Download Alcohol - lesson 27

Alcohol
Alcohol is a drug!
 Psychoactive drug – is a chemical substance that acts on the brain. It affects a person’s mind and
behaviors.
 Depressant – a drug that slows down nervous system activity.
 Gateway Drug – leads the user to try other stronger drugs.
◦ What are other gateway drugs?
 Tobacco and marijuana.
 Alcohol
 No nutritional value – alcohol has no nutrients and interferes with the body’s ability to absorb
vitamins and nutrients from other sources.
◦ Even though alcohol has no nutrients, it is very high in calories.
◦ Regular consumption can lead to weight gain.
Alcoholic Beverages
 Ethanol or Ethyl Alcohol – this is the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages.
3 Types of Alcoholic Beverages
Beer – 3% to 5% alcohol
Wine – 9% to 14% alcohol
Distilled spirits or hard liquor – 40% to 50% alcohol
Distilled spirits or hard liquor are labeled with a proof.
Proof – is a measure of alcohol content that is 2x the % of alcohol. Ex. 80 proof whiskey is 40 proof.
 Which drink is the strongest?
 12 ounce (1 can) beer?
 5 ounce glass of wine?
 1 ½ ounce shot?
 They are all the same! They all have a ½ ounce of alcohol.
Factors that determine how alcohol affects people
 Speed – How fast you drink or drinking a lot in a short period of time.
 Quantity – The amount a person drinks.
 Food – If the person has eaten recently. Food slows alcohols absorption into the blood.
 Weight – Lighter people will feel the effects of alcohol before heavier people.
 Other drugs – mixing alcohol with other drugs can be deadly. Mixing can increase the effects of both
alcohol and the other drugs.
Oxidation
 The rate at which the liver breaks down alcohol.
 The liver can only break down 1 drink per hour (or a ½ ounce of alcohol per hour).
 If the drinker takes in alcohol faster than the liver can break it down, the drinker will become
intoxicated and their BAC will rise.
Blood Alcohol Content (BAC)
 BAC – is the ratio of alcohol measured in the blood to the total blood volume.
Expressed as a
decimal.
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In NYS, driving with a BAC of .08 and higher is considered a DWI (driving while intoxicated).
Alcohol and your body
Short-term effects of drinking alcohol
 Blurred vision & slurred speech
 Impaired judgment & lowered inhibitions
 Slowed reflexes
 Intoxication-being affected by alcohol
 Vomiting
 Blackouts
Long-term effects of drinking alcohol
 Alcoholism: physical and psychological dependence.
 Hepatitis: inflammation of the liver
 Cirrhosis: liver cells replaced with scar tissue, liver failure.
 Brain damage: memory and intelligence effected
 Cancers: mouth and throat (higher risk for those who smoke).
 Stomach and intestine: irritation, indigestion and ulcers.
 Heart problems: weakens the heart muscle.
 Nutritional deficiencies.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
 A pregnant woman who drinks can harm her unborn baby.
 Alcohol disrupts:
◦ Development of the brain and other organs, which can lead to mental retardation, delayed
growth and abnormal facial features. Children of FAS can also have social and behavioral
problems.
Pregnant mothers who drink alcohol also have an increased chance of miscarriage and stillbirth.
 Classifying Drinking Behavior
 Abstainers – do not drink.
 Social Drinkers – usually only drink at social occasions
 Moderate Drinkers – consuming only 1 ounce of alcohol per day or 2 drinks. They do not rely on
alcohol and can stop drinking easily.
 Heavy Drinkers – consuming more than 2 drinks per day. They use drinking as a coping mechanism
and have trouble limiting their drinking. Heavy drinkers may experience blackouts or not
remembering what happened while drinking excessively.
 Where to get help….
 Alanon- designed to help family members talk about problems of living with an alcoholic.
 Alateen- teens who have alcoholic family members discuss problems.
 AA (Alcoholics Anonymous)- for alcoholics, a 12 step program for recovery.
 Other organizations
 MADD
 SADD