Health Information

• Colds. Viruses that cause colds can spread from person to person through the air and close personal contact. Colds are also spread hand-to-hand.
• Flu. Flu viruses spread in respiratory droplets caused by coughing and sneezing. They usually spread from person-to-person, although people sometimes become infected by touching a surface with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. Most healthy adults may infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to five days after becoming sick. That means that you can pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.

Complications of flu can include bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes. Children and adolescents may get sinus problems and ear infections.

A cold can lead to a more serious secondary bacterial infection. If your cold doesn't clear up after one week to ten days, or you have any of the following symptoms, see your health care provider without delay.

• Discolored or bloody mucus from nasal passages
• Pain or tenderness around eyes
• Painful swelling of the neck glands
• Cough with production of discolored mucus
• Painful breathing, wheezing, or shortness of breath
• Severe headache
• Fever greater than 100.5 for longer than two days
• White patches on the back of the throat or tonsils
• An extremely red throat
• Chronic, unusual fatigue

Antibiotics, like penicillin, will not kill cold and flu viruses. Over-the-counter medications may relieve symptoms. If you develop cold/flu symptoms it is advisable to:

• Get plenty of rest.
• Drink lots of liquids.
• Avoid using alcohol and tobacco.
• Take medications to relieve the symptoms.

Americans spend more than $550 million each year on cold remedies, but much of this money is wasted. Cold and flu remedies that claim to relieve many symptoms simultaneously are often not the most effective remedies and may not be worth the cost. It may be best to choose a single-action remedy. These include:

• Tylenol or Advil/Motrin - to relieve fever, muscle aches, and pain.
• Decongestant (Sudafed or Entex) - for congestion.
• Mild antihistamine (Chlor-Trimeton) - for runny nose, promotes fast-drying.
• Cough Suppressant (Delsym) - recommended for dry coughs
• Cough Syrup with expectorant (Robitussin) - for coughs with phlegm.

The single best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vaccination each fall. The "flu shot" is an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle. The flu shot is approved for use in individuals older than 6 months, including healthy people and people with chronic medical conditions. Children and adults at high risk for developing complications due to the flu should seriously consider getting the flu vaccine. About two weeks after vaccination, antibodies develop which protect against influenza virus infection. Flu vaccines will not protect against influenza-like illnesses caused by other viruses.

The following measures are helpful in preventing the spread of colds & flu:

• Avoid Close Contact. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from also getting sick.
• Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.
• Cover your mouth and nose. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
• If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your sleeve.
• Clean your hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches a surface that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

• Continued dieting when a person is not overweight
• Preoccupation with food, nutrition, calories and/or cooking
• Thinness – loss of 15% or more of ideal body weight
• Denial of hunger
• Excessive overexercising
• Hiding food/pretending to have eaten
• Intense fear of gaining weight
• Preoccupation with weight and body image, frequently weighing oneself
• Complains of feeling bloated or nauseous when normal amounts of food are eaten
• Intolerance of cold temperatures
• Cessation of menstruation
• Hair loss or thinning hair
• Feels cold even though temperature is normal or slightly cool

• Obsessively concerned about weight
• Repeated cycles of out of control eating followed by some form of purging (e.g. vomiting, exercise, subsequent restricting)
• Excessive use of laxatives or diuretics
• Leaving the end of meals quickly to use the bathroom
• Swollen glands at the bottom of face, resulting in chipmunk-like appearance
• Buys a large amount of food “to share” that never gets shared
• Feeling guilty about eating, feeling shame about amount eaten
• Eating in response to emotional stress
• Frequent fluctuations in weight
• Menstrual irregularities
• Cannot voluntarily stop eating
• Feeling out of control
• Attempts diets, but generally fails

• Unable to accept compliments
• Frequently compares self to others
• Attempts to create a “perfect” image
• Consistently overestimates the size of one’s body or body parts
• Refers to self using disparaging names
• Seeks reassurance from others that one’s looks are acceptable
• Has an overriding sense of shame about one’s self and his/her body
• Ever-present fear of being fat
• Equates thinness with beauty, success, perfection, happiness, confidence, and self-control
• Allowing one’s drive for thinness to supercede all of life’s pleasures or goals

• Eating Disorders are serious, potentially life-threatening conditions that affect a person’s emotional and physical health.
• Eating disorders are not just a “fad” or a “phase.” People do not just “catch” an eating disorder for a period of time. They are real, complex, and devastating conditions that can have serious consequences for health, productivity, and relationships.
• People struggling with an eating disorder need to seek professional help. The earlier a person with an eating disorder seeks treatment, the greater the likelihood of physical and emotional recovery.

