Student Health and Wellness

Balancing Alcohol and Substances to Improve College Success (BASICS) is a program that connects you with a supportive and non-judgmental facilitator trained to help you explore your use of alcohol or other substances. The purpose of these sessions is to provide a private space where you can have an open conversation about these topics without feeling any shame or fear of consequence. Our goal is to help you identify what is working for you as well as any changes you may want to make to support your overall well-being. ​

​Sessions:  Two sessions that are scheduled two weeks apart. The first session is an hour and a half (1.5 hours). The second session is an hour (1 hour).​

​Fees: No fee for sessions. Late cancellation/ no show fee: $15​

​Scheduling:​

Visit student health portal​

Select ‘Alcohol and Cannabis Screening’ under Type of Service​

Then select ‘BASICS’ or 'BASICS (Webex)'​

​Questions: Please feel free to email Audrey Kelley at audrey.kelley@uconn.edu regarding any questions or concerns.​

Alcohol and Other Drug services are designed to offer specialized help to those whose alcohol and other drug use has progressed beyond college experimentation. ​

​We help by:​

Identifying those at risk as early as possible​

Helping stop the progression of substance-related problems from reaching a point where academic careers, health, relationships, social life, and legal status is jeopardized.​

​Sessions: Through education, group therapy and brief individual counseling, and, if needed, collaborating with outside providers for more intensive services, we help students halt the downward spiral and reclaim control of their lives.​

​Schedule: If you’re interested in our services, please visit How to Get Started.​

Utilize these strategies to avoid the not-so-good impacts alcohol can have sometimes.  

Utilize standard drink sizes—Pour standard drinks so each drink really is only one drink.

Set limits you think will work for you—Students who have 4 or more drinks (females) or 5 or more (males) in one sitting are at increased risk for alcohol-related harm.  Aiming for below that number is a great place to start!  

Eat before drinking—it’ll help slow the absorption of alcohol and keep you feeling your best. 

Pace yourself—sip and savor to both reduce your risk and enjoy yourself more.  For more on how to pace yourself, see our guide to pacing below.  

Hydrate—drinking water before, during, and after drinking alcohol goes a long way.  Alternating alcoholic beverages with water or other non-alcoholic drinks can be helpful. 

Get home safely—Grab a ride from a fellow (sober) Husky offering, or take a walk home with friends to make sure you get to your final destination safely!

Utilize these strategies to reduce or avoid the potential not-so-good impacts cannabis can have.  

Take a break—Experiment with cutting back on how much or how frequently you consume cannabis.  Small changes can make a big difference! 

Consider your timing—Avoid consuming cannabis before doing homework, taking exams, or going to class.  Cannabis can impact cognition, and it’s important to have a clear mind so you can do your best academically! 

Avoid sharing—Colds & the flu can pass from person to person from sharing joints, blunts, bongs, pipes, or vape pens.  Sometimes caring means not sharing!  

Keep it simple—Avoid mixing cannabis with tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs.  Multiple substances in the body complicates things, and can have some unpleasant effects. 

Get a safe ride home—Grab a ride from a fellow (sober) Husky offering, or take a walk home with friends to make sure you get to your final destination safely! Driving high puts an individual at a significantly increased risk of being in a car accident.   

Pacing or spacing out how much alcohol you’re consuming over a period of time is a great way to reduce your risk of experiencing alcohol-related harms.

Strategies for pacing yourself include:

• Alternating non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks
• Eating a meal before drinking to slow the absorption of alcohol
• Trying to avoid drinking games and pre-gaming

To understand pacing on a deeper level, check out the following information about Standard Drinks, BAC, the Biphasic Effect, and When to Call for Help.

Standard Drinks

Knowing standard drink sizes is helpful if you’re trying to figure out how much alcohol is in your drink. Below is a guide that shows standard drink sizes for some common types of alcohol. Be aware, however, that some beverages may contain a higher percentage of alcohol than what’s shown. Some types of beer—IPAs, for example—are often much higher than 5% alcohol.

Source: NIAAA.gov

Blood Alcohol Concentration

Once you know how to pour a standard drink, you can estimate your BAC. BAC stands for Blood Alcohol Concentration and is the ratio of alcohol to blood in your body.

