ADDICTION AND ALCOHOL
DEFINING ADDICTION
Defined as continued involvement with a
substance or activity despite its ongoing negative
consequences.
●
When the individual eventually needs to consume
the addictive substance or enact the behavior to
feel normal.
●
Classified by the American Psychiatric
Association (APA) as a mental disorder.
●
DEFINING ADDICTION
Physiological/Psychological
Dependence
•Inextricably tied together
•Addiction traditionally based on four criteria:
1.Relief of withdrawal symptoms
2.Continued use despite harm to self and others
3.Unsuccessful efforts to cease using or cut down
on use, including relapse
4.Tolerance
DEFINING ADDICTION
Signs of Addiction
•Addictions are characterized by four common
symptoms
1.Compulsion (can include obsession)
2.Loss of control
3.Negative consequences
4.Denial
•Process Addictions
•Behaviors known to be addictive because they are mood
altering
ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS
Compulsive or Pathological Gambling
●
Cravings or highs similar to those experienced by
drug users
●
●
Often seek the excitement more than the money
Incidence higher in men, lower-income
individuals, those who are divorced, African
Americans, older adults, those living within 50
miles of a casino, and college students
●
●
38 percent have cardiovascular problems
Suicide rate 20 times higher than that of general
population
●
ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS
●
Compulsive Spending
On average, compulsive spenders are $23,000 in debt.
●Compulsive spending often leads to compulsive
borrowing to help support addiction.
●
Symptoms that a spender has crossed the line
into addiction include
●
Buying more than one of the same item
●Keeping items in the closet with the tags still attached
●Repeatedly buying much more than the person needs or
can afford
●Hiding purchases from relatives and loved ones
●Experiencing feelings of excitement when shopping
●
ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS
●
Exercise Addiction
About 2 million people with anorexia nervosa and bulimia
nervosa use exercise to purge instead of, or in addition
to, self-induced vomiting
●
Try to meet needs for nurturance, intimacy, self-esteem,
and self-competency that an object or activity cannot truly
meet
●
Men are increasingly abusing steroids and
overexercising to attain an ideal frame
●
Muscle dysmorphia (bigarexia) is a pathological
preoccupation with being larger and more muscular
●
Symptoms include excessive weight lifting, excessive
exercising, and steroid or supplement abuse
●
ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS
Technology Addictions
●
Cell phones, video games, PDAs,
networking sites, and the Internet can all
be addictive.
●
An estimated 5 to 10 percent of Internet
users will likely experience Internet
addiction.
●
Symptoms include general disregard for
one’s health, sleep deprivation, neglecting
family and friends, lack of physical
activity, euphoria when online, lower
grades in school, and poor job
performance.
●
Compensation for feelings of loneliness,
marital or work problems, a poor social
life, or financial problems
●
ADDICTION AFFECTS FAMILY AND
FRIENDS
●
Codependence
●
Pattern of behavior
●
Person becomes “addicted to the addict”
Disregard personal needs in order to meet needs or
desires of addict
●
●
Enabling
Knowingly or unknowingly protects addict from
consequences of behavior
●
●
Rarely conscious and generally unintentional
DRUG DYNAMICS
Abuse often associated with illegal drugs, but
many people abuse and misuse legal drugs
●
–Drug
misuse—use for purpose not intended
–Drug
abuse—excessive use
–Misuse
and abuse may lead to addiction
–Drug
and alcohol abuse contributes to more than 120,000
American deaths a year
–Costs
$294 billion in preventable health care expenses annually.
–Although
overall use of drugs in the United States has fallen by 50
percent in the past 20 years, the past 10 years have shown an
increase in the use of certain drugs by adolescents.
DRUG DYNAMICS
Types of Drugs
–Prescription—more
than 10,000 types sold in
U.S
–Over-the-counter
(OTC) drugs—no prescription
needed
–Recreational—alcohol,
–Herbal
–Illicit
tobacco, coffee, etc.
preparations—products of plant origin
(illegal)—all are psychoactive
–Commercial
preparations—household cleaners,
pesticides, etc.
