1. Objectives
Summarize the alcohol use patterns of college students, and discuss overall trends in consumption.
Explain the physiological and behavioral effects of alcohol.
Explain the symptoms and causes of alcoholism, its cost to society, its and effects on the family.
Explain the treatment of alcoholism, including the family’s role, and varied treatment methods.

2. Alcohol And College Students
Approximately 90 percent of college students consume alcohol
1/3 of college students are heavy drinkers
Rise in women’s alcohol consumption

3. Binge Drinking And College Students
Binge drinking – 5 drinks in a row for men, 4 drinks in a row for women on a single occasion
-Frequent binge drinkers are 16 times more likely to miss class, 8 times more likely to get behind in their school work

4. The Frequency and Effects of Binge-Drinking Among College Students
Table 12.2

5. The Chemical Makeup Of Alcohol
Ethyl alcohol or ethanol – the intoxicating substance
Fermentation – yeast organisms break down plant sugars, yielding ethanol and carbon dioxide
Distillation – alcohol vapors from the fermented mash are collected and mixed with water
Proof – measure of percentage of alcohol, the alcohol percentage is 50 percent of the given proof
100 proof vodka is 50 percent alcohol by volume

6. Alcoholic Beverages and Their Alcohol Equivalencies
Figure 12.2

7. Psychological and Physical Effects of Various Blood-Alcohol Concentration Levels
Table 12.3

8. Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)
BAC – is the ratio of alcohol to total blood volume
Despite individual differences, alcohol produces some general behavioral effects depending on BAC
Learned behavioral tolerance – person learns to modify their behavior to appear sober despite a high BAC

9. Absorption And Metabolism
Factors that influence how quickly body absorbs alcohol:
Alcohol concentration in beverage
Amount of alcohol consumed
Amount of food in stomach
Mood
Metabolism
Weight
Body Mass Index

10. Approximate Blood Alcohol Concentration Based on Body Weight and Number of Drinks
Figure 12.3

11. ABC News: Alcohol
Play
Video
| Alcohol

12. ABC News: Alcohol Discussion Questions:
How did each of the three men differ when considering body size, past alcohol drinking patterns, food intake on the day of the competition and during the drinking bout, performance on the roadside sobriety test, and eventual blood alcohol content?
What was each man’s perception or judgment of how drunk he was at the end of the drinking competition?
Discuss situations when you have been drinking and thought that you were in control but may have had a high blood alcohol content. Can you safely trust your own judgment?

13. Alcohol Poisoning
Death from alcohol poisoning can be caused by central nervous system and respiratory depression or inhalation of vomit or fluid into the lungs
Signs of alcohol poisoning:
Weak, rapid pulse
Unusual or irregular breathing pattern
Cool, damp, pale, bluish skin
Mental confusion
Vomiting
Seizures

14. Women And Alcohol Different body fat composition than men
Women have half the amount of alcohol hydrogenase, the enzyme that breaks down alcohol. If a woman and a man drink the same amount of alcohol, the woman will have a BAC that is 30% higher

15. Immediate Effects
The primary action of alcohol is to depress the central nervous system
Diuretic – results in fluid being drawn out of cerebrospinal fluid and leads to mitochondrial dehydration
Alcohol irritates the gastrointestinal system
Hangover
Drug interactions

16. Long Term Effects Effects on the nervous system Cardiovascular effects
Antithrombotic effect
Liver disease
Alcoholic hepatitis
Cirrhosis
Cancer
Irritant to gastrointestinal system
Inflammation of the pancreas
Block absorption of calcium
Interferes with immunity

17. Alcohol And Pregnancy
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) – alcohol consumed during the first trimester may affect organ development, alcohol consumed during the last trimester may affect CNS development
Fetal alcohol effects (FAE) – children with a history of prenatal alcohol exposure but with fewer than the full physical or behavioral symptoms of FAS

18. Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism
Alcohol abuse – interferes with work, school, or social and family relationships or entails any violation of the law
Alcoholism – when personal and health problems related to alcohol use are severe and stopping alcohol use results in withdrawal symptoms

19. The Causes Of Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism
Biological and family factors
Alcoholism is 4-5x more common among children of alcoholics
Social and cultural factors
Social pressure
Family attitude toward drinking

20. Women And Alcoholism
Trend is for women, especially college-age women to drink more heavily
Women get addicted faster with less alcohol
Women alcoholics have death rates 50 to 100 percent higher than male-alcoholics
Only 14% of women who need treatment get it

21. Recovery The family’s role Treatment programs
Private treatment facilities
Family therapy, individual therapy, and group therapy
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
Al-Anon
Alateen

22. Relapse
Approximately 60 percent of alcoholics relapse within the first three months of treatment
A comprehensive approach is needed: drug therapy, group support, family therapy, and personal counseling designed to improve living and coping skills is usually the most effective course of treatment