+ alcohol. + alcohol: is this right? take out a sheet of paper and number 1-12. write agree or...

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Alcohol

+Alcohol: Is This Right?

Take out a sheet of paper and number 1-12. Write agree or disagree in regards to each statement.

1. Alcohol is a stimulant

2. Caffeine will sober you up.

3. Food will keep you from becoming intoxicated

4. Drinking beer is safer than drinking wine or hard liquor.

5. Alcohol-related car crashes are all caused by drunk drivers.

6. Alcoholism is a disease.

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+Alcohol: Is This Right?

7. Alcohol abuse and alcoholism affect only the abuser.

8. Alcohol abuse or alcoholism will never be my problem.

9. Nothing can be done about alcohol abuse or alcoholism

10. It is a good idea to drink alcohol to prevent heart disease.

11. Drinking a large amount of alcohol occasionally is less harmful than drinking a smaller amount everyday.

12. Drinking alcohol makes you feel more confident.

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+Definitions Ethanol

Type of alcohol in alcoholic beverages Produced synthetically and naturally through fermentation

Fermentation Yeast, a fungus, converts sugar into alcohol and carbon

dioxide

Water, flavoring and minerals are mixed to produce drinks

Liquor is created through distillation

Depressant Drug that slows down the CNS

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+Influencing Factors

Peer Pressure

Availability

Legal Restrictions

Family

Media Messages

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+Alcohol Abuse

the continued use of alcohol despite the development of social, legal, or health problems.

any alcohol use by underage youth is considered to be alcohol abuse.

High risk for neglect, abuse, economic hardship and social isolation

Studies show – drinking as a teen is 4x more likely to develop alcohol dependence than an adult

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+Characteristics of Alcohol Abuse

failing to fulfill major work, school, or home responsibilities

drinking in situations that are potentially dangerous, such as driving a car or operating heavy machinery

experiencing repeated alcohol-related legal problems, such as being arrested for driving while intoxicated

exhibiting continued drinking despite having relationship problems that are caused or made worse by drinking

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+Alcoholic

Addict who is dependent on alcohol

Harmful behaviors Drunken driving, violent or aggressive behaviors

Quiet and reserved

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+Alcoholism

is a chronic disease involving a strong need to drink, the inability to stop drinking, the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms, and tolerance.

Alcoholism is often progressive.

Characterized by an impaired ability to study, work or socialize

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+Characteristics of Alcoholism

Craving

Loss of control

Physical dependence or the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms when alcohol use is discontinued

Tolerance

Health, family and legal problems

use and abuse of alcohol despite adverse consequences

failure to acknowledge the problem

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+Effects of Alcoholism on Children

Suffer child abuse

Depression and anxiety

Physical and mental health problems

Difficulties in school

Behavior problems

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+Cost of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse

Approximately 13.8 million Americans have problems related to either alcohol abuse or alcoholism

Cost an estimated $185 billion in lost productivity, illness, premature death and healthcare expenditures (1998)

Non-abusers cost Economic cost of criminal justice system Higher insurance premiums

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+How is alcohol transported?

Alcohol is absorbed in the blood by diffusion

Absorbed from the stomach and small intestine into the bloodstream

Transported to the tissues and throughout the water-containing portions of the body as part of the distribution process

Brain is especially sensitive to its effects

About 20% of the alcohol is absorbed in the stomach and about 80% is absorbed through the upper portion of the small intestine

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+Short-Term Effects

Body Size

Gender Moves faster through bloodstream in females

Food Slows down passage of alcohol in bloodstream

Amount and rate of intake Drinks alcohol faster than liver can break it down,

intoxication results

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+Short-Term Effects Continued Nervous System

Brain, memory and judgment

Cardiovascular System Heart and blood vessels

Digestive System Stomach, liver and kidneys

Respiratory System Lungs and breathing

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+Long-Term Effects Brain

Addiction Loss of brain function Brain damage

Cardiovascular Heart

Enlarged heart HBP

Digestive System Inflammation of esophagus leading to esophageal cancer

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Increased risk of organ damage, frequencies of infections

and other life long effects

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+Long-Term Effects Continued Liver

Fatty liver Excess fat blocks flow of blood to liver cells

Alcoholic hepatitis Inflammation or infection of liver

Cirrhosis Liver tissue is replaced with scar tissue Can lead to liver failure

Pancreas Lining of pancreas

Swells to block passage to small intestine Chemicals begin to destroy pancreas

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+Misconceptions about Alcohol Use, Abuse and Alcoholism

#1: Alcohol is a stimulant.

