FREE ESSAY ON ALCOHOL ABUSE

ALCOHOL ABUSE

Alcohol Abuse Alcohol is liquid distilled product of fermented fruits, grains and
vegetables used as solvent, antiseptic and sedative moderate potential for abuse.
Possible effects are intoxication, sensory alteration, and/or anxiety reduction. Symptoms
of overdose staggering, odor of alcohol on breath, loss of coordination, slurred speech,
dilated pupils, fetal alcohol syndrome (in babies), and/or nerve and liver damage.
Withdrawal Syndrome is first sweating, tremors, then altered perception, followed by
psychosis, fear, and finally auditory hallucinations. Indications of possible mis-use are
confusion, disorientation, loss of motor nerve control, convulsions, shock, shallow
respiration, involuntary defecation, drowsiness, respiratory depression and possible
death. Alcohol is also known as: Booze, Juice, Brew, Vino, Sauce. You probably know why
alcohol is abused some reasons are relaxation, sociability, and cheap high. But did you
know that alcohol is a depressant that decreases the responses of the central nervous
system. Excessive drinking can cause liver damage and psychotic behavior. As little as
two beers or drinks can impair coordination and thinking. Alcohol is often used by
substance abusers to enhance the effects of other drugs. Alcohol continues to be the most
frequently abused substance among young adults. HERE ARE SOME STRAIGHT FACTS ABOUT
ALCOHOL.... Alcohol abuse is a pattern of problem drinking that results in health
consequences, social, problems, or both. However, alcohol dependence, or alcoholism,
refers to a disease that is characterized by abnormal alcohol-seeking behavior that leads
to impaired control over drinking. Short-term effects of alcohol use include: -Distorted
vision, hearing, and coordination -Altered perceptions and emotions -Impaired judgment
-Bad breath; hangovers Long-term effects of heavy alcohol use include: -Loss of appetite
-Vitamin deficiencies -Stomach ailments -Skin problems -Sexual impotence -Liver damage
-Heart and central nervous system damage -Memory loss Here are some quick clues to know
if I, or someone close, has a drinking problem: -Inability to control drinking--it seems
that regardless of what you decide beforehand, you frequently wind up drunk -Using
alcohol to escape problems -A change in personality--turning from Dr. Jekyl to Mr. Hyde
-A high tolerance level--drinking just about everybody under the table
-Blackouts--sometimes not remembering what happened while drinking -Problems at work or
in school as a result of drinking -Concern shown by family and friends about drinking If
you have a drinking problem, or if you suspect you have a drinking problem, there are
many others out there like you, and there is help available. You could talk to school
counselor, a friend, or a parent. Excessive alcohol consumption causes more than 100,000
deaths annually in the United States, and although the number shows little sign of
declining, the rate per 100,000 population has trended down since the early 1980s.
Accidents, mostly due to drunken driving, accounted for 24 percent of these deaths in
1992. Alcohol-related homicide and suicide accounted for 11 and 8 percent respectively.
Certain types of cancer that are partly attributable to alcohol, such as those of the
esophagus, larynx, and oral cavity, contributed another 17 percent. About 9 percent is
due to alcohol-related stroke. One of the most important contributors to alcohol-related
deaths is a group of 12 ailments wholly caused by alcohol, among which alcoholic
cirrhosis of the liver and alcohol dependence syndrome are the most important. These 12
ailments together accounted for 18 percent of the total alcohol-related deaths in 1992.
Mortality due to the 12 causes rises steeply into late middle age range and then declines
markedly, with those 85 and over being at less than one-sixth the risk of 55 to 64-year
olds. The most reliable data are for the 12 conditions wholly attributable to alcohol.
The map shows these data for all people 35 and over. The geographical distribution for
men and women follows much the same pattern, although men are three times as likely to
die of one of the 12 alcohol-induced ailments. The geographical distribution for whites
and blacks follows roughly the same pattern but the rates for blacks are two and half
times higher. In the late nineteenth century blacks, who were then far more abstemious
than whites, were strong supporters of the temperance movement, but the movement in the
South was taken over by whites bent on disenfranchising black people by any means
possible, such as propagating lurid tales of drink-crazed black men raping white women.
