Alcohol - How it Affects You: Your Body

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1 Alcohol - How it Affects You: Your Body Alcohol is a mood altering depressant drug that can reach every cell in your body. When alcohol is swallowed it is not digested like food; instead, a small amount is immediately absorbed directly into your blood stream by the lining of your mouth and stomach. The rest is rapidly absorbed in the small intestine. Within 90 seconds (a healthy circulation rate) it will affect all the organs and systems in your body, crossing even the blood-brain barrier, which normally keeps harmful substances away from the brain. Blood Alcohol Concentration How alcohol affects you depends on how much is in your bloodstream - your blood alcohol concentration (BAC). The BAC determines how much intoxication (depression of your nervous system) will occur. Many factors affect your rate of intoxication, including: The amount and speed of consumption - if alcohol is consumed slowly, it allows the body to metabolize it and limit accumulation in the bloodstream. A full or empty stomach - Food, water, and fruit juice dilute the alcohol and help to slow its absorption into the bloodstream (by up to 50%). Carbonation works to speed absorption. Body weight and composition - The body is 60% water and as fat holds less water than muscle, those who are leaner and heavier have a higher water content to dilute the alcohol, so the effects of alcohol are less pronounced than in a lighter person who drinks the same amount or those with a greater percentage of body fat. Gender - Women absorb about a third more alcohol into their blood stream than men as they have less of the metabolizing enzyme, alcohol dehydrogenase. Women are much more vulnerable to the affects of alcohol for many reasons, see below to find out why. Setting, mood or atmosphere - What you expect, the setting or location, your mental state, and other drugs being used, can also alter alcohol's effects. If you are tired, upset, depressed, excited or inexperienced you are more susceptible. Many people become intoxicated on less alcohol merely because they have that expectation before they begin drinking. Age - As people get older they are affected more by alcohol Tolerance - The bodies of experienced drinkers have adapted to alcohol being present in their systems, so it may take longer and more alcohol to feel impaired. In severe cases of repeated alcohol consumption, where brain or liver damage have occurred, the person may become very sensitive to alcohol. Differences of Drinkers & Non-drinkers Verbal and nonverbal information recall was most heavily affected, with a 10 percent performance decrease in alcohol users. Significant neuropsychological deficits exist in early to middle adolescents (ages 15 and 16) with histories of extensive alcohol use. 1

2 Adolescent drinkers perform worse in school, are more likely to fall behind and have an increased risk of social problems, depression, suicidal thoughts and violence. Alcohol affects the sleep cycle, resulting in impaired learning and memory as well as disrupted release of hormones necessary for growth and maturation. Alcohol use increases risk of stroke among young drinkers. Compared to students who drink moderately or not at all, frequent drinkers may never be able to catch up in adulthood, since alcohol inhibits systems crucial for storing new information as long-term memories and makes it difficult to immediately remember what was just learned. Additionally, those who binge once a week or increase their drinking from age 18 to 24 may have problems attaining the goals of young adulthood - marriage, educational attainment, employment, and financial independence. And rather than "outgrowing" alcohol use, young abusers are significantly more likely to have drinking problems as adults. Alcohol has a negative effect on energy and REM sleep cycles. Impairing the quality of your sleep impairs the quality of your ability for remembering things. According to a 1992 report from the CORE Institute, 41% of all academic problems stem from alcohol abuse. Alcohol is associated with missed classes and poor performance on tests and assignments, causing lower GPA's. In general the more a student drinks, the lower his or her grades. It is believed that a person's ability to think critically can be impaired for up to 30 days following the consumption of alcohol. Harvard student campuses report that 68% of non-binge drinkers had their studies or sleep interrupted because of other students drinking. Just For Women When it comes to alcohol, there are some nasty surprises for women. To start, there are physiological differences in the way alcohol affects women and men. Even when a woman and a man weigh the same, the woman gets high on less alcohol, and she gets addicted more easily. She more quickly develops such physical complications as liver disease, high blood pressure, and hepatitis. (For instance a woman's risk of liver cirrhosis begins at only two drinks a day; a man's risk begins at four to six drinks a day.) In sobriety, a woman's damaged organs take longer to repair themselves. If she has four or more drinks a day, studies show that she is also 40% more likely to get breast cancer than women who don't drink. If you've heard about how alcohol may protect against heart disease, what you may not know, is that in women, that protection applies only after menopause, and peaks at one drink a day. Young women who abuse alcohol are also at greater risk for accidents, prone to victimization, vulnerable to sexual assault and other violence. 2