Biological sex, body weight, amount consumed, and drinking pace are the most significant influences on BAC. Utilizing a BAC calculator is a great way to get a sense of what your BAC might look like, while taking those variables into account. You can find one here. Please note that results from these calculators are estimations and should not be used to determine if you can safely drive.

Included here is a general guide to what someone without a tolerance might experience at each BAC range.

Source: NIAAA.gov

Biphasic Effect

Utilize what you know about your BAC to consider a drink limit that’s right for you. A BAC of .06 is considered the point of diminishing returns– the BAC at which drinking more alcohol leads to fewer of the pleasurable effects associated with drinking. Keeping your BAC below .06 will reduce experiences you might want to avoid, such as blacking out, feeling nauseous, or doing things you’ll later regret.

When to Call for Help

Below are signs to look out for that indicate a fellow Husky needs medical attention. What’s most important though, is to recognize when your gut is telling you that something isn’t right. If you’re wondering if you should call for help, that’s the moment you know you have to.

Signs of Alcohol Poisoning:

• Confusion
• Difficulty remaining conscious , or inability to wake up
• Vomiting
• Seizures
• Slow or irregular breathing
• Slow heart rate
• Clammy skin
• Body temperature change
• Skin color changes (could be bluish or pale)

These signs indicate someone needs immediate medical attention—call 911. Remember, UConn’s #1 priority is the safety of our students, which is why we have a Good Samaritan Statement in place. You can read that statement here.

Listen—Heavy alcohol or other drug use often develops to manage something that otherwise feels unbearable (anxiety, hopelessness, loneliness, physical and/or emotional pain, etc.).  Listen for what’s underneath the use.  Offering compassion and friendship can go a long way for someone who’s been struggling alone.

Let them know you care—When sharing your concerns, try describing what you've noticed—for example, "You mentioned feeling more anxious lately.  I've noticed you’re smoking more often, too."

Be a bridge to resources—UConn has lots of resources available.  Help your friend find an option that fits their needs.

Offer substance-free ways to connect—Giving your friend a sober way to be in community with others can be a huge help.  The UConn Recovery Community offers weekly meetings and can be another opportunity for your friend to find fellowship while making changes to their substance use.

Become a Recovery Ally—Participate in UConn's Recovery Ally Training, a program that exists to expand awareness, sensitivity, and support to students in (or seeking) recovery from substance use disorders.

Practice self-care—Honor your own limitations and needs. Remember that you are human and can only affect change for things within your control.  You can’t give to others what you don’t have to offer; taking care of yourself will keep you well and able to support your friend.

IntelliDrink: IntelliDrink is a blood alcohol content (BAC) calculator for the iPhone. Watch your BAC rise and fall on the graph and analyze your consumption with IntelliDrink's statistics! Set a limit and get notified when you exceed or fall below your limit. 

The T-Break Guide: A day-by-day guide to support you in taking a successful break from cannabis.  

QuitSTART: The quitSTART app is a free smartphone app that helps you quit smoking with tailored tips, inspiration, and challenges. 

This is Quitting Program: The first-of-its-kind program to help young people quit vaping, This is Quitting gives young adults the motivation and support they need to ditch JUUL and other e-cigarettes.

Campus Drug Prevention: A compendium of resources, including a Student Center with student-specific resources, to prevent drug abuse among college students. The US Drug Enforcement Administration is committed to promoting the importance of prevention and its role in helping ensure the health and safety of our nation’s colleges and universities. 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): CDC is the nation’s health protection agency, working 24/7 to protect America from health and safety threats, both foreign and domestic. 

Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery (HECAOD): It is the mission of the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery, in partnership with the nation’s colleges and universities, to promote student success nationally by providing data-driven solutions to alcohol and drug misuse; lead the dialogue on collegiate alcohol and drug misuse and recovery in the national agenda; and ensure the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of the Center’s efforts. 

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA): NIAAA is one of the 27 institutes and centers that comprise the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIAAA supports and conducts research on the impact of alcohol use on human health and well-being. It is the largest funder of alcohol research in the world. 

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): NIDA’s mission is to advance science on the causes and consequences of drug use and addiction and to apply that knowledge to improve individual and public health. 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA's mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities.