Kara Naig
Staff Reporter

Take a moment to think back to the last time you went out for a night on the town. Did you make a mental note to pick up a case of beer on the way Ð just in case?

If so, you may be in phase two of addiction, but don't panic quite yet.

There are four phases of alcohol addiction, according to Rolena Hadwiger, prevention specialist at Prairie Ridge Addiction Treatment Services in Mason City, said.

Prairie Ridge is one place that individuals can go for help with their addictions, alcohol-related or otherwise.

"No matter what stage you are in," Hadwiger said. "It's never too late to make changes."

Someone who can drink responsibly, stopping at an appropriate amount of drinks and maintain good decision-making skills is in phase one.

In phase two, a person starts to make high-risk choices. The individual begins to drink two to three times daily.

Alcohol becomes a focus in this phase, making a person plan ahead for times when the individual might have to purchase alcohol to make sure he or she would be able to drink.

In addition, a person remembers times when he or she may have felt more confident if they had been drinking.

Hadwiger said when a person learns something when he or she is drunk, the action is remembered better when the individual is drunk. For example, when someone says, "I can't dance until I have (fill in a number) drinks."

According to Hadwiger, this phase leads people to believe they can only do better when they drink.

Tolerance levels increase during phase two, which can trick an individual into thinking he or she is okay even though the person is impaired. This leads to even more drinking.

Phase three leads a person to believe the individual could never survive without alcohol. In this phase, a person idolizes alcohol and defends it. "Fifty percent of those in phase three would go back to phase one," Hadwiger said. She added that many times people do this as the result of a cataclysmic event or at the urging of loved ones.

Those in phase three are still not considered alcoholics though.

Phase four is considered full addiction. Hadwiger said the majority of people who seek services at Prairie Ridge are already in phase four.

"Most people don't want to be here because they don't believe they have a problem," Hadwiger said.

Anyone can make a referral for services. A school, a family member or a friend can make a referral for a person who needs help.

NIACC has made referrals in the past.

In addition, referrals are received from the Department of Transportation for individuals who have been arrested for driving under the influence.

"If they are not ready, we become ineffective," Hadwiger said.

At the time a person accepts an appointment, Prairie Ridge guides the individual through a process of motivational interviewing, an assessment and creating a plan of action.

There are four prevention specialists on staff at Prairie Ridge. Hadwiger said each client receives an individually-tailored plan according to his or her needs. "We meet them where they are," Hadwiger said.

Prairie Ridge provides an intensive adult outpatient program and an extended outpatient program.

In addition, Prairie Ridge has a residential program for adults 18 years and older which ranges in length from 18-21 days.

At the completion of an individual plan, long-term support can be arranged including enrollment in an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) program.

The cost of receiving services is based upon an individual's income.

Prairie Ridge provides a sliding fee scale and also works with Medicaid and Medicare.

Hadwiger said Prairie Ridge is a non-profit agency that does not turn anyone away.

During the year 2005, Hadwiger reported that 752 individuals between the ages of 18-24 received placement screening at Prairie Ridge.

This is roughly the age demographic for NIACC students.

Of those 752, 453 were admitted for treatment.

Hadwiger indicated that prevention is a top priority.

"If a kid starts drinking at less than age 14, they are more likely to develop alcoholism when they become an adult," Hadwiger said.

Hadwiger added that they need to catch use early on. According to the 2004 Iowa Department of Public Health Youth Survey, 41% of 11th graders said they believed that their bests friends would feel that it was not wrong at all to drink beer, wine or hard liquor.

In yet another question, 44% of 11th graders said they think their best friends would feel it is not wrong at all to attend a party where kids under 21 were using alcohol.

The Prairie Ridge mission statement is, "to reduce the impact of drug and alcohol abuse upon the affected individuals, families and communities of North Iowa."

In trying to maintain this mission, Prairie Ridge provides educational opportunities to junior and senior high schools and colleges.

"Everyone has a risk of developing alcoholism or addictions, it's a matter of choices and biology," Hadwiger said.

In regards to biology, Hadwiger stated that if alcoholism runs in a family, chances of becoming addicted are four times that of someone who does not have family influences.

Alcoholism can be hereditary and Hadwiger stated that it is a disease that needs to be treated the same as other diseases.

Prairie Ridge works with several research-based curriculum programs such as Reconnecting Youth and Prime for Life, which enable schools to provide substance-abuse risk education themselves.

Reconnecting Youth is geared for high school-aged youth.

Reconnecting Youth focuses on substance abuse and building interpersonal skills, self-esteem and decision-making capabilities.

Prime for Life is a program more appropriate for college-age youth and older.

This 12-hour class is geared toward those who think they might have a problem with alcohol in addition to those who want to have a better understanding of substance abuse and addiction.

Hadwiger stated that especially at the college level, the old adage "just say no" may not work.

Prime for Life was offered on the NIACC campus the 2005 fall semester. However, no one registered for the class.

"People don't realize how much you value (in life) until you lose something. You don't have a choice in what you lose or what you lose first," Hadwiger said. "I wish people would reflect on whether things are worth losing."

Josh Dockum
Staff Reporter

College life can be a beautiful thing filled with freedom and relaxation. But on the flip side, students can take that freedom too far and get into trouble for alcohol or drug abuse.

According to statistics taken by NIACC (reported every July), a total of 26 students received some type of disciplinary action or judicial referral for a liquor law or drug law violation in 2005.

