Talk with your friends in a quiet, private environment.
     • Rehearse ahead of time.
     • Do some research before talking with your friend
     • Be specific. Tell your friends what you've noticed about their behavior and what concerns you.
     • Identify their behavior, rather than criticizing their character.
     • Tell them how their drinking affects you.
     • Explore some of the underlying causes for their drinking.
     • Challenge your friends to think about their behavior.
     • Present options for them to find help.
You can use any or all of these suggestions. The bottom line, though, is that your friend will need to recognize for themselves the ways in which their drinking is interfering with the rest of their lives.   Be supportive and offer suggestions, but they have to be motivated from within, too. Also, be sensitive to your own needs during this time. It's important to set limits as to how much time and energy you are going to put into trying to help these friends. In the long run, this will prevent you from becoming tired, resentful, or overwhelmed.

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What exactly does "blacking out" from alcohol mean?
Blackouts, defined as periods of amnesia (memory loss).  They are caused when alcohol consumption levels prevent the formation of memories in the brain. These levels vary from person to person.  For example, you and your friends could go to a bar tonight, have some drinks, and talk about classes and life at UNE. But tomorrow, when your friends recall in detail the previous evening's discourse, you may not recall the actual conversation even though you were a full and competent participant. 

Blackouts are also considered an early high-risk indicator of alcoholism. For problem and healthy drinkers alike, blackouts are often troubling or traumatic when serious and typically unforgettable occurrences are impossible to remember, such as... I don't recall calling or texting him/her! You're kidding, I took my pants off and danced on the table?  Did I have sex with that guy/girl last night?... Or even, was I/he wearing a condom?  It can be pretty sobering to realize that, in the end, we are responsible for our actions, whether we remember them or not.

This point is important because blackouts are often confused with passing out, which does constitute a change in consciousness.

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What about drinking when I'm on a medication (antibiotics, antihistimines, Adderall, Zoloft, etc).  Is it ture that it's a bad thing to do?
Alcohol changes how medications, become accessible to the human body.  Interactions of alcohol and medications are estimated to be involved in possibly at least 25% of emergency room admissions. It's in your best interest to discuss your concerns with your prescribing medical provider.
While health care providers don't think it will "kill you to have a glass of wine now and then," many do caution against drinking while taking antibiotics. That is, if you're sick enough to need antibiotics, you should probably focus on getting better.   The odds of liver damage are higher. Many antibiotics are broken down by the liver, and so is alcohol. Since the liver can only metabolize so much at one time, overloading it with antibiotics and alcohol increases the risk of liver damage. 

Antihistamines relieve the runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing, and other annoying symptoms associated with allergies and colds. Many antihistamines, however, cause drowsiness, so when combined with the sedating effects of alcohol, feelings of drowsiness are magnified.  The same metabolizing enzymes that process the antihistamine will attempt to metabolize the alcohol, as well. This exchange could reduce the progression of antihistamines being absorbed into the bloodstream, making the antihistamine less effective.

It is important to note that using stimulants like Adderall to prolong drinking can result in a person consuming unhealthy, and potentially dangerous, amounts of alcohol.  If Adderall is in your system and blocking the depressant effects of alcohol it is much easier to miss your body's warning signs that you've had enough to drink; possibly to the point of developing alcohol poisoning.  To offer a simple answer to your complex question — it's not advised to mix alcohol and Adderall without a proper prescription and a conversation with your health care provider.

When there is a noticeable reaction from mixing alcohol with anti-depressants, it's often an amplified response to the alcohol, i.e., one drink may end up feeling like two. If you usually feel tired, or even a bit depressed, after drinking, then you might feel even more so if you're on anti-depressants.

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Is social smoking all that bad for me?  Is it likely to impact my health?
I only smoke occasionally.  I only smoke when I go out (party, club, bars, etc).  I only smoke once or twice a week.

It may not seem like a lot, but puffing while you party once or twice a week can indeed have negative effects on your health. Here are some of the risks that studies have linked to casual smoking:
     • In one study, approximately half of young people who began smoking "casually" or "socially" were smoking every day within one year.
     • Drinking more alcohol may increase your desire to smoke.
     • People who smoke less than a pack a week seem to have just as much blood vessel damage as those who smoke a pack each day or more.
     • Men who smoke between six and nine cigarettes each day and women who smoke between three and five double their risk of heart attack.
     • Women who smoke and take hormonal birth control are at a higher risk for serious health problems.
     • Pregnant women who smoke as few as ten cigarettes or less a day run a higher risk of giving birth to unhealthy babies.

When it comes to smoking and certain health risks, it seems that even smokers who don't inhale or non-smokers who breathe in second-hand smoke place themselves at increased risk for negative health effects. Research shows that there is no "safe" amount of cigarettes or other tobacco products. 
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What about smoking withdrawal symptoms- How long do they last?  Do they come all at once?  How do you deal with them?  What about weight gain?
Most of the physical symptoms that result from quitting stem from nicotine withdrawal. Nicotine, an addictive drug naturally occurring in tobacco and added to most cigarettes and tobacco products, produces pleasant feelings in the body. Overtime, more and more nicotine is required to produce those feelings. When the body doesn't receive the nicotine it craves, uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms can set in.  These typically include:
     • Intense craving for nicotine
     • Tension
     • Irritability 
     • Headaches
     • Difficulty concentrating
     • Drowsiness and trouble sleeping
     • Increased appetite and weight gain
Almost all smokers who quit suffer some form of nicotine withdrawal, and it's generally more intense for people who have used tobacco for a long time. Luckily, the discomfort of withdrawal is often short-lived, lasting from a few days to a few weeks. Withdrawal symptoms will probably be most noticeable within the first few days after quitting, and gradually subside.
If you're not interested in using nicotine replacements or other medications, some people report that acupuncture, hypnosis, yoga, or meditation as well as getting support from an array of groups and phone counseling programs have helped them quit.  Visit the Maine Tobacco Helpline for more information.

As for the issue of gaining weight, think about ways to include physical activity in your daily routine, and pay extra attention to eating healthful meals and snacks. Overall, a few extra pounds put on while quitting are less harmful than continuing to smoke.

Quitting smoking can be difficult, but reminding yourself why you're undertaking such a challenge can prove extremely useful.  In the end, the decision to quit, and stay quit, is up to you.