DRUG DYNAMICS
•Routes of Drug Administration
–Oral
–Injection
Intravenous—into bloodstream
●
Intramuscular—into muscle
●
Subcutaneous—just under the skin
●
–Inhalation
through the nose or mouth
●
–Inunction
through the skin
●
–Suppositories
through the vagina or anus
●
DRUG DYNAMICS
●
●
Drug Interactions
Polydrug Use
–Taking
●
several substances simultaneously
Synergism
–Effects
are multiplied
–Expressed as 2 + 2 = 10
–Example:
●
Alcohol and barbiturates
Antagonism
–Work
at same receptor
–Inhibition—the
effects of one drug are eliminated or reduced by
the presence of another drug
–Example:
Alcohol and antibiotics
DRUG DYNAMICS
Intolerance
●
–When
drugs combine to produce extremely
uncomfortable reactions
–Example: Antabuse
and alcohol
Cross-tolerance
●
–Tolerance
for one drug creates a similar reaction
to another drug
–Example: Alcohol
and barbiturates
ABUSE OF OVER-THE-COUNTER (OTC)
DRUGS
●
Nonprescription medicine
High doses can cause
hallucinations, bizarre sleep
patterns, mood changes,
and sometimes death.
●
Those most vulnerable to
abusing OTC drugs are
teenagers, young adults,
and people over the age of
65.
●
ABUSE OF OVER-THE-COUNTER (OTC)
DRUGS
●
●
Sleep Aids
Excedrin PM, Sominex, Unisom, and Tylenol PM
Can cause problems with the sleep cycle, weaken areas of the body,
or induce narcolepsy
●
●
●
Cold Medicines
Robitussin, Vicks, Coricidin, and NyQuil
Dextromethorphan (DXM) can cause hallucinations, loss of motor
control, and “out-of body” sensations
●
Pseudoephedrine is being used to illegally manufacture
methamphetamine
●
●
Diet Pills
Contain stimulants such as caffeine or Hoodia gordonii
●
PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE
•15.2 million people over the age of 12 (6.2%) report
abusing controlled prescription drugs in the past year.
•Prescription drug abuse is particularly common among
teenagers.
•Abuse of opioids, narcotics, and pain relievers can result
in life-threatening respiratory depression (reduced
breathing).
•Abuse of depressants, including benzodiazepines,
tranquilizers, barbiturates, and sedatives can result in
seizures, respiratory depression, and decreased heart
rate.
•Abuse of stimulants can cause elevated body
temperature, irregular heart rate, cardiovascular system
failure, and fatal seizures.
PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE
College Students and Prescription Drug
Abuse
●
●
Increased dramatically over the past decade
●
Marijuana use has risen in recent years.
Students who abuse Adderal and Ritalin say they help
them concentrate and study to increase alertness.
●
Students who abuse Vicodin, OxyContin, or Percocet
say they do so to relax or get high.
●
College men are more likely to abuse prescription drugs
than women.
●
ILLICIT DRUGS
●
Users of Illicit Drugs
In 2004, an estimated 20.4 million Americans were illicit
drug users.
●
Among youth, marijuana use has been rising in recent
years.
●
●
Drug Use on Campus
In 2006 51 percent of college students reported trying
any drug; a third have smoked marijuana in the past year,
and 20 percent have done so in the past month.
●
For many students, their college environment coupled
with our culture’s societal mores regarding substance use
on college campuses may make substance use and
abuse seem like the norm.
●
REASONS WHY COLLEGE STUDENTS USE ILLICIT DRUGS OR
CONTROLLED PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
ILLICIT DRUGS
Why Do Some
College Students Use
Drugs?
●
Genetics and family
history
●
Substance use in high
school
●
●
Positive expectations
●
Mental health problems
Sorority and fraternity
membership
●
Why Do Some
College Students Not
Use Drugs?
