Posts Tagged ‘Alcohol’

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How Alcohol Affects Your Body and Mind

Posted on Nov 01, 2011

Most people like a drink now and again, but not many people know exactly what the alcohol does to their body and brain once it has been consumed. Obviously the severity of the effects of alcohol depends on how much and how regularly alcohol is being consumed. It must be remembered that your body and mind are affected by even small amounts of alcohol.

Often people think it is safe to drive after drinking a small amount of alcohol, but this really is not the case. Even a beer or two can cause a delayed reaction, and when you are behind the wheel quick reactions are a must.

The Body

What does alcohol actually do to your body? The main chemical found in alcohol is called ethanol, which is a depressant that affects your central nervous system. When you drink alcohol it is absorbed into your body through your stomach, and can make its way into every organ in your body. This is because it is very easy for human cell membranes to absorb alcohol. The concentration of alcohol in your blood determines how great an effect it has on you; it can lead you from being euphoric, to being confused, and can finally make you unconscious.

Alcohol is a poisonous drug, and becoming dependent on it is a serious problem. Alcoholics often suffer from life-threatening conditions like heart disease and liver cirrhosis. It is estimated that a person that begins to drink alcohol at the age of 15 is five times more likely to become dependent on it than a person that begins drinking when they are 21.

Even small amounts of alcohol affect the body in a variety of different ways, and can result in visible changes to your appearance. Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to a condition called acne rosacea, which causes you to blush and gives you hot flushes easily. You may have noticed that older people who drink a lot often have an enlarged red nose. This is a result of prolonged acne rosacea, and is a permanent alteration of the skin which is called rhinophyma.

Alcohol is high in calories so it can have a large impact on your weight, hence the term beer belly. To give you an idea of how many calories are in a beer, you should realize that regularly drinking five large bottles of beer each week works out the same as eating around 220 doughnuts a year!

You may be surprised to know that it doesn’t take that much alcohol to kill you. When your blood alcohol concentration tips over the 0.4% mark alcohol poisoning starts to take effect and death sometimes occurs. Binge drinking in the United States causes around 79,000 deaths every year according to a recent report published by The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. A report by the World Health Organization estimated that each year around 2.5 million deaths worldwide are caused by alcohol.

The Mind

Mental health is affected by alcohol, and has been linked to a range of different mental health problems. Anxiety and depression are the most commonly conditions to result from drinking, which can lead to isolation and nervousness, and irrational phobias like a fear of going outside and interacting with people. It is believed that regularly consuming around 8-10 units of alcohol each day will result in some mental inefficiency, and even more so in young people. The human brain is still developing right up till a person is in his late teens, and regular drinking during your youth can result in the parts of the brain responsible for emotional control and planning to be smaller.

Alcohol can make you more confident and sociable when it is taken in small amounts, but continued consumption can lead to a short attention span, confusion, impaired judgment, poor coordination and delayed reactions. Of course, alcohol affects different people in different ways, and for some people consuming a small amount of alcohol brings about an unnoticeable change in their mood. Such people commonly fall foul of DUI laws because, even though they are mildly intoxicated, they believe they are not under the effect of alcohol. If you have an accident while being drunk, driving insurance on your vehicle will not cover you and it is likely that the police will prosecute you.

Alcohol also plays a large part in the number of suicides that occur each year, and the same goes for self-harming. Research and data in this area is thin, but the UK Department of Health has roughly estimated that in around 50% of suicide and self-harm cases alcohol was consumed prior to carrying out the act.

Things to Remember

Drinking in moderation can be fun and safe, and knowing the effects of alcohol will give you an increased awareness of when you should stop drinking. This awareness will also help you keep your friends safe and will help you recognize early on if somebody close to you is developing a drinking problem.

Some people can handle alcohol much better than others; however everyone is subject to the same laws. Being intoxicated behind the wheel is a criminal offence so avoid driving after drinking alcohol at all costs, even if you have only had a couple of beers or a glass of wine.

Guest PostNo Comments »Alcohol Blood Alcohol Content Drinking in Moderation Drunk Driving DUI DUl Laws

How to Stop Binge Drinking in Colleges? – A Student’s Perspective

Posted on Sep 28, 2011

A lot of attention has been directed towards the issue of binge drinking on college campuses. However the students perspective on the effects of binge driving can hardly be found. Binge drinking has been defined by some as “people drinking an extremely large amount of alcohol in a small amount of time”, but there is no universally agreed upon definition of binge drinking. This is a cause of concern as the underlying causes and solutions to control binge drinking can only be devised once the term has been defined.

