SUBSTANCE ABUSE: Making Responsible Choices Ms. Mai Lawndale High School

Alcohol’s Long-Term Effects When alcohol is used in moderation and responsibly, it can be a source of relaxation and social pleasure for some adults However, when used to excess alcohol can cause serious harm to many people Studies have shown that the life expectancy of heavy drinkers decreases by 10-12 years

What Alcohol Does to your Body Brain – shrink the size, lose memory and intelligence Liver – can’t break down fat, so fat collects in the liver, liver stops functioning (difficult to detect in early stages because it is painless until your liver gets infected You can get cirrhosis (scarring of liver), hepatitis (liver inflamed), or liver cancer

What Alcohol Does to your Body Mouth – oral and esophagus cancer Stomach – too much acid causing indigestion and ulcers Heart – weakens heart muscle so higher risk of high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, and heart attack

Damage During Pregnancy Alcohol that enters a mother’ bloodstream will also enter the fetus Mothers who drink during pregnancy can produce children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), miscarriage, or stillbirth FAS is characterized by mental retardation, delayed growth, and abnormal facial features

How to Recover from Alcohol Addiction Although it may be difficult for an alcoholics to give up their drink, there are many effective ways to do so… 1. Support Groups 2. Individual Counseling 3. Drug Therapy 4. Detoxification

1. Support Groups This is the most effective long-term treatment for alcohol addiction Hospitals, clinics, health agencies, family service organizations, churches, and private organizations offer group programs for addicted drinkers Alcoholics Anonymous for recovering addicts, Al-Anon for family of addicts, Alateen for children and teens of addicts

2. Individual Counseling Some addicts drink as a way of avoiding problems in their lives For these people, individual counseling is best because people can begin to understand themselves better and the behaviors that lead to their drinking

3. Drug Therapy Doctors sometimes prescribe the drug Antabuse to block enzymes that enable the drinker’s body to process alcohol When someone on this drug drinks alcohol, they get severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, and other hangover reactions In this way, drinking becomes associated with getting sick, so the drinker avoids alcohol altogether

4. Detoxification The first step in many alcohol treatments is detoxification (allowing the body to rid itself of all alcohol) During detox, many alcoholics will experience withdrawal symptoms which will usually last 3 – 4 days After detox, a healthy nutritional program is usually put in place to replace the lost nutrients during drinking

Alcohol and Society Alcohol abuse affects not only the drinker, but the drinker’s family, friends, and co-workers Innocent victims are also affected by alcohol-related accidents, violence, and crime Alcohol plays a major role in accidental deaths, suicides, homicides, rapes, and robberies

Alcohol in the Home Alcohol destroys trust in the family life Family members live in fear of the drinker’s sudden mood changes 2/3 of all child abuse cases involve alcohol Many children are neglected, uncared for, unfed, and have behavior problems at school (some even abused at home)

Alcohol on the Job or In School Alcohol abuse leads to absences, poor concentration, poor performance, and accidents in school and at work Heavy drinkers often drop out of school or lose their jobs as a result Alcohol also affects memory, concentration, and someone’s ability to study and learn (lower grades)

Alcohol and Driving Every year 20,000 people are killed and 500,000 people are injured in drunk driving accidents Drunk drivers ages 16-24 cause more fatal accidents than any other age group Drunk drivers cannot concentrate, underestimate dangers, take risks, have slower reaction time, and their eyes move more slowly because it is blurred

Driving While Intoxicated In every state, it is illegal to drive while under the influence of alcohol In many states, it is also illegal to carry open containers of alcohol in the car There is a mandatory jail sentence as the immediate consequence for anyone caught driving while intoxicated (DWI) In the state of California, the BAC limit is 0.08%

Drinking and the Law Because of so many alcohol-related accidents, many laws have been passed in recent years Many states have outlawed “happy hours” because bar owners and bartenders are legally responsible for damage or injury caused by drunk drivers The legal drinking age in all states is 21

Deciding Not to Drink There is great evidence that heavy alcohol is extremely damaging to your health, can impair your relationships, and interfere with your development At the legal age if you do decide to drink, make sure to use alcohol moderately and responsibly (half of all teenage deaths are the result of alcohol-related accidents)

How to Resist Peer Pressure Refusing a drink is a personal decision that requires no apology or explanation Say, “NO THANKS” Keep it brief Don’t make fun of another person who decides to drink (you are asking for trouble) Consider another group of friends

Coping with Stress Drinking does not solve problems, but creates other problems Everyone experiences stressful times; learning to deal with stress in a healthy manner can enable you to avoid alcohol as an escape for your problems Learn constructive ways to relax like working out, listening to music, or others to relieve your stress

Avoiding Intoxicated Drivers Every 15 minutes someone dies in an alcohol-related accident Offending and inconveniencing a friend is far better than risking serious injury Take someone’s car keys away Choose a designated driver who will NOT drink at all (good excuse to refuse alcohol)

Getting Help If you or someone you know has a drinking problem, get help!! All alcoholic groups are completely confidential (don’t even need a name) The key is the realize that the drinker’s problem is not your responsibility, but if you care enough you would help