●
Parental attitudes and
behavior
●
●
Religion and spirituality
●
Student engagement
●
College athletics
ANNUAL DRUG USE PREVALENCE, FULL-TIME COLLEGE STUDENTS VS.
RESPONDENTS 1 TO 4 YEARS BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL
COMMON DRUGS OF ABUSE
Stimulants
●
Cocaine
–White
crystalline powder
–Derived
from the leaves of the south American coca shrub
–Cocaine
rapidly enters bloodstream
–Exposed
fetus is likely to suffer damage
–Methods
of use vary
–Freebase
cocaine
–Crack
–Treatment
for cocaine addiction involves mainly psychiatric
counseling and 12-step programs.
COMMON DRUGS OF ABUSE
Amphetamines
●
Synthetic agents that stimulate the central
nervous system (CNS)
●
●
Some are used for medicinal purposes
Ritalin and Adderall are used for attention
deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
●
●
High potential for abuse
COLLEGE STUDENTS’ STATED REASONS FOR NONMEDICAL
USE OF ADHD DRUGS
COMMON DRUGS OF ABUSE
●
●
Methamphetamine
Affects brain and CNS
Euphoria lasts 6 to 8
hours
●
Methods of use: snorted,
injected, smoked, and
ingested
●
Increasingly common in
rural America
●
COMMON DRUGS OF ABUSE
Caffeine
–Most
popular and widely consumed drug in the United
States
–Caffeine
is derived from the chemical family called
xanthines, which are found in plant products such as
coffee, tea, and chocolate.
–Enhance
mental alertness and reduce feelings of fatigue
–Side
effects include wakefulness, insomnia, irregular
heartbeat, dizziness, nausea, indigestion, mild delirium,
and heartburn.
–Caffeine
meets the requirements for addiction: tolerance,
psychological dependence, and withdrawal symptoms.
CAFFEINE CONTENT COMPARISON
COMMON DRUGS OF ABUSE
Marijuana and Other Cannabinoids
●
●
Methods of Use and Physical Effects
–People
have been using these substances for 6,000
years
–Derived
from Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica (hemp)
–Tetrahydrocannabinol
(THC) is the active ingredient
–Hashish,
a potent cannabis preparation, is derived from
the resin of the plant.
–Long-term
studies have not been conducted in the
United States.
–Inhalation
from smoking is harmful.
COMMON DRUGS OF ABUSE
Marijuana and Medicine
●
Helps with severe nausea and vomiting during
chemotherapy
●
Improves appetite of those with AIDS related
wasting syndrome
●
Aids those with multiple sclerosis by reducing
pain and spasticity
●
●
Reduces eye pressure of glaucoma
COMMON DRUGS OF ABUSE
●
Effects of Chronic Marijuana Use
Carbon monoxide in blood stream causes heart to work
harder
●
●
Contains high levels of carcinogens
●
Suppression of the immune system
●
Pregnant women at higher risk for stillbirth or miscarriage
COMMON DRUGS OF ABUSE
Depressants
–Opiates
●
Cause drowsiness, relieve pain, and induce euphoria
●
Called narcotics
●
Derived from opium
●
Include morphine, codeine, heroin, and black tar heroin
Depress CNS and lower heart rate, respiration, and
blood pressure
●
●
Decrease sex drive
COMMON DRUGS OF ABUSE
●
●
Heroin Addiction
Heroin is a white powder derived from morphine.
Black tar heroin is a sticky, dark brown, foul smelling
form of heroin that is relatively pure and inexpensive.
