CHAPTER 21ALCOHOL

Alcohol use can harm your body and your brain and cause you to make poor decisions

Lesson 1: The Health Risks of Alcohol Use

Ethanol: the type of alcohol in alcoholic beverages Fermentation: the chemical action of yeast on sugars Depressant: a drug that slows the central nervous

system 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

Binge Drinking: drinking five or more alcoholic drinks at one sitting

Alcohol Poisoning: a severe and potentially fatal physical reaction to an alcohol overdose

Vocabulary

Powerful and addictive drug Ethanol is produced synthetically or

naturally by fermenting fruits, vegetables, and grains

Water, flavoring, and minerals are mixed with ethanol to produce beverages such as beer, wine, and flavored liquor

Alcohol

41 % of students have consumed alcohol by 8th grade

75 % of students have consumed alcohol by the time they graduate from high school

More than 50 % of 12th graders say they have been drunk at least once

About 6 % of youth ages 12-20 are heavy drinkers

Teens and Alcohol

Body Size Gender Food Rate of Intake Amount Medicine

Factors that Influence Alcohol’s Effects

Changes to the Brain: Development, Memory, Judgment and Control, and risk of stroke

Cardiovascular Changes: Heart rate and blood pressure

Liver and Kidney Problems: Inflammation, scarring, and dehydration

Digestive System Problems: Increase stomach acid that cause nausea and vomiting

Pancreas Problems: large amounts of alcohol quickly can cause pancreatitis and pain

Short-Term Effects of Alcohol

Damage to brain cells and reduction in brain size

Increase in blood pressure, which leads to heart attack or stroke

Buildup of fat cells in the liver, which lead to cell death

Damage to the digestive lining of the stomach causing ulcers and cancer of the stomach

Destruction of the pancreas

Long-Term Effects of Alcohol

Binge Drinking (drinking large amounts of alcohol during one session) is a serious problem and can lead to alcohol poisoning.

Alcohol poisoning can lead to death because eventually your body organs shut down and your breathing stops.

Binge Drinking and Alcohol Poisoning

A person who drinks too much alcohol may eventually pass out.

Even though the person is unconscious, alcohol that is in the stomach continues to enter the bloodstream causing a person’s BAC to rise.

Symptoms of alcohol poisoning include:-mental confusion- coma - vomiting and seizures- slow respiration- irregular heartbeat- hypothermia or low body temp

Effects of Alcohol Poisoning

Choosing to Live Alcohol-Free

Lesson 2

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

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

Vocabulary

Peer pressure Family Media Messages Advertising Techniques: false perceptions of

alcohol use by TV, radio, billboards, magazines, and newspapers

Alcohol Industry spends $4.5 billion a year on advertising alcohol products

Factors that Influence Alcohol Use

In the US, nearly 50 people die each day as a result of alcohol-related traffic collisions

Alcohol is linked to deaths from drowning, fire, suicide, and homicide

Alcohol and the law: Illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to buy, possess, or consume alcohol.

Teens who break the law can suffer consequences such as arrest, conviction, detention center, employment and college options or future plans.

Health Risks of Alcohol Use

Fights are more likely to break out where alcohol is consumed.

Teens who are involved in fights face school or police disciplinary action.

Teens who drink are more likely to be victims or perpetrators of violent crimes, such as rape, aggravated assault, and robbery.

Estimated that alcohol use is a factor in 1/3 to 2/3 of sexual assault or date-rape cases

Alcohol and Violence

Alcohol causes loss of inhibitions and impaired judgment which leads to bad decisions.

Teens who use alcohol are more likely to become sexually active at an earlier age

Approximately 25 % of sexually active teens use alcohol or drugs before engaging in sexual activity.

Teens who drink are twice as likely to contract an STD as teens who do not drink.

Alcohol and Sexual Activity

It is estimated that 25 % of all youth are exposed to alcohol abuse within their families.

