Download How Alcohol Enters the Body

The response of the body to the demands of daily
living is stress.
 The cause or source of stress is called a stressor.
Stressors may be physical, mental, social or
environmental.
 A healthy response to a stressor is referred to as
eustress.
 A harmful response to a stressor is referred to as
distress.
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The General Adaptation Syndrome is a series of
body changes that result from stress.
 The G.A.S. occurs in 3 stages – the Alarm Stage, the
Resistance Stage, and the Exhaustion Stage.
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Body gets ready for “quick action”
Adrenaline (hormone) is produced to prepare the body
to react during times of stress or in an emergency.
Alarm stage is also referred to as the “fight or flight”
response, because it gets you ready to either take
action, or to run away to protect yourself.
During alarm stage, the following body changes occur:
pupils dilate to improve vision; hearing sharpens; saliva
decreases; heart rate and blood pressure increase to
stimulate blood flow to muscles; muscles tighten, palms
become sweaty.
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Body is no longer in an emergency state
Body attempts to regain internal balance
Adrenaline is no longer produced
The following body changes occur: pupils constrict;
hearing is normal; saliva increases; heart rate and
blood pressure decrease; muscles relax
The Alarm Stage and Resistance Stage are considered
normal. When you experience a stressor, the alarm stage
helps your body to respond. After your initial response, the
Resistance Stage occurs, and your body regains internal
balance.
 For people who have difficulty managing stress, they stay in
the alarm stage for long periods of time.
 The Exhaustion Stage is the stage where the wear and tear
on the body from prolonged bouts of stress increase the risk
of injury, illness, and premature death.
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Mental & Emotional Health: difficulty concentrating;
depressed; express emotions in negative ways; physical
illness and disorders increase.
Social/Family Health: stressful home environments &
stressful relationships can increase the likelihood of illness
and injury.
Growth & Development: as bodies reach puberty, some are
unhappy with how they are developing and have difficulty
adjusting to changes. Eating disorders are common with
young adults unhappy with body changes.
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Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco: some people will turn to
alcohol, drugs and/or tobacco as a means to “cope”
with stress. However, drugs may cause the body to
remain in the Alarm Stage.
Also, once the effects of these wears off, the stressor is
still there, and has not been dealt with in a healthful
way. In reality, the problem may now be compounded,
as the stress remains, and the person possibly puts
themselves at risk for developing an addiction to
alcohol, drugs and/or tobacco.
Use responsible decision-making skills
(ABCDE Model or FIND model)
 Keep a time-management plan
 Talk/communicate with parents, guardians, mentors or
responsible adult
 Have a support network of friends
 Participate in physical activity
 Write in a journal
 Eat a healthy diet
 Get plenty of rest and sleep
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Alcohol is a drug that depresses the brain and nervous system.
About 20% of the alcohol a person drinks is absorbed into the
bloodstream through the walls of the stomach.
A majority of the rest is absorbed through the walls of the intestine.
After it is absorbed, it moves quickly into the bloodstream.
Remaining alcohol is excreted through urine, perspiration or breath.
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Most alcohol is changed to harmless waste by the liver.
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The liver can process about one drink per hour.
If a person has more than one drink, the excess alcohol builds up in the
body.
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This excess alcohol goes into the body tissues before being excreted.
The effects of alcohol increase as the concentration of alcohol in the
blood increases.
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The amount of alcohol in a person’s blood is the Blood Alcohol
Concentration (BAC). The higher the BAC, the greater the effects of
alcohol on the body.
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An alcoholic beverage that contains ½ ounce of alcohol is considered
one drink.
 ½ ounce is equal to one beer, 4 to 5 oz. of wine, or one mixed drink.
 Drinking more than this amount will cause the BAC to rise.
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Getting “Drunk”
Alcohol is a toxin (poison). If too large an amount is consumed, the
body’s natural reaction is to reject it, causing a person to vomit.
 The body will work to break down and excrete the alcohol in the body
as quickly as possible.
