Oldest Drug Know to Humans and Most Abused Drug

Alcohol

- Is a depressant

- Oldest drug know to humans and most abused drug.

- Abused (problems develop as a result of use)

- Caffeine may be most used but people don’t usually have problems with it

How do people use alcohol?

¨To relax

¨To reduce inhibitions

¨For pleasure

¨Social or family occasions – weddings, reunions, holidays, etc.

Why do people choose not to drink?

¨Don’t like taste

¨Cost

¨Parents opposed to drinking

¨Athletic training rules

¨Illegal

¨Makes them sick

¨Against parents values

¨Grown up they like and admire would be disappointed

¨Something bad might happen

Causes and Motivations of Drinking:

#1 Need for inclusion and social bonding

#2 Struggling with negative emotions

Curiosity- wanting to know more about something

Imitation- trying to be like someone else

Frustration- when something or someone keeps you from reaching a goal

Pleasure- when something tastes or feels good

Available- easy to get

Insecurity- feeling of being unsafe or unsure

Escape- trying to get away from someone or something

Boredom- not interested having nothing to do

Acceptance- liking yourself and wanting others to like you

Rebellion- doing something that someone says should not be done

Terms you need to know:

Physical dependence- needing or relying on something to get along- body will exhibit withdrawal symptoms with out the drug

Psychological Dependence- condition is which a person thinks he/she can’t get along without alcohol

BAC (Blood Alcohol Content)- indicator of the concentration of alcohol in the blood- (.08 drunk driving limit) (4 drinks someone may not appear drunk, but the alcohol is still in their blood)

.1= irresponsible behavior is evident

.2= unable to perform tasks, possible unconsciousness

.3= coma, death

Unconscious- passed out; unaware of what is going on

Withdrawal- when a physically dependent drug user stops taking a drug- they may experience tremors, nausea, auditory and/or visual hallucinations, etc.

Chronic disease- a disease that lasts a long time

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)- a child born with defects due to the mother drinking during her pregnancy

Depressant- a drug that slows the body

Dependent- a condition in which the body cannot do without something

Trigger Point- When your body becomes physically dependent on the drug. (All of our trigger points are different) Heredity or genes can play a role in how high or low your trigger point is.

Binge Drinking- consuming 5 (men), 4 (women) or more drinks in a short period of time

Cirrohosis- condition in which liver tissue is replaced by scar tissue

Fermentation – Chemical process that produces alcohol through the action of yeast on sugars

Tolerance- how much body needs to obtain a certain effect (alcohol you need more and more of the drug to receive the same effect)(if your body has a break the need will lower again, unless you’ve hit your trigger point)

The effect alcohol has on a person’s body depends on:

¨Gender

¨Person’s metabolism

¨Amount of alcohol, not the number of drinks consumed

¨Whether the person has eaten or not

¨How much a person weighs

¨How much time has elapsed between drinks

¨How quickly a person drinks

¨Their expectations

¨Where a person is when they are drinking i.e. home, party, bar

¨How much drinking has been done in the past

Miscellaneous Information:

The following have the same amount of alcohol present

12 oz. beer or wine cooler has 4-6% alcohol in it

5 oz. glass of wine has 12 to 20% alcohol in it

1.5 oz. shot of liquor has 40-50% alcohol in it

Individuals who drink heavily in high school are three times more likely to drink heavily at 35 than those who drank occasionally

HALT drinking (or don’t begin) if you feel any of the following:

H-ungry

A-ngry

L-onely

T-ired

Sobering up- there is no way to sober up. Time is the only way. The alcohol has to be processed by the liver before it can be eliminated. Coffee, cold showers, aspirin etc. are all myths however they may help reduce the hangover the next day

How alcohol affects the body:

Brain- depresses the activity of the brain slows the nervous system, thought processes are disorganized memory & concentration dulled

Liver – works hard until all alcohol is oxidized

Blood Vessels – causes vessels to dilate which makes skin feel flush and warm

Kidneys – produce more urine – that’s why one may feel dehydrated the next day

Stomach – increases flow of gastric juices irritating the stomach lining, can cause ulcers

Immune System – alcohol lowers it

Reproductive System – Females

Menstrual cycle may become irregular

Increase risk of bearing children with birth defects

During pregnancy can result in the baby having fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)

Males

Impotence may occur

Testicles may atrophy

Alcohol Issues

Alcohol accounts for 10% of all deaths in the U.S.

