1. Alcohol
Chapter 6

2. Alcohol
Alcohol is an addictive drug and using alcohol during teen years can affect brain development

3. Vocab to know
Depressant – A drug that slows the central nervous system
Using alcohol slows reaction time, impairs vision, and diminishes judgment.
Intoxication - The state in which the body is poisoned by alcohol or another substance, and the person’s physical and mental control is significantly reduced.
Vary from person to person

5. Short term Effects of alcohol
Brain
Brain development – pathways and connections for learning may be permanently damaged
Memory loss
Judgment and control diminish
Risk of stroke
Vision blurred
Speech slurred
Coordination impaired
Slower reflexes
Kidney
urine output increased, can lead to dehydration
Stomach
Increase stomach acid production
Cause nausea and vomiting
Liver
toxic chemicals released as the liver metabolizes alcohol
Heart
Increase or decrease heart rate and blood pressure
Irregular heart rhythm
Body temperature drops
Pancreas
Pancreatitis
Disruption of the absorption of nutrients

6. Long term effects of Alcohol
Cardiovascular system
Heart damage
High blood pressure
Brain
Addiction
Loss of brain function/ damage
Digestive system
Irritation of digestive lining
Fatty liver – fat accumulates in liver cells
Cirrhosis of the liver – liver tissue is replaces with useless scar tissue

7. Factors that influence Alcohol’s effect
A smaller person feels the effect of the same amount of alcohol faster than a larger person does.
Body Size
Alcohol generally moves into the bloodstream faster in females.
Gender
Food in the stomach slows down the passage of alcohol into the bloodstream.
Food
If a person drinks alcohol faster than the liver can break it down, the person becomes intoxicated.
Rate of Intake
As the amount of alcohol consumed increases, the level of alcohol in the bloodstream rises.
Amount
Alcohol can interfere with the effects of medicines, and medicines can heighten the effects of alcohol.
Medicine

8. Binge Drinking
Binge drinking - Drinking five or more alcoholic drinks at one sitting
Alcohol poisoning - A severe and potentially fatal physical reaction to an alcohol overdose
Symptoms: mental confusion, vomiting, seizures, irregular heartbeat, slow respiration, low body temperature, coma, death

9. Factors influencing teen’s choices about alcohol use
Peer pressure
Family
Media messages
Early exposure
Easily accessible
Misinformed

10. Social Consequences
It is ILLEGAL for anyone under the age of 21 to buy, possess, or consume alcohol
More likely to become violent or involved in crimes
Alcohol use is linked to deaths from traffic collisions, drowning, fire, suicide, and homicide.
More likely to become sexually active at an earlier age, engage in unprotected sex, or contract an STD.

11. Alcohol and Pregnancy
Infants born to mothers who drink during pregnancy are at risk of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) -A group of alcohol-related birth defects that include physical and mental problems
Effects of FAS: deformities, heart, liver, & kidney defects, vision & hearing problems, hyperactivity, anxiety, short attention span, social withdrawal, developmental disabilities, and poor coordination

12. Alcoholism Alcohol abuse – the excessive use of alcohol
Alcoholism - A disease in which a person has a physical or psychological dependence on drinks that contain alcohol
Psychological dependence- A condition in which a person believes that a drug is needed in order to feel good or to function normally
Physiological dependence -A condition in which the user has a chemical need for a drug
Alcoholic –an addict who is dependent on alcohol

13. Symptoms of alcoholism
A strong need for alcohol to manage tension or stress, and a preoccupation with alcohol
Craving
Loss of control
Inability to limit alcohol consumption
Physical dependence
Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety
A need to drink increasingly more alcohol in order to feel its effects
Tolerance

14. Factors that contribute to Alcoholism
Studies show that a person who begins drinking alcohol as a teen is four times more likely to develop alcoholism than someone who waits until adulthood to use alcohol
Neglect, abuse, or social isolation
Family/friends
Culture
Economic hardship
Peer pressure
Mental illness or physical problems
Stress
Availability of alcohol
Genetics

15. Stages of alcoholism Stage 1 – Abuse Stage 2 –Dependence
Stage 3 –Addiction

16. Drinking and Driving
Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) - The amount of alcohol in a person’s blood, expressed as a percentage
depends on the quantity and type of alcohol that was consumed, the rate of consumption, and body size and gender.
Adult drivers can have a BAC of .08
For those under 21, there is no acceptable BAC

17. Alcohol and driving
Any amount of alcohol in the blood can cause the following
SLOW REFLEXES
Reduced ability to judge distances and speeds
Increase in risk taking behaviors
Reduced concentration and increased forgetfulness

18. Consequences of DUI Injuries to or death of the driver or others
Arrest, jail time, court appearances, police record
Severely restricted driving privileges
Higher car insurance rates

19. Getting help Alcoholism cannot be cured, but it can be treated.
Recovery - The process of learning to live an alcohol-free life
Sobriety - Living without alcohol

20. Treatment for alcohol abuse
Admitting that alcohol use is a problem
Step 1
Detoxification, or adjusting to functioning without alcohol
Step 2
Step 3
Receiving counseling to change behaviors
Recovery, or taking responsibility for one’s own life
Step 4