Substance Abuse: Alcohol

Alcohol is a drug… A drug is a chemical substance that is taken to cause changes in a person’s body or behavior

Alcohol Alcohol is a depressant A depressant is a drug that slows brain and body reactions Alcohol may cause confusion, decreased alertness, poor coordination, blurred vision & drowsiness The depressant effects of alcohol are very strong. If a person drinks too large an amount, vital functions such as breathing and heart beat can be affected, and death can occur.

Alcohol Production The alcohol in beverages such as beer, wine & liquor is produced by the process of fermentation During fermentation, microorganisms called yeast feed on the sugars in foods such as malted grains, grapes or berries. In the process, carbon dioxide & alcohol are produced.

Teens & Alcohol For teens & others under the age of 21, using alcohol is illegal Alcohol is the most widely abused drug among high school students The attitudes of peers, family, and the media strongly influence underage drinking

Risks Teen alcohol use can have very serious consequences Being injured or killed in a car crash Committing or being the victim of sexual assault or other violence Long-term brain damage Problems with alcohol later in life Suspension from school, sports teams, or other school activities

Effect on body systems When people drink alcohol faster than the body can break it down into harmless compounds, they become intoxicated Intoxication is the state in which a person’s mental and physical abilities are impaired by alcohol or another substance

Effects on body systems Cardiovascular System Heart rate & blood pressure increase Body temperature decreases Blood flows to skin’s surface Excretory System Dehydration Nervous System Brain activity slows down; perception less clear Digestive System Too much alcohol can induce vomiting

Effects on behavior As intoxication takes effect, drinkers begin to lose judgment & self-control Alcohol decreases natural fears Blackout- a period of time that the drinker cannot recall; no memory of some events; can happen to first time drinkers, or experienced drinkers

Blood Alcohol Concentration BAC- the amount of alcohol in a person’s blood, expressed as a percentage For example, a BAC of 0.1 percent means that one-tenth of 1 percent of the fluid in the blood is alcohol

Factors Affecting BAC Rate of consumption A person’s liver chemically breaks down alcohol at a fairly constant rate People who have more than 1 drink per hour will have higher BACs than people who drink the same amount over several hours

Factors Affecting BAC Gender At the same rate & amount of alcohol consumption, males generally will have a lower BAC than females This is because a large portion of the alcohol in males will get metabolized in the stomach, before hitting the liver Also, the liver in males is more efficient at metabolizing alcohol

Factors Affecting BAC Body Size In general, smaller people- by weight & height- feel the effects of alcohol more than larger people They will have a higher BAC after a similar number of drinks

Factors Affecting BAC Amount of food in stomach Drinking on an empty stomach increases the rate of alcohol absorption into the bloodstream Because of this, a higher BAC will result

After drinking ends Once a person stops drinking, BAC begins to decrease “Sobering up” Do cold showers, exercising or drinking coffee help to ‘sober up’?! NO!! Nothing can help speed the liver’s ability to break down alcohol!! Only TIME can help.

Hangovers Term used to describe the after-effects of too much drinking Symptoms include nausea, upset stomach, headache & a sensitivity to noise It is not clear why some drinkers get them and others do not

Life-Threatening Effects Intoxication increases the risk of death from motor vehicle crashes, alcohol overdose, and interactions of alcohol with other drugs.

Car Crashes Alcohol is involved in about 40% of fatal motor vehicle crashes Driving can be impaired by any amount of drinking, even if it falls below legal limits There is NO ACCEPTABLE BAC for underage drivers!! Penalties for drinking and driving can be very strict!

Overdose Taking an excessive amount of a drug that leads to coma or death is called an overdose Alcohol overdose = alcohol poisoning Even someone drinking for the first time can die from binge drinking Binge drinking is the consumption of excessive amounts of alcohol at one sitting Binge drinking affects teens more severely than older drinkers because teens enter comas at lower BACs than adults

Long-Term Risks of Alcohol Brain Damage Long-term alcohol abuse destroys nerve cells in the brain Destroyed nerve cells cannot grow back Effects on the brain can be especially damaging for underage drinkers- when teens drink they expose the brain to alcohol during a critical time in its development Teen drinkers can suffer from long-term learning & memory problems

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Pregnant women who drink put their unborn child at risk Babies born with fetal alcohol syndrome may suffer heart defects, malformed faces, delayed growth, poor motor development & mental retardation Tragically, drinking during pregnancy is the leading preventable cause of mental retardation in the US Even small amounts of alcohol can cause brain damage

Long-Term Risks of Alcohol Liver Damage Alcohol interferes with the liver’s ability to break down fats As a result of heavy drinking, the liver begins to fill with fat, which blocks blood flow to the liver The fat-filled liver cells die, leaving behind useless scar tissue- called cirrhosis This can cause death

Alcoholism People who can no longer control their use of alcohol suffer The body physically needs alcohol to function With repeated use of alcohol, its effects in the brain become reduced- this is a tolerance With increasing tolerance, the body will develop a dependence- the brain develops a chemical need for alcohol & cannot function without it

Who is at risk? Anyone who drinks is at risk of becoming an alcoholic, however some people are at a greater risk than others Alcoholism is 4 to 5 times more common among the children of alcoholics- genetics & environment Underage drinking greatly influences a person’s risk- brain isn’t fully developed!

Effects on others… Alcoholism does not just effect the drinker- it can affect their families & friends too! Alcohol is involved in about 150,000 deaths per year About one in every eight people grows up in an alcoholic household In some cases, alcoholics mentally or physically abuse family members

Treating Alcoholism Acknowledging the problem Detoxification Alcoholics must acknowledge their problem & must ask for help Detoxification Removing all alcohol from a person’s body Withdrawal- a group of symptoms that occur when a dependent person stops using the drug Rehabilitation The process of learning to cope with every day living without alcohol Counseling