alcoholism alcoholism – disease which a person has a physical/ psychological dependence on drinks...
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ALCOHOLISM Alcoholism – disease which a
person has a physical/ psychological dependence on drinks that contain alcohol
Binge drinking - Drinking 5 or more alcoholic drinks in 1 sitting
Alcohol is the MOST abused drug by high schoolers
ALCOHOL CONTENT
Labels indicate the % of alcohol they contain
Proof is a measure of the % of alcohol in the beverage
Proof is 2x the % of alcohol (100 proof vodka is 50% alcohol)
SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL
Depressant - Slows activity of the body’s central nervous system
Slows breathing/ HR Decreased alertness Decreased coordination Blurred vision, slurred speech Liver and kidney problems – toxicity and
dehydration Nausea, vomiting
DWI Driving While Intoxicated is the leading cause of death
among teens In the U.S., HALF of all fatal
automobile crashes are alcohol related (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
Accounts for nearly 30% of ALL fatal car crashes in New York
ZERO TOLERANCE LAWS It is against the law for a person
under 21 to drink alcohol and operate a motor vehicle
Any person under age 21 who is caught driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .02, or 1 DRINK– will be charged
Over 21 – legal limit is .08
Blood Alcohol Content
The amount of ethanol in a person’s blood expressed as a percentage
Factors Impacting theEffects of Alcohol on the Body
Gender, age, weight, heightAmount of food in stomachConcentration of alcoholic beverages consumed
Amount of alcohol consumedRate of consumption and absorption
Alcohol’s Effect on the Brain
Activity slows loss of sensation and decrease in sharpness of vision, hearing and other senses
Loss of muscle coordination – causes loss of inhibition
Blackouts
Alcohol’s Effect on the Liver
The liver breaks down ethanol at the rate of 1 can of beer, 1 glass of wine or 1 shot of liquor per hour
NOTHING can speed up the liver’s ability to breakdown alcohol
LIVER DAMAGE
Fatty Liver-alcohol interferes with the
liver’s ability to break down fats. Heavy drinking can cause the liver to fill with fat, which blocks blood flow, so the liver dies
LIVER DAMAGE
Alcoholic hepatitis – inflammation of the liver caused by the toxic effects of alcohol. Causes weakness, fever, yellowing of the skin, enlargement of the liver
LIVER DAMAGE
CIRRHOSISUseless scar tissue replaces
normal liver tissue, resulting in liver failure. This leads to high blood pressure, increased risk of infection, swelling of the abdomen and yellowing of the skin
Fetal Alcohol SyndromeBirth defects caused by the
effects of alcohol on the unborn child
Heart defectsPoor motor developmentLow birth weightDelayed growthLeading preventable cause of
mental retardation in the U.S.
Long-term Health RisksToleranceDependenceWithdrawal Brain Damage – nerve cells are
destroyed causing forgetfulness, inability to concentrate and poor judgment
Digestive problems – alcohol irritates the mouth, throat, esophagus, and stomach
Can contribute to cancer
Stages of Alcoholism 1st Stage – Abuse Begins with social drinking but advances
to memory loss, and blackouts. The person begins to lie/ make excuses to justify drinking.
2nd Stage - Dependence Person becomes physically dependent
and can’t stop drinking. He/she may try to hide the problem, but job, school, at home suffers.
Stages of Alcoholism
3rd Stage – AddictionAt this final stage, liver is
damaged so less alcohol may be required to cause drunkenness. Withdrawal symptoms occur if person tries to stop drinking.
Support Groups
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
WWW.AA.ORG
Al-Anon / Alateen
www.al-anon.alateen.org