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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 ,,