Alcohol has been falsely thought of as a stimulant because its initial effects on some people include feelings of euphoria and lowered inhibitions.

Alcohol is classified correctly as a depressant because it later causes sedation and drowsiness.

In high concentrations, alcohol can induce unconsciousness, coma, and even death.

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#2: Alcohol abuse and alcoholism are problems only for the individual drinker. Alcohol abuse and alcoholism are social problems that

touch many more lives than that of the individual drinker.

Alcohol abuse is a contributing factor to many other social problems including auto crashes, domestic violence, and child abuse or neglect.

Alcoholism also has a severe economic impact on the country due to lost productivity, healthcare treatment, and costs attendant to administering the criminal justice system.

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# 3: People with alcoholism are morally weak individuals lacking will power. It is known to be a complex disease that involves a variety

of factors including genetic, environmental, social, and behavioral components.

A disease that must be diagnosed, and as separate from alcohol abuse.

In alcoholic individuals, the brain is affected by alcohol and promotes its continued use through both positive and negative reinforcements. The severe physical withdrawal symptoms that result from stopping drinking serve as a strong biological force that can maintain drinking behavior.

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#4: Children cannot be alcoholics. Alcohol is the most used and abused drug among young

people. A recent national poll reports that one in four 8th graders drank alcohol in the past month, and 18 percent of 8th graders got drunk at least once in the past year.

Research using animal models suggests that the developing brain of the adolescent responds differently to alcohol than does the adult brain.

Children who abuse alcohol may develop alcoholism, though the criteria for making the diagnosis may be different from those used to diagnose adults

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# 5: Small amounts of alcohol won’t impair bodily or mental functions. Half of the states in the United States have set the legal

limit for blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at 0.08 percent for motor vehicle operation.

This does not mean, however, that an individual is unimpaired at lower BACs. A BAC of 0.02–0.04 can impair memory and judgment.

The effects of alcohol on an individual vary depending on the person’s weight, nutritional state, gender, exposure to other drugs, and other factors. Any amount of alcohol taken during pregnancy is considered risky.

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+Misconceptions about Alcohol Use, Abuse and Alcoholism # 6: Alcohol’s effects are only temporary.

The adult body can process approximately one drink per hour.

A drink is one 12-ounce bottle of wine cooler or beer, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled liquor.

A significant portion of the societal costs of alcohol use (for example, falls, automobile crashes, and violence) is due to acute effects.

Although the acute effects of alcohol last only a short time, chronic long-term effects can develop and persist. Adolescents and adults who drink excessive amounts of alcohol may be causing chronic alterations to their brains. A recent study provides evidence that heavy drinking among teenagers can impair brain function. It is not yet known if these effects are reversible.

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#7: Alcohol is good for your health. Recent reports have indicated that moderate drinking

(defined as one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men) may lessen the risk for cardiovascular disease.

Although moderate drinking is associated with decreased risk for heart disease, it is also associated with increased risk of accidents.

Drinking 5+ drinks per day leads to increased risks for stroke and cancer. In addition, pregnant women, people using certain medications, and those diagnosed with alcoholism or other medical problems should refrain from drinking entirely.

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#8: Alcoholism can be cured by behavioral programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Alcoholism, at present, has no known cure.

Alcoholism can be controlled effectively using behavioral therapies, with or without pharmacological therapies. For such treatments to be effective, however, the patient must be willing to make significant and permanent lifestyle changes.

People being treated for alcoholism often experience one or more episodes of relapse. An important aspect of behavioral therapy is to help patients deal with such relapses and motivate them to continue their efforts to remain sober.

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# 9: The public knows enough about the effects of alcohol use; further research is not necessary. We do know many of the behavioral effects of alcohol

consumption, such as memory and motor function impairment.

We do not know how alcohol creates its addictive actions.

Research continues to provide insight into how alcohol acts on all cells of the body and affects their functions. New scientific approaches help scientists understand more about the biological and behavioral effects of alcohol.

