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Alcohol

Alcohol. Chapter 10 . Outline. Alcohol Patterns of Alcohol Use Binge Drinking Effects of Alcohol on the Body Alcohol Metabolism Factors Affecting Alcohol Absorption Blood Alcohol Concentration. Societal Problems Associated with Alcohol Health Benefits of Alcohol

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Alcohol

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  1. Alcohol Chapter 10

  2. Outline • Alcohol • Patterns of Alcohol Use • Binge Drinking • Effects of Alcohol on the Body • Alcohol Metabolism • Factors Affecting Alcohol Absorption • Blood Alcohol Concentration • Societal Problems Associated with Alcohol • Health Benefits of Alcohol • Alcohol Misuse, Abuse, and Dependence • Health Risks of Alcohol Use • Public Policies and Laws Aimed at Alcohol Use • Treatment Options

  3. Alcohol • Alcohol is one of the most commonly used (and problematic) substances in our society • Alcohol is a psychoactive drug • Causes changes in brain chemistry and alters consciousness, known as intoxication • Intoxication can have a wide-ranging effect on all aspects of thinking, emotions, and behavior • What is a drink?

  4. Patterns of Alcohol Use • Approximately 65% of American adults drink at least occasionally • 35% of the adult U.S. population are non-drinkers (abstainers) • Of those who do consume alcohol, 28% are at-risk drinkers heavy drinkers • Low risk drinkers are men who drink no more than 14 drinks per week or women who drink no more than 7 drinks per week

  5. Alcohol Drinking Patterns • Roots of drinking behavior are established in the adolescent years • Consumption of alcoholic beverages is highest between 18 and 25 for Caucasians and 26 and 30 for Hispanics and African Americans • Older adults drink significantly less than younger adults • Women drink less than men and most often start drinking later in life

  6. Alcohol Drinking Patterns • Alcohol use is higher among Caucasians than African Americans • Hispanic men have higher percentages of alcohol use than other ethnic groups • Among Native Americans, alcoholism is recognized as the number one health concern • Asian Americans have lower consumption rates than Caucasian Americans

  7. Binge Drinking • Binge drinking: Consumption of 5 or more drinks in a row for men or 4 or more drinks in a row for women • Approximately half of college students are thought to be binge drinkers • College students under the age of 21 consume 48% of all alcohol consumed by college students • Male freshmen drink less than male upperclassmen • Female freshmen drink more than female upperclassmen • Men are more likely to binge drink than women

  8. Binge Drinking Consequences • Half to 2/3 of campus homicides and serious assaults are believed to involve drinking • Women who binge drink are 150% more likely to be victims of date rape, sexual battering, or unplanned sexual activity • 9 out of 10 students report at least one adverse consequence of another student’s drinking including: • Physical assault, damaged property, interrupted sleep or studying, unwanted sexual advances, sexual assault, and having to care for a drunk student • Increased risk of encountering trouble with law enforcement including: • Public intoxication, driving under the influence, minor in possession, vandalism, and assault • Convictions such as these can jeopardize several career ambitions (engineering, medicine, law enforcement, and teaching)

  9. Why Do College Students Binge Drink? • Some students may use drinking for a variety of reasons: • As an assertion of autonomy and adult status • To ease social inhibitions, to fit in with peer groups • To reduce stress or cope with academic pressures • Easy access to alcohol • Social norms or perceived campus culture

  10. Effects of Alcohol on the Body • Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant • Slows down the activity of the brain and spinal cord • Once it reaches the brain, alcohol alters brain chemistry and neurotransmitter functions • As alcohol levels rise, feelings of relaxation and well-being and a lowering of inhibitions • As alcohol concentrations increase, more functions are depressed, and greater impairment occurs • Impaired thinking, balance, and motor coordination http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GruK1SXhPJk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3KSQImOuOo

  11. Effects of Alcohol on the Body

  12. Alcohol Metabolism • 90% is metabolized by the liver • Between 2-10% is not metabolized at all and is excreted in the breath, urine and through pores in the skin • In the liver, alcohol is converted to acetaldehyde (also known as ethanol) by an enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) • In a healthy adult, alcohol is metabolized at a rate of 0.5 oz of per hour

  13. Factors Affecting Alcohol Absorption • Food in the stomach • Gender • Age • Body fat • Drug interaction • Cigarette smoking • Mood and physical condition • Alcohol concentration • Carbonation • Tolerance

  14. Blood Alcohol Concentration • Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC): amount of alcohol (in grams) in 100 milliliters of blood, expressed as a percentage • 100 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood is equivalent to a BAC of 0.10% • Used as a measure of intoxication • Breath analyzers – provide an estimate of alcohol concentration in the brain • BAC is influenced by: • Amount of body water • Amount of body fat

  15. Possible Short-Term Results of Alcohol Consumption • Acute alcohol intoxication is a life-threatening blood alcohol concentration which can produce collapse of vital body functions • Vomiting may be activated if a BAC reaches .12% or higher in a rapid method (binge drinking) • A blackout may occur if a drinker has impaired memory function but stays conscious • This impairment is often associated with changes in the hippocampus (center of brain essential for memory and learning) • Hangovers are a result of a common reaction to alcohol toxicity which causes a variety of symptoms • Thought to be due to disruption in the body’s water balance

  16. Health Risks of Alcohol Use • Heart Disease & Stroke • Cardiomyopathy • Abnormal Heart Rhythm • Liver Disease • Fatty Liver • Alcoholic Hepatitis • Cirrhosis • Cancer • Brain Damage • Malnutrition

  17. Short- and Long-Term Effects of Alcohol On the Body

  18. Societal Problems Associated with Alcohol Use • Unplanned sexual behavior • Violence • Risk of injury • Drunk driving • Suicide risk http://cityscoot.com/what.html

  19. Health Benefits of Alcohol • Moderate consumption may increase HDL cholesterol • Anti-clotting effect on the blood • Reduces stress • In younger adults, alcohol appears to have fewer, if any health benefits and is associated with more deaths, injuries, and accidents

  20. Alcohol Misuse, Abuse, and Dependence • Problem drinking: Pattern of alcohol use that impairs the drinker’s life, causing personal difficulties and difficulties for other people • Alcohol abuse: Pattern of alcohol abuse that leads to distress or impairment, increases the risk of health and/or social problems, and continues despite awareness of effects • Alcohol dependence: Disorder characterized by a strong craving for alcohol, development of tolerance for alcohol, and withdrawal symptoms • Alcoholism: Primary chronic disease characterized by excessive, compulsive drinking.

  21. Treatment Options • Brief Interventions • Inpatient Treatment • Residential Facilities • Detoxification • Medications • Counseling • Outpatient Treatment • Counseling • Self-help Approaches • Support Groups

  22. Public Policies and Laws Aimed at Alcohol Use • Minimum Drinking Age • Sobriety check points • Server liability laws • Liquor sale restrictions • Alcohol taxation • Interlock devices http://www.smartstartinc.com/index.php/repository/client_training_video_english/

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