Harmful Additives In the Tank: The Effects of Alcohol
Being intoxicated is what people often describe as feeling drunk. Have you even seen someone drinking alcohol? You may have noticed that their behavior, posture, even the way they talk begins to change. But a person can be intoxicated without showing signs of drunkenness. Alcohol depresses, or slows down, the body’s ability to function. The point of intoxication is different for everyone depending on his or her body size and tolerance to alcohol. Women are affected by alcohol more quickly than men, but men still can get drunk. When a person is of legal age to drink, it is important for him or her to always drink responsibly, and know the limits of his or her body.
Short-Term Effects of Alcohol
As soon as you take a sip of alcohol, a lot of different reactions occur in your body. In this interactivity, you will see how alcohol affects you in the short-term, both physically and mentally. Click the player button to begin.
View a printable version of the interactivity.
Long-Term Effects of Alcohol
People who consume large amounts of alcohol for an extended period of time are considered alcoholics. Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol over a long period of time hurts the body in various ways. For example, it can cause you to have a lack of important vitamins and give you stomach problems. It also leads to permanent damage to the liver, or cirrhosis. In addition, alcohol causes damage to other vital organs and to the body’s central nervous system.
Take a moment to watch a video about a teenage girl who died from alcohol poisoning. By hearing from her family, friends, and medical experts, you will learn about the consequences of binge drinking. View the video clip How Could This Happen: A True Story of Binge Drinking, from eMediaVA℠.
Because alcohol is a drug, people can become dependent on it. Dependence is when a person relies on the psychological and physiological effects of a drug. Alcohol dependence is also known as alcoholism. Moderate alcohol use for men is considered to be two drinks per day; conversely, for women it is considered to be one drink per day. There is no average number of drinks an alcoholic consumes on a daily basis; rather alcoholism is measured by an inability to stop drinking, and an inability to cope and live due to alcohol use. Alcohol is considered a drug.
When people use alcohol regularly, they develop a tolerance to it, meaning they need to consume more and more alcohol to get the same feeling, and have the same effects as someone who does not consume it regularly. People who develop alcoholism experience an extreme psychological need for the substance, and feel like alcohol is the most important thing in their lives. When they suddenly stop consuming alcohol, they often experience withdrawal. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms include sleeplessness, decrease in appetite, feeling anxious, sudden changes in mood, nightmares, shakiness, and even hallucinations. These symptoms are often so severe that an alcoholic will continue drinking to avoid them.
Alcoholism
People who are alcohol dependent usually have a very long and hard road ahead of them once they decide to stop drinking. For those who continue to regularly consume large amounts of alcohol, their bodies can become damaged so severely that serious health problems, and even death, will occur. Alcoholism is a disease in which the person's body grows dependent on alcohol, and it overtakes his or her life to the point that drinking takes priority. In this interactivity, you will learn more about the stages of alcoholism. Click the player button to begin.
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Help Is Out There
Do you know someone who has a problem with alcohol? When someone decides to quit drinking, the road to recovery can be difficult without support. Some people decide to go to an overnight or outpatient treatment center to stop their drinking. Doctors help determine the cause of their drinking and find therapies to assist them in becoming sober.
Other people seek help from organizations that offer group sessions that helps members find the strength to quit drinking and recover from alcoholism. Many are free of charge and can be found in nearly every city and state.
The Impact of Alcohol Use
Drinking has different effects on people, especially teens, because it can influence everyone in different ways. Drinking makes people more talkative and outgoing because alcohol gives them an increased sense of self-confidence. In addition, attention span shortens, and judgment becomes inhibited. Drinking can lead to making poor decisions and often causes people to fall for peer pressure. Drinking can also lead to use of tobacco and other drugs.
Effects on Family and Society
Alcohol use is the major factor in the four leading causes of accidental death: car accidents, falls, drownings, and house fires. Alcohol also plays a major role in violent crimes, such as homicide, rape, and robbery. Not only does alcohol affect individuals, but it also affects the community.
Refusal Skills to Resist Peer Pressure
When it comes to drinking, teenagers tend to fall prey to peer pressure. They tend to make bad decisions to be part of a group, or to fit in with friends. Below are a few refusal skills to help you avoid drinking alcohol and peer pressure.
- Say no in a firm voice.
- Explain why you are refusing.
- Suggest alternatives to the proposed activity that are unrelated to alcohol or drugs.
- Back up your words with body language, and let them know you are serious.
- Leave if necessary.
The Effects of Alcohol Review
Now that you have learned about the short-term and long-term effects of alcohol, review your knowledge in this non-graded activity. Click the player button to get started.