The results of these studies, “from cell to society,” yield essential knowledge that is a prerequisite for more-effective ways to prevent and treat this disease.

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+Immediate Effects Increased thirst

Slurred speech

Double vision

Increased aggression altered behavior

Lowered inhibitions

Sleepiness

Impaired judgment

Slowed reflexes and body processes

Loss of motor control and coordination

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+Types of Alcohol

What are different kinds of alcoholic beverages?

Beer/Wine/Hard Liquor?

Are they all the same in terms of amount of alcohol? Beer: 12 oz Wine: 5 oz Hard Liquor: 1.5 oz

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+Measurement of BAC

Metabolism Process by which the body breaks down food to extract

energy from it

In regards to alcohol: Metabolism refers to the transformation of ethanol to

acetaldehyde and other products

Liver Primary site of alcohol metabolism

Less than 10% of alcohol consumed is not metabolized and excreted from the body in breath, sweat and urine

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+Measurement of BAC continued

Although expressed as a percentage, it is actually weight-per-volume

Grams of ethanol per 100 mL, or deciliter, of blood

Males average 58% of total body weight in water

Females average 49% of total body weight in water

Average metabolism for a moderate drinker is a decline of BAC of 0.017 per hour

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+BAC

How does the pattern of drinking relate to an individual’s BAC? Person’s BAC is affected mainly by how much the individual

drinks and over what time period the drinking occurs

Alcohol metabolism is at a constant rate

If the rate of alcohol consumption is faster than the body’s metabolism rate, than the BAC will increase

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+Absorption of Alcohol

Food Faster when stomach is empty Type of food present

Fatty foods allow absorption to take place over a longer time Effects are not prevented

Body Weight and Build Greater weight is a greater volume to absorb Muscle tissue takes up more alcohol than fat tissue

Gender Females have lower level of alcohol dehydrogenase in

stomach

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+Females vs Males

Why, on average, are females more affected by drinking the same amount of alcohol as males?

Females tend to be smaller than their male counterparts

Females tend to have more body fat than males, which has the effect of reducing the amount of body water in which to distribute the alcohol

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+Alcohol and Drugs

Can lead to illness, injury and possibly death

Multiplier effect Medication has a greater or different effect than if it were

taken alone

LABELS

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+Binge Drinking

5 or more alcoholic drinks in one sitting

Possible to consume a fatal dose

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+Hazing

Any action taken or situation created intentionally: Causes embarrassment, harassment or ridicule Risks emotional and/or physical harm Members of a group or team

Can be done by a number of ways Alcohol Physical

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+Blackouts

the brief impairment of short- and long-term memory occurring during episodes of excessive alcohol consumption or of other substance abuse

consciousness is retained

Alcohol impairs the ability to form new memories while the person is intoxicated, but does not typically erase memories formed before intoxication

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+Alcohol Poisoning

A severe elevation of the BAC which may lead to coma and death, often resulting from consumption of large amounts of alcohol Also called alcohol overdose

BAC reaches a level that the body cannot process quickly enough

Alcohol consumed in large doses can shut down involuntary actions such as breathing, the heartbeat and gag reflex that prevents choking

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+Effects of Alcohol Poisoning

Mental confusion, coma, vomiting Can choke on vomit and die of asphyxiation

Slow respiration – 10 seconds between breaths or less than 8 breaths a minute

Breathing slows, irregular heartbeat and finally stops

Hypothermia – low body temp leading to cardiac arrest

Pale or bluish color

Severe dehydration

Call 911 immediately

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+Ways to Stop

Alcoholics Anonymous

Naltrexone Blocks receptors for endorphins, thus helping to reduce the

craving for alcohol

National Association for Children of Alcoholics

National Drug and Treatment Referral Routing Service

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+Heredity

Children of alcoholics are 4x more likely than other children to become alcoholics

Does not mean a person will become an alcoholic

Other factors Family, friends, culture, peer pressure, availability of

alcohol and stress

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+Situations Alcohol and Law

Illegal under 21 Arrested, fined, sentenced

Alcohol, Violence and Sexual Activity Impairs a person’s judgment, lowers inhibitions and

compromises moral standards Sexually active at a younger age

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+ alcohol. + alcohol: is this right? take out a sheet of paper and number 1-12. write agree or...

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