3 Why Women are more prone to the negative effects of alcohol than men. Body Size: Women are, on average, built smaller than men. Therefore, equal amounts of alcohol cause a higher blood alcohol concentration in women due to the smaller blood volume. Body Composition: The average female carries more body fat than a male. Body fat contains little water. When consumed, alcohol dilutes in water. Therefore, a female has less body water to dilute alcohol in, causing a higher blood alcohol concentration even if two equally sized men and women drink the same amount of alcohol. Metabolizing Enzyme: Women have less of the metabolizing enzyme (acetaldehyde dehydrogenase or ADH ) that helps the body break down and get rid of alcohol, than men do. Therefore, more of the alcohol that women drink enters the blood stream as pure alcohol, and stays there. Hormones: Finally, a woman's response to alcohol is increased due to hormonal changes when a woman is about to have her period, or is taking the birth control pill. Pregnancy Women who drink while pregnant, or even planning a pregnancy, risk permanent damage to the fetus. There is no known "safe" level of drinking during pregnancy - that is if you are pregnant; drinking any amount of alcohol. Short-Term Effects Alcohol might make you lose your inhibitions That might put you in a bad position, where your safety is at risk with unplanned sex, pregnancy, drugs. Drinking might make you feel more confident You might feel braver than normal, making you vulnerable to dangers like being beaten, raped or robbed, especially if you are alone at night. Alcohol makes you feel good and happy The good feeling you get from alcohol will pass if you get sick. Alcohol is a poison and alcohol poisoning is no joke. Big drinking sessions are potentially fatal if your blood alcohol level shuts down parts of your brain. Drinking might allow you to escape your worries and stress For the moment, but it could add to them by exposing you to hangovers, missed classes, falling grades, lack of cash, relationship problems and a greater feeling of lost control. 3

4 Long- Term Over time, alcohol can do pretty bad things to your body. Dependence on alcohol can be both physical and psychological. Physical dependence happens when your body becomes so used to coping with alcohol in its system that it suffers withdrawal when you are not drinking. Psychological dependence is when alcohol gets into your head and becomes the most important thing in your life. It's pretty sad. Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning Cold, clammy, pale or bluish skin Slow breathing (fewer than 8 breaths per minute) Irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between breaths) Seizures Mental confusion, stupor or the unconsciousness or "sleeping" person cannot be awakened Vomiting while "sleeping" or passed out, and not waking up after If you recognize any of these signs in someone who you know has been drinking, you need to act immediately to save their lives - do not wait for all symptoms to be present, do something now- get medical help! There have been too many occasions when a caring friend has helped a drunk to bed to "sleep it off", only to find them dead in the morning. It doesn't matter if the drinker is underage or not supposed to drink for whatever reason. If you suspect that someone may be suffering from acute alcohol poisoning, call 911. Don't ask 20 people for their opinion before you do this - you could cost your friend their life. Next, use the Bacchus Maneuver to roll them into the recovery position so they won't choke if they vomit. Start CPR if they stop breathing, or find someone with first aid training to do it for you. And stay with the person until medical help arrives. 4

5 OUTPATIENT GOVERNMENT OR CONTRACTED AGENCIES FRASER REGION ABBOTSFORD - OUTPATIENT - GOVERNMENT AGENCIES Abbotsford Outpatient Alcohol & Drug Services For adults and youth with addiction issues contact Abbotsford Addiction Centre located at 2420 Montrose Avenue, phone (604) Services are available in English, Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu. Orientation is mandatory and is held every Thursday at 4:30 pm. Hours vary so call before visiting. For seniors ages 55 and older with alcohol or prescription drug issues contact Abbotsford Addiction Centre - Seniors Liaison Program. See above for contact information. For youth under 24 years of age with addiction issues contact Impact Society located at Walsh Avenue, phone (604) Impact Society also serves Mission. Call to make an appointment or attend an orientation every Monday at 4 pm. Hours are 8:30 to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday. For adults with addiction issues the Salvation Army Centre Of Hope provides assessment and referral (with some counseling). Centre of Hope is located at Gladys Avenue, phone (604) Office hours are 8:30 to 4 pm Monday to Friday (closed noon hour). For Natives with addiction issues who are also in trouble with the law should contact Native Courtworker and Counselling Association of BC located at College Street, phone (604) Counselling services are designed to help Aboriginals better understand the court process. Also serves Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Hope, and Mission. Abbotsford Concurrent Mental Health/Addiction Services For adults with mental health or concurrent mental health/addiction issues contact Abbotsford Mental Health Centre located at George Ferguson Way, phone (604) Clients may self-refer but should first have their addiction stabilized (see Abbotsford Addiction Centre above) and then get assessed by a case manager at the Mental Health Centre. The Case Manager will then refer the individual to the in-house concurrent disorder therapist. For youth with mental health or concurrent mental health/addiction issues contact CYMH Abbotsford located at 2nd Floor 2828 Cruikshank St., phone (604) For individuals between the ages of 13 and 30 who are in the early stages of psychosis that may be caused by addiction, mental health or concurrent mental health/addiction issues contact the Early Psychosis Intervention (EPI) Program, toll-free 1(866) After receiving a call, EPI typically sends a clinician to the home of the person with possible psychosis, usually within a few days. After an initial visit, the EPI staff person then refers on to another service if it is not psychosis or arranges to have the individual see a psychiatrist if it is psychosis. Serves Abbotsford, Agassiz, Chilliwack, Hope, and Mission. Please note this is NOT an emergency service. Emergencies should call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. 5

6 1. Name 5 factors that affect your blood alcohol concentration (BAC). 2. Give 3 negative effects alcohol has on drinkers as opposed to nondrinkers. 3. Why are women more prone to the negative affects of alcohol than men? 4. Why is it dangerous for women to drink during pregnancy? 6

7 5. What is the legal limit of alcohol allowed in your blood stream? 6. What are the short term risks of drinking alcohol? 7. What are the long term effects? 8. Name the main symptoms of alcohol poisoning? 9. What can happen to someone with alcohol poisoning if left untreated? 7

8 10. What basic 1 st aid Do s and Don t s could safe someone s life? Do: Don t: 11. Name 2 places you can get help for alcohol addiction? 8