Alcohol Affects The Body

10.110.1

Key Terms• Alcohol-The drug in wine, beer &

liquor that causes intoxication.–Alcohol is considered a drug

because it causes a change in a persons physical & mental state.

Key Terms• Blood Alcohol

Concentration (BAC) - The amount of alcohol in a person’s blood, expressed as a percentage.

Key Terms• Binge Drinking - Drinking 5 or more

drinks in one sitting. – A person can drink a fatal amount of

alcohol before the effects of severe intoxication sets in.

Key Terms• Cirrhosis - A deadly disease

that replaces healthy liver tissue with scar tissue. –Most often caused by long term

alcohol abuse.

FACT

• Alcohol is the most widely used & abused drug.

• One beer contains the same amount of alcohol as a glass of wine or a shot of vodka.

Short-Term Effects of Alcohol

Minor Effects• Nausea• Vomiting• Dehydration • Loss of judgment and

self- control• Reduced reaction

time• Poor vision

Serious Effects• Memory loss • Blackout • Coma • Death

Myth• If I weigh 160 lbs, I can drink

three beers w/out affecting my driving because I’ll still be under the legal limit of 0.08.

Fact• The ability to drive is affected

even at a B.A.C. of 0.02.

• Just one drink can affect a persons ability to drive safely.

The Dangers of Binge Drinking

• Eight drinks or more in an hour can cause the brain & heart to stop working.–This is called alcohol poisoning, or

alcohol overdose, & –It can be fatal.

Alcohol Poisoning Symptoms:• Extreme vomiting, • Loss consciousness, & • Dangerously slowed breathing.

Get medical help immediately.• Turn the victim onto his/her side so they

won’t choke & die from vomiting.• If certified, administer CPR if the person is

not breathing & has no pulse.

Long-Term Effects1. Brain - Brain damage, shrunken brain & dead brain

cells.2. Heart - Irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure,

enlargement of the heart, anemia.3. Immune System - Diminished immune system

function - makes fighting off disease difficult.4. Small Intestine - Decreased ability to absorb

vitamins5. Mouth, Esophagus & Stomach - Irritation; stomach

bleeding; cancer of the mouth, esophagus, & stomach.

6. Liver - Hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver cancer7. Pancreas – Pancreatic Cancer8. Kidneys – Loss of bladder control

Damage To The Brain

• Alcoholism is the 2nd leading cause of dementia.– Dementia is a decrease of brain function that

includes personality changes & memory loss.

Effects on the Mind

• About 15 minutes after finishing one or two drinks, most people begin to feel more relaxed & talkative, they laugh more easily.

• The drinker loses the ability to make good decisions, pay attention, follow complex thoughts, or cope with difficult situations.

• A person loses the ability to focus his/her eyes.• The person slurs his/her speech, loses

coordination, & may experience drastic mood swings.

• The drinker loses his/her inhibitions.– Inhibitions are the natural limits that people put on their

behavior.

Cirrhosis• The 12th leading cause of death

in the U.S.

• 1/2 of Cirrhosis deaths are from chronic alcohol abuse.

Alcoholism Affects the Family & Society

Chap 10.2

Key Terms

• Alcohol Abuse - drinking too much or at inappropriate times.

• Alcoholism - lose control of drinking behavior.

• Enabling - help addict avoid consequences.• Co-dependency - sacrifice your needs for

the needs of an addict.• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) - affects

fetus when mother consumes too much alcohol during pregnancy.

What Is Alcoholism?

• A disease that causes a person to lose control of his or her drinking. (Can’t stop)

• The drinker is physically & emotionally addicted to alcohol.

• Alcoholics suffer physical pains when they don’t get alcohol. (DTs)

Alcoholism

Drinking atinappropriate times.

Need to drinkmore in order to feelthe same effect as

the first time drinking.

Needs alcohol to

function normally

Loss of control over drinking behavior.

Tolerance Dependence AlcoholismProblem Drinking

Alcoholism Risk Factors

• Age - Teens who drink before 15 years old are more likely to become alcoholics than a person who waits until they’re 21.

