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We encourage you to enroll if:

You are:

• Noticing that alcohol may be affecting your well-being or academics.
• Reflecting on past experiences involving substances.
• Thinking about changing your use.

You want:

• To learn more about how to stay safe while drinking alcohol.

The B.A.S.I.C.S. program consists of two 50-minute sessions with personalized feedback through in-person or virtual meetings.

Session One:

You will meet with a trained facilitator who will provide an overview of the B.A.S.I.C.S. program. You will set expectations; engage in meaningful, relevant conversation; and complete a personal assessment by utilizing the 360 Proof Personal Feedback Index (see detailed information below).

Session Two:

You and your facilitator will meet one-on-one to review your assessment and discuss strategies to reduce current and future risks associated with alcohol use. Resources will be provided for continued support.

Ready To Sign Up?

There are no prerequisites to sign up for this free program. Just complete this form, and after clicking "submit," you will receive an email within 24 hours to sign up for B.A.S.I.C.S. session one.

Rescheduling

If you need to reschedule your meeting date or time, contact Sue Sweeney at ssweeney2@mercyhurst.edu or call 814-824-3012.

Questions about the B.A.S.I.C.S. or 360 Proof Personalized Feedback Index (PFI) can be directed to Sue Sweeney, ssweeney2@mercyhurst.edu, campus health and well-being director.

The amount of alcohol you drink .

• Your liver can only process small amounts of alcohol.
• The rest of the alcohol can hurt your liver and harm other organs as it moves through your body.
• This is why the amount of alcohol you drink can increase your risk of getting ill, injured, or even dying sooner.

Standard drink sizes are important.

• It can be hard to know how much alcohol is in a serving of beer, wine, liquor, or other types of alcohol.
• That is because different alcoholic products vary in the size and amount of alcohol in them.
  • For example, one can of beer might not have the same amount of alcohol or standard drinks as a can of a different kind of beer.
• Knowing what counts as one standard drink can help you figure out how much alcohol you drink.

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) refers to the percentage of alcohol in a person's bloodstream and can be measured within 30-70 minutes after drinking.Ìý

Contrary to popular belief, nothing can lower BAC except time; coffee, cold showers, and chugging glasses of water will not help you sober up any faster.

Curious what your BAC might be? Use the calculator to estimate, but do not forget that everyone metabolizes alcohol (beer, wine, liquor) differently. Our calculator can give you an approximate BAC level, but do not rely upon it to determine if you are fit to drive or work.

Common symptoms, levels of impairment, and risks for various blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels include:

• 0.02%:ÌýThis is the lowest level of intoxication with some measurable impact on the brain and body. You will feel relaxed, experience an altered mood,Ìýfeel a little warmer, and may make poor judgments.
• 0.05%:ÌýAt this level of BAC, your behavior may become exaggerated. You may speak louder and gesture more. You may also begin to lose control of small muscles, such as the ability to focus your eyes, so your vision will become blurry.
• 0.08%:ÌýThis is the current legal limit in the U.S., other than Utah, and at this level, it is considered illegal and unsafe to drive. You will lose more coordination, so your balance, speech, reaction times, and even hearing will get worse.
• 0.10%:ÌýAt this BAC, reaction time and control will be reduced,Ìýspeech will be slurred,Ìýthinking and reasoning will be slower, and the ability to coordinate your arms and legs will be poor.
• 0.15%:ÌýThis BAC is very high. You will have much less control over your balance and voluntary muscles, so walking and talking are difficult. You may fall and hurt yourself.
• 0.20-0.29%:ÌýConfusion, feeling dazed, and disorientation are common. Sensations of pain will change, so if you fall and seriously hurt yourself, you may not notice, and you are less likely to do anything about it. Nausea and vomiting are likely to occur, and the gag reflex will be impaired, which could cause choking or aspirating on vomit. Blackouts begin at this BAC, so you may participate in events that you do not remember.
• 0.30-0.39%:ÌýAt this point, you may be unconscious, and your potential for death increases. Along with a loss of understanding, at this BAC, you will also experience severe increases in your heart rate, irregular breathing, and may have a loss of bladder control.
• 0.40% and over:ÌýThis level of BAC may put you in a coma or cause sudden death because your heart or breathing will suddenly stop. This is what is known as a lethal blood alcohol level.

• Age, gender
• Emotional state, environment
• Weight, body fat percentage, hydration levels, and metabolism
• Medications and health conditions
• Last food intake and type of food
• Quantity, type of alcohol, and rate of consumption

Alcohol poisoning resulting from drinking can be dangerous. It can lead to respiratory arrest and death.

It can be hard to tell the difference between someone being very drunk, when the situation is more serious, or someone has alcohol poisoning.