Life expectancy of alcoholics is reduced by 15 yrs

1.  Underage drinking

¨Money not spent productively

¨Illegal behavior

¨School dropout or poor academic performance

¨Unplanned, unprotected sex

¨Violence

¨Traffic fatalities, other accidents or injuries

¨Delinquency

2.  Social drinking

¨1-4 drinks

¨Drink at social gatherings

¨Drink for fun or to reduce stress

¨No problems

3.  Problem drinking

¨A problem drinker is not an alcoholic, they may only drink once per month or perhaps once per year

¨They may have blackouts (memory loss, not going unconscious)

Signs You Are A Problem Drinker Or On The Path To Being One:

·Have you cut school so you can party?

·Have you missed school because of a hangover?

·Have you done poorly on an exam because you drank too much the night before?

·When drinking, have you ever done something for which you were later sorry or embarrassed?

·Have you ever “blacked out” while drinking (not passed out but been unable to remember things you said or did)?

·Do you frequently drink until you are drunk? Do you drink to get drunk?

·Do you choose friends on the basis of how much they drink?

·Have you ever had problems with friend, family, roommates, boy/girlfriend, or the law as a result of drinking?

·Is drinking affecting your reputation?

·Does it bother you when other people say you drink too much?

Where will you draw the line at too much?

Alcohol Poisoning

Danger signs- Passed out and can’t wake them up (unresponsive)

Cold, clammy and/or pale bluish skin

Slow and/or shallow breathing

If any or all of these signs are evident call 911

4.  Alcoholism – a condition in which an individual loses control over their intake of alcohol

¨There are many different definitions; some people think it is a disease while others don’t.

¨Alcoholics probably have some physical, psychological or

social consequences that result from their drinking

¨They drink alone

¨They feel normal when they are drinking and abnormal when they aren’t (withdrawal)

¨Usually using alcohol to escape or as a coping mechanism

¨There are not a set number of drinks that makes someone an alcoholic

Other effects of alcoholism:

Liver damage

Abnormal heart functioning

Harms the stomach, mouth, esophagus

Causes pancreatitis

During pregnancy- FAS

Infertility and male impotence

Weight gain

Large effect on relationships

Don’t have ability to make good decisions

Alcohol and society:

1.  Auto accidents- 18-24 yr. Olds in fatal car crashes, 50% are due to drunk driving

¨Process information more slowly

¨Less able to attend to multiple sources of info

¨Underestimate hazards

¨Look at center field of vision not peripheral

2.  Accidents

¨Falls

¨Violence

¨Drowning

¨Burns

3.  Suicide

¨ 20%-36% have been drinking

4.  Children of alcoholics

¨Carry burden

¨May not bring friends over

¨May have sleep difficulties

¨Depressed

¨More likely to be delinquent

5.  Family Violence

¨57% of men are under the influence

¨27% of women are under the influence

Support Groups:

1.  AA (alcoholics anonymous)- for alcoholic

2.  Alanon- for spouses or significant others

3.  Alateen- for children of alcoholics to cope with their problems

4.  MADD-SADD- Mothers against drunk driving & Students against destructive decisions

How to say NO to alcohol

1. Act confident

2. Have a friend along

3. Use humor

4. Make an excuse

5. Plan your exit

6. Suggest an alternative

7.  Delay your decision

Alcohol Laws

Fake ID- $100 fine - $1000 fine and/or 30 days community service (It depends on if the ID was altered or not)

Ignition Interlock- to help aid in drunk driving

Keg Registration- to help aid in underage drinking

Open Container law- in vehicle

Child Endangerment- In 2002 410 children under 15 were killed in alcohol related accidents. 58% of the children were driving with the drunk driver

DWI- Fines ($8,649), impound vehicle, classes, community service, insurance goes up

Zero Tolerance- to aid in underage drinking. Any teen with a .02 level of alcohol is subject to penalties

-violation of the law not a crime- 6 months suspended license, civil penalty $125, $100 to get license back

License revocation for DWI – (under 21) arrested dealt with as a criminal, possibly jail

-lose license for 12 months or until 21 which ever is longer

Insurance company can deny no fault coverage to the driver that causes a motor vehicle crash due to alcohol/drug involvement

If a teen gets a DWI just because they live with the parents the parents insurance could increase