Chapter 22

Alcohol

Lesson 1

Choosing to Be Alcohol Free

The Facts About Alcohol

• Alcohol = Ethanol

• Fermentation = chemical action

• Water, flavoring and minerals are mixed with ethanol to produce a variety of beverages, such as beer and wine

Immediate Effects of Alcohol Consumption

• Initial rush = false sense• Depressant = slows central nervous system

– Affects a person’s motor skills– Slows down reaction time – Impairs vision– Clear thinking and good judgment are impaired– The amount of alcohol that leads to intoxication is

different for every person• Intoxication = poisoned by alcohol or another substance

and the person’s physical and mental control is significantly reduced

Factors That Influences Alcohol Use

To Use or Not to Use???• Peer Pressure• Family • Media Messages

Advertising Techniques• Alcohol beverage companies spend billions of

dollars a year to advertise• How do they spend their money? • Where do they spend their money?

Avoid Alcohol: Avoid Unsafe Situations• Alcohol-related traffic collisions = number one cause

of death and disability among teens • Alcohol and the Law

– 21• Alcohol, Violence and Sexual Activity

– More likely to be victims– Judgment, lowers inhibitions, compromise morals

• Alcohol Abuse– Excessive use– Four times more to be dependent on alcohol when

a person starts to drink as a teen rather an adult• Alcohol and Extracurricular Activities

– Zero tolerance policy

Being Alcohol Free• Maintain a healthy body• Make responsible decisions• Avoid risky behaviors• Avoid illegal activities• Refusing Alcohol = Saying NO is much easier

when you are prepared– Refuse to drink, Leave the situation, call for a ride

home– Best defense is to avoid situations where alcohol

is present

Lesson 2

Harmful Effects of Alcohol Use

Short-Term Effects of DrinkingDifferent for each individual• Body size and gender• Food• Amount and rate of intake• Figure 22.1

– Nervous System– Cardiovascular System– Digestive System– Respiratory System

Alcohol and Drug Interaction

• Do not mix• Lead to illness, injury, or even death• Understanding how the body works when

using drugs • Metabolism – breakdown of substances• Multiplier Effect – when combining alcohol

with medication, the medication will have a greater effect or different effect than taken alone

Typical Alcohol-Drug Interactions• Alcohol may slow down a drug’s absorption

by the body.– Increases the length of time that the alcohol or

drug is in the body, increase risk of harmful side effects

• Drinking increases the number of metabolizing enzymes, causes medicines to be broken down faster, decreasing their effectiveness

• Metabolizing enzymes can change some medications into chemicals that can damage the liver or other organs

• Alcohol can increase the effects of some drugs

Driving Under the Influence• Drinking alcohol impairs vision, reaction time,

and coordination• Results can be disastrous or even deadly• Driving while intoxicated, DWI, or driving under

the influence, DUI, is the leading cause of death among teens

• Blood alcohol level (BAC)• BAC exceeds the state’s legal limit =

intoxication• Anyone under 21 there is NO exception, some

states BAC level is 0.1 percent and others are 0.08

Medical Researchers and Drinking

• Slows reflexes

• Reduces a person’s ability to judge distances and speeds

• Increases risk-taking behaviors

• Reduces a person’s concentration while increasing forgetfulness

Consequences of DWI• Harm to the driver and others• Severely restricted driving privileges and/or

immediate confiscation of a drivers license• Alcohol-related injuries, property damage, and death• Living with regret and remorse from these

consequences• Loss of parental trust and respect• Arrest, jail time, court appearance, and a heavy fine

or bail• A police record and possible lawsuits• Higher insurance rates – up to three times higher

than those for nondrinking peers

Binge Drinking & Alcohol Poisoning• Binge Drinking

– Drinking five or more alcoholic drinks at one sitting– Rapid binge drinking can be fatal or cause alcohol

poisoning• Alcohol Poisoning

– A severe reaction to an alcohol overdose– Alcohol acts as a depressant and shuts down

involuntary actions such as breathing and the gag reflex that prevents choking

– A fatal dose of alcohol will eventually stop these involuntary actions, a person can choke on her own vomit

– Common to vomit if a person consumes too much alcohol because it is a stomach irritant

Effects of Alcohol Poisoning• Passing out• Alcohol does not stop entering the body

after a person passes out, however alcohol in the stomach and intestines continues to enter the bloodstream and blood alcohol concentration levels continue to rise

• It is dangerous to assume someone who is passed out is fine if left to “sleep it off”

Symptoms Indicating Alcohol Poisoning

• Mental confusion, stupor, coma, inability to be roused, vomiting, and seizures

• Slow respiration – 10 seconds between breaths or fewer than 8 breaths in a minute

• Irregular heartbeat• Hypothermia or low body temperature – pale

or bluish skin• Severe dehydration from vomiting

Lesson 3

Alcohol, the Individual, and Society

Long-Term Effects of Alcohol on the Body• Changes to the Brain

– Addiction, loss of brain function, brain damage• Cardiovascular Changes

– Heart damage, enlarged heart, high blood pressure

• Liver Problems– Fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis

• Digestive System Problems– Irritation (lead to ulcers and cancer of stomach

and esophagus)• Pancreas Problems

– Lining of the pancreas (swells to block the passage from the pancreas to small intestine)

Alcohol During Pregnancy• The fetus’s liver is not developed

enough to process alcohol = cause permanent damage to the fetus

• During the first few weeks of pregnancy if a woman drinks it is doing harm to the baby’s central nervous system

• Infants born to mothers who drink are at risk of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)– A group of alcohol-related birth defects that

include physical and mental problems

Effects of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

• Severe and lasting• Small head and deformities of the face,

hands, or feet• Heart, liver and kidney defects• Vision and hearing problems• Slow growth and coordination• Difficulties with learning, attention, memory,

and problem solving• FAS is the leading known cause of mental

retardation in the US• COMPLETELY PREVENTABLE

Alcoholism

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

• Impaired ability to study, work or socialize normally

• One of the most devastating effects of alcohol use

Alcoholics

• An addict who is dependent on alcohol

• Some may display harmful behaviors such as drunk driving or violent or aggressive behaviors

• Some may be quiet and withdrawn

• It is not limited to any one age, race, ethnic or socioeconomic group

Symptoms of an Alcoholic

• Craving

• Loss of Control

• Physical dependence

• Tolerance

• Health, family and legal problems

Factors Affecting Alcoholics

• Genetic link• Children of alcoholics are four times more

likely than other children to become alcoholics

• Other environmental factors such as family, friends, culture, peers, pressure, availability of alcohol and stress can put a person at risk for alcoholism

• Make the healthy choice and stay alcohol free

Stages of Alcoholism

• Stage 1 – Abuse

• Stage 2 – Dependence

• Stage 3 - Addiction

Effects on Family and Society• Alcohol use is a major factor in the four

leading causes of accidental death – car accidents, falls, drownings, and house fires

• Alcohol plays a role in violent crimes – homicide, forcible rape, and robbery

• Codependency – people who learn to ignore their own needs and focus their energy and emotions on the needs of the alcoholic– Lose their trust in others, their self-esteem and at

times their own health

Treatment for Alcoholics

• Recovery– Process of learning to live an alcohol-free

life– The goal is to stop or control the intake of

alcohol

• Sobriety– Living without alcohol– A lifelong commitment

• Figure 22.4