Teens who start drinking by age 15 are five times more likely to become dependent on alcohol than people who do not start drinking until age 21

Young people who live in a household where a family member abuses alcohol are at high risk for:◦ - neglect, abuse, or social isolation◦ - economic hardship◦ - personal use of alcohol themselves◦ - mental illness or physical problems

Alcohol and the Family

Maintaining a healthy body Establishing healthy relationships Making healthy decisions Avoiding risky behaviors Avoiding illegal activities Avoiding violence Achieving your goals

Benefits of Living Alcohol-Free

The Impact of Alcohol Abuse

Lesson 3

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) : the amount of alcohol in a person’s blood, expressed as a percentage

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) : a group of alcohol-related birth defects that include physical and mental problems

Alcoholic: an addict who is dependent on alcohol

Recovery: the process of learning to live an alcohol-free life

Sobriety: living without alcohol

Vocabulary

One-fifth of all teen drivers involved in fatal car accidents have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.01 percent.

BAC depends on the quantity and type of alcohol that was consumed, the rate of consumption, body size, and gender.

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

Alcohol and Driving

Driving while intoxicated (DWI), or driving under the influence (DUI), is illegal.

Adult drivers who have a BAC of 0.08 percent can be charged with drunk driving

The consequences for DWI or DUI include:◦ Injuries to or death of the driver and others◦ Arrest, jail time, court appearance and fine or bail, a

police record, and possible lawsuits◦ Severely restricted driving privileges and/or

immediate confiscation of driver’s license◦ Higher auto insurance rates or a canceled insurance

policy

Driving While Intoxicated

When a pregnant woman drinks, alcohol passes directly from her body into the bloodstream of the fetus

Infants born to mothers who drink during pregnancy are at risk of FAS

The effects of FAS are:◦ Small head and deformities of face, hands, or feet◦ Heart, liver, and kidney defects◦ Vision and hearing problems◦ Central nervous system problems, developmental

disabilities, and poor coordination◦ Difficulties learning and short attention span◦ Hyperactivity, anxiety, and social withdrawl

Alcohol and Pregnancy

Symptoms:◦ Craving- Feeling a strong need for alcohol to

manage tension or stress, and a preoccupation with alcohol

◦ Loss of Control- Inability to limit alcohol consumption

◦ Physical dependence- Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety

◦ Tolerance- A need to drink increasingly more alcohol in order to feel its effects

Alcoholism

An alcoholic is an addict who is dependent on alcohol

Some alcoholics are aggressive and violent, and others become withdrawn

Alcoholism is not limited to any age, race, or ethnic or socioeconomic group

Children of alcoholics are four times more likely to become alcoholics

Environmental factors such as family, friends, culture, peer pressure, availability of alcohol, and stress also contribute to alcoholism

Alcoholics

Stage 1- Abuse: Alcoholism may begin with social drinking. A physical and psychological dependence develops. The person may experience memory loss and blackouts, and may begin to lie or make excuses to justify his or her drinking.

Stage 2- Dependence: The person cannot stop drinking and is physically dependent on alcohol. The drinker tries to hide the problem, but performance on the job, at school, and at home suffers.

Stage 3- Addiction: Person becomes addicted to alcohol. The liver may be already damaged, and so less alcohol may be required to cause drunkenness. If the alcoholic stopped drinking, he or she would experience severe withdrawal symptoms.

Stages of Alcoholism

Us is home to 15 million alcoholics and problem drinkers

Alcohol abuse is a major factor in the four leading causes of accidental death: car accidents, falls, drowning, and house fires.

About 40 % of violent crimes are alcohol related

Effects on Family and Society

Approximately 17,000 people die in alcohol-related crashes each year

According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) a survey found that about 30 % of teens reported riding in a motor vehicle with a driver who had been drinking in the past month.

Each year 40,000 babies in the US are born with some kind of alcohol-related damage

Steps to Recovery:◦ 1. Admission◦ 2. Detoxification◦ 3. Counseling◦ 4. Recovery

Resources and programs available to help alcoholics:◦ Al-Anon/Alateen◦ Alcoholics Anonymous◦ MADD◦ National Association for Children of Alcoholics◦ National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Routing

Service◦ Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD)

Treatment for Alcohol Abuse