Basic Facts About Alcohol
What is Alcohol? Alcohol is the oldest and most widely used drug in the world. Nearly half of all Americans over the age of 12 are consumers of alcohol. Most people don’t have a problem with alcoholism but there are an estimated 10 to 15 million alcoholics or problem drinkers in the United States, with more than 100,000 deaths each year attributed to alcohol. What most people don’t realize is that among the nation’s alcoholics and problem drinkers are as many as 4.5 million adolescents. Surveys of adolescent and young adult drinkers indicate that they are particularly likely to drink a lot with the intention of getting drunk—often every time they drink. There are three basic types of alcoholic drinks. Beer is made from fermented grains and has an alcohol content of three to six percent. Wine is made from fermented fruits and has an alcohol content of 11 to 14 percent. Some wine drinks, such as wine coolers, have fruit juice and sugar added, lowering alcohol content to between four and seven percent. Fortified wines, such as port, have alcohol added, bringing alcohol content to between 18 and 20 percent. Liquor is made by distilling a fermented product to yield a drink that usually contains 40 to 50 percent alcohol. The alcohol content in liquor is usually indicated by degrees of proof, which in the United States is a figure twice as high as the percentage. Thus, 80-proof liquor is 40 percent alcohol. A 12-ounce glass of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, and a 1.5-ounce shot of liquor all contain the same amount of alcohol and, therefore, have an equal effect on the drinker. All three forms of alcohol have the same potential for becoming drunk and addiction.
How Does it Affect You? When a person drinks alcohol, the drug effects nerve cells deep in the brain. Alcohol starts out as a stimulant, and then brings on feelings of relaxation and reduced anxiety. Drinking two or three drinks in an hour can reduce your judgment, lower inhibitions, and bring mild excitement. Five drinks consumed in two hours may raise the blood alcohol level to 0.10 percent, high enough to be considered legally intoxicated in every state. Once a drinker stops drinking, his or her blood alcohol level decreases by about 0.01 percent per hour.
Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Use and Intoxication:
What are the Dangers of Alcohol Abuse? In addition to risk of injury or death as a result of accident or violence, alcohol abuse can cause or make worse, many physical and mental disorders. Neurological dangers include impaired vision and impaired motor coordination, memory defects, hallucinations, blackouts, and seizures. Long-term drinking can result in permanent damage to the brain. Other health related problems related to excessive drinking include: elevated blood pressure and heart rate, risk of stroke and heart failure, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and lung abscesses. Additionally, alcohol abuse increases the risk of mouth and throat cancer. Liver disease caused by chronic alcohol abuse, kills 25,000 Americans each year. Other physiological dangers include damage to the gastrointestinal system (including ulcers, reflux, and diarrhea), the pancreas, and the kidneys. In addition, alcohol consumption may cause malnutrition, disrupt the absorption of nutrients in food, and suppress the immune system, thus increasing the potential for illness. Psychological angers include impaired judgment and verbal ability, apathy, introversion, antisocial behavior, inability to concentrate, and deterioration of relationships with family, friends, and co-workers. Alcohol is an especially dangerous drug for pregnant women. Drinking during pregnancy raises the risk of low-birth weight babies and intrauterine growth retardation, increasing the danger of infection, feeding difficulties, and long-term developmental problems. Heavy drinking during the early months of pregnancy can result in the birth of babies with fetal alcohol syndrome. These infants are likely to have irreversible physical abnormalities.
What is Alcoholism? Chronic abuse of alcohol can lead to addiction or alcoholism. The behavior of abusers and the consequences of that behavior are better indicators of alcoholism than how often or how much a person may drink. Alcohol addiction can be characterized by increased tolerance, causing the abuser to drink greater amounts to achieve the same desired effect. When an alcoholic stops drinking, he or she will typically experience the symptoms of withdrawal.
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Statewide Meth Tip Line - 1-866-METHTIP (866-638-4847) |
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This page is sponsored by Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency |
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The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by the Branch County Substance Abuse Task Force and while we endeavor to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of the Branch County Substance Abuse Task Force. Reference to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the Branch County Substance Abuse Task Force. The views and opinions of authors expressed on those websites do not necessarily state or reflect those of the Branch County Substance Abuse Task Force. |
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