Alcohol ethanol The type of alcohol found in

Alcohol

ethanol • The type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages • A powerful drug • Made synthetically or naturally

Fermentation • The chemical action of yeast on sugars • Fruits, veggies, or grains • Beer, wine, or spirits • All can to do serious harm

Depressant • Causes the central nervous system to slow down.

Intoxication • Physical and mental impairment resulting from the use of alcohol • Inability to walk to unconsciousness

Alcohol and Teens

• At any age, alcohol use can become a high-risk behavior • 80% of teens have had a drink • Alcohol among adults has declined

• ½ all teens who die, die as a result of alcohol or from other drugs – many are accidents • Unplanned pregnancies, STD’s, date violence, rapes, suicides and homicides • 5 million problem drinkers are between the ages of 14 - 17

• 100 million American use alcohol • 10 teens a day die in alcoholrelated crashes • ½ of all fatal car crashes involve alcohol • 50% of boat accidents involve alcohol

Factors that affect teen alcohol • Friends • Family • Advertisements - $1 billion a year – hidden messages

Short-term effects of drinking

Brain • Reaches brain almost as soon as it is consumed • Depresses activity • Disorganized – memory and concentration dulled – decision making badly effected

Liver • Oxidation – changes alcohol to water, CO 2, and energy • 1/3 – ½ an ounce an hour • No way to speed up

Heart • Increase heart rate and blood pressure • Abnormal heartbeats

BAC • The amount of alcohol on a person’s blood expressed as a percentage • Factors – gender, weight, and metabolism, amount consumed, time between drinks

Designated drivers • People in social settings who choose not to drink so that they can safely drive themselves and others

Long-term effects • Brain damage – decrease in size – destroy cells • Chronic liver problems – Fatty liver – a condition in which fats build up in the liver and cannot be broken down

Cirrhosis • Liver tissue if destroyed and then replaced with useless scar tissue

Hepatitis • Inflammation or infection that can cause weakness, jaundice, fever and death • Recovery slow and liver failure sometimes results

Fetal alcohol syndrome • Condition in which a fetus has been adversely affected mentally and physically by its mother’s heavy alcohol use

• Low birth weight • Impaired speech • Cleft palate • General weakness • Slow body growth • Facial abnormalities • Heart defects

Binge Drinking • Periodic excessive drinking • Popular in high school and College • Social event or contest • Lead to serious difficulties

Alcohol poisoning • A dangerous toxic condition that occurs when a person drinks a large amount of alcohol in a short period of time

Alcoholism • A physical and psychological dependence on the drug

Stages of Alcoholism

Stage one • Social drinking • Physical and psychological dependency • Short-term memory loss • Makes excuses for drinking

Stage two • Cannot stop drinking • Physically dependent • May drink alone • More excuses • Drinking is central in the person’s life

Stage three • Final and worst stage • Drinking is most important • Constant companion • Malnutrition • Needs less alcohol to get drunk

Delirium tremens (DTs) • Hot/cold flashes, tremors, nightmares, hallucinations, and having fear of people and animals

• Alcoholism cannot be cured but can be treated • 2/3 of all alcoholics recover with proper treatment • AA – Alcoholics Anonymous • Alateen