Week of 10/29 to 11/02: responsible alcohol consumption

---

---

chapter 15: alcohol

---

• When a person drinks alcohol it goes into our digestive system and then into our blood stream, it travels around your body.

• The body breaks down the alcohol

• Intoxication: When you drink more than your body can break down you end up with intoxication

• Intoxication can lead to lack of judgement and self control

 

• Blackout: a period of time the drinker cannot remember 

 

• Blood Alcohol Concentration: the amount of alcohol in a person's blood, a percentage, 0.1 percent means that one tenth of the fluid in the blood is alcohol

What affects the BAC?

• Rate of consumption: the liver can chemically break down, or metabolize, about one half to one once of alcohol per hour 
  • One beer, one shot, one 4 oz glass of wine, take a look at the alcohol percentage on the bottle
  • Smaller people metabolize the alcohol at a slower rate
  • Food helps slow down the absorption in to the blood stream

• Hangover: day after drinking, side effects, upset stomach, headache, sensitivity to noise and light

---

fetal alcohol syndrome

---

• A group of birth defects cause by the effects of alcohol consumption on an unborn child
• Can include heart defects, malformed faces, delayed growth, poor motor movement, mental retardation/ cognitive function.

---

liver illness

---

• Cirrhosis: can lead to liver failure and death

​

• Alcohol interferes with the liver's ability to metabolize, or break down fats.

​

• the liver fills with fat

​

• blocks the blood flow to the liver

​

• fat filled liver cells die, leaving behind scar tissue

​

• liver fails

​​

• drinkers can also get alcoholic hepatitis, inflammation of the liver caused by toxic effects of alcohol

​

• alcohol can also lead to heart disease and digestive problems

---

alcoholism

---

• when people can no longer control their consumption

• physically, an alcoholic's body need alcohol to function

​

• psychologically, alcoholics consider drinking a regular part of coping with daily life

​

• Tolerance: in response to the alcohol the body builds up a tolerance, it is a way to keep you safe and try to protect you from blackout

 

• but people respond to this by drinking more to get the desired effect

 

• many times people will peer pressure others

• the body will eventually develop a dependence

---

addiction

---

1. Drinking more alcohol, or for longer, than intended
2. Trying to cut down or stop drinking but being unsuccessful
3. Spending a lot of time drinking or feeling sick from a hangover or other aftereffects
4. Experiencing interference in daily life and relationships because of drinking or being sick from drinking too much
5. Having cravings for alcohol
6. Continuing to drink even though it hurt relationships with friends and family
7. Cutting back on, or giving up, hobbies to consume more alcohol
8. Repeatedly being in situations where alcohol put one at risk of harm
9. Having to consume more alcohol to experience the desired effects
10. Continuing to consume alcohol even though it worsens a health condition, including anxiety or depression
11. Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when alcohol’s effects began to wear off

---

many times drinking happens to cope with social inequality and the OPPRESSORS tend to be the people who sell the alcohol

---

• We can be at risk is we see people around us normalizing alcoholism

​

• Alcoholism is four to five time more common among the children of alcoholics

---

new mexico alcohol statistics

---

https://sageclinic.org/17-facts-about-alcohol-and-drug-addiction-in-new-mexico/