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| Issues |
8 Alcohol & Substance Abuse |
Alcohol and other substance abuse is a significant problem on college campuses. Many students experiment with their newfound freedom by using alcohol and other chemicals, but many find it difficult to control their use. Just at the time that many students are endeavoring to improve their lives by gaining an education, many are beginning or exaggerating a severe alcohol or substance abuse problem that may ruin their chances of an education and/or career of their choice. If you picked up this fact sheet, then either you or someone you care about may have a problem in this area. It is never too soon to do something positive about it.
How do I know if I'm abusing substances?
When chemical abuse becomes severe...
How can psychological therapy help?
Frequent use and abuse of substances can have a serious effect on one's academic and personal lives. If you think that you are having difficulty controlling your use of alcohol or would like to talk to someone about your use. Please contact the Oberlin College Counseling Center. The staff provides timely, confidential, and professional assistance for Oberlin students. The Counseling Center is open Monday - Friday, 8:300 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., with the exception of the noon lunch hour. 247 West Lorain Street, Suite D, 440-775-8470.
Othe helpful resources on the Internet:
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Biofeed back is a procedure in which biological information is measured from the body of an individual and then presented ("fed back") to the individual. Until recently, we have not been able to measure things going on inside the body in a sensitive and accurate way that would allow us to control these processes. Now that is possible, usually through the use of electronic instruments.
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Bipolar disorder, which is also known as manic-depressive illness and will be called by both names throughout this publication--is a mental illness involving episodes of serious mania and depression. The person's mood usually swings from overly "high" and irritable to sad and hopeless and then back again, with periods of normal mood in between.
Other helpful resources on the Internet:
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| 8 Eating Concerns | Not all eating concerns or problems are eating disorders. Many people experience difficulties with eating and/or body image at some time in their lives. They don’t or can’t eat enough. They eat too much. They don’t choose nutritious foods. They don’t like the size or shape of their bodies. Living in our culture, many of us have some concerns about food and body image-related issues. These are generally normal, everyday concerns. If eating or body image attitudes and behaviors are affecting mental and physical well-being, however, assistance and support may be helpful. Attitudes and behaviors that MAY be of concern:
Just because you weigh yourself, skip meals, count calories, or exercise too much doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to seek assistance. Sometimes, however, a person’s attitudes about food, weight, and body size may jeopardize health, happiness, and even safety. If you are concerned about a friend’s eating behaviors, or your own, that is a signal to seek help from a counselor. The staff at the Counseling Center can work to help you understand and cope with many of these thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. You may feel relief and ease just from talking about them. Eating concerns and problems are issues that can get better. Asking for help and support is an important first step. At Oberlin College, students, staff, faculty, and parents can turn to the Eating Concerns Resource Team for help. Comprised of the Counseling Center, Student Health Services, and Nutrition Services, the Eating Concerns Resource Team (ECRT) offers a coordinated effort of psychological support services, medical assessment, and dietary guidance to assist individual students in their journey to a healthier approach to food, exercise, and body image. The ECRT works to proactively influence the Oberlin College culture related to these issues by offering outreach programming, and through training and consultation to college staff. The ECRT also works as a consultation team to members of the greater Oberlin College community, including students, faculty, staff, and parents. To speak with a member of the team, contact the Counseling Center, Student Health Services, or Nutrition Services. For more information:
Other helpful resources on the Internet:
Recommended reading:
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| 8 Eating Disorders | A
prominent speaker in this area referred to eating disorders as the "feeling disorders" (Alicia
Quintano, personal communication, May, 1997.) Some students come to
college already
using the way they eat as a means of coping with difficult feelings,
and some develop eating disorders during their college years as a way
of coping with the many stressors they are faced with in everyday life.
Of course, there are many reasons why someone might develop an eating
disorder, including difficulties with self-esteem, family problems, and
issues related to body image. Whatever the reasons behind them, bulimia, anorexia,
and compulsive overeating, as well as eating disorders that don't fit
these categories, are distressing to live with. People who binge, purge,
compulsively overeat, undereat or starve themselves, compulsively exercise,
find themselves thinking obsessively about food, their body size and
shape, exercising, and other related issues, can feel miserable. The
eating disordered behavior may bring a sense of shame and guilt, and
often carries with it a tendency toward secrecy and isolation. Some people
with eating disorders may feel quite depressed or anxious, have social
problems related (or unrelated) to hiding a sense of true self from others,
and find that feelings, thoughts, and behaviors related to the eating
disorder interfere with academic performance and life at college, in
general. At Oberlin College, students, staff, faculty, and parents can turn to the Eating Concerns Resource Team for help. Comprised of the Counseling Center, Student Health Services, and Nutrition Services, the Eating Concerns Resource Team (ECRT) offers a coordinated effort of psychological support services, medical assessment, and dietary guidance to assist individual students in their journey to a healthier approach to food, exercise, and body image. The ECRT works to proactively influence the Oberlin College culture related to these issues by offering outreach programming, and through training and consultation to college staff. The ECRT also works as a consultation team to members of the greater Oberlin College community, including students, faculty, staff, and parents. To speak with a member of the team, contact the Counseling Center, Student Health Services, or Nutrition Services.