Consequently, blacks became less involved in the temperance movement, a trend that
accelerated early in the twentieth century with the great migration of blacks to the
North, where liquor was freely available even during Prohibition. The geographical
pattern of mortality from the 12 conditions wholly caused by alcohol is partly explained
by the average alcohol consumption among those who drink, which tends to be higher in the
Southeast certain areas of the West and than elsewhere. In New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska,
and in many counties in the Plains and Mountain states, the rates are high, in part,
because of heavy drinking among Native Americans. Another possible contributor to high
rates in the West is lower family and community support than elsewhere, as suggested by
high divorce and suicide rates, low church membership, and the large number of migrants
from other regions. In the South Atlantic states, black males contribute heavily to the
high mortality rates, although white rates there are above average. One unexplained
anomaly is the comparatively low rates in the area stretching from Kentucky through
Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, to Louisiana, all states with high alcohol consumption
among those who drink. There were at least four cycles of high alcohol consumption in the
last 150 years with peaks in the 1840s, in the 1860s, the first decade of the twentieth
century, and again in the 1970-1981 period. Each of these peaks was probably accompanied
by an increase in alcohol-related deaths, as suggested by the course of liver cirrhosis
mortality, which, since the early twentieth century, has followed more-or-less the same
trend as consumption of beverages alcohol. America is now in a phase of declining alcohol
consumption, so one would expect that the rate of alcohol-related deaths would continue
to decline. Among westernized countries, America in the early 1990s was somewhat below
average in both alcohol consumption and liver cirrhosis mortality. If you have been
arrested for DWI, you may be court ordered to go to counseling for alcohol abuse. Does
that mean that you're an alcoholic? Sometimes people get the idea that alcohol abuse and
alcoholism are the same thing. They are not. The National Council on Alcoholism says,
Alcohol Abuse : a problem to solve. Alcoholism: a disease to conquer. In case you have
wondered what the difference is, here's some help: Alcohol Abuse is the misuse of the
substance, alcohol. You know you are abusing a substance when: -You continue to use it,
even though you're having social or interpersonal problems because of your use. -You
still use it even though it's causing you physical problems. -Using it the way you do is
causing you legal problems. -You don't live up to major responsibilities on the job or in
your family. Alcoholism refers to being addicted, or dependent on alcohol. You may be
dependent on a substance if any three of the following are true: -You must use larger and
larger amounts of it to get high. -You have withdrawal when you try to stop or cut down.
-You use it much more and for longer times than you really want to. -You can't seem to
cut back and feel a strong need or craving for it. -You spend a lot of your time just
getting the substance. -You'd rather use than work or be with friends and family. -You
keep using, no matter what. The National Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
estimates, based on research, that a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) between .02 and
.04 makes your chances of being in a single-vehicle fatal crash 1.4 times higher than for
someone who has not had a drink. If your BAC is between .05 and .09, you are 11.1 times
more likely to be in a fatal single vehicle crash, and 48 times more likely at a BAC
between .10 and .14. If you've got a BAC of .15, your risk of being in a single-vehicle
fatal crash is estimated to be 380 times higher than a non-drinker's. How much do you
have to drink to get a BAC that high? A 160 pound man will have a BAC of about .04, 1
hour after consuming two 12-ounce beers on an empty stomach. Your BAC will depend on how
much you weigh, how much you drink, amount of time since your last drink and your gender.
Women metabolize alcohol differently from men, causing women to reach higher BAC's at the
same doses. Recent research is showing that true substance dependence may be caused, in
part, by brain chemistry deficiences. That is one reason that substance dependence is
considered a disease. And, as with other diseases, there is the possibility of taking
medicine to get better. There is now promising evidence that taking medicine can correct
some of the deficiences that may cause drug dependence. It is beginning to look like a
combination of the right medicine along with talking therapy and behavior therapy, will
help us treat this disease as we have never before been able to. One drug is Naltrexone,
sometimes known as ReVia. Fluoxetine (Prozac) and Desipramine (Norpramin) have also shown
promise. Alcohol abuse is also a serious medical and social problem, but is not the same
as alcoholism. Alcohol abuse is the intentional overuse of alcohol, i.e., to the point of
drunkenness. This includes occasional and celebratory over-drinking. Not all people who
abuse alcohol become alcoholics, but alcohol abuse by itself can have serious medical
effects. Overuse of alcohol is considered to be: -more than 3-4 drinks per occasion for
women -more than 4-5 drinks per occasion for men. One drink equals one (12-ounce) bottle
of beer or winecooler, one (5-ounce) glass of wine, or one and a half ounces of liquor.
Alcohol, probably the oldest drug known, has been used at least since the earliest
societies for which records exist. Of the numerous types of alcohol, ethyl alcohol is the
type consumed in drinking. In its pure form it is a clear substance with little odor.
