ALCOHOL A LCOHOL IS THE NUMBER ONE ABUSED SUBSTANCE BY TEENAGERS IN THE U NITED S TATES.

A LCOHOL FACTS Alcohol is a depressant One 12 ounce beer = 5 ounce glass of wine = 1 ½ shots of 80 proof liquor. How alcohol affects you depends on: how much alcohol is consumed the time period in which it is consumed how much food is in the stomach body weight Alcohol poisoning occurs when you drink too much alcohol too fast, which can lead to coma or even death There is nothing that will sober you up except time

S TATISTICS Studies done by NIAAA (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) have shown the following: Prevalence in 8th graders: 51.7% have tried alcohol 43.1% have had an alcoholic drink in the past year 25.1% have been drunk 15.2% have had 1 or more binge drinking episodes What is binge drinking? Binge drinking means drinking so much within about 2 hours that blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels reach 0.08g/dL. For women, this usually occurs after about 4 drinks, and for men, after about 5.

S TATISTICS Prevalence in 10th graders: 70.6% have tried alcohol 63.7% have had an alcoholic drink in the past year 48.9% have been drunk 25.6% have had 1 or more binge drinking episodes 1.9% have been daily drinking for at least 1 month at some point in their lives Prevalence in 12th graders: 80% have tried alcohol 73.8% have had an alcoholic drink in the past year 62.3% have been drunk 30.8% binge drank in the past 2 weeks 3.6% use alcohol daily Do these statistics sound accurate?

W HAT ARE SOME OF THE EFFECTS THAT ALCOHOL HAS ON T EENS ?

Effects of Alcohol on Teens Teenagers who abuse alcohol increase their risk of negative health effects because their organs, brain and mental capabilities are still growing. Some of the most notable negative effects of alcohol abuse on teens are: * Emotional problems. Alcohol abuse can cause or mask emotional problems such as anxiety or depression. Studies show that teenage girls aged who drink are four times more likely than their non-drinking peers to suffer from depression. * Behavioral problems. Teen drinkers have an increased risk of social problems, depression, suicidal thoughts and violence. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 39 percent of teenage drinkers exhibit serious behavioral problems and 31 percent suffer extreme levels of psychological distress. Regular alcohol consumption is also associated with higher levels of attention-deficit disorder, hyperactivity and aggressiveness.

Addiction and dependence. Studies prove that the younger a person is when they start drinking the more likely they are to develop a problem with alcohol. In fact, people who reported drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely to become dependent on alcohol than those who started drinking later in life. Risky sex. Teens that drink are more likely to have unprotected sex, have sex with a stranger, or engage in various forms of sexual activity. This leads to higher risks of STI’s, teen pregnancy and sexual assault. * Learning problems. Teens that binge drink perform worse in school, are more likely to fall behind, and have higher drop-out rates. Research shows that teen drinkers score worse than their non-drinking peers on vocabulary, visual-spatial and memory tests.

Brain damage. Heavy drinking among teens over many years can result in serious mental disorders or permanent, irreversible damage to the brain or nervous system. According to the American Medical Association, scientific evidence suggests that even modest alcohol consumption in adolescence can result in permanent brain damage. Car accidents. Alcohol-related traffic accidents are a major cause of death among teens. A recent study showed that 28 percent of 15- to 20-year-old drivers who were killed in car crashes had been drinking. * Gateway drug. Alcohol is often a gateway drug to other illicit substances. Teens that drink are more likely than non-drinking teens to use other drugs like marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy or heroin.

D AMAGE TO THE BODY Long term alcohol abuse may harm the brain, liver, heart, and digestive system.

L IVER DAMAGE Cirrhosis Alcohol interferes with liver’s ability to metabolize or break down fats. As a result of heavy drinking, liver begins to fill with far, which blocks the flow of blood to the liver. Fat filled liver cells die, leaving behind useless scar tissue.

W HAT IS CIRRHOSIS ? A disease of the liver in which alcohol destroys liver cells and plugs it with useless scar tissue – may lead to liver FAILURE and DEATH. LIVER: Essential in keeping the body functioning properly Removes or neutralizes poisons from the blood, produces immune agents to control infection, and removes germs and bacteria from the blood. NECESSARY FOR SURVIVAL

HEART DISEASE Long term use can directly damage heart tissue, which results in abnormal functioning Increased blood pressure and heart rate Irregular heartbeat Build-up of fatty deposits in heart muscle

D IGESTIVE PROBLEMS Cancers of the mouth, tongue, esophagus, stomach Recurring diarrhea Chronic Indigestion, heartburn, ulcers Alcohol causes significant damage in the stomach, which is exposed to higher concentrations of alcohol than any other site

ALCOHOLISM A disease when a person can no longer control their use of alcohol.

ALCOHOLISM The body develops a tolerance to alcohol. Tolerance causes a drinker’s body to need increasingly larger amounts of alcohol to achieve the original effect. Increased tolerance causes the body to develop dependence A chemical need for alcohol and can’t function normally without it ADDICTION No longer in control of alcohol use CHANGES TO THE BRAINDependence

S TAGES OF ALCOHOLISM STAGE 1: PROBLEM DRINKING “Social drinker” – small amounts with meals, at parties, special occasions STAGE 2: ABSOLUTE DEPENDENCE Drinker becomes totally dependent on the drug Alcohol dominates the drinker’s life STAGE 3: LATE STAGES OF ALCOHOLISM Alcoholics rapidly lose their mental, emotional, and physical health Also experience reverse-tolerance …… Less and less alcohol causes intoxication

E FFECTS OF ALCOHOLISM ON THE FAMILY Unpredictable behavior Embarrassment Violence Neglect Money Problems Legal Problems Divorce

TREATING ALCOHOLISM Acknowledging the Problem Detoxification Removing all alcohol from a person’s body. Withdrawal: A group of symptoms that occur when a dependent person stops taking a drug Lasts 3-7 days May include – shaking, sleep problems, irritability, rapid heartbeat, sweating Rehabilitation Process of learning to cope with everyday living without alcohol. Alcoholics receive counseling and sometimes medication during rehab. Support Groups AA, Al-Anon Family support, community, religious, health organizations, SAC