The 26 students in violation of these laws represented an increase from 2004 (7 violations) and 2003 (12 violations).

There are two types of violations, substance abuse and alcohol violation.

For a substance abuse violation in the dorms a student gets one infraction and the individual gets kicked out of the dorms.

"The students aren't kicked out of college, but the student must see someone for college (treatment) classes," Terri Ewers, director of counseling / student support services, said.

For an alcohol violation, students will receive a fine for the first violation.

Upon a second violation, the student meets with Dr. Karen Pierson, vice president for Student Services, and she decides what's going to happen to the student.

Pierson and Ewers said the college would usually refer three to five students per semester to see one of the various treatment centers.

These treatment options include sending the student to see a counselor at the college, getting treatment at the Mental Health Center of North Iowa or Mercy Behavioral Center (hospital) or sending the student to Prairie Ridge Addiction Treatment Services.

"Occasionally students are mandated to see one of the counselors here for a semester," Ewers said. "We'll meet with the student weekly."

Ewers said Mercy Behavioral Services will work with the student, but it's based on if the student has insurance or not.

If they don't have insurance, students stand a better chance of getting assistance from the Mental Heath Center instead.

"The Mental Health Center does prorate by income if students don't have insurance," Ewers said. "So there is a cost, but it goes by a student's income. The income can be very low, but they will definitely get the student in."

Ewers said that NIACC occasionally refers students to Prairie Ridge if a student has violated the alcohol abuse policy in the dorms.

"It's pretty severe," Ewers said. "Students end up being referred by Dr. Pierson and she would mandate that they would have to do an assessment at Prairie Ridge.

Attendance is crucial for a student to pass a required counseling session held with a NIACC counselor. The counselors keep records of the student's attendance and document them.

Another scenario includes if the student gets referred to an off-campus treatment center. Then the student must bring something back from whomever the student saw so the college will know the student followed through.

Ewers said if a student ends up getting mandated to see someone here or gets referred to the outside treatment centers, attitudes can sometimes get frustrated.

"Attitude is really the difference because people will say that Ôit was just a party' or they are more prone to come up with excuses," Ewers said. "Students aren't as willing to see someone that would help them, so it's really hard for us to refer someone in those situations."

Ewers went on to add that some students aren't as willing to see someone because they don't want the stigma attached or they don't want to admit that they have a problem.

Kara Naig
Staff Reporter

Spring is here and it's crunch time. Classes, final exams and jobs seem to pile up.

Add these factors up and the result can equal stress, and a lot of it.

All this stress can affect a student's mental health.

David Fox, chief clinical social worker at the Mental Health Center of North Iowa, said the center serves several NIACC students along with other area college students.

Fox said he has not seen much of an increase in services to this age group recently.

"I think that there is still a stigma out there," Fox said.

Although he then added that people are becoming a little more accepting of mental health issues, due in part to the increasing number of public figures openly discussing their mental health issues with the public.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about one in four adults suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.

Approximately 14.8 million adults in the United States over the age of 18 are affected by major depression disorder.

In a report completed by the Iowa Department of Public Health on mental health community services, 3% of adults ages 18-20 sought mental health services during the year 2004.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services distributes a brochure titled "Good Mental Health is Ageless," outlining warning signs of depression and steps for a person to take.

A few examples of warning signs include a change in sleep or eating habits, being upset easily and not having the energy to do things you want to do or used to do.

Talking to your regular doctor or health care professional about unusual feelings of sadness or depression can be a first step.

Locally, NIACC students can also seek support through NIACC counseling or the Mental Health Center of North Iowa on their own.

According to Fox, it takes approximately two to three weeks to get in to see a counselor.

Once counseling sessions begin, the average length of treatment is six to eight sessions.

The Mental Health Center of North Iowa accepts a variety of insurances including Medicaid.

If a student does not have insurance, the individual is charged according to a sliding fee scale based upon the family's income.

"There is a lot more trauma in the world driving people to seek help," Fox said. "If people have a mood disorder that lasts a little more than a couple of weeks they should seek out services."

Chelsie Anderson
Entertainment Editor

This fall, Prime for Life: Substance Abuse Prevention will be offered at NIACC.

Prime for Life has a research-based curriculum that will focus on the reduction of problems associated with high-risk drinking.The course mostly focuses on alcohol and marijuana use, but there is some discussion of other drugs.

This one-credit course instructed by Helen Karamitros will be offered at night.

No late enrollment will be accepted.

The class be will be a progressive course, with students adding to previous material each week.Participants will be required to attend every session.

The six-week course goes toward a Human Services certificate.

But Karamitros encourages any interested students to enroll.

"It's a good course for anyone in education, law enforcement or any student interested in changing their drinking behaviors," Karamitros said.

Karamitros was initially hired by the college as the Substance Abuse Prevention coordinator.

"The reason I got started with this program was because I had gone through the training and last summer I went through it again," Karamitros said.

Courses like Prime for Life originated in Driving While Intoxicated education courses.

According to the syllabus, the goal of the class is to impact drinking choices by using a collection of strategies designed to facilitate behavior change.

Throughout the six weeks, students will gain a better understanding about what role biology plays in the development of addiction and how it interacts with the quantity and frequency of drinking choices.

The course also outlines important decision-making considerations such as how the students' drinking affects their family and friends.

Prime for Life is an opportunity for students with apparent substance abuse problems to educate themselves and learn how to change their habits.