Alcohol Disorders

Alcoholism

• A disease in which there is physical and psychological dependence on alcohol

• Alcohol dependence= alcoholism

• Is a factor in automobile accidents, injuries, suicide, violence, job loss, divorce, serious illness and death

Alcoholism continued

• Difficulty controlling behavior– May feel overwhelmed by the desire for another

drink– Some may not drink often, but when they do

drink, they binge– Personalities change– Feelings of anger, paranoia, and depression can

increase.

Alcoholism continued

• Denial– Refusing to admit a problem– Deny there is a connection between their problems and

their drinking• Withdrawal– The reaction of the body to the sudden stop of alcohol

consumption– May feel anxious, nauseous, and agitates, vomit, tremors,

trouble sleeping– Delirium tremens syndrome

• Person experiences hallucination and muscle convulsions

Alcoholism continued

• Family Connection– Children of alcoholics are more likely to have problems

with alcohol– Experience problems with relationships, money, jobs and

may neglect or injure family members• Genetics

– A child of a parent who has alcoholism is more likely to develop alcohol problems

• Childhood Behavior– Children who are easily distracted and restless at a young

age are more likely to develop alcoholism later in life.

Risk of Alcoholism

• Psychiatric Disorders– Relationship between conduct problems in school,

depression and the development of alcoholism later in life– People with alcoholism have higher rates of suicide

• Self-Esteem– Children who feel good about themselves are shown to

have a reduced risk of developing alcoholism• Social Factors– Parents attitudes and actions toward drinking affect their

children

Treatment

• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)– Recovery plan of alcoholics

• Al-Anon– Recovery plan for people who have friends or family

members with alcoholism• Alateen– Recovery program for teens who have a family member or

friend with alcoholism• Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACOA)– Recovery plan for children who have one or more parents, a

guardian, or a care-giver with alcoholism

Drinking During Pregnancy

• May cause a miscarriage or still birth– Miscarriage is natural ending of a pregnancy

before a baby is developed enough to survive on their own

• Low birth rate• Newborns– May experience withdrawal symptoms once they

are born

Drinking During Pregnancy continued

• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome– Presence of severe birth defects in babies born to

mother who drink alcohol during pregnancy– Babies with FAS may have small eye slits, a small

head, and delayed physical and mental growth– FAS is a leading cause of mental disability

**An FAS birth carries lifetime health costs of $860,000 ($300,000 today!) although can be as high as $4.2 million

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

• Healthy Newborn • A Newborn with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Binge Drinking

• An activity in which a person is forced to participate in a dangerous or demeaning act to become a member of a club or group or team is hazing

• Consuming large amounts of alcohol in a short amount of time is called binge drinking– Chugging, doing shots, funneling

Consequences of Drinking

• Hangover– An after effect of using alcohol: headache,

increased sensitivity to sounds, nausea, vomiting, tiredness and irritability

• Blackouts– A period in which a person cannot remember what

happened– May do something risky, embarrassing, or violent,

engage in sex, or find themselves in an unfamiliar place and not remember anything.

Consequences of Drinking

Thinking and Decision Making

• It can cause you to make a wrong decision• It can give you a false sense of self-confidence

in social situation and interfere with your judgment.

• It can make you feel invincible– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_

ErxlQggPZg&feature=player_embedded

Thinking and Decision Making

• It can increase the likelihood that you will give in to negative peer pressure

• It can intensify your sexual feelings and dull your reasoning's

• It slows your reaction time and affects your coordination

Thinking and Decision Making

• It can cause you to have aggressive behavior

• It intensifies your emotions