Alcohol What’s your take on drinking? 1. Alcohol is _____ 2. Teens who refuse alcohol are _____ 3. Teens who get drunk are _____ 4. Driving after drinking alcohol is ______

FACTS Alcohol is a DRUG- a chemical substance that is taken to cause changes in a person’s body or behavior. Alcohol is a DEPRESSANT-a drug that slows brain and body reactions. Affects- decreased alertness, poor coordination, blurred vision; drowsiness.

Which has more alcohol? 12 oz of beer 5 oz of wine 1.5 oz of hard liquor ALL THE SAME

Physical & Behavioral Effects of Alcohol: 2 people who drink the same amount may not be equally affected. The effects of alcohol depend on how much is actually circulating in a person’s bloodstream. Blood Alcohol Concentration is the amount of alcohol in a person’s blood (expressed as a percentage)

How Fast Consumption- the liver oxidizes 1 “drink” per hour. What affects your BAC? How Much Alcohol is Consumed How Fast Consumption- the liver oxidizes 1 “drink” per hour. How Much Weight Amount of Food in Stomach

What can sober you up? TIME

Drinking & Driving FACT- Crashes related to underage drinking kill about 5,000 youth in the U.S. each year DUI - Driving Under the Influence. Over 21- .08 or above Under 21 - Zero Tolerance Law If you are under the age of 21, you cannot have any traceable amount of alcohol in your system. Breathalyzer- a device used to measure BAC. Refusal????

Overdose- taking an excessive amount of a drug that leads to coma or death. Alcohol overdose or poisoning can cause the heart and breathing to stop. Binge Drinking- the consumption of excessive amounts of alcohol at one sitting. Big problem with underage drinkers. Many drinkers assume that they will pass out before drinking a fatal amount- NOT TRUE- alcohol continues to be absorbed into the blood for 30-90 minutes after a person’s last drink.

DAMAGE TO THE BODY Long-term alcohol abuse may harm the brain, liver, and digestive system.

Brain Damage Alcohol abuse destroys nerve cells in the brain. They do not usually grow again. Can cause permanent changes that impair- memory the ability to concentrate the ability to make sound judgments Teens- effects of alcohol are especially damaging- exposing the brain to alcohol during a critical time of brain development

LIVER DAMAGE Cirrhosis- a chronic disease of the liver marked by degeneration of cells, inflammation, and fibrous thickening of tissue.

Heart Disease Over time, alcohol causes increased blood pressure and heart rate, irregular heartbeat, and a buildup of fatty deposits in the heart.

CANCER Cancers of the mouth, tongue, esophagus, stomach.

Changes to the Brain The body develops a TOLERANCE to alcohol. (the need for increasingly larger amounts of alcohol to achieve the original effect.) With increased tolerance, the body will develop a DEPENDENCE. (a chemical need for alcohol. Cannot function normally without it) And finally ADDICTION (no longer in control of alcohol use)

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

STAGES OF ALCOHOLISM Stage 1- Problem Drinking: “social drinker”- small amounts with meals, at parties, special occasions. Stage 2 – Absolute Dependence The drinker becomes totally dependent on the drug. Alcohol dominate the drinker’s life. Stage 3 – Late stages of alcoholism Alcoholics rapidly lose their mental, emotional, and physical health. Late-stage alcoholics also experience reverse-tolerance (less and less alcohol causes intoxication) for alcohol.

How Does Alcoholism Effect the Family?

EFFECTS 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) Withdrawal symptoms last from 3-7 days. They include: shakiness, sleep problems, irritability, rapid heartbeat, sweating. Rehabilitation- the process of learning to cope with everyday living without alcohol. Alcoholics receive counseling and sometimes medication during rehab. Support Groups- AA (Alcoholics Anonymous, Community, religious, health organizations

Developing Refusal Skills Give a reason for your refusal. Use body language to reinforce what you say. Show your concern for others. Provide alternatives Take a definite action. All else fails… leave the situation

PRACTICE Suppose that a friend asks you to sit close by during a test and share your answers. How would your friend’ request make you feel? If you were to refuse, what honest reason could you give? How would you express yourself? Think of two situations in which you said no to people who tried to convince you to do something you did not want to do. Describe each situation. List the things that allowed you to refuse in each case. In which situation was it more difficult to say no? Why?