Binge Drinking Is Not a Simple Notion to Understand For Students

To date, the number of drinks one must consume in one sitting for it to be regarded as binge drinking incident have not been pinned down. Experts cannot agree on the volume of drinking and the time period for binge drinking episodes. Recently a survey of college students was published that stated that the majority of co-eds believe that binge drinking constitutes drinking 5 or more standard drinks for men, and 4or more for women, in one hour. However this definition is indistinct and there are variables that are not taken into account in this definition. Drunk driving can be defined by the results of a test of bodily fluids, or motor skills, however binge drinking avoids easy definitions.

The Dilemma in Passing Tough Binge Drinking Laws

If a college student attached a funnel to a keg of beer and attempted to consume its contents, would this be considered as binge drinking? Most people would think so. However, it does not fit the definition of binge drinking according to college students surveyed. Think about the unpredictable results of the above action. It could lead to anything from death via alcohol poisoning to a student waking up with a hangover the next morning. This example reveals how hard it is to pass a law against such actions with offers such mixed results after completion.

No Legislative Solution Possible to Curb Binge Drinking

Like students most lawmakers see the dilemma of this solution and realize how unfeasible it is to find a person guilty of binge drinking without an agreed upon definition of the problem. In addition, many students see binge drinking as a problem that only affects the drinker. If they get behind the wheel of a car, there are already laws that cover drunk driving; also there are laws against public drunkenness and underage drinking. Therefore, this problem seems to defy legislative solutions.

A Drinking Deterrence Approach– The Only Way to Stop Binge Drinking

Some experts suggest that in order to stop binge drinking, laws targeting drinking specifically will have better results. Considering this, many students have proposed that campuses begin efficient anti-alcohol consumption programs to curb binge drinking.

Community Effort is Required to Curb Binge Drinking

It appears that the solitary solution to stop binge drinking will be a change in societies’ view on consumption of alcohol in general. Limiting or ending this kind of conduct requires community effort as this is something that students cannot manage by themselves.

Alcohol, Drinking Law, Teenage Drunk Drivers, Underage DrinkingNo Comments »Alcohol Binge Drinking Colleges Drinking Laws

Causes of Drunk Driving in Professionals

Posted on Sep 15, 2011

Drunk driving is one of the most hazardous things a person can do. There is plenty of investigative proof that shows that performance and reaction times while operating a vehicle is acutely affected by drinking. People that drive after drinking heavily endanger themselves, their passengers, other drivers and pedestrians.

Delayed Impairment Recognition in Professionals

Recently, researchers reported that those who get behind the wheel after having too many drinks are not aware of their impairment. Research shows that the brain’s reaction time does not keep up with the effects of alcohol on the body. This means that people actually feel as if they are fine, when in reality they are impaired.

Bad Decision Making in Drunk Driving Professionals

These drivers are impaired in their thinking and reaction times. They make bad decisions due to their impairment. The first bad decision they make is drinking and driving. They have trouble gauging speed, going through intersections, changing lanes, maintaining safe traveling distance, and staying in their lane.

Added Dangers of Drunk Driving for Professionals

The impairment in brain function leads many professionals to drink and drive even with the inherent dangers that come with this risky behavior. Not only are there physical and economic dangers for professionals in some states, they may not be able to renew their professional licenses if they have a DWI charge on their record.

Repeated Drunk Driving in Professionals

Another cause of drunk driving in professionals is that the majority of those who drink and drive have done it many times before and have never been caught. Most professionals do not fit the profile of a person that has frequent issues with law enforcement; many DWI stops start as other violation and then escalate into DWI offenses. The average professional does not attract the attention of law enforcement officers. Repeated successful drunk driving trips encourage professionals in believing that they can make it home no matter how drunk they are.

Drunk Driving among General Public and Professionals

Professionals also attend office parties were alcohol is commonly accessible and vigorously promoted. Drinking is a standard part of professional get-togethers and celebrations. The dangerous practice of drinking and driving will continue as a problem among professionals within this type of atmosphere. To address the causes of drunk driving in professionals we must address the use of alcohol in the society as well as in the public.

Alcohol, DWI, Drunk DrivingNo Comments »Alcohol Drunk Driving DWI Impaired Driving Professionals