Alcohol and Its Effects on the Body Alcohol

Alcohol and Its Effects on the Body Alcohol is. . . . The most widely abused DRUG among high school students

Party You have been invited to a party. When you arrive, you realize that most people at the party are drinking alcohol and many are intoxicated. You decide to leave, but on your way toward the door you stumble over a person lying on the floor. This person is semiconscious, smells of alcohol, does not respond when you ask his name, has trouble keeping his eyes open, and seems to have trouble breathing. What would you do?

640 Why people drink… 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

640 Why Young People Drink • To escape pressures & problems • To feel better or get over being sad or lonely • To deal with stress and relax • To feel more self confident in social situations • For excitement • Because friends are doing it • To deal with boredom • To get away with something they are not supposed to do • To fit in

Why people choose not to drink Unpleasant, dislike taste, react unfavorably, taking medications, gain weight, harmful to body, lessens judgment, religious reasons. Choosing not to. . . eliminates abuse of alcohol, destructive behavior. You need not defend your choice not to drink.

• PROOF – a measure of the % of alcohol is liquor – – Proof is equal to twice the percentage of alcohol in the beverage 100 proof whiskey would contain 50% alcohol

Alcohol enters bloodstream Liver metabolizes alcohol to make it less active Liver filters the neutralized particles Produces waste products (Urine) and is excreted

BAC=BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION • The amount of alcohol in a person’s blood, expressed as a percentage • PA is 0. 08% • Signs of intoxication can appear at BACs as low as 0. 02%. 12 oz beer 4% Alcohol by volume 0. 5 oz. Alcohol --------------5 oz. wine 1. 5 oz. Alcohol 10% Alcohol by whiskey 40% volume Alcohol by 0. 5 oz. Alcohol volume 0. 5 oz.

THE AFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ARE INFLUENCED BY: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 10.

THE AFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ARE INFLUENCED BY: 1. Gender 2. Age 3. Weight 4. Mood 5. Physical health 6. Strength of drink 7. Amount of food eaten (before) 8. Fatigue (before) 9. Speed of consumption 10. Other medicine/drugs taken (before & during)

BAC-Blood Alcohol Concentration • • Slows reflexes and coordination Reduces a person’s ability to judge distances & speeds Increases risk-taking behaviors Reduces a person’s concentration while increasing forgetfulness Causes confusion Decreased alertness Blurred Vision Death

ALCOHOL POISONING • Is a severe and • Shuts down potentially fatal involuntary actions physical reaction to an (breathing & gag alcohol overdose. reflex) • Binge drinking is • Too much alcohol drinking 5 or more results in vomiting drinks at one sitting • If the involuntary actions shut down, a person can choke and be asphyxiated by their own vomit

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL POISONING Passing out • Alcohol still enters the bloodstream after passing out • Never let someone “sleep it off” Mental confusion Stupor coma inability to be roused vomiting & seizures • • Slow respiration Irregular heartbeat Hypothermia Severe dehydration from vomiting • Call 911

ALCOHOL & DRUG INTERACTION • Interactions between alcohol and medications can lead to illness, injury and death. • Alcohol-drug interactions account for ¼ of all emergency room admissions.

• SYNERGISM – Interaction of drugs that produces effects that are many times greater than what they would be if taken independently • TYPICAL ALCOHOL-DRUG INTERACTIONS – Slows down a drug’s absorption by the body – Medications can break down faster than normal decreasing their effectiveness – Metabolizing enzymes can change some medication into chemicals that can damage the liver i. e. Acetaminophen and alcohol – Can increase the effects i. e. Antihistaminescausing excessive dizziness & sleepiness

SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL • Nervous system – Brain-Memory-Judgment • Cardiovascular system – Heart – Blood vessels • Digestive system – Stomach-liver-kidneys • Respiratory System – Lungs-breathing

SHORT TERM PHYSICAL EFFECTS – Those that happen within minutes to a few days of drinking alcohol • Bloodstream; blood vessels widen • Brain – immediately acts as a depressant – what does that mean to the body? ? ? 1. Loss of sensation 2. Decrease of senses 3. Loss of muscle control 4. Depresses the part of the brain that controls breathing and heart rate 5. Blackouts

SHORT TERM PHYSICAL EFFECTS • Liver – the liver chemically breaks down alcohol into energy and the waste products carbon dioxide and water. When people drink alcohol faster that the liver can break it down, they become intoxicated 1. The rate at which a person’s liver can break down alcohol is fairly constant. In one hour the liver can break down the amount of alcohol in a can of beer in a shot of liquor, or a glass of wine 2. There is nothing that one can do to help a person “sober” up more quickly.

LONG TERM EFFECTS • Liver problems: too much alcohol too frequently can damage the liver permanently, leading to liver disease and cirrhosis or cancer of the liver. • Lesser damage to the liver will often be reversed however if the person becomes abstinent from alcohol and starts eating a well balanced diet. • Heart disease and other heart problems, such as high blood pressure, are also long term effects of alcohol use. Cardiomyopathy (damage to the heart muscle) can also occur from excessive alcohol use. • Excessive drinking causes dehydration, which thickens the blood, making it more likely to clot. • There are many other physical problems that come from alcoholism including infertility or impotence, diabetes, ulcers, obesity, and pancreatitis. • Alcohol poisoning which can lead to death.

Good/Healthy Liver

Bad/Unhealthy Liver - Cirrhosis or cancer of the liver.

KIDNEYS • The kidneys produce more urine than usual, and the drinker loses more water than usual which leads to dehydration DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS • Continual drinking irritates the tissues lining the mouth, throat, esophagus, and stomach. • Repeated irritation increases the risk of cancers in these areas.

