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.

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

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

The Frequency and Effects of Binge-Drinking Among College Students

Table 12.2

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

Alcoholic Beverages and Their Alcohol Equivalencies

Figure 12.2

Psychological and Physical Effects of Various Blood-Alcohol Concentration Levels

Table 12.3

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

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

Approximate Blood Alcohol Concentration Based on Body Weight and Number of Drinks

Figure 12.3

ABC News: Alcohol

PlayVideo

| Alcohol

ABC News: AlcoholDiscussion 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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Recovery

• The family’s role• Treatment programs– Private treatment facilities– Family therapy, individual therapy, and group

therapy– Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)– Al-Anon– Alateen

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