Transcript Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism
Opening/ACTIVATOR
What do you know about these topics?
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List consequences of consuming
alcohol.
List potential health problems
caused by consuming alcohol.
What do you know about
current laws concerning alcohol
consumption?
Quick facts about Alcohol
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It is the most misunderstood drug
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It takes half as much alcohol to affect a teen brain
than it does to affect an adult brain
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A teen can become addicted to alcohol much
easier than an adult.
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Over half of the violent crimes in the U.S. involve
alcohol.
Blood Alcohol level
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The measure of the level of alcohol
in a person’s body.
Intoxicated means
– Being affected by alcohol
– Loss of sensation, loss of inhibitions,
blurred vision, and slowed reflexes.
Standard Drinking Size
1 oz of Liquor
10 oz Wine Cooler
12 oz of Beer
5 oz of Wine
Alcohol content
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Beers - 2-6%
Table wines – 10-15%
Hard liquors - 40-55%
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Proof is twice the alcohol content
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– As proof increases so does calorie
content
Specific Effects
(related to the Blood Alcohol Concentration
BAC)
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The effects of alcohol intoxication are
greatly influenced by individual variations
among users. Some users may become
intoxicated at a much lower Blood Alcohol
Concentration (BAC) level than is shown.
Amount of food in body, weight, gender
Short-term Effects
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Impaired judgments, vision, balance,
coordination
Alcohol poisoning, blackouts, coma or
death
Change in behavior, emotions
Painful hangover symptoms – stomach
pains, vomiting, and diarrhea
Long-term Effects
• Increased chance of mouth, throat, pancreas, liver
• Stomach ulcers
• Permanent brain damage
• Kidney Failure
 Hepatitis
• Inflammation of the liver
• Symptoms are high fever, weakness, yellowing of
skin
 Cirrhosis
• Liver cells are replaced by useless scar tissue
• Liver can no longer metabolize food properly
BAC (BAL)
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.02-.03: No loss of coordination, slight euphoria
and loss of shyness. Depressant effects are not
apparent. Drivers under 21, considered DUI.
.04-.06 BAC: Feeling of well-being, relaxation,
lower inhibitions, sensation of warmth.
Euphoria. Some minor impairment of reasoning
and memory, lowering of caution, impulsive
behavior.
.07-.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. Illegal to drive, .08
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.10-.125 BAC: Significant impairment of motor coordination
and loss of good judgment. Speech may be slurred;
balance, vision, reaction time and hearing will be impaired.
Euphoria.
.13-.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.
.16-.20 BAC: Dysphoria (anxiety, restlessness)
predominates, nausea may appear. The drinker has the
appearance of a "sloppy drunk."
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.25 BAC: Needs assistance in walking; total mental
confusion. Dysphoria with nausea and some vomiting.
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.30 BAC: Loss of consciousness.
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.40 BAC and up: Onset of coma, possible death due to
respiratory arrest.
FACT:
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Alcohol is a Depressant and directly
effects the Central Nervous System.
CONSEQUENCES OF UNDERAGE
DRINKING
Underage Drinker
 Mandatory loss of Driving Privilege for 6 months
(even if no car involved)
 Minimum fine of $500.00
 Disorderly Persons record
 Participation in alcohol treatment or rehabilitation
program (at discretion of court)
 Additional charges if false ID used (fine of not more
than $300.00 or imprisonment for no more than 60
days}
 Possible injury or death (excessive consumption or
traffic accident)
Minor
(Anyone who Is Under 17
Years Old)
 In
addition to the above
 Mandatory postponement of
driving privilege for 6
months.
Alcohol’s Effect on the Brain
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The more you drink, the more
"depressed" your brain
activity becomes.
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As you continue to drink and
alcohol levels increase,
specific parts of the brain are
affected more significantly.
CEREBRUM
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The cerebrum is the
largest portion of
the brain and
located in the
uppermost section
of the brain.
The cerebrum controls advanced functions like recognition, vision,
reasoning, and emotion.