In anorexia nervosa’s cycle of self-starvation, the body is denied the essential nutrients it needs to function normally. Thus, the body is forced to slow down all of its processes to conserve energy, resulting in serious medical consequences. These include:

• Abnormally slow heart rate and low blood pressure, which means that the heart muscle is changing. The risk for heart failure rises as the heart rate and blood pressure levels sink lower and lower.
• Reduction of bone density (osteoporosis), which results in dry, brittle bones.
• Muscle loss and weakness.
• Severe dehydration, which can result in kidney failure.
• Fainting, fatigue, and overall weakness.
• Dry hair and skin; hair loss is common.
• Growth of a downy layer of hair called lanugo all over the body, including the face, in an effort to keep the body warm

The recurrent binge-and-purge cycles of bulimia can affect the entire digestive system and can lead to electrolyte and chemical imbalances in the body that affect the heart and other major organ functions. Some of the health consequences of bulimia nervosa include:

• Electrolyte imbalances that can lead to irregular heartbeats and possibly heart failure and death. Electrolyte imbalance is caused by dehydration and loss of potassium, sodium and chloride from the body as a result of purging behaviors.
• Potential for gastric rupture during periods of bingeing.
• Inflammation and possible rupture of the esophagus from frequent vomiting.
• Tooth decay and staining from stomach acids released during frequent vomiting.
• Chronic irregular bowel movements and constipation as a result of laxative abuse.
• Peptic ulcers and pancreatitis.

Binge eating disorder often results in many of the same health risks associated with clinical obesity. Some of the potential health consequences of binge eating disorders include:

• High blood pressure.
• High cholesterol levels.
• Heart disease as a result of elevated triglyceride levels.
• Type II diabetes mellitus.
• Gallbladder disease.

• Don’t be surprised if the person reacts with denial or even hostility to your concerns. Denial of the problem is one of the symptoms of an eating disorder.
• Be prepared to approach the person multiple times. Although it may seem that you are not doing any good, people who have recovered from an eating disorder usually say that it was important that family and friends kept trying to reach out to them. The messages of concern will accumulate, and eventually, they might make a difference.
• Don’t make promises that will endanger the person’s well-being (e.g. don’t promise you “won’t tell” if you feel that the person’s life might be in danger).
• Encourage the person to seek help from a trained professional. Let them know that you are concerned about their health and well-being. The Counseling and Personal Development Center can be reached at extension 1090.
• Know your limits. Don’t try to provide therapeutic help for the person yourself. You do not want to become a substitute for professional care.
• Don’t offer advice and simple solutions. Telling a person that they will feel better if they eat, or that they just need to refrain from throwing up, is usually more harmful than helpful. You don’t want to minimize the struggle the person is facing.
• Don’t dwell on food-related discussions with the person.
• Don’t try to change the person’s symptomatic behaviors. Coaxing a person to eat or trying to lock them out of the bathroom so that they can’t purge will only make that person feel more out of control. Feeling in control tends to be very important to people with eating disorders.
• Do no comment on the person’s weight or appearance (or your own). Don’t compare them to others. Your comments may be interpreted the wrong way.
• Learn all you can about eating disorders. Your understanding will help you cope with the frustrations of watching someone who has an eating disorder, especially if they are refusing help.
• Consult a professional for advice and to get support for dealing with the problem. The Counseling and Personal Development Center can be reached at x1090.

• The Body Betrayed: A Deeper Understanding of Women, Eating Disorders, and Treatment
  By: Kathryn J. Zerbe, M.D.

• Body Traps: Breaking the Binds that Keep You from Feeling Good About Your Body
  By: Judith Rodin, Ph.D.