Frequently Asked Questions Q: I might want to begin counseling, but I’m afraid of what could happen. Will my counselor make me give up my eating disorder? A:
No. Except in an instance where a student appears to be at grave and
immediate physical danger, the counselor’s goal for the student
should not be that she or he give up the eating disordered behavior.
More usual goals for counseling, which client and counselor would discuss
and agree on, would be to get in touch with thoughts and feelings related
to behaviors, come to understand the meaning of the eating disorder,
increase self-awareness in general, enhance stress management and overall
effectiveness in life satisfaction, and increase the range of coping
strategies the student has to drawn on in challenging times. Control
over the student’s behavior, related or unrelated to the eating
disorder, rests with the student. Q: What if I or someone I care about has a related problem that doesn’t seem like an eating disorder? A:
Not all eating problems are eating disorders. Many people in our culture
struggle with issues related to eating and body
image but
don’t
develop eating disorders. See our web page, “Eating Concerns," for
more information about these issues. Q: How do help a friend or family member with an eating disorder? Where do I begin? A:
Concern for a friend or family member with an eating disorder can be
a very worrying and complicated issue.
A good place
to start is
with some guidelines to clarify your concerns and a framework
from which you
can best express these, as well as to get some help and
support for yourself. Read our web page “How to help a friend with an eating disorder” (under
construction) to begin this process. We also invite you
to call the Counseling Center office to speak to one of
the staff
about
your
concerns. Q: Where can I get more information and resources about eating disorders? A: The following is a list of Internet resources with helpful information on eating disorders, as well as other vehicles for expression and learning:
Other helpful resources on the Internet:
Recommended Reading
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| When someone you care about dies, it is difficult to accept the fact it has happened, and to accept the accompanying feelings. For those who have never had someone close to them die, it is hard to know what to expect of the grieving process. The sadness of someone's death may bring up memories and feelings about a previous loss. Special days, such as graduation and anniversaries of the death, can make you more aware that someone is missing in a very poignant way.
Stages Of Grief
Ways to Cope with Death and Dying Discuss feelings such as loneliness, anger, and sadness openly and honestly with other students, instructors and family members. Maintain hope. If your religious convictions are important to you, talk to a member of the clergy about your beliefs and feelings. Seek out counseling at the Counseling Center (775-8470.) There are professionals who are experts at helping individuals recover after a loss. Take good care of yourself. Eat well-balanced meals. Get plenty of rest. Be patient with yourself. It takes time to heal. Some days will be better than others.
How To Help A Person Who Is Grieving
Supporting a grieving person can also be stressful for the helpers; they need to take care of themselves while also attending to the needs of the grieving person. Since helpers themselves are often grieving, they may need to address their own healing process. This may include having the opportunity to express their own emotions and turning to other friends for support.
The Student Counseling Center's staff are available to talk with you about your feelings and thoughts about someone's death. We recognize that losing a friend, teacher, or relative can be very difficult, and we would like to help. You can schedule an appointment by calling 440-775-8470 or coming by the Counseling Center, 247 West Lorain Street, Suite D.
Other helpful resources on the Internet:
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| 8 Self-inflicted Violence | Self-inflicted violence has become an increasingly prevalent phenomenon in our culture, and one that many psychotherapists understand as a way, like eating disorders, for people to manage difficult feelings. Sometimes called self-injury, self-mutilation, or self-harm, self-inflicted violence (SIV) has been defined by one author as " direct, deliberate destruction or alteration of one's own body tissue without conscious suicidal intent." (Favazza,1992.) This can include cutting, burning, plucking hairs from the head or body, breaking bones, head banging, needle poking, scratching the skin or rubbing glass into the skin, or the repetitive rubbing of skin with a pencil eraser, among other methods. An estimated 2 million or more people engage in some form of SIV. Self-inflicted violence often begins during early adolescence, though it is also practiced by people in their late teens, twenties, and thirties, and sometimes those who are older. It may begin in response to a particular stressor, like family discord or parents divorcing. In other instances, it is adopted as a means of making physical pain and visible scars for what previously was solely emotional and invisible. Self-inflicted violence is one way people may respond to the emotional pain of physical or sexual abuse. In some cases, it is a way of a person's creating feelings and staving off a sense of being empty, hollow, or deadened. The practice of SIV may temporarily create a feeling of relief, where feelings are let out, or of wholeness, where now feeling anything is part of the person's experience. Gaining feelings of greater control is also a reason given by people for their self-injuring. People who engage in SIV are often secretive about the acts, and may feel ashamed of engaging in self-harming behaviors. Treatment for SIV is largely aimed at addressing underlying emotions. A therapist may or may not initially try to help a client interrupt the pattern of self-injuring behaviors, depending on their seriousness. In this sense, SIV deserves both long-term and short-term attention; that is, attention to what is going on right now and the ability to look at the big picture, including how SIV fits into the context and meaning of a person’s life. Many people who engage in self-injury find that, though they improve in therapy over time, it may be a number of years before the overt symptoms cease altogether. Medication is often helpful in supporting a person’s functioning in a better and more satisfying way, while concurrently working in therapy. There are many resources for people who engage in SIV. The Counseling Center staff is knowledgeable and empathic about SIV, able to address it in individual, short-term counseling, and can make referrals for longer-term therapy, where appropriate. Area support groups or groups in the Counseling Center may be helpful as additional support for people struggling with self-inflicted violence.