People drink alcohol in three main kinds of beverages: BEERS, which are made from grain
through brewing and fermentation and contain from 3% to 8% alcohol; WINES, which are
fermented from fruits such as grapes and contain from 8% to 12% alcohol naturally, and up
to 21% when fortified by adding alcohol; and distilled beverages (spirits) such as
WHISKEY, GIN, and VODKA, which on the average contain from 40% to 50% alcohol. Drinkers
may become addicted to any of these beverages. Physical Effects of Alcohol The effects of
alcohol on the human body depend on the amount of alcohol in the blood (blood-alcohol
concentration). This varies with the rate of consumption and with the rate at which the
drinker's physical system absorbs and metabolizes alcohol. The higher the alcohol content
of the beverage consumed, the more alcohol will enter the bloodstream. The amount and
type of food in the stomach also affect the absorption rate. Drinking when the stomach is
filled is less intoxicating than when it is empty; the foods in the stomach, which
contain fat and protein, delay alcohol absorption. Body weight is also a factor; the
heavier the person, the slower the absorption of alcohol. After alcohol passes through
the stomach, it is rapidly absorbed through the walls of the intestines into the
bloodstream and carried to the various organ systems of the body, where it is
metabolized. Although small amounts of alcohol are processed by the kidneys and secreted
in the urine, and other small amounts are processed through the lungs and exhaled in the
breath, most of the alcohol is metabolized by the liver. As the alcohol is metabolized,
it gives off heat. The body metabolizes alcohol at about the rate of three-fourths of an
ounce to one ounce of whiskey an hour. Technically it is possible to drink at the same
rate as the alcohol is being oxidized out of the body. Most people, however, drink faster
than this, and so the concentration of alcohol in the bloodstream keeps rising. Alcohol
begins to impair the brain's ability to function when the blood-alcohol concentration
(BAC) reaches 0.05%, that is, 0.05 grams of alcohol per 100 cubic centimeters of blood.
Most state traffic laws in the United States presume that a driver with a BAC of 0.10% is
intoxicated. With a concentration of 0.20% (a level obtained from drinking about 10
ounces of whiskey), a person has difficulty controlling the emotions and may cry or laugh
extensively. The person will experience a great deal of difficulty in attempting to walk
and will want to lie down. When the blood-alcohol content reaches about 0.30%, which can
be attained when a person rapidly drinks about a pint of whiskey, the drinker will have
trouble comprehending and may become unconscious. At levels from 0.35% to 0.50%, the
brain centers that control breathing and heart action are affected; concentrations above
0.50% may cause death, although a person generally becomes unconscious before absorbing a
lethal dosage. Moderate or temperate use of alcohol is not harmful, but excessive or
heavy drinking is associated with alcoholism and numerous other health problems. The
effects of excessive drinking on major organ systems of the human body are cumulative and
become evident after heavy, continuous drinking or after intermittent drinking over a
period of time that may range from 5 to 30 years. The parts of the body most affected by
heavy drinking are the digestive and nervous systems. Digestive-system disorders that may
be related to heavy drinking include cancer of the mouth, throat, and esophagus;
gastritis; ulcers; cirrhosis of the liver; and inflammation of the pancreas. Disorders of
the nervous system can include neuritis, lapse of memory (blackouts), hallucinations, and
extreme tremor as found in delirium tremens. Delirium tremens (the DTs) may occur when a
person stops drinking after a period of heavy, continuous imbibing. Permanent damage to
the brain and central nervous system may also result, including Korsakoff psychosis and
Wernicke's disease. Recent evidence indicates that pregnant women who drink heavily may
give birth to infants with the FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME, which is characterized by face and
body abnormalities and, in some cases, impaired intellectual facilities. Additionally,
the combination of alcohol and drugs, such as commonly used sleeping pills,
tranquilizers, antibiotics, and aspirin, can be fatal, even when both are taken in
nonlethal doses. Many studies have been made of attitudes toward drinking in different
societies. Every culture has its own general ethos or sense of decorum about the use and
role of alcoholic beverages within its social structure. In some cultures drinking is
either forbidden or frowned upon. The Koran contains prohibitions against drinking, and
Muslims are forbidden to sell or serve alcoholic beverages. Hindus take a negative view
of the use of alcohol; this is reflected in the constitution of India, which requires
every state to work toward the prohibition of alcohol except for medicinal purposes.
Abstinence from alcohol has also been the goal of temperance movements in Europe and the
United States. Some Christian religious groups strongly urge abstinence, including the
Christian Scientists, Mormons, Seventh-Day Adventists, Pentecostalists, and some Baptists
and Methodists. In some ambivalent cultures, such as the United States and Ireland, the
values of those who believe in abstinence conflict with the values of those who regard
moderate drinking as a way of being hospitable and sociable. This accounts for the
plethora of laws and regulations that restrict the buying of alcoholic beverages. Some
psychologists say that this ambivalence in the culture makes it harder for some people to
develop a stable attitude toward drinking. Some cultures have a permissive attitude
toward drinking, including those of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Japan, and Israel. The
proportion of Jews and Italians who use alcohol is high, but the rates of alcoholism
among them are lower than in Irish and Scandinavian groups. Some cultures may be said to
look too favorably upon drinking, as do the French. In France the heavy consumption of
alcohol has been related to the fact that many people are engaged in viticulture and in
the production and distribution of alcoholic beverages. Various surveys indicate that
subgroups within a society or culture do not all have the same attitudes toward alcoholic
beverages or the same drinking patterns. Drinking behavior differs significantly among
groups of different age, sex, social class, racial status, ethnic background,
occupational status, religious affiliation, and regional location.