Alcohol: Its History, Effects, and Health Consequences, Study notes of Psychology

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Uppers, Downers and

All Arounders

Downers:

Alcohol

Alcohol Overview

• (^) Most people drink alcohol except in Islamic

countries

• (^) In U.S. 48% had at least one drink last month
• (^) 25-30% of hospital admissions was due to

direct and indirect medical complications

from alcohol

• (^) ½ of American adults had a family member

who is an alcoholic

• (^) Worldwide 2 million people died as a result of

alcohol

• (^) 10% of diseases and injuries were a direct result of alcohol

Alcohol Overview

• Historically alcohol has been used for:

• (^) Food (beer) for peasants
• (^) Solvent for opium
• (^) Sacrament for religious ceremonies
• (^) Water substitute
• (^) Social
• (^) Tranquilizer
• (^) Source of taxes

Alcohol Overview

• All countries have had periods of

restriction for alcohol consumption

• (^) England: 1700’s unrestricted sale of gin led to

abuse and addiction

• (^) America: 1920-1933 Prohibition period
  • (^) Repealed because of major source or revenue and tax
• (^) 1930 American Alcoholics Anonymous

founded in

Alcohol Beverages

• (^) Beer: Drink of common people in early times
  • (^) Ale
  • (^) Stout
  • (^) Porter
  • (^) Malt liquor
  • (^) Larger
  • (^) Bock beer
  • (^) Beer is brewed or fermented by roasting barley and cereal grains then combining the result with water, grain, hops and yeast
  • (^) Alcohol content:
    • (^) Larger beers: 4-5%
    • (^) Ales: 5-6%
    • (^) Malt liquor: 6-9%

Alcohol Beverages

• Wine was the drink of priest and nobles in

early times

• (^) Fermented from berries and other fruit and

starchy grains like rice

• (^) 8-14% alcohol
• (^) More than 14% alcohol content are fortified

with pure alcohol or brandy added after

fermentation

Copyright, 2004, CNS Productions, Inc. 1 Alcohol Content Alcohol Content Wine Wine red, white, rose red, white, rose 12%12% wine coolers wine coolers 6%6% Beer Beer lager, dark alelager, dark ale 6%6% light beer light beer 4%4% Hard Liquors Hard Liquors whiskey, Scotch, vodka, whiskey, Scotch, vodka, 4040 - -43%43% rum, gin, cognac, rum, gin, cognac, etcetc.. amaretto amaretto,, kahluakahlua,, etcetc.. 28%28% (Note: 100% alcohol = 200 proof)(Note: 100% alcohol = 200 proof)

Absorption & Distribution

• (^) Absorption into bloodstream:
  • (^) Takes place along various sites along the gastrointestinal tract: - (^) Stomach, small intestines and colon
• (^) Men and women process alcohol differently even with the same body weight - (^) In men 10-20% of alcohol absorbed by stomach - (^) In women most alcohol is absorb in the walls of the small intestine at a rate of 30% - (^) Women feel the effects of alcohol faster and more intensely.

Absorption

• (^) Factors that speed-up absorption:
  • (^) Increasing the amount drunk or drinking rate
  • (^) Drinking on a empty stomach
  • (^) Using high alcohol concentrations up to a

maximum of 95% with Everclear

• (^) Drinking carbonated drinks like champagne,

sparkling wines, soft drinks, and tonic mixers

• (^) Warming the alcohol
• (^) Factors that slow Absorption
• (^) Eating before or while drinking (meat, cheese

& fatty foods)

• (^) Diluting drinks with ice, water or fruit juice

Metabolism & Alcohol Concentration

• (^) Alcohol treated as toxin or poison so elimination begins as soon as it is ingested
• (^) 2-10% eliminated without being metabolized
• (^) 90-98% neutralized through metabolism by liver
• (^) Excreted by kidneys and lungs
• (^) Alcohol high in calories, but no real food value causing high malnutrition
• (^) Alcoholics get have their energy from empty calories

5 Level of ImpairmentLevel of Impairment^ vsvs. Blood Alcohol Concentration. Blood Alcohol Concentration .00 Blood Alcohol Concentration.00 Blood Alcohol Concentration Lowered inhibitions, feelings of relaxationLowered inhibitions, feelings of relaxation Some loss of muscular coordination Some loss of muscular coordination Decreased alertnessDecreased alertness Reduced social inhibitions Reduced social inhibitions Impaired ability to driveImpaired ability to drive Slowed reaction time Slowed reaction time Clumsiness, exaggerated emotions Clumsiness, exaggerated emotions Unsteadiness standing or walkingUnsteadiness standing or walking Argumentative & often hostile behavior Argumentative & often hostile behavior Slurred speech Slurred speech Severe intoxication Severe intoxication Inability to walk without help Inability to walk without help Confused speechConfused speech Incapacitated, loss of feeling Incapacitated, loss of feeling Diffi Difficult to rousecult to rouse Life Life--threatening unconsciousnessthreatening unconsciousness Coma Coma Death from lung & heart failure Death from lung & heart failure .50 Blood Alcohol Concentration .50 Blood Alcohol Concentration

Levels of Use

• (^) Low-to-moderate: 1 drink for women & 2 drinks

for women daily

• (^) Generally does not have negative consequences
• (^) Generally not safe for pregnant women, people who have physical or mental impairments
• Use includes:
• (^) Relaxation
• (^) Relax muscles
• (^) Stimulate appetite
• (^) Reduce incidents of heart attack & stroke
• (^) Alcohol interferes with REM sleep & dreaming essential to feeling fully rested

Levels of Use

• (^) Blackouts: Person appears to be acting normally and is awake and conscious but afterwards cannot recall anything. - (^) Early signs of alcoholism - (^) Different from passing out (drinker has partial recollection)
• (^) Hangovers
  • (^) May be severe many hours after
  • (^) Effects include:
  • (^) Headache
  • (^) Nausea
  • (^) Vomiting
  • (^) Thirst
  • (^) Dizziness
  • (^) Dry mouth
  • (^) Inability to concentrate
  • (^) General depressed feeling

Levels of Use

• (^) Mental and emotional effects
  • (^) Depresses and slows functions to Cental and peripheral NS
  • (^) Moves from initial relaxation to lowered inhibitions
  • (^) Mental confusion
  • (^) Mood swings
  • (^) Loss of judgment
  • (^) Emotional turbulance
  • (^) BAC of .10 slurred speech
  • (^) Chronic alcoholism results in daily fatigue
  • (^) Nightmares, bed wetting and heavy snoring