Editorial: Reflect on drunken Facebook habits

Seemingly innocuous drunk Facebooking might reveal some pretty heavy stuff. Seemingly innocuous drunk Facebooking might reveal some pretty heavy stuff.

According to a Reuters Health study of 224 undergrads with public profiles, those who published photos and posts about excessive drinking are more likely to be at risk for alcohol problems. No surprise there.

Interestingly, the researchers mused upon ways universities could combat excessive drinking with the use of Facebook. If there’s more than a 50 percent chance that a student who posts about “blacking out” is going through alcohol dependency, why not monitor his or her Facebook account? They said resident assistants could keep an eye on their residents’ profiles and report data back to the university. Universities could also request that Facebook implement some type of targeted counseling ads on profiles that use binge-drinking jargon.

But we don’t think these are viable solutions.

If RAs were forced to monitor their residents, their university would be abusing and exploiting the bond between RA and student. And if students feel like they’re being targeted by their RAs — peers who they should be able to trust — they would be inclined to distance themselves, privatize their Facebooks and possibly bottle up crucial emotions.

Further, if universities threw money into the Facebook-ad plot, how effective would it really be? Students would likely take an alcohol-dependency ad just about as seriously as one about fixing their credit scores.

Instead, we think the solution lies with Facebook users themselves. Each profile can serve as a personal intervention: either an intimate reflection on your own drinking or a deeper look into a friend’s behavior. If this research means anything, it’s that a latent problem can manifest itself in some pretty obvious ways.

If Pitt were to consider a plan to help — not punish — those with alcohol problems, we think implementing more staff at the Counseling Center is the only efficient solution. Pitt’s main focus should be on the people who reach out for help. Those people need a strong support system, not an RA they can’t trust or detached ads.

With this new information, Pitt shouldn’t rush to do anything destructive. The only answer we can stand behind is a better support system.

But we think the real support system lies with students themselves. So take a few minutes and look at what you’ve posted in the past month or so. Any drunk talk? Have you hurt yourself or anyone else? The research showed that a sickening one in five of the risky drinkers in the study had an alcohol-related injury in the past year.

Your Facebook could very well be an indication of a serious problem.

Be smart about how much you post. But be even smarter about how much you drink.

Editor’s Note: To sign up for one of Pitt’s confidential alcohol-education programs, call 412-383-1830 or stop by the Office of Health Education and Promotion at the Student Health Service.