• Handbook of Eating Disorders
  By: Kelly D. Brownell, Ph.D. & John R. Foreyt, Ph.D.

• Surviving an Eating Disorder: Strategies for Family and Friends
  By: Michele Siegel, Ph.D., Judith Brisman, Ph.D., & Margot Weinshel, M.S.W.

• Why Are They Starving Themselves? Understanding Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa
  By: Elaine Landau

• National Eating Disorders Association
• Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy & Action
• Eating Disorder Referral and Information Center
• The Renfrew Center Foundation

Counseling Center x1090
Student Health Center x1175

It is more common than bacterial meningitis and usually occurs in late spring and summer. Signs and symptoms of viral meningitis may include stiff neck, headache, nausea, vomiting and rash. Most cases of viral meningitis run a short, uneventful course. Since the causative agent is a virus, antibiotics are not effective. Persons who have had contact with an individual with viral meningitis do not require any treatment.

It occurs rarely and sporadically throughout the year, although outbreaks tend to occur in late winter and early spring. Bacterial meningitis in college aged students may be due to an organism called meningococcal bacteria. Because meningococcal meningitis can cause grave illness and rapidly progress to death, it requires early diagnosis and treatment. Persons who have had intimate contact with someone who has been diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis should seek medical attention so they may get prophylactic therapy, which is a course of antibiotics. Untreated meningococcal meningitis can be fatal.

The meningococcal bacterial is found in nasal and oral secretions. People may harbor this organism, but never become ill, others get quite ill with meningitis. This organism can be transmitted through close personal contact such as:

• sharing drinking utensils (cup, bottle, class, can, jug)
• sharing the mouthpiece of a musical instrument
• sneezing or coughing on someone
• kissing on the lips
• sharing eating utensils
• sharing lipstick or chapstick
• sharing cigarettes, cigars or pipes

Most people who become infected simply carry the organism harmlessly, without illness, and eliminate it from the nose and throat within a short time by developing natural immunity. At any one time, up to 10% of the normal population may be found carrying meningococcus without illness or symptoms.

Even though college students are at no greater risk of contacting meningitis than other 18 to 22 year olds, the rate of infection is higher among freshman, especially freshman that live in dormitories. Also, drinking and smoking have been linked to meningococcal disease in some studies. Alcohol and tobacco can suppress the immune system. Students may expose themselves to the bacteria by sharing glasses and cigarettes in crowed bars or parties.

The symptoms are often mistaken for those of the flu: high fever, severe headache and stiff neck may develop. Other symptoms can include nausea/vomiting, rash, lethargy or change of consciousness. If you experience these symptoms, you should seek immediate medical attention.

• Avoid contact with the nasal and oral secretions of others
• Wash your hands frequently
• Get lots of sleep, exercise, and good nutrition, which will boost your immune system.
• If you drink, do so responsibly and in moderation. Excessive alcohol consumption is believed by some health authorities to increase susceptibility to meningococcal meningitis.

The American College Health Association recommends that all college students under the age of 30 become knowledgeable about the vaccine and consider getting vaccinated against meningococcal disease.  The vaccine protects against four serotypes (subtypes) of meningitis, however 33% of all reported cases of meningitis are caused by a serotype which the vaccine does not protect against, according the Division of Epidemiology, PA Department of Health.  The meningococcal vaccine offers three to five years protection.  If a patient who has had the vaccine is exposed to meningococcal meningitis, the experts recommend that the exposed person still have antibiotics to protect them against the disease despite the vaccine. Currently the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunizations Practices (ACIP) are not recommending routine vaccination of college students.  However, the ACIP is meeting again in October to re-evaluate their recommendations.

Menomune is a freeze-dried preparation of the group-specific polysaccharide antigens from Neisseria meningitis, Group A, Group C, Group Y and Group W135.  Protective antibody levels may be achieved within 10-14 days after vaccination.

Adverse reactions to meningococcal vaccine are mild and infrequent, consisting of localized erythema (redness) lasting 1-2 days.

