Alcohol

Alcohol IQ Pre-Post Test

1. Alcohol is a stimulant. True False

2. It is illegal for individuals younger than 21 in the Commonwealth of Virginia to drink alcohol. True False

3. Alcohol's effects on the bodies and brains of adolescents and adults are the same. True False

4. Teens are responsible social drinkers. True False

5. The liver of an adult processes one-half ounce of alcohol in one hour. True False

6. Oxidation rate cannot be increased by drinking coffee or taking cold showers. True False

7. A person who drinks large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time can die from alcohol poisoning. True False

8. Vulnerability to addiction cannot be influenced by genetics. True False

9. Addiction to alcohol can occur in younger teens in as few as 5 to 15 weeks. True False

10.Alcohol does not impair learning and memory. True False

11.Alcohol may cause lack of control and physical violence, and also raise stress levels. True False

12.Alcohol often leads teens to make decisions they may later regret. True False

13.Alcohol enhances brain cell activity True False

Chemical

Dependency

Addiction

Tolerance

Withdrawal

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Alcohol Fact Sheet: Definitions Alcohol is actually a depressant drug, although it initially creates a feeling of mild and pleasant stimulation. Alcohol is not a stimulant, as many teens believe. Factors that influence how alcohol will affect a person include age, gender, physical condition, amount of food eaten, and other drugs or medicines taken

Alcohol's effects are stronger in the body of a growing person than in an adult. The level of drinking that will cause liver cirrhosis in an adult in twenty years will have the same effect in a young person in less than one year

A 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, a 10-ounce wine cooler, and 1 1/2 ounces of liquor all have the same amount of alcohol

Drinking Definitions: Binge Drinking: Consumption of five or more drinks in one sitting for a male and four or more drinks in one sitting for a female. Binge drinking is drinking large quantities of alcohol with the aim of getting very drunk. Binge drinking increases blood alcohol levels quickly, which can cause: • impaired judgment • blackouts • cessation of breathing and heartbeat • alcohol poisoning • quicker progression to alcoholism/addiction

Alcohol poisoning: Taking in more alcohol than your body can handle. Alcohol -overdose anesthetizes the center of the brain that controls respiration and heart function- An individual with alcohol poisoning usually passes out, loses consciousness, falls into a coma, or dies.

Chronic alcohol use: can lead to dependence and addiction to alcohol. Chronic alcohol use: • reduces brain size • damages frontal lobes of brain leads to requiring more alcohol to get the same effects • leads to addiction

Alcohol Fact Sheet: Alcohol's Effects on the Body and Brain

Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream through the small intestine. On an empty stomach, the alcohol is absorbed in about five minutes. It then travels through the bloodstream to all organs of the body, including the brain This process takes only about ninety seconds.

The liver can oxidize (break down) one half ounce of alcohol per hour. One-half ounce of alcohol is equivalent to one can of beer or one medium glass of wine. If the alcohol is not oxidized, the alcohol continues to circulate throughout the body, causing changes in the brain and damage to all body systems.

Effects on the body include: • increased risk for coronary heart disease • vitamin B1 deficiency (which leads to an enlarged heart and heart failure) • liver disease—the greatest risk of long-term alcohol use • cirrhosis of the liver—scarring of the liver caused by long-term use • alcohol hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver caused by the toxic effects of long-term alcohol use

Effects on the brain include: • difficulty thinking, learning, making judgments • blurred vision • slurred speech • loss of balance, difficulty walking • slow reaction times • impaired memory • mental confusion

As alcohol consumption increases (the more and longer period of time one drinks), the effects on the body become greater. Too great a concentration of alcohol in the blood can be fatal. Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) percent of 0.5 can cause deep coma or death. BAC is influenced by many factors: • gender • body size • tolerance to alcohol • medication • how much and how fast alcohol was consumed • whether food was eaten

Low Amounts of Alcohol

• produce a relaxing effect • reduce tension • lower inhibition

• impair concentration • slow reflexes

• impair reaction time • reduce coordination

Medium Amounts of Alcohol

• slur speech • cause drowsiness alter emotions

High Amounts of Alcohol

• produce vomiting • cause breathing difficulties

• may cause unconsciousness, coma, and/or death

Effects of Alcohol