As alcohol levels increase, vision, movement, and speech are
impaired.
This occurs at a blood alcohol level of .01% -.30%.
CEREBELLUM
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The cerebellum is the part
of your brain that is
involved with coordinating
movement.
Alcohol consumption
causes problems with
coordination, reflexes, and
balance.
This occurs at a blood
alcohol level of .15-.35.
MEDULLA
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The medulla is the part of your
brain that controls basic survival
functions such as breathing
and heartbeat.
When you've consumed so
much alcohol that the medulla
is affected, your brain's ability to
control respiration and heart
rate is severely diminished.
Your heart rate can drop and
breathing cease, causing death,
at blood alcohol levels as low as
.30
The Path of Alcohol in the
Body
1.
Mouth: alcohol enters the body.
2.
Stomach: some alcohol gets into the
bloodstream in the stomach, but most goes on
to the small intestine.
3.
Small Intestine: alcohol enters the
bloodstream through the walls of the small
intestine.
4.
Heart: pumps alcohol throughout the body.
5.
Brain: alcohol reaches the brain.
6. Liver: alcohol is oxidized by the liver at a rate
of about 0.2 oz per hour. Alcohol is converted
into water, carbon dioxide and energy.
THE HANG OVER
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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.
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Though there are lots of so-called "hangover cures,"
the only real cure is time. The best thing to do the
day after heavy drinking is down lots of water and
try to rest if possible.
What Happens to Your Body
When You Get Alcohol Poisoning?
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It is common for someone who drank excessive alcohol to
vomit since alcohol is an irritant to the stomach. There is then
the danger of choking on vomit.
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Alcohol depresses nerves that control involuntary actions
such as breathing and the gag reflex (which prevents
choking). A fatal dose of alcohol will eventually stop these
functions.
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The mixture of alcohol and marijuana are a deadly
combination. Once someone’s body begins to reject the
alcohol, the person’s natural reaction is to vomit. Marijuana
inhibits the body’s reaction to the alcohol, keeping a person
from being able to vomit.
What Happens to Your Body
When You Get Alcohol Poisoning?
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A person's blood alcohol concentration
(BAC) can continue to rise even while he
or she is passed out.
Even after a person stops drinking,
alcohol in the stomach and intestine
continues to enter the bloodstream and
circulate throughout the body.
Dangerous to assume the person will be
fine by sleeping it off.
ALCOHOL POISONING
Signs/Symptoms/Consequnces
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Confusion, coma, or person cannot be aroused.
(Unconscious or semi-consciousness)
Slow breathing (fewer than eight breaths per minute).
Irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between
breaths).
Hypothermia (low body temperature), pale or bluish skin
color, paleness.
Vomiting, and choking on vomit
Seizures.
Strong odor of alcohol.
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permanent brain damage, or death.
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What Should I Do If I Suspect Someone
Has Alcohol Poisoning?
Appropriate Action
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Do not wait for all symptoms to be present.
Be aware that a person who has passed out
may die and could be suffering from alcohol
poisoning
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Any suspicion of an alcohol overdose, call
911 for help.
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Don't try to guess the level of drunkenness.
Alcohol Metabolism
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Most of the alcohol a person drinks is
eventually broken down by the liver.
In addition, a group of metabolic
products called free radicals can
damage liver cells and promote
inflammation, impairing vital
functions such as energy production.
The body's natural defenses against
free radicals (antioxidants) can be
inhibited by alcohol consumption,
leading to increased liver damage.
This fatty liver
of a drinker is
caused by
accumulation of
fatty acids.
When drinking
stops, the fat
deposits usually
disappear.
Cirrhosis of the
liver takes 10 or
more years of
steady drinking.
The toxic effects
of alcohol cause
scar tissue to
replace healthy
tissue. This
condition remains
permanent, even
when drinking
stops.
Binge Drinking in Adolescents
and College Students
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Binge drinking = Five or more drinks in a row for
boys
Four or more in a row for girls.
People under 21 still get alcohol easily with one
goal - to get drunk.