Check with a physician if vaccination is being considered for:

• Pregnant women
• Persons with a hypersensitivity to thimerosal
• Persons with acute illness

The hormone cortisol produced during the stress response may suppress you immune system, increasing your susceptibility to infections. Studies suggest the risk of bacterial infections such as tuberculosis and step throat increases during stress. Stress may also make you more prone to viral infections such as a cold or the flu.

During acute stress your heart beats quickly, which makes you more susceptible to heart rhythm irregularities and a type of chest pain called angina. Increases in heart rate and blood pressure in response to daily stress gradually injure your coronary arteries and heart. Increased blood clotting from persistent stress also can put you at risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Other relationships between illness and stress aren't as clear-cut. However, stress may worsen your symptoms if you have any of the following conditions:

Asthma. A stressful situation may make your airways overreactive, precipitating an asthma attack.

Gastrointestinal problems. Stress may trigger or worsen symptoms associated with some gastrointestinal conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome or heartburn.

Chronic Pain. Stress can heighten your body's pain response, making chronic pain associated with conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia or back injury more difficult to manage.

Mental Health Disorders. Stress may trigger depression in people who are prone to the disorder. It may also worsen symptoms of other mental health disorders, such as anxiety.

• Headaches
• Grinding teeth
• Tight, dry throat
• Clenched jaws
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Pounding heart
• High blood pressure
• Muscle aches
• Indigestion
• Constipation or Diarrhea
• Increased perspiration
• Cold, sweaty hands
• Fatigue
• Insomnia
• Frequent illness

• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Feeling of impending danger or doom
• Depression
• Slowed thinking
• Racing thoughts
• Feeling of helplessness
• Feeling of hopelessness
• Feeling of worthlessness
• Feeling of lack of direction
• Feeling of insecurity
• Sadness
• Defensiveness
• Anger
• Hypersensitivity
• Apathy

• Overeating or loss of appetite
• Impatience
• Argumentativeness
• Procrastination
• Increased use of alcohol or drugs
• Increased smoking
• Withdrawal or isolation
• Avoiding or neglecting responsibility
• Poor job performance
• Burnout
• Poor personal hygiene
• Change in religious practices
• Change in family or close relationship

Relax where you are. Take 4 deep breaths. Sitting in a comfortable position, place your left hand over your navel and rest your right hand over your left. Breathe deeply through your nose, feeling your hands rise as your abdomen fills with air. Still inhaling, count to three and feel your chest expand. Hold your breath momentarily, then exhale. Repeat four times, but stop if you become light-headed. (See Relaxation Techniques Below)

• Take a break. Walk around the block or get a breath of fresh air to clear your head. Stretch at your desk. Go somewhere private to regroup.
• Take stock. . Ask yourself whether it's worth being upset over the situation. You can choose to stay calm and ignore it. If the issue/situation is important, confront it directly by talking it out with a sympathetic friend, journaling, or writing it out in a letter that you won't send.
• Prioritize. List all the things you feel you need to do in order of priority. Only do the top few. The rest can be first priority tomorrow. If this seems too difficult, you may have too many commitments. Remind yourself that no one can do it all.

Seek your own stress level. Strive for excellence within your limits. Be realistic. Don't expect perfection from yourself or others.

• Choose your own goals. Don't live out choices others have made for you. Set your own goals and expectations. Expect some problems reaching your goals and realize that you can solve most of them with practice.
• Become part of a support system. Let friends help you when you are under too much stress and help them when they're overloaded. Talking problems over with a friend or family member can help lower stress.
• Take care of yourself. Exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet, and get enough sleep. (See Sleep link on this website for tips for a good night's sleep). Avoid alcohol or drugs as a way of coping, they only mask problems and exacerbate the issues later.
• Take time for yourself. Make yourself a priority. Do something at least once per week just for fun. Plan quiet time.
• Manage your time through organization or prioritization. Take a few minutes each night to organize the next day. Always keep your keys, glasses, and class supplies in one place to avoid last-minute panics. Consider making a weekly schedule that includes time for work, friends, exercise, and relaxation time. *Set priorities and learn to say no.*
• Anticipate potentially stressful situations and prepare for them. Decide whether the situation is one you should deal with, postpone, or avoid. If you decide to deal with the situation, practice what you will say and do.
• Think positive. The mind-body connection is strong. Whenever you think about possible negative outcomes, your mind sends signals to your body to prepare for danger. This leads to tension, stress, and anxiety, regardless of whether the event happens. Therefore, thinking positively can decrease your body's stress response.
• Accept change. Change is an inevitable part of life. Try to be flexible when change occurs. Avoid making negative predictions about possible outcomes. Rather, imagine potential positive outcomes.