 Because this process takes time, people may still feel the effects the
next day.
 There is no way to speed up this process – drinking coffee, taking a cold
shower, etc. will not break down the alcohol in the body.
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Amount of Alcohol consumed
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Speed at which alcohol is consumed
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Body weight
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Percentage of Body Fat (more body fat = higher BAC)
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Gender
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Feelings (stress, anger, fear speed up the time alcohol is absorbed)
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Amount of Food eaten
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Presence of other drugs in the bloodstream
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Age
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Drinking carbonated beverages
0.02 — 0.03 BAC: No loss of coordination, slight euphoria and loss of shyness. Depressant
effects are not apparent. Mildly relaxed and maybe a little lightheaded.
0.04 — 0.06 BAC: Feeling of well-being, relaxation, lower inhibitions, sensation of warmth.
Euphoria. Some minor impairment of reasoning and memory, lowering of caution. Your
behavior may become exaggerated and emotions intensified (Good emotions are better, bad
emotions are worse)
0.07 — 0.09 BAC: Slight impairment of balance, speech, vision, reaction time, and hearing.
Euphoria. Judgment and self-control are reduced, and caution, reason and memory are
impaired (in some* states .08 is legally impaired and it is illegal to drive at this level). You will
probably believe that you are functioning better than you really are. ( * —As of July, 2004 ALL
states had passed .08 BAC Per Se Laws. The final one takes effect in August of 2005.)
0.10 — 0.125 BAC: impairment of motor coordination and loss of good judgment. Speech may
be slurred; balance, vision, reaction time and hearing will be impaired. Euphoria. It is illegal to
operate a motor vehicle at this level of intoxication in all states.
0.13 — 0.15 BAC: Gross motor impairment and lack of physical control. Blurred vision and
major loss of balance. Euphoria is reduced and dysphoria* is beginning to appear. Judgment
and perception are severely impaired.
( * —Dysphoria: An emotional state of anxiety, depression, or unease.)
0.16 — 0.19 BAC: Dysphoria predominates, nausea may appear. The drinker
has the appearance of a "sloppy drunk."
0.20 BAC: Feeling dazed/confused or otherwise disoriented. May need help
to stand/walk. If you injure yourself you may not feel the pain. Some people
have nausea and vomiting at this level. The gag reflex is impaired and you
can choke if you do vomit. Blackouts are likely at this level so you may not
remember what has happened.
0.25 BAC: All mental, physical and sensory functions are severely impaired.
Increased risk of asphyxiation from choking on vomit and of seriously
injuring yourself by falls or other accidents.
0.30 BAC: STUPOR. You have little comprehension of where you are. You
may pass out suddenly and be difficult to awaken.
0.35 BAC: Coma is possible. This is the level of surgical anesthesia.
0.40 BAC and up: Onset of coma, and possible death due to respiratory
arrest.
Proof: the measure of the amount of alcohol in a beverage. The proof is
double the percent of alcohol in the beverage. Example: a beverage with
20% alcohol is 40 proof.
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Binge Drinking: Consuming large amounts of alcohol in a short time.
Examples would be “chugging”, doing shots, funnels, etc.
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Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS): the presence of severe birth defects in
babies born to mothers who drink alcohol during pregnancy.
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Hangover: the aftereffects of using alcohol or other drugs.
Blackout: a period in which a person cannot remember what has
happened.
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Alcohol is the leading known preventable cause of mental
and physical birth defects in the U.S.
 1 in every 750 infants is born with a pattern of physical,
developmental, and functional problems, which are referred
to as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
 Characteristics include: low birth weight, small head
circumference, failure to thrive, facial abnormalities (smaller
eye openings, flattened cheekbones) poor socialization skills,
learning difficulties and behavioral problems.
 Problems tend to intensify as children move into adulthood.
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 There is no evidence to support exactly how much alcohol
ingestion will produce birth defects, as all mothers process alcohol
differently, along with other factors.
 Alcohol easily passes the placental barrier, and the fetus is less
equipped to eliminate alcohol than it’s mother.
