Answer to Question 1
About two-thirds of college students drink alcohol. The most common reason is to relax. Because it depresses the central nervous system, alcohol can make people feel less tense and stressed-even though it does nothing to relieve the cause of the stress and may make some stressors worse. The biggest dangers come from drinking without thinking. When you drink without thinking, you give up control and turn your life over to alcohol. And when you lose control, you lose-and you pay the price in stress. You can end up a hapless spectator or a victim of consequences you never intended.
Answer to Question 2
Positive emotions give rise to positive spirals in which feelings of gratitude, for instance, feed a sense of optimism, which increases sociability, which fuels a desire for more pleasurable experiences. Upward spirals increase openness to other people, new ideas, and new activities and expand an individual's social ties. As positive experiences accumulate, they deepen and expand positive feelings, build resilience to temporary setbacks, and counter the negative effects of stress.
The transition from college to first job can be a triggering situation for new growth in meaning ...
Prevalence of serious mental illness among U.S. adults by sex, age, and race in 2008.
Metabolism of Alcohol
Per capita annual alcohol consumption (2005)
Comparison of energy consumption in developing and industrialized nations
The Brain and Alcohol As you consume more alcohol, additional areas of your brain are affected