Choose 1 or 2 techniques to master and then practice using them, both when you're stressed and when you're not. You might be surprised to find a noticeable difference in how relaxed you feel even when you weren't feeling stressed before.

• Deep Breathing: A simple relaxation exercise that can be used in almost any situation. Take slow, deep breaths, breathing from the diaphragm and exhaling slowly. With each breath your body will relax a little more. Many advanced relaxation techniques include deep breathing.
• Progressive Muscle Relaxation: You will need to be seated or lying down in a comfortable position for this exercise. Pick a time and place where you will not be interrupted for 20 minutes or so. Now alternate tensing and releasing groups of muscles throughout your body. Some people start at their feet and work up, covering all muscle groups in their body, while others target only specific areas that feel tense.
• Passive Muscle Relaxation: This is similar to progressive muscle relaxing, but you will not tense your muscles first. Move through each part of your body focusing on feelings of comfort and relaxation in all muscles of that area. As your move from head to toe (or vice versa), you allow those feelings of relaxation to deepen and spread.
• Meditation: This form of relaxation has been practiced in many cultures for many centuries. Rest in a comfortable position in a fairly distraction-free environment, focusing your attention on only one thing. This can be a mantra (a word or phrase that you repeat to yourself), a sound (e.g., wind or running water), or something visual (e.g., a candle flame, a spot on the wall, or a pleasing photograph). The goal is to learn to refocus your attention each time you become distracted.
• Imagery or Visualization: With this form of relaxation, you will be using your imagination to create a visual image of a relaxing, soothing, or healing place or thing. Walk yourself through each detail of this image paying close attention to the sight, sound, taste, action, or texture in order to make the experience seem as real as possible.

There are a number of common causes for sleep deprivation. One or more of the following factors may disrupt the sleep cycle of students.

• Not allowing enough time to sleep. Studies show that college students obtain only an average of 6 hours of sleep per night. As a student, it is important to keep in mind that no matter how hectic your schedule gets, you should always set aside enough time for adequate sleep. Learn how to properly manage your time to allow for a good night's rest.
• Stress. All college students experience fluctuation in their stress levels. Balancing schoolwork, activities and a job can be overwhelming. Excessive worrying can contribute to stress and can keep you up at night. Practice relaxation techniques and learn about stress management skills to maintain normal stress levels.
• Poor Sleep Hygiene. College students often get less sleep during the week and attempt to make up for it during the weekends. It is important to remember that inconsistent sleep habits can lead to chronic sleep difficulties. Waking up at the same time each day is essential in sleep hygiene.
• Medication. If you are taking any medication, find out what the side effects are. If one of the side effects is preventing you from sleeping, consult with your health care provider about the best time of day to take medication or if it is necessary to change your prescription.
• Lack of exercise. A person who does not get enough physical activity may experience low energy and will be less productive. Exercising early in the day can promote sleep at night. Do not worry if you cannot do anything too strenuous. A simple 30 minute walk or other form of light exercise will do the trick.

Insomnia is characterized by the inability to fall asleep, difficulty in maintaining sleep, or waking too early in the morning. Insomnia can be classified in two primary categories: acute and chronic.

• Short term or acute insomnia, which is often due to a temporary situation such as stress, jet lag, change or loss in a job or relationship, can last up to one month and is treatable. It is important to address the underlying cause.
• Long term or chronic insomnia, which is experienced for a month or longer, can be secondary to causes such as medical, physical or psychological conditions, another sleep disorder, or medications and substances. It is important to get a medical diagnosis.

There are treatments available for insomnia. These treatments range from behavior therapy to the use of prescription medications, or a combination of both.