A helpful acronym for remembering common symptoms of alcohol poisoning is CUPS:

• Cold, sweaty, and possibly blue skin.
• Unresponsive to shaking and “Hey, are you okay?â€�
• Puking while passed out.
• Slow or irregular breathing and heart rate.

If anyone around you is experiencing any of these symptoms, they may need immediate medical attention.

If your friend or someone around you has alcohol poisoning, you should take these steps to help them:

1. Check in with the person by talking to them or gently shaking them for responsiveness.
2. Call Police and Safety for help at 814-824-3911 or 911 if in the community.
   1. Remember the Pennsylvania Medical Amnesty law and the MU Student Good Samaritan statement found in the student handbook on page 102 (please read in its entirety). Do not let anything stop you from helping someone in need.
3. Sit them upright, or if they are unable to sit up, lay them on their side in the recovery position to prevent choking.
   Ìý

Image

A person putting someone into the recovery position. The features of the recovery position include:

• Lying down on their left side.
• Their airway is kept clear with their head supported by your right hand.
• Their right knee is bent to prevent them from rolling onto their stomach.
• Do not leave them alone.
• Try to find out if they have taken other substances and how much.
• Watch for changes in consciousness, breathing, and other concerning signs.
• If breathing stops, move the person to their back, retrieve an AED, and begin compressions. Follow AED directions.
• Upon their arrival, share as much information with Residence Life, as well as Police and Safety, to provide appropriate care for the person.

• Before you drink, it is important to know your limits and decide on the maximum number of drinks you will have.
• Letting your friends know what your plans are and sticking to your limits will lower your risk of harm.

When you start drinking, it is harder to think clearly and make rational decisions. This means that you should make a plan to get home safelyÌýbefore you start drinking.

For a safe night out and a safe trip home:

• Remember your house keys when you leave the house.
• Make sure your phone is fully charged so that you can contact friends or emergency services.
• Plan to get a ride home from someone who is not drinking. This can be done using:
  • Rideshare apps
  • Public transit
  • A designated driver
  • Campus driving services
• Talk to your friends about your plans, and look out for each other when you are out.

Drinking alcohol on an empty stomach can make the effects of alcohol more intense.

• This is because it takes less time for alcohol to affect you when there is no food in your stomach.
• Before drinking, it is best to eat foods high in proteins and fats so that the effects of alcohol are more gradual.

You should pace yourself when drinking alcohol. Drinking too quickly can have anÌýimmediate effect and can lead to drinking too much, which can result in alcohol poisoning.

Alcohol dehydrates the body, so drinking water in between drinks will help to:

• Keep you hydrated.
• Prevent and lessen the symptoms of a hangover in the morning, such as a headache and feeling tired.

Mixing alcohol with other non-alcoholic drinks can make it harder to know how much alcohol you are consuming and how alcohol is affecting you.

For example:

• Sweet drinks with lots of sugar can hide the taste of alcohol. You may not realize how much alcohol you are drinking, but it will still affect you.
• Caffeinated drinks, such as coffee and energy drinks, can make you feel more alert, but you might drink more than intended.

You should keep your drink close to you at all times and be careful when accepting drinks from others.

• This will help make sure you know what type of alcohol you are drinking, and no one has added any drugs to your drink.

Alcohol can interact with other drugs in unpredictable, unintended, and harmful ways.

For example:

• Mixing cannabis and alcohol can lead to you feeling dizzy, nauseous, and unaware of the amount of alcohol you are consuming.
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• Mixing prescription medications and alcohol can lead to you feeling nauseous and losing consciousness.

To avoid the risks, it is safest to avoid mixing any substances with alcohol. If you are planning on using another drug, avoid trying it when you have been drinking.

Small amounts of alcohol may be safe; however, research has shown that "binge" drinking alcohol can decrease performance by as much as 11.4% the day after drinking, and this can last for up to 72 hours!

Alcohol, even in small amounts, has the following effects:

• Acts as a diuretic, leading to dehydration.
• In the brain, it impairs motor skills like balance, coordination, and reaction time.
• In the muscle, it impairs blood flow, reducing muscle strength. The prevalence of musculoskeletal injury is 30% higher in athletes who drink versus those who do not.
• In the liver, all other processes shut down to prioritize alcohol metabolism. This causes low blood sugar and impairs the use of fat as fuel, reducing training capacity.
• In the heart, it disturbs cardiovascular function (especially during a hangover), increasing heart rate, perceived exertion, and blood pressure while decreasing the ability of the heart to pump blood to other parts of the body.
• Hormonally, testosterone decreases and estrogen increases, causing fluid retention and fat deposition that can lead to weight gain. Low testosterone also impairs the ability to increase muscle mass and strength.
• Sleep quality is compromised. Alcohol disturbs deep sleep cycles, which inhibits muscular repair and synthesis in addition to new skill acquisition.

• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism -
• College Drinking Prevention -
• APPLE Athletics -