Other helpful resources on the the Internet:
Recommended reading:
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| 8 Sexual Abuse | Sexual abuse can be defined as any experience during childhood or adolescence which involves inappropriate sexual attention by another person, usually an adult, but sometimes an older child, teenager, or even a same-aged playmate. This attention might involve sexualized language, sexual touching, being forced to perform manual or oral sex on another person, oral, vaginal, or anal penetration, exposure to sexual behavior or to pornography. The behavior may be forced, coerced, or even willingly engaged in by the survivor, but is understood as abusive because a child cannot truly give free consent. Any activity that a person feels violates her or his boundaries may fall within the realm of sexual abuse. An estimated 17% to 22% of children experience some kind of sexual abuse.
Other helpful resources on the Internet:
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| 8 Sexual Assault | Sexual assault is any sexual activity experienced by an individual that is felt to be against her or his will. The perpetrator may be a stranger, a friend, an acquaintaince, a lover or partner, a family member, or other person. If someone feels assaulted, she or he has been, regardless of the "objective facts" surrounding the incident. Sometimes survivors of sexual assault will minimize their experience, particularly if they know the person involved, or if the incident is not perceived to be as severe as some they know about. In all cases, regardless of these factors, sexual assault can be profoundly disturbing to the survivor. It is common to feel that not only the body but the self has been violated. Survivors may feel ashamed, self-blaming and angry at themselves, dirty or disgusting, depressed, and anxious. It is usual to feel a profound loss of control. Sometimes a person may experience flashbacks of the assault or have nightmares about it. She or he may be afraid to be home alone or to go out alone, to return to the place where the assault took place, or to be anywhere the perpetrator may be seen. To reach the Lorain County Rape Crisis Center, please dial 1-800-888-6161 from any campus telephone, or 1-440-233-7232 from your cell phone. Ask for a rape crisis advocate. It's free, anonymous, and available 24/7.
Other helpful resources on the Internet:
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| 8 Sexuality | Late adolescence and early adulthood can be a wonderful time to explore oneÕs sexuality. It can also be a time of questions about sexual functioning, anatomy, physiology, and emotions related to sex, gender, sexual orientation, values, sexual politics, relationships, and more. When is the last time you were in a learning setting where the focus was on sexuality? If your answer includes a reference to your tenth-grade biology class, youÕre not alone. For most people, structured, open learning about sexuality is limited to a focus on basic anatomy and physiology, and on reproduction, and ends with high school. For most of us, though, learning about our own sexuality lasts a lifetime. There are a great many subjects that fall under the general umbrella topic of "sexuality." These include sexual feelings, sexual development, self-pleasuring and masturbation, communication with a partner about sexual needs and desires and responding to your partnerÕs communications about those things, decisions about celibacy and abstinence, what is "normal" in terms of sexual function, including desire and response, sexual identity and sexual orientation, safer sex and being protected against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unwanted pregnancy, alcohol and other drugs, and a lot more. Chances are, you have thought about some of these issues and learned varying amounts about them. There is always more to learn about sexuality, and everyone starts from where they are, now. Where to continue your exploring and learning? For many people, reading can be a good place to start. ItÕs private, you can start wherever you are and go at your own pace, and explore the subjects that interest you. Consider some of the books and websites listed below, or do your own web, bookstore, or library search. (Most of the books and web sites listed below recommend other books and sites, as well.) Also check out Dr. CybervisorÕs web pageÑthe Counseling CenterÕs on-line, interactive web advisor. In the Dr. Cyberviser archives, there are studentsÕ questions on different aspects of sexuality in the identity, interpersonal, and relationships sections. You might also consider talking to someone in person. To explore questions or concerns about sexuality, sexual orientation, gender, or any other related issues, it can be helpful to talk with a counselor. At the Oberlin College Counseling Center, the staff is knowledgeable and available to talk with students one-on-one. To make an appointment, call the office at x58470.
Other helpful resources on the Internet:
The San Francisco Sex Information website
Recommended Reading
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