Individuals with a sleep phase delay sleep and wake at inconvenient times. Adolescents' sleep patterns naturally undergo a phase delay, that is, a tendency toward later times, for both sleeping and waking. Trying to sleep when their bodies are alert, or rise when their bodies are sleepiest, can lead to insomnia or excessive daytime sleepiness. Individuals may rely on sleeping pills or alcohol to manipulate their sleep schedules, which further exacerbates the sleep-related difficulties.

• Keep Regular Bedtime/Waking Hours: Your body has a circadian clock (24-hr) that thrives on routine. Having a consistent, realistic bedtime hour and wake time will help you feel your best – including in areas of learning, memory, alertness, and performance.
• Create a Bedtime Ritual: Take 1 hour before going to bed to relax – read a light book or magazine for pleasure, watch part of a movie, take a shower, listen to soothing music. Avoid heavy studying or computer games.
• Avoid long naps: Sleeping during the day for long periods of time will continue to disrupt your sleep pattern – leading to a vicious cycle. A short nap during the day could be helpful, but work it into your regular schedule. Keep the nap to about 30 minutes and do it at the same time daily.
• Avoid All-Nighters: While all-nighters and late-night study sessions may appear to give you more time to cram, they are also likely to drain your brainpower.
• Don’t Rely on Catch-Up: The urge to rely on weekend catch-up as a way of “averaging out” total sleep for the week may be strong. However, the catch-up game impacts your sleep pattern, which can lead to another vicious cycle and can make for a very unpleasant Monday morning.
• Exercise Daily: Regular exercise improves the quality of your sleep. However, don’t exercise too close to bed-time.
• Avoid Caffeine & Nicotine in the Evening: Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants, which disrupt sleep. It is best to stay away from them after lunch-time.
• Practice Time Management in Regards to Schoolwork: Worrying in bed about the next day or week can keep you from falling asleep for hours. Try to stay on top of your school work as a way of decreasing your overall stress and worry. In addition, mentally plan for the next day before getting into bed. Journaling before bed is another helpful technique.
• Minimize Sleep Disruptions with a Dark, Quiet Room: Don’t fall asleep with the TV on – flickering light and stimulating content can inhibit falling and staying asleep. Utilize a small fan to mask noise. Ear-plugs and a sleep mask are alternatives.
• Expose Yourself to Bright Light in the Morning: The light acts as a signal to the brain to “wake up.”

Why Do I Need Sleep?

Sleep is essential for good health, mental and emotional functioning, and personal safety. The proper amount of sleep is usually determined by age. A college-aged person should get 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. However, the typical college student fails to make sleep a top priority. Often, you may feel that you’re too busy studying, working, or having fun to slow down and get some rest. Daily stressors may also make it harder for you to enjoy satisfying sleep. Insufficient sleep can be harmful in a variety of ways. For instance, it may lead to one or more of the following difficulties:

• Anxiety. Studies have found that people who get less than a full night’s sleep feel more stressed, angry, sad, and mentally exhausted. This pattern can lead to increased anxiety. Because anxiety can impact future sleep, a vicious cycle of sleep deprivation may develop.
• Cognitive Difficulties. Insufficient sleep can cause deficits in attention, concentration, memory, and critical thinking. Because these issues are essential to academic functioning, it is important to get sufficient sleep.
• Depression. Sleep difficulties such as insomnia or excessive sleepiness, may be signs of depression or other mood disturbances. In addition, lack of sleep can impact your mood, such as increasing irritability and/or sadness.
• Reduced Physical Health. Inadequate sleep can lead to a weakened immune system, and, therefore, put you at risk for health related problems.
• Healthy Lifestyle. Sleep is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. Sleep, like diet and exercise, is important for your mind and body to function at its best. Any or all of the above can have a harmful effect, on your grades, job, athletic performance, driving ability, or relationships.

You accept your partner as they really are and don’t try to change them or their behaviors. You disagree with your partner at times, but respect that they have a right to their own thoughts. When you disagree, you don’t put your partner down, and you don’t get defensive.