Binge drinking, often beginning around age 13,
tends to increase during adolescence, peak in
young adulthood (ages 18 to 22), then gradually
decrease
WHO BINGES?
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44% of U.S. college students engaged in binge
drinking during the two weeks before the survey.
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51% of the MEN drank 5 or more drinks in a row.
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40% of the WOMEN drank 4 or more drinks in a row.
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Students more likely to binge drink are white, age 23
or younger, and are residents of a fraternity or
sorority.
What are the three stages
of Alcoholism?
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Abuse – Someone who cannot drink alcohol in
moderation or at appropriate times.
Dependence – Someone who is psychologically
dependent on alcohol. They feel the constant desire and
need for alcohol.
Addiction – Someone who is both psychologically and
physically dependent on alcohol. Alcohol is their number
one priority and they suffer from withdrawal symptoms if
they do not get their regular fix.
Alcoholism - The state of being psychologically and
physically addicted to alcohol
Risk Factors
You cannot control
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Genes
Environment
You can control
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Drinking before age 21
Associating with people
who drink
Bending to peer pressure
Drinking beyond
moderation
Drinking at inappropriate
times
Drinking alone
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
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A highly variable group of birth defects including mental
retardation, deficient growth, central nervous system
dysfunction, and malformations of the skull and face that
tend to occur in the offspring of women who consume
large amounts of alcohol during pregnancy
No one knows exactly how much alcohol must reach the
unborn child to cause such deformities.
Alcohol's effects are more harmful to a fetus than those
of all other drugs, including cocaine. When a woman
drinks alcohol, it reaches the placenta in a few moments
and passes through the growing fetus. The mother's
body can break down one drink in approximately three
hours, but alcohol stays in the fetus for much longer.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
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Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effects are PERMANENT and cannot be outgrown.
FAS/FAE babies and young children may have other specific distinguishable features:
· short stature
· small and thin
· physical problems, including hearing defects, organ imperfections or bone problems
· difficulty with eating
· difficulty developing a regular sleeping schedule
· difficulty learning how to walk
· difficulty learning toilet training
· impulsivity (i.e.. running out into the street, going off with a stranger)
· hyperactivity
FAS/FAE children have learning disabilities, which can include difficulties in:
· learning language and language use, especially receptive language
· generalizing information
· mastering new or recently learned skills
· memory (i.e.. remembering something from a year ago but not from yesterday)
· predicting outcomes or cause and effect
· distinguishing fact from fantasy
· distinguishing friends from strangers (i.e.. may think someone they met five minutes ago
is a friend)
· lack of learning from experience because they do not understand cause and effect,
behavior and experience
FAS/FAE adults continue to have the same learning difficulties they had as youth, and also
often have difficulty with:
· the legal and court system, due to lack of understanding of cause and effect
· controlling alcohol consumption
· maintaining custody of their children
· mental health issues
Alcoholism
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Not only affects the person involved but it
also has huge affects on family members.
Mental, physical and emotional abuse are all
types of abusive behaviors that are typically
suffered by family members of an alcoholic.
It is not uncommon for an alcoholic to
resume drinking especially in response to a
traumatic event such as a death of a loved
one or loss of a job.
Recovery from Alcoholism
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Withdrawal
– Process of discontinuing a drug to which the
body has become addicted
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Suffer from extreme nervousness,
headaches, tremors, or seizures.
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Usually last a few days
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Sometimes alcoholic needs medical
supervision
Recovery from Alcoholism
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There is hope for alcoholics as there are many options
available:
Inpatient and outpatient programs
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
– 12 steps is their recovery method
Programs designed to help family members of alcoholics:
 Al-Anon
– Help family members talk about problems of living with an alcoholic
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Alateen
– Specifically help teenagers with same situation
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S.A.D.D.
– Students Against Destructive Decisions, formerly Students Against
Driving Drunk
Alcoholism
Where can you find help?
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The Phone Book
Online at www.alcoholicsanonymous.org
Local Church
Hospitals