ALCOHOL ABUSE EDUCATION

The truth about alcohol dependence is of great help to make a person understand the degree of alcohol dependence and warning signs of it. Among all the facts, one fact about alcoholism is that it is like a type of drug addiction (both mental as well as physical addiction).

The truth about alcoholism consists of the fact that spirits or alcohol depresses the central nervous system. Reduction of tension, inhibition and activities will be the consequences caused by the depression of the central nervous system.

The other systems of the body are also affected by the consumption of alcohol. It may lead to gastrointestinal tract irritation along with the wearing down of the stomach linings and esophagus, which may cause bleeding, nausea and vomiting.

Another fact about alcoholism is that the liver may develop a disease and gradually it will turn out to be cirrhosis. Moreover, the heart muscles can also be affected adversely. Some other fact of alcohol dependence may include sexual malfunction. Usually men who have alcoholism will have trouble with erections and the menstrual cycle may stop in case of women.

Given below are some more facts about alcoholism:

• Caffeine and alcohol are the most used things in all of the countries. However, alcohol addiction is considered to be the more severe kind of addiction as it can cause unwanted events and accidents.

   

• Alcohol consumptions and problems relating to alcohol are increasing at an alarming rate. Studies have reported that of the entire population in the United States, about 15% are problem drinkers. Moreover, alcohol dependents consist of about 5 to 10 per cent of the male drinkers and 3 to 5 per cent of the female drinkers. Do you know what this means? It means that about 14 million people are influenced by alcohol in the United States by it self. However, these facts exclude the friends, family members and others affected by the alcoholics’ behavior.

   

• There are two categories of alcoholism: abuse and dependence. The most serious alcohol disorder is alcohol dependence where tolerance and withdrawal are the symptoms. The need for increased quantity of alcohol to become drunk is called tolerance. When the consumption of alcohol is decreased or stopped, it causes the withdrawal symptoms. Drinkers, who drink in excess at different intervals and encounter problems, like aggressive incidents, missing school or work and drinking and driving, are alcohol abusers.

   

• As much as one-fifth of the teenagers in the United States are considered to be problem drinkers. This means that when they are intoxicated, they may encounter problems with law, friends, school, work and even family members. Moreover, accidents can also take place.

   

• The effects of alcohol can be noticed within 10 minutes of the consumption of alcohol. The effects are greatest in the first forty to sixty minutes. Until the liver metabolizes the alcohol, it will stay in the bloodstream. The blood alcohol content will rise if a person consumes alcohol at a speed faster than the speed of the liver to break it down.

   

• Blood alcohol concentration measures the state of alcohol intoxication. The most ordinarily used test to determine the blood alcohol contents of drivers is Breathalyzer field test. One other fact of alcoholism is that 0.08 to 0.10 is the legal limit of the blood alcohol level. When this level increases then the affects of alcohol will become more serious. Self-consciousness is decreased when the blood alcohol level is 0.05. At 0.10, the speech will become inaudible and at 0.50, coma may be the result.