ALCOHOL & Drug UseALCOHOL & Drug Use

Adolescent Alcohol UseAdolescent Alcohol Use

• “Scientific evidence suggests that even modest alcohol consumption in late childhood and adolescence can result in permanent brain damage”. – American Medical Association

• “Among current drinkers aged 12-17, 31% suffered extreme levels of psychological distress, and 39% exhibited serious behavioral problems” – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Drugs & AlcoholDrugs & Alcohol

• Tolerance = the body becomes used to the effects of a medicine/drug.

• Euphoria: feeling intense well-being or elation.

• Ethanol: type of alcohol in alcoholic beverages.

• Withdrawal: person stops using medicine (nervousness, insomnia, headaches, vomiting, chills, and cramps).

ALCOHOLALCOHOL

• Depressant – drug that slows the central nervous system

• Alcohol = general term for a class of chemical compounds. When referring to alcohol as a drink, it means a liquid made by fermenting sugar and plant materials to form an intoxicating drink.

• Intoxication – body is poisoned by alcohol or another substance and the person’s physical and mental control is significantly reduced.

AlcoholAlcohol

• Binge Drinking – consumption of five or more alcoholic drinks in one sitting

• Alcohol Poisoning – potentially fatal physical reaction to an alcohol overdose– Mental confusion, stupor, coma, inability to be

aroused, vomiting/seizures– Slow respiration, irregular heartbeat,

hypothermia, and severe dehydration

Short –Term Effects of AlcoholShort –Term Effects of Alcohol

• Brain – becomes less able to control the body

• Blood Vessels – causes blood vessels to expand (body temp. to drop)

• Stomach – some alcohol passes quickly; acid production increases and causes nausea/vomiting

Short –Term EffectsShort –Term Effects

• Liver – toxic chemicals released as the liver metabolizes alcohol. Can cause inflammation and scarring.

• Kidneys – increase urine output = causes dehydration

• Lungs – carbon dioxide formed by liver

• Breathing – depresses nerves that control breathing and other involuntary actions

Long – Term EffectsLong – Term Effects

• Brain/Spinal Cord: Impaired senses (vision, hearing, smell, & pain perception), hallucinations, blackouts, loss of sensation in hands/feet, early on-set of dementia, mood and personality changes, & anxiety.

• Circulatory: high blood pressure, irregular heart beat, damage to heart muscle, increase risk of heart disease and stroke.

Long Term Effects of AlcoholLong Term Effects of Alcohol

• Liver: painful inflammation, cirrhosis, cancer, hemorrhage, liver failure.

• Gastrointestinal: stomach lining inflamed, ulcers, and cancer.

• Pancreas: painful, bleeding

• Intestines: irritation of lining, ulcers, cancer of intestines and colon.

Long Term Effects of AlcoholLong Term Effects of Alcohol

• Reproductive System: reduced fertility, impaired sexual performance, impotence, decreased sperm count, increased risk of breast cancer (woman), early onset of menopause, & irregular menstrual cycle.

• General Body: weight gain, headaches, & muscle weakness.

Fetal Alcohol SyndromeFetal Alcohol Syndrome

• A group of alcohol-related birth defects that include physical and mental problems.

• Baby born with small head and deformities of the face, hands, or feet.

• Heart, liver, kidney, vision, and hearing problems.

• FAS leading cause of mental retardation in the U.S.

Blood Alcohol LevelBlood Alcohol Level

• BAL = the amount of alcohol in your blood stream. Drink alcohol > stomach > blood stream.– 1) Amount of blood in your system (weight)– 2) Amount of alcohol you consume over time

(faster = higher BAL)– 3) Liver metabolizes drink/hour, the rest builds

up in your blood.

BALBAL

• .02 = Mellow/less inhibited• .05 = less alert/coordination impairment• .08 = Drunk Driving• .10 = Behavior/mood swings/reaction time• .15 = impaired balance & movement• .30 = Many lose consciousness• .40 = Lose consciousness/ some die• .50 = Breathing stops.

Dependence & AlcoholismDependence & Alcoholism

• Psychological Dependence: person believes a drug is needed in order to feel good or to function normally.

• Physical Dependence: person has a chemical need for the drug.

• Alcoholism: disease in which a person has a physical or psychological dependence on drinks that contain alcohol.

SymptomsSymptoms

• Craving = need for alcohol, cannot manage without it (stress, work, family,etc)

• Loss of control = no limit. Preoccupied with alcohol.

• Physical Dependence = withdrawal (nausea, sweating, shakes, anxiety)

• Tolerance = increase amounts to feel effects

• Health, family, legal problems

Stages of AlcoholismStages of Alcoholism

• Stage 1 = ABUSE– Physical & psychological dependence black-outs and

memory loss (consumption increases = problem drinker)

• Stage 2 = DEPENDENCE– Physical Dependence (alcohol becomes th person’s

central focus)

• Stage 3 = ADDICTION– Most important thing in person’s life. Person is out of

control and to stop drinking => withdrawal