●
Heroin withdrawal is distinct, including an intense desire
for the drug, sleep disturbances, dilated pupils, and
muscle tremors
●
An estimated 3.7 million people have used heroin at one
time in their lives
●
Mainlining—intravenous injection of powdered heroin
mixed in a solution and is the most common route of
administration
●
DEPRESSANTS: OPIATES
●
●
Treatment of Opiates
Methadone
–Blocks
effects of opiates withdrawal
–Potentially
●
Naltrexone
–Opiate
–Lose
●
addictive itself
antagonist
compulsion to use heroin
Buprenorphine
–Blocks
cravings for heroin
–Nonaddictive
COMMON DRUGS OF ABUSE
●
●
Benzodiazepines and Barbiturates
Benzodiazepines (tranquilizers )
–The
most common sedative-hypnotic drugs
–Valium, Ativan,
●
and Xanax
Barbiturates
–Sedative-hypnotic
–Amytal
–Less
drugs
and Seconal
safe than benzodiazepines
Synergistic effect when combined with alcohol, can lead to respiratory failure
and death
●
●
Can produce physical and psychological dependence in several weeks
●
Cross-tolerance is a complication specific to sedatives
COMMON DRUGS OF ABUSE
●
Rohypnol
A tranquilizer and “date rape” drug
●
Produces a sedative effect, amnesia, muscle relaxation, and
slowed psychomotor responses
●
Has gained notoriety as a growing problem on college campuses
as it has been added to punch and other drinks at parties in hopes
of lowering women’s inhibitions and facilitating potential sexual
conquests
●
●
Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB)
CNS depressant known to have euphoric, sedative, and anabolic
(bodybuilding) effects
●
Another “date rape” drug
●
Side effects include loss of memory, unconsciousness, amnesia,
hallucinations, and death
●
COMMON DRUGS OF ABUSE
●
●
Hallucinogens
Scramble messages coming to reticular formation
–Synesthesia—mixing
–May
●
of sensory messages
“hear colors” and “smell tastes”
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)
–Also
called acid
–Common
hallucinogen used to “unlock secrets” of the mind
–Used
to “turn on” and “tune out” world
–In 1970 it was placed on controlled substances list
–Over
11 million Americans have tried acid
–Commonly sold as a “blotter” on paper
COMMON DRUGS OF ABUSE
Ecstasy methylene-dioxymethamphetamine
(MDMA)
●
●
Most common club drug
●
Side effects include hallucination, paranoia, and amnesia
Causes death in some cases, especially when combined
with alcohol
●
●
Chronic use can damage the brain
COMMON DRUGS OF ABUSE
Mescaline
●
Derived from peyote cactus
●
Native Americans use it for religious purposes
●
Users typically swallow 10 to 12 dried peyote
buttons
●
Generally induces immediate vomiting
●
Psilocybin
●
“Magic mushrooms”
●
Effects generally wear off in 4 to 6 hours
●
Cultivated from spores or harvested wild
●
Similar to LSD in effect
●
Mushroom varieties can be easily
misidentified, and mistakes can be fatal
●
COMMON DRUGS OF ABUSE
●
●
Phencyclidine (PCP)
Originally used as a dissociative anesthetic
Side effects such as amnesia led doctors to abandon
use
●
●
May cause euphoria or dysphoria
Known to cause hallucinations, delusions, and overall
delirium
●
●
Ketamine (Special K)
Used as an anesthetic in many hospital and veterinary
clinics
●
●
Causes hallucinations and sensory distortions
COMMON DRUGS OF ABUSE
●
●
Inhalants
Users inhale chemicals
Legal to purchase and not commonly recognized as
drugs, though dangerous when used incorrectly
●
●
Includes: glue, paint thinner, and rubber cement
●
Amyl Nitrate and Nitrous Oxide
●
Commonly known as laughing gas
●
Imparts a “silly feeling”
An overdose of fumes from inhalants can cause
unconsciousness and death
●
COMMON DRUGS OF ABUSE
Anabolic Steroids
Artificial forms of the male hormone testosterone that
promote muscle growth and strength
●Ergogenic drugs
●Adverse effects occur
●“Performance-enhancing” steroid alternatives
–Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB)
–Clenbuterol
●The 2007 Mitchell Report investigated steroid use among
Major League Baseball players, 89 of whom were alleged
to have used steroids
●
TREATMENT AND RECOVERY
An estimated 23.6 million Americans aged 12 or
older needed treatment for illicit drug or alcohol
use problem in 2007.