• Social Environment – Having friends who drink, (you do because they do).

• Genetics – You are 25% likely to become an alcoholic if someone in your family drinks.

• Risk-Taking Personality

Warning Signs of Alcoholism

• Drinking to deal w/anger.

• Changing friends or personal habits.

• Being defensive about drinking.

• Feeling depressed.

• Drinking alone.

• Drinking just to get drunk.

• Hiding your drinking.

• Drinking at inappropriate times.

Affects On The Family • Guilty Feelings - Family feels guilty

• Fear of Unpredictable Behavior - Family never knows what to expect from the drinker.

• Violence - Families may become victims.

• Neglect & Isolation - Drinkers avoid their children & drink instead. Alcoholic avoids help from family, friends, & coworkers.

• Ignoring One’s Own Needs - Families sacrifices their needs to meet addicts needs.

Alcoholism Can Be Treated

• Treatment Programs - Helps alcoholics during difficult stages & helps alcoholics understand why they drink.– During withdrawal, the person suffers from

nervousness, headaches, chills, nausea, seizures, & uncontrollable shaking.

• Al-Anon & Ala-Teen - Support Groups for the families of alcoholics. – Helps the families talk & share their feelings about

what the alcoholic is doing to their family.

10.3

• Designated Driver - A person who chooses not to drink alcohol in a social setting so that he or she can safely drive himself or herself & others

DUI - Driving Under the Influence - Anyone caught Driving Under the Influence will be arrested.

Zero Tolerance – If you are under 21 & are stopped for a DUI, your license is suspended, fined, do community service, or may go to jail.

Teens & Alcohol• 1700 Teens die annually from drunk driving

• 1/5 Teen related drunk driving accidents are fatal

• 60% of all teen deaths in car accidents involve alcohol.

• Drunk driving is a serious crime that has serious consequences such as:– Brain damage, spinal cord injuries, paralysis &

emotional stress resulting from a death.

• Don’t Drink – It can be fatal.• Plan Ahead - Before you go out were

they might be serving alcohol, plan a safe way home.– A designated driver.– A friend or family member who will pick you

up.– Call a taxi.

• Drinking and sexual activity can lead to:• Unplanned Pregnancies,• Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs),• Regret & the emotional pain of an unhealthy

sexual relationship, &/or• Rape.

• 60% of college women who have acquired STDs, including AIDS & genital herpes, were under the influence of alcohol at the time they had intercourse.

• 95% of violent crime has been because of the use of alcohol.

• The brains and bodies of teens are still developing.

• Drinking before the age of 21 can cause irreversible brain damage.

• Many teens have been pressured to use alcohol, by advertisements, TV, or movies.

• Its even harder to say no when your own friend is telling you to drink.

• Don’t stress yourself, the best way to stay away from alcohol is to avoid the people that use it.

• Buy yourself some time, go some place where you can be alone & think about how to get yourself out of the situation.

• Give good reasons why you choose not to drink – ex: If one of your friends asks you to drink at least one, you can say, “I promised to get us both home safe”.

• State the consequences you face if you drink - ex: If your friends tell you to have just one, you can say, “I would get grounded if my parents saw me drunk.”

• No is a simple and powerful word that will send the message to the other person, when you say no, make sure you say it clearly.

• If the person insists, say, “No thank you”, and walk away.

• If necessary, say no again and include an alternate activity, if that person keeps on insisting change the subject or include something fun for example dancing playing outside etc.

• Walk away if the person just doesn’t understand that you’ve been saying no, leave the situation.

Section 1 Review

• Why alcohol is considered a drug?

• Which of the following is not a short-term effect of alcohol?

– A. poor vision – B. poor judgment– C. reduced reaction time – D. increased self-control

Section 1 Review

• Identify the term for the drug in beer wine and liquor that causes intoxication.

• Define intoxication:

• Define cirrhosis:

• Describe the danger of binge drinking?