Transcript Alcohol
Alcohol The average age when youth first try alcohol is 11 years for boys and 13 years for girls. Adolescents who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who begin drinking at age 21. Alcohol and the Body Alcohol is a drug that depresses the brain and nervous system. • Fermentation is a process in which yeast, sugar, and water are combined to produce alcohol and carbon dioxide. What to Know About Alcohol and the Body Beer – Beer is an alcoholic beverage that is made by fermenting barley, corn, or rye. – Most beers are about 4 percent alcohol. • Wine – Wine is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting grapes or other fruits. – Most wines are about 12 to 14 percent alcohol. What to Know About Alcohol and the Body Liquor – Liquor is an alcoholic beverage that is made by distillation. – Distillation is a process that uses a fermented mixture to obtain an alcoholic beverage with a high alcohol content. – Most liquors are about 40 percent alcohol. – Proof is a measure of the amount of alcohol in a beverage. . one 12 oz. beer at 4% alcohol one 1.5 oz shot of hard one 5 oz. liquor glass of at 40% alcohol wine at or 80 11% proof alcohol Blood alcohol concentration The amount of alcohol in a person’s blood, expressed as a percentage Binge drinking Binge Drinking and Blackouts • Drinkers who experience blackouts typically drink too much and too quickly, which causes their blood alcohol levels to rise very rapidly. College students may be at particular risk for experiencing a blackout, as an alarming number of college students engage in binge drinking. Binge drinking, for a typical adult, is defined as consuming five or more drinks in about 2 hours for men, or four or more drinks for women Alcohol poisoning Severe and potentially fatal physical reaction to an alcohol overdose The Law it is an offence for anyone under 21 years of age to possess, consume or purchase alcohol. It is illegal to sell or supply alcohol to anyone known to be or appearing to be under the age of 21 (unless the person has proof otherwise). It is not illegal for parents or guardians to give an underage child a drink at home. Selling or supplying alcohol to any person who appears to be intoxicated is illegal Legal intoxication level Under 21 is .02 21 and over is .08 BAC Levels .1% showing signs of inebriation .2% impaired abilities .3% lucky to be breathing .4% close to death Male impairment chart Female impairment chart Breath alcohol detector Alcohol saliva test Factors that influence how alcohol will affect a person include: 1. age 2. gender 3. physical condition 4. amount of food eaten 5. other drugs or medicines taken Effects of alcohol low doses, •a relaxing effect •reduces tension •lowers inhibitions •impairs concentration •slows reflexes •impairs reaction time •reduces coordination medium doses, alcohol produces: •slur speech •cause drowsiness •alter emotions high doses, •vomiting •breathing difficulties •unconsciousn ess •coma TRANSPORTING Once alcohol is in your blood stream, it is carried to all the organs of your body. In the majority of healthy people, blood circulates through the body in 90 seconds, thereby allowing alcohol to affect your brain and all other organs in 90 seconds. ABSORBING Once alcohol is swallowed, it is not digested like food. Instead, a small amount is absorbed directly by the mucosal lining of the mouth. Once in the stomach, alcohol is absorbed directly into your blood stream through the tissue lining the stomach and small intestine. Food, water and fruit juice help to slow this absorption, while carbonation works to speed absorption. CHANGING Alcohol is a drug that must be changed into a non-harmful substance. Ten percent of the alcohol is eliminated through sweat, breath, and urine. Your liver must detoxify the remaining alcohol. Nothing will speed this rate. When the rate of alcohol consumed exceeds the liver’s detoxification rate, the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream continues to increase, further impairing the brain, causing intoxication, coma, or possibly death. It takes about 1 1/2 hours to break down 1 drink Kidneys Alcohol causes the kidneys to increase urine output, which can lead to dehydration Alcohol robs your brain cells of water and glucose (the brain's food), which is why you experience hangover symptoms such as headache, dehydration, and the shakes the day after a night of heavy drinking. Compared to normal babies, babies born with FAS have: 1. smaller heads and brains 2. some degree of mental retardation 3. poor coordination 4. hyperactivity 5. abnormal facial features Any of the following may indicate a drinking problem: Drinking to forget worries, or to boost a sad mood; Guilt about drinking; Unsuccessful attempts to cut down/stop drinking; Lying about or hiding drinking habits; Causing harm to oneself or someone else as a result of drinking; Needing to drink increasingly greater amounts in order to achieve desired effect; Feeling irritable or resentful when not drinking; Medical, social, family, or financial problems caused by drinking. MAKE RESPONSIBLE CHOICES NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE What is alcoholism? Alcoholism, also known as alcohol dependence, is a disease that includes the following four symptoms: - Craving--A strong need, or urge, to drink. - Loss of control--Not being able to stop drinking once drinking has begun. - Physical dependence--Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety after stopping drinking. - Tolerance--The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol to get "high." Is alcoholism a disease? Yes, alcoholism is a disease. The craving that an alcoholic feels . for alcohol can be as strong as the need for food or water. An alcoholic will continue to drink despite serious family, health, or legal problems Answering the following four questions can help you find out if you or a loved one has a drinking problem: •Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking? •Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking? •Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking? •Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover? people also find support groups a helpful aid to recovery. The following list includes a variety of resources: Al-Anon/Alateen Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACOA) National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) .