●Of these, approximately 10 percent received
treatment
●Detoxification—an early abstinence period
during which an addict adjusts physically and
cognitively to being free from the addiction’s
influence
●
TREATMENT AND RECOVERY
Treatment Approaches
●
●
Outpatient Behavioral Treatment
Cognitive behavioral therapy
●Multidimensional family therapy
●Motivational interviewing
●Motivational incentives (contingency management)
●
●
Residential Treatment Programs
Therapeutic communities (TCs) are highly structured programs in
which addicts remain at a residence, typically for 6 to 12 months
●
●
12-Step Programs
Nonjudgmental treatment programs that aim to work on personal
recovery
●
TREATMENT AND RECOVERY
●
College Students’ Treatment and Recovery
–Early
intervention increases the likelihood of successful treatment.
–Private
therapy, group therapy, cognitive training, nutrition
counseling, and health therapies all induce a better chance of
recovery.
–A growing
number of colleges are offering special services to
students who are recovering from alcohol and other drug
addictions.
–Texas
Tech University received a $250,000 federal grant to create
a national model of its students-in-recovery program.
ADDRESSING DRUG MISUSE AND ABUSE
IN THE U.S
The financial burden of illegal drug use on the U.S.
economy is around $180.9 billion per year.
●
●
Possible Solutions to the Problem
Scare tactics—shown not to be effective
●War on drugs—laws and policies to reduce illegal drug trade
●Multimodal approach—most effective when young people are
taught to differentiate drug use, misuse, and abuse
●Harm Reduction Strategies—practical approaches to reducing
negative consequences of drug use
●
ALCOHOL: AN OVERVIEW
●
61 percent of Americans consume alcohol regularly.
●
25 percent abstain from drinking.
●
Alcohol and College Students
Approximately 63 percent of students have consumed
alcoholic beverages in the past 30 days.
●
●
Almost half are classified as heavy drinkers.
Many students have a misperception about “normal
drinking” behavior, and believe their peers drink more
than they actually do.
●
ALCOHOL: AN OVERVIEW
Binge Drinking
●
–A pattern
of drinking alcohol that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to
0.08 gram-percent or above
–Binge
drinking is defined as consuming within 2 hours:
5 drinks in a row for a man
●
4 drinks in a row for a woman
●
Alcohol exacerbates their already high risk for suicide, automobile crashes, and
falls.
●
Proof: Measure of the percent alcohol
●
80 proof whiskey = 40 percent alcohol
Alcohol lowers inhibitions, impairing the ability to make wise decisions regarding
sexual activity
●
70 percent of college students admit to having engaged in sexual activity
primarily as a result of being under the influence of alcohol.
●
–Alcoholism
–Heredity
is 4 to 5 times more common among children of alcoholics
accounts for two-thirds of the risk for becoming an alcoholic.
TRENDS OF ALCOHOL-RELATED PROBLEMS AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS,
NONBINGE DRINKERS VS. FREQUENT BINGE DRINKERS
ALCOHOL: AN OVERVIEW
●
High-Risk Drinking and College Students
Why is binge drinking the number one cause of
preventable death among undergraduate students?
●
•Alcohol exacerbates their already high risk for suicide, automobile
crashes, and falls.
•Customs, norms, and traditions encourage dangerous drinking.
•Drinking is heavily advertised and promoted on campuses.
•Students are more likely to engage in drinking games.
•Students are more vulnerable to peer influences and peer
pressure.
•College administrators often don’t admit to a problem on campus.
COLLEGE STUDENTS’ PATTERNS OF
ALCOHOL USE
ALCOHOL: AN OVERVIEW
●
Trends in Consumption
In