alcoholism alcoholism – disease which a person has a physical/ psychological dependence on drinks...

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