Alcohol Terms

Alcohol-is a drug that is produced by a chemical reaction in fruits, vegetables, and grains. It is a depressant that has powerful effects on the body. In United States, the law prohibits alcohol use by minors. Adults over 21, however can choose whether or not to drink alcohol.

To make responsible decisions about alcohol use, people need to understand how alcohol affects the body. Alcohol, like other depressant drugs, slows down the function of the brain and other parts of the nervous system. It also affects the digestive and urinary system. Excessive use of alcohol over a long period can damage almost every organ in the body.

The effect that alcohol has on a person is influenced by a number of factors, including:

• Body size-the same amount of alcohol has a greater affect on a smaller person than it does on a larger person.
• Gender-in general, alcohol moves into the bloodstream faster in females.
• Timeframe-A person who drinks a lot in a short period of time is more likely to become intoxicated. Rapid drinking overwhelms the liver's ability to break down the alcohol.
• Amount-drinking large quantity of alcohol causes the alcohol in the bloodstream to rise.  If the levels become too high, alcohol poisoning can occur.
• Food-food in the stomach slows down the passage of alcohol into the bloodstream.
• Medicine-alcohol could interfere with the effects of medicines, and medicines can intensify the effect of alcohol.

Blood alcohol concentration-is the amount of alcohol in a person's bloodstream. Blood alcohol concentration is expressed as a percentage of total blood volume.

One 12 ounce beer that has 5% alcohol by volume = One 4 oz glass of wine with 12% to 15% alcohol by volume = One 1½ ounce vodka or whiskey that has 40% alcohol by volume.

Intoxicated-a person is physically and mentally impaired by the use of alcohol. Driving while intoxicated can result in a jail term and, in some states, loss of driver's license.

Binge drinking-is the consumption of several alcoholic drinks in a very short period of time, is especially dangerous. Because alcohol is a depressant, it slows the body systems down. If the blood alcohol content of a binge drinker rises sharply enough, the person will stop breathing and could die.

Alcohol and teens-alcohol could interfere with a teen’s growth process. Studies show that teens who abuse alcohol have poorer language skills than other teens. New research also suggests that exposure to alcohol during the teen years reduces the level of certain hormones essential to normal development. It may also delay the onset of the menstrual cycle and affect other aspects of sexual maturity.

Teen alcohol used also has many other serious consequences:

• Up to two-thirds of all suicides on college campuses involve alcohol.
• Almost one-half of all traffic accidents with people under the age of 25 involve alcohol.
• Nearly a quarter of all violent crimes committed by teenagers involve alcohol.
• Between one-third and two-thirds of date rape cases among teenagers and college students involved alcohol.

Alcoholism-is a progressive, chronic disease involving a mental and physical need for alcohol. People with this disease are called alcoholics. Alcoholics cannot control their drinking. They drink even when they know they're harming their health and hurting others.

Stages of alcoholism-the stages develop over time and are not the same for each alcoholic.

• Stage one-A person starts using alcohol to relieve stress or to relax. Soon the person needs alcohol to cope with daily life. He or she begins to lie or make excuses about drinking.
• Stage two-as the person continues to drink, the body develops a need for more and more alcohol. The drinker may be absent from school or work but continues to deny that there's a problem.
• Stage three-the drinker’s body is strongly addicted, and the drinking is now out of control.

Recovery-is the process of learning to live an alcohol free life. Steps to recovery:

• Step one-admission the alcoholic admits to having a problem and ask for help.
• Step two-detoxification the alcoholic goes through detoxification, a process in which the alcoholic’s body adjusts to functioning without alcohol.
• Step three-counseling the alcoholic receives counseling on how to live without alcohol.
• Step four-recovery the alcoholic takes responsibility for his or her own life.

Some ways you may be able to help an alcoholic:

• When the drinker's sober, talk comely with him or her about the harm that alcohol does.
• Tell the drinker how concerned you all are, and ask him or her to seek help. Let the person know that the drinking worries you.
• Help the drinker feel good about quitting, and provide information about groups that can help.