You respect your partner’s competence and intelligence, in order to work together on what’s important to both of you. You share in the decision-making and in the responsibility for those decisions and subsequent results.

You care about your partner, while maintaining a high priority on taking care of yourself as well. You express your real thoughts and ideas without censoring them or suffering in silence. You don’t say “yes” when you want to say “no,” and you don’t bully your partner into forced agreement either. You respect and encourage assertiveness in your partner as well.

You can express your feelings, wants, fantasies, dreams, etc. You are willing to talk about your weaknesses as well as your strengths. In a healthy relationship, you’re even willing to share with your partner the things that embarrass you. Many people want this type of intimacy, but are also afraid of it. Being truly open means making yourself vulnerable. Allowing yourself to be vulnerable requires trust in your partner. A healthy relationship is one in which you can count on your partner to be strong and mature enough to work through conflict with you.

You stay with your partner when you’re in conversation with them, giving them your full attention, both to their words and their feelings. Your partner does the same for you.

You try to put yourself in your partner’s shoes and understand how they’re feeling. They can count on you to understand them and you can count on them to do the same. If you don’t quite “get it,” you continue to ask until you do.

You let your partner know that you value them as a person, seeing them as a unique and special human being with the wisdom and maturity to be in charge of their own life. You want them to become all that they can be and whatever they choose to be. In a healthy relationship, you can count on your partner to respect you as well.

Part of respect is recognizing that we all have certain basic rights. It’s important to remember what your rights are and take an inventory to be sure that both you and your partner respect these rights.

• Right to grow.
• Right to be yourself.
• Right to be loved.
• Right to privacy.
• Right to be respected.
• Right to be happy.
• Right to be free.
• Right to defend yourself.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Can you list five or more good characteristics of your partner?
• Does your partner accept your right to decide who your friends are and with whom you spend your time?
• Is your partner glad you have other friends?
• Is your partner excited about your accomplishments and ambitions?
• Does your partner ask for your opinion?
• Does your partner think it’s OK for men/women to show they’re vulnerable and cry sometimes?
• Does your partner both talk to you and listen to you when you talk?
• Is your partner able to express affection and emotions?
• Does your partner have good friends?
• Does your partner have interests besides you?
• Does your partner listen to you when you say no to something?

If you have answered yes to most of these questions, your relationship is probably a healthy one.

There are several reasons why individuals stay in relationships that aren’t healthy. Some of those reasons include: fear of rejection/disapproval due to a need to be liked, loved, or approved of by their partner in order to have a positive sense of self; belief that one doesn’t deserve more or fears asking for it; need for control, stability, and predictability due to an inherent lack of security, despite the relationship’s destructiveness.

When a relationship is unhealthy or destructive, you need to be able to let it go without experiencing disabling depression. You need to be comfortable enough with yourself to tolerate being alone instead of remaining in an unhealthy relationship.

Are you in an unhealthy relationship?

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Does your partner sometimes lose their temper suddenly over small things?
• Does your partner throw or break things when angry?
• Does your partner ask about your past dating partners?
• Does your partner want to know where you’ve been when you’re out?
• If you stay out late, does your partner insist on an explanation?
• Is your partner jealous of your friends and/or relatives?
• Does your partner accuse you of flirting when you are not?
• Does your partner support your getting an education and having aspirations?
• Does your partner sulk when angry instead of talking it out?
• Does your partner ridicule, criticize, or put your down in front of people?
• Does your partner make you feel like your decisions are being made for you, like you have no choice?
• Does your partner sometimes put you on a pedestal or say things like “I don’t deserve you”?

If you have answered “yes” to even a few of these questions, you relationship is probably not a healthy one. Furthermore, it could be very dangerous. This kind of unhealthy relationship can increase your risk of sexual assault or rape, emotional and physical abuse, harassment, being stalked, and of being the victim of relationship violence.

Fact: You are not responsible for the behavior of an abusive partner. Behavior is a choice and you are not to blame for someone else's violent or abusive behavior.

Fact: People stay in abusive relationships for a number of reasons: Peer pressure, love, fear, not recognizing the abuse for what it is, belief that the abuser will change. Staying in a relationship does not necessarily imply safety.

