Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 20, 2003)
FREE LOCATOR 260-1200 PRELEASING NOW for Jan, May & August 2004! ' Across from campus, next to Taco Bell. www.united-rico.com From parts to complete systems... 8A Thursday, November 20, 2003 Health Continued from p. 1A students deal with. “A combination of the fact that most students are living on their own for the first time, experiencing things as an adult away from their parents and are in the stage when people are looking for a relationship can lead very easily to times of trouble,” Vavra said. A&M’s Student Counseling Service offers three types of counseling services to students. The Learning Skills services and the Career Counseling teach students study skills and counsel them about careers and choosing a major. The personal counseling servic es deal with mental health and personal crises issues. Knipscheer said incom ing students must adjust to new surroundings, people, classes and other stresses. "The pressures of col lege life added to the indi vidual’s biological or psy chosocial predisposition have made mental illnesses on college campuses an increasingly prevalent issue,” he said. The college years are the time when an individual is most likely to be diagnosed with a mental illness, Knipscheer said. More than 27 percent of young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 have a diagnosable fonn of mental illness. Mental illness is an issue that deserves serious atten tion of administrators, fac ulty and students alike. A&M’s Student Counseling Service was established to help students ease into college life and relieve stress and anxiety that some may experience. “Some students might prefer the helpline to coun seling face to face because of the animosity,” Vavra said. “It might be easier to talk to a person that they can’t see, but this depends on the person and their pref erences.” About 45 undergraduate and graduate students work at the helpline and have been trained to conduct calls properly. The Student Counseling Service consists of about 40 professionals with a wide variety of edu cational background, rang ing from Ph.D. psychiatrists and M.D. psychologists to Mf! THE counselors with their mas ter’s degrees. “Psychiatrists are on staff if a student needs med ication due to depression or other issues that need med ical attention,” Vavra said. The Student Counseling Center is available to stu dents between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The helpline is available to all students after 4 p.m. until 8 a.m. at 845-2700. When the helpline is closed on weekends, the answering machine refers callers to Mental Health Mental Retardation of the Brazos Valley. Over the hol idays, the helpline is down, but callers are referred to 1 - 800-SUICIDE, a national toll-free hotline offered by the American Association of Suicidology. “We try to keep in mind that there are people still around that might need some help,” Vavra said. “1 know that all international students and others cannot go home for such things as Christmas break, and we try to offer as much help as possible.” NEWS IN BRIEF Bush defends Iraq war i UK state visit LONDON — Welcomed to Brit pageantry and a smattering of anti-warp ers, President George W. Bush onl defended the war in Iraq, saying militai) must at times be used to confront thee ing danger of terrorism. "In some cases, the measured usee all that protects us from a chaotic world rubi| force,” Bush told academics gathei Banqueting House. During a 3 1/2-day state visit here.Boi seeking to puncture what he views as n ceptions on this side of the Atlantic atej American-led Iraq invasion. "There are principled objections to theustl force in every generation and I credif motives behind these views," Bush said,o of the bitter opposition among many in E and across Europe to the U.S.- and Bril war in Iraq. Demonstrators had lined his cade route and protesters chanted outsdej he spoke. The president added: ‘Those in aufei however, are not judged only by good mou | xas A&A tions. The people have given us the duti ^99 ies f° u defend them and that duty sometimes r^f the violent restraint of violent men.” Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has! strong criticism from the British pitt remaining America's staunchest ally in tficj war, also defended Britain’s close re with the United States and the coalites dling of the situation in Iraq. BONFIRE Saturday, November 22, 2003 8 PM For burn details see: www.studentbonfire.com Have a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving As of September 1,2003 a new penalty has been added to “driving while intoxicated” (DW1). If convicted, you will owe the court $1,000 a year for the next three years; $1,500 if it is your second offense. If your Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) is 0.16, the charge is raised to $2,000 per year. Don’t drink & drive. You can’t afford it. Educate yourself. Make responsible decisions The Choice Is Up To You. http://studentlife.tamu.edu/adep http://studentlife.tamu.edu/scrs li M H P E L SUNDAYS, 8:00 P.M ALL FAITHS CHAPEL TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY IN-DEPTH BIBLE STUDY Special Guest Speaker November 23 - Brandon Barnard V V SX V* I LED BY ROSS KING Sponsored by Compass College Ministries Marijuana Continued from pagelA dangerous equipments the influence of marijuana,! or any cannabinoid drip )stseaso comparable effects." The report states that mr lme mat na smoke is associated« increased risk of cancer and: damage, Martin said. “If you’re intelligent,tk' went A to consume it today istovap® it, drink it as a tea or brownies,” Hager said. Stutman said marijuanaci m, The i- dependency and “interferes one's ability to think at t® “Although few mat users develop dependence, do,” the report states. “A dia tive marijuana wi drome has been is mild and short-lived.” Elhindi Al-Barazi, a accounting major, saidheenjt the seminar and would liketo a pro-legalization zation at A&M. “I think it was a very thing to see here, because such a conservative By ti The T lam got Jaylor in The g, -stra: King bac latch to t The w h-con ins in 11 &M cc rived in “The f 'ery yec gnifican :ach tha lay is ov The Aj as thre uble-di A&M arol Pri rmance gh of V said. “If marijuana remains! he error gal, 1 feel that alcohol and i« £ e °f .5 co should be illegal as well. Allied Health Adviser l Karstadt of the Office Professional School Adw helped facilitate the event. “I like the idea of deem nalizing marijuana,” she s “It should be at least on! with alcohol.” After the broadcast, a del Peace c was Pe ne. En was scheduled for with moderators Lt. Dan Jo® the College Station Pd Department and Directoi Informatics for Med 1 Education Gale G. Hannigffl the A&M Learning Resofl and Medical Sciences Lte None of the students pits spoke in favor of juana illegal. “I thought we had a reaf 11 servative school,” “1 was surprised at the turnout at the liberal nature of op® put forth.” She said the debate 11 advertised by medical si® listservs, but the people’ attended weren’t on the listsd News of the debate had sf* by word of mouth. “They would have had a® higher turnout if more people known about it,” Al-Barazi sf The program was the installment of a five-parts® “Dimensions and Direction 1 Health: Choices in the Mi produced by Phi Theta U International Honor Sociel) the Two-Year College and National Collegiate Hoi 1 Council. It was broadcast to 385 9 leges across the with skill: educatio informati welcome dental ar monthly year. Gr< loans wh Visit the 209 Koli a Peace ■ facilitated on the A&M car® by the Office of Programs and I Scholarships and Office Professional School Advisin : lie 'Waildi ^V ,,