Alcohol and Pregnancy • No level of alcohol use during pregnancy has been proven safe • Each year between 5, 300 and 8, 000 babies in the United States are born with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), a combination of physical and mental birth defects • Alcohol is the third leading cause for non-genetic handicapping of infants in America • Many babies with FAS also have a brain that is small and abnormally formed, and most have some degree of mental disability. Many have poor coordination and a short attention span and exhibit behavioral problems.

Less Brain Matter at Birth This is permanent damage!!!

Alcohol can have significant effects on feelings, perceptions, and physiology Taken from Virginia Tech Website Progressive Effects of Alcohol Blood Alcohol Concentration 0. 01 — 0. 06 Changes in Feelings and Personality Relaxation Sense of Well-being Loss of Inhibition Lowered Alertness Joyous Physical and Mental Impairments Thought Judgment Coordination Concentration 0. 06 — 0. 10 Blunted Feelings Disinhibition Extroversion Impaired Sexual Pleasure Reflexes Impaired Reasoning Depth Perception Distance Acuity Peripheral Vision Glare Recovery 0. 11 — 0. 20 Over-Expression Emotional Swings Angry or Sad Boisterous Reaction Time Gross Motor Control Staggering Slurred Speech 0. 21 — 0. 29 Stupor Severe Motor Impairment Lose Understanding Loss of Consciousness Impaired Sensations Memory Blackout 0. 30 — 0. 39 Severe Depression Unconsciousness Death Possible Bladder Function Breathing Heart Rate Unconsciousness Death Breathing Heart Rate => 0. 40

A Problem Drinker's Self-Test Do you drink to avoid facing problems or when you are angry? Do you prefer to drink by yourself rather that with others? Do you try to stop drinking but fail? Do you lie to others about how often or how much you drink? Do you ever forget whole blocks of time when you are drinking? Do you get drunk even though you don't intend to do so? Are your school grades dropping? Do you drink in the morning? Do you get in to trouble when you drink? Is it important to you to show others that you can drink alcohol?

Types of Drinkers Moderate drinker A. Does not drink excessively. B. Doesn’t behave inappropriately because of alcohol C. Person’s health is not harmed by alcohol over the long term. D. Applies only to adults (teens brains are not yet mature and cannot handle alcohol)

II. Social drinker a. drinks only on social occasions b. may be a moderate or a problem drinker depending on how alcohol affects the person’s life III. Binge drinker a. drinks 5 or more drinks in a short period. IV. Problem drinker or an alcohol abuser – suffers social, emotional, family, job-related, or other problems because of alcohol. – This person is on the way to alcoholism.

• Alcoholic – – has the full blown disease of alcoholism this person’s problems, caused by alcohol abuse, are out of control.

Stages of alcoholism • a. Early stage alcoholism – – – drinker drinks more often preoccupied with drinking drinks for the feeling that alcohol brings drinks to ease problems blackouts – periods of time the drinker cannot remember

Stages of Alcoholism – Middle stage alcoholism – physical dependence complete – family, social, and work relationships suffer – denial – refuses to see the problem or get help – hides drinking – drinks alone – drinks in the morning – drinks at school or work – Builds a tolerance

Stages of alcoholism Late stage alcoholism – falls apart mentally, physically, and emotionally – lives for drinking – experiences reverse tolerance (less and less cause intoxication) – isolated from society – serious health problems (malnutrition, hallucinations, viral and bacterial diseases)

• Safety risks – Driving accidents – 50% of all fatal car accidents involve alcohol – Pedestrian accidents – 80% involve alcohol – Drowning – 60% involve alcohol – Fires – 85% involve alcohol – Arrests for homicide, theft, assault, rape, child abuse, and disorderly conduct – Dangerous interactions with drugs

Legal risks Criminal offense to buy or sell alcohol to a minor. Legally responsible if you give alcohol to an underage person. DUI – (Driving under the influence – BAC or . 08 in PA) Suspended license Vehicular homicide if accident involving drinking results in death

CONSEQUENCES OF DWI/DUI Harm to driver & others 1. Driver’s license confiscated 2. Injuries, property damage & death 3. Living with regret & remorse 4. Arrest, jail time, court, fines 5. Police record/lawsuits 6. Higher insurance rates (3 Xs higher than non-drinking peers)

BEING RESPONSIBLE ABOUT ALCOHOL Reality-the majority of adults in the U. S. drink alcohol Roughly 1/3 are light drinkers 1/3 are moderate to heavy drinkers 1/3 do not drink at all Appropriate use of alcohol for adults ( there is no appropriate use for minors) Occasional use only Used in moderation Only in social situations – not drinking alone

BEING RESPONSIBLE ABOUT ALCOHOL Responsible use of alcohol Not using alcohol until of legal age Controlling situations in which social drinking occurs Controlling the amount of alcohol you drink Never driving after drinking Never riding with an intoxicated driver Responsibilities as a host Always offer non alcoholic drinks Serve food along with alcohol Make sure guests do not drive when impaired Legally responsible if they serve an underage person.

The day after… • Hangover – symptoms that can occur the next day after being intoxicated: • 1. Light sensitivity • 2. Headache • 3. Nauseous • 4. Body aches • 5. Bad breath

TREATMENT The process of learning to live an alcohol free life is called recovery Alcoholics anonymous is an organization that provides help for the alcoholic Al-Anon provides help for the family of an alcoholic Alateen provides help specifically for the teens who has a family member that is an alcoholic. National Association for Children of Alcoholics – provides help for children of alcoholics