Fact: Verbal and emotional abuse can be as devastating as physical violence. No form of abuse or control should be tolerated.

Fact: Jealousy and possessiveness are signs that your partner sees you as a possession. It is the most common early warning sign of abuse.

Fact: There are heterosexual, gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual abusive partners.

Sexual intercourse obtained through force or threat of force or without the victim’s consent. Sexual intercourse includes vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Ejaculation is not necessary, but there must be some penetration, however slight.

Oral or anal sexual intercourse obtained through force or threat of force or without the victim’s consent.

Sexual intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse without the victim’s consent.

The penetration, however slight, of the genitals or anus by a part of the offender’s body for any purpose other than good faith medical, hygienic, or law enforcement procedures, by force or threat of force or without the victim’s consent.

Any touching of the intimate parts of a person, by force or threat of force or without the victim’s consent.

Exposure of genitals in any public place or any place where the conduct is likely to offend, affront, or alarm.

Sexual assaults have long been linked to the abuse of substances, primarily alcohol, that may decrease inhibition and render the user incapacitated. Alcohol can interfere with clear thinking and effective communication. It may reduce one’s ability to fight back should your safety be endangered. In addition, it may increase one’s physical aggression.

• 90% of acquaintance rapes involve alcohol.
• Sexual offender’s alcohol consumption was significantly associated with severity of victim’s injury.
• Alcohol does not cause sexual assault.
• The desire to commit sexual assault may sometimes cause alcohol consumption.

Some people may hide behind the “I was drunk” excuse.
Perpetrators may “groom” their victims by using alcohol.

Drug-facilitated sexual assault is defined as a sexual assault facilitated by the use of an “anesthesia-type” drug, which when administered to the victim renders the victim physically incapacitated or helpless and thus incapable of giving or not giving consent. These drugs may be mixed in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and given to an individual without his or her knowledge. Most are tasteless, colorless, and odorless. These substances generate extreme drowsiness, sudden fatigue, confusion, and in some cases, memory loss. A person drugged in this manner is at increased risk for sexual assault because of his or her inability to fight back. Most of the drugs typically used in the commission of sexual assaults are rapidly absorbed and metabolized by the body, thereby rendering them undetectable in routine urine and blood screenings.

The drugs most often implicated in the commission of drug-facilitated sexual assaults are:

• GHB
• Rohypnol
• Ketamine
• Soma
• Benzodiazepines
•  Sedative Hypnotics

The first concern for someone who has been sexually assaulted should be his/her immediate safety. Contact campus security (610-660-1111) or local police (911). Other safe places include the room of a friend or RA.

Call someone you trust to be with you, like a rape crisis counselor or a friend.

You should have a thorough medical examination immediately after a sexual assault, even if you have not apparent injuries. Although most sexual assault victims do not sustain serious or life-threatening physical injuries, it is important to be examined as soon as possible by a doctor or nurse with special training in sexual assault victim care.

Why should I have a specialized medical examination following a sexual assault?

• You may have injuries of which you are not aware.
• A medical examination enables you to document and preserve physical evidence of the assault.
• You can receive treatment to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.
• You can receive information about the possibility of pregnancy resulting from a sexual assault.
• Consider Reporting the Assault.

• REPP Hotline (Rape Education Prevention Program) 610-733-9650
• SJU 1:4 (Men’s Rape Education Group) 610-660-1090
• Counseling Center 610-660-1090
• Student Health Center 610-660-1175
• Campus Ministry 610-660-1030
• Security 610-660-1111

• WOAR (Women Organized Against Rape) 215-985-3333
  • WOAR has a 24-hour hotline. You can call it at any time to get assistance, support, and advice. All people who work at WOAR have had extensive training in how to deal with sexual assault cases, and how to support survivors of sexual assault.
• PCAR (Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape) 1-888-772-PCAR
  • PCAR is a statewide nonprofit organization widely respected for its leadership and initiative in working to prevent sexual violence. PCAR has a statewide network of rape crisis centers working in concert to administer comprehensive services in meeting the needs of victims, and to further provide prevention education to reduce the prevalence of sexual violence within communities.