1. Substance Abuse:
Alcohol

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

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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.

16. 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

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

18. 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!

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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!

25. 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

26. 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