 The fetus tends to receive a higher concentration of alcohol,
which lingers longer than in the mother’s system.
 The first trimester is crucial – this is when the brain is developing.
The problem is, many women don’t realize they are pregnant. It is
important for women to adopt healthy behaviors before they get
pregnant.
Use of illegal drugs (stimulants, narcotics and sedatives, anabolic
steroids, hallucinogens, inhalants, marijuana) can have serious effects on
the mind and body.
 Use and abuse can lead to altered decision making, reasoning, memory
loss, and impaired concentration.
 Users may become depressed and lazy, or overly excited and agitated.
Users may also be prone to wild mood swings, as well as fits of anger and
hostility.
 Long term use leads to increased tolerance (when the body becomes
used to a substance) which will lead to physical dependence.
 Users may also be susceptible to HIV and hepatitis B if they are
intravenous drug users (injecting the drug with a needle shared among
people.)
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Stimulants speed up the activity of the Central Nervous System (CNS).
Sometimes called “uppers”, as they make people feel alert, awake,
and alive.
Effects on Body: increased heart rate, breathing rate, increased blood
pressure.
Users can become confused, anxious, aggressive and paranoid.
Users can suffer seizures, strokes, and even death.
Examples are cocaine, crack, amphetamines, “crystal meth”
Narcotics and sedatives will depress or slow down the Central Nervous
System.
 Narcotics are often prescribed by physicians as a pain reliever.
 Can also be used to control other body functions (cough, diarrhea, etc.)
 Large doses of narcotics can slow breathing and heart rate to the point
of being in a coma, or even death.
 Users cannot use reasoning or judgment, may become depressed and
lazy, and be prone to mood swings.
 Examples include morphine, codeine, heroin, and opium.
 Sedatives have same effect as narcotics, and are often used to produce
a calming effect on a person’s behavior. They will produce drowsiness and
sleep.
 Sedatives are generally not used as painkillers.
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Steroids are synthetic (created in a lab) hormones designed to mimic
male hormones (testosterone).
 Used to build muscle size and strength, increase athletic performance,
and to improve physical appearance.
 Use by males can cause impotence (low sperm count) or sterility,
baldness, acne, and even cancer.
 Use by females will cause females to develop male characteristics –
breasts shrink, period stops, facial hair grows.
 Use is often associated with “roid rage” – users become aggressive,
violent, and are prone to outbursts of anger and hostility.
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Drugs that interfere with the senses and cause hallucinations.
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Hallucination: an imagined experience that seems real.
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Also referred to as “psychedelic drugs.”
Hallucinogens will alter the mind, causing altered perceptions of reality,
time, and environment, intensify mood, and cause rapid mood swings.
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Users may also suffer “flashbacks”, which are vivid memories of an
hallucination.
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Examples of hallucinogens are LSD, PCP (“angel dust”), mushrooms
(“shrooms”) and Ecstasy
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Inhalants are chemicals that affect mood and behavior.
Most inhalants are not controlled drugs, rather they are chemicals that
are not produced to be inhaled or used as drugs.
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Examples may include nail polish remover, paint thinner, White Out,
markers, nitrous oxide, spray paint.
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Often one of the first drugs used because they are easily available and
accessible.
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Inhalants produce a very quick high, yet last a very short period of time.
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Inhalants will cause CNS to slow down, and deprive the brain of oxygen.
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Most commonly used illegal drug in the U.S.
Contains THC, which is the drug that produces the psychoactive effects
of marijuana.
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THC is a fat-soluble drug that builds up in the fatty parts of the body,
including the brain, heart, and liver. A fat-soluble drug is one that takes a
long time to get “flushed” from your system.
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Users will become relaxed, drowsy, hungry.
Often referred to as a “gateway drug”, which is a drug that increases
the likelihood that a person who uses it will use other illegal drugs.
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Use can effect the lungs and respiratory system, affect the female
reproductive system, cause short-term memory loss, and impair
concentration.
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