Substance Abuse:

1. Substance Abuse: Alcohol

2. Alcohol is a drug… • A drug is a chemical substance that is taken to cause changes in a person’s body or behavior

3. Alcohol • Alcohol is a depressant • A depressant is a drug that slows brain and body reactions • Alcohol may cause confusion, decreased alertness, poor coordination, blurred vision & drowsiness • The depressant effects of alcohol are very strong. If a person drinks too large an amount, vital functions such as breathing and heart beat can be affected, and death can occur.

4. Alcohol Production • The alcohol in beverages such as beer, wine & liquor is produced by the process of fermentation • During fermentation, microorganisms called yeast feed on the sugars in foods such as malted grains, grapes or berries. In the process, carbon dioxide & alcohol are produced.

5. Teens & Alcohol • For teens & others under the age of 21, using alcohol is illegal • Alcohol is the most widely abused drug among high school students • The attitudes of peers, family, and the media strongly influence underage drinking

6. Risks • Teen alcohol use can have very serious consequences • Being injured or killed in a car crash • Committing or being the victim of sexual assault or other violence • Long-term brain damage • Problems with alcohol later in life • Suspension from school, sports teams, or other school activities

7. Effect on body systems • When people drink alcohol faster than the body can break it down into harmless compounds, they become intoxicated • Intoxication is the state in which a person’s mental and physical abilities are impaired by alcohol or another substance

8. Effects on body systems • Cardiovascular System • Heart rate & blood pressure increase • Body temperature decreases • Blood flows to skin’s surface • Excretory System • Dehydration • Nervous System • Brain activity slows down; perception less clear • Digestive System • Too much alcohol can induce vomiting

9. Effects on behavior • As intoxication takes effect, drinkers begin to lose judgment & self-control • Alcohol decreases natural fears • Blackout- a period of time that the drinker cannot recall; no memory of some events; can happen to first time drinkers, or experienced drinkers

10. Blood Alcohol Concentration • BAC- the amount of alcohol in a person’s blood, expressed as a percentage • For example, a BAC of 0.1 percent means that one-tenth of 1 percent of the fluid in the blood is alcohol

11. Factors Affecting BAC • Rate of consumption • A person’s liver chemically breaks down alcohol at a fairly constant rate • People who have more than 1 drink per hour will have higher BACs than people who drink the same amount over several hours

12. Factors Affecting BAC • Gender • At the same rate & amount of alcohol consumption, males generally will have a lower BAC than females • This is because a large portion of the alcohol in males will get metabolized in the stomach, before hitting the liver • Also, the liver in males is more efficient at metabolizing alcohol

13. Factors Affecting BAC • Body Size • In general, smaller people- by weight & height- feel the effects of alcohol more than larger people • They will have a higher BAC after a similar number of drinks

14. Factors Affecting BAC • Amount of food in stomach • Drinking on an empty stomach increases the rate of alcohol absorption into the bloodstream • Because of this, a higher BAC will result

15. After drinking ends • Once a person stops drinking, BAC begins to decrease • “Sobering up” • Do cold showers, exercising or drinking coffee help to ‘sober up’?! • NO!! • Nothing can help speed the liver’s ability to break down alcohol!! • Only TIME can help.

16. Hangovers • Term used to describe the after-effects of too much drinking • Symptoms include nausea, upset stomach, headache & a sensitivity to noise • It is not clear why some drinkers get them and others do not

17. Life-Threatening Effects • Intoxication increases the risk of death from motor vehicle crashes, alcohol overdose, and interactions of alcohol with other drugs.

18. Car Crashes • Alcohol is involved in about 40% of fatal motor vehicle crashes • Driving can be impaired by any amount of drinking, even if it falls below legal limits • There is NO ACCEPTABLE BAC for underage drivers!! Penalties for drinking and driving can be very strict!

19. Overdose • Taking an excessive amount of a drug that leads to coma or death is called an overdose • Alcohol overdose = alcohol poisoning • Even someone drinking for the first time can die from binge drinking • Binge drinking is the consumption of excessive amounts of alcohol at one sitting • Binge drinking affects teens more severely than older drinkers because teens enter comas at lower BACs than adults

20. Long-Term Risks of Alcohol • Brain Damage • Long-term alcohol abuse destroys nerve cells in the brain • Destroyed nerve cells cannot grow back • Effects on the brain can be especially damaging for underage drinkers- when teens drink they expose the brain to alcohol during a critical time in its development • Teen drinkers can suffer from long-term learning & memory problems

21. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome • Pregnant women who drink put their unborn child at risk • Babies born with fetal alcohol syndrome may suffer heart defects, malformed faces, delayed growth, poor motor development & mental retardation • Tragically, drinking during pregnancy is the leading preventable cause of mental retardation in the US • Even small amounts of alcohol can cause brain damage

22. Long-Term Risks of Alcohol • Liver Damage • Alcohol interferes with the liver’s ability to break down fats • As a result of heavy drinking, the liver begins to fill with fat, which blocks blood flow to the liver • The fat-filled liver cells die, leaving behind useless scar tissue- called cirrhosis • This can cause death

23. Alcoholism • People who can no longer control their use of alcohol suffer • The body physically needs alcohol to function • With repeated use of alcohol, its effects in the brain become reduced- this is a tolerance • With increasing tolerance, the body will develop a dependence- the brain develops a chemical need for alcohol & cannot function without it

24. Who is at risk? • Anyone who drinks is at risk of becoming an alcoholic, however some people are at a greater risk than others • Alcoholism is 4 to 5 times more common among the children of alcoholics- genetics & environment • Underage drinking greatly influences a person’s risk- brain isn’t fully developed!

25. Effects on others… • Alcoholism does not just effect the drinker- it can affect their families & friends too! • Alcohol is involved in about 150,000 deaths per year • About one in every eight people grows up in an alcoholic household • In some cases, alcoholics mentally or physically abuse family members

26. Treating Alcoholism • Acknowledging the problem • Alcoholics must acknowledge their problem & must ask for help • Detoxification • Removing all alcohol from a person’s body • Withdrawal- a group of symptoms that occur when a dependent person stops using the drug • Rehabilitation • The process of learning to cope with every day living without alcohol • Counseling