Download Alcohol - Sewanhaka Central High School District

Welcome to Lifeskills
Alcohol: Myth and Reality
 What
is alcohol?
 Is alcohol a drug?
 Is alcohol a stimulant or a depressant?
 How does it affect the body?
Points to Ponder
Alcohol is a drug contained in beverages (drinks) such as
wine, beer, wine coolers, or hard liquor.
 After you drink it, alcohol is absorbed through the walls of
your stomach and intestines, directly into your
bloodstream. The alcohol then travels through the blood to
the brain.
 Alcohol is a depressant. Once it reaches the brain, it
depresses the brains activity, which in turn affects the
body.

 If
alcohol is a depressant and slows down the brain
activities, what do you think are some of the
physical and behavioral affects it has on the body?
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


Small doses of alcohol will…
Slow down he ability to think
clearly and to make decisions
Make you feel a little more
relaxed
Make you feel more loose and
daring than you usually do


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Larger doses of alcohol will…
Slow down other area of the
brain and nervous system
Cause dizziness
Decrease coordination
Cause difficulties in speaking,
walking, and staying awake
Cause emotional behavior
Some people may
 Pass out temporarily or lose their memory because of the
drug’s action on the brain
Behavioral effects include:
 Fighting/arguing/violence
 Talking loudly or more than usual
 Obnoxious behavior
 Silliness/ giggling/ giddiness
Patterns of Drinking
 Abstinence:
About 30% of Americans don’t drink
at all. Reasons: religion, alcoholism; allergy
 Ritual Drinking: This is the drinking of alcohol in
the context of a religious service of family rite.
For Example: Church, Sabbath services, toast, Bar
Mitzvah
Patterns of Drinking
 Social
Drinking: Many Americans call themselves
social drinkers. The drinking is appropriate to time
and place.
 Compulsive or Problem Drinking: Alcohol is used
as a way to cope with problems or negative
feelings. It involves drinking too much too often.
This kind of drinking is destructive and frequently
increases a person’s problem instead of decreasing
them.
Lets Summarize
 Many
people (30%) don’t drink at all.
 There are several different kinds of drinking.
 Some types of drinking( ritual or social drinking)
are generally considered acceptable to most adults.
 However some type of drinking is dangerous and
destructive.
 Most high school student report that they would
disapprove if a friend drank regularly
Reasons for Not Drinking
 Reasons
for not Drinking
 Don’t
like the taste
 Don’t like getting drunk
 It’s fattening
 Religious or family prohibitions
 Need to stay in shape for sports
 It’s illegal
Reasons for Drinking
Look grown up
 Be more popular
 Look cool
 Feel less nervous in social situations
 Like the taste
 Get high to have fun
 Peer pressure
 boredom

Reasons why people become problem
drinkers
 Cope
with problems
 Cope with stress
 Cope with negative emotions
 Physical and psychological dependence
 Have friend who are problem drinkers
Myth or Reality
 Our
whole society is concerned with getting a
“high”.
Myth or Reality
 It
takes a real tough guy or girl to hold a lot of
alcohol.
Myth or Reality
 My
friends will think I’m a “--------” if I don’t
drink a lot.
Myth or Reality
I
just drink beer or wine.
Myth or Reality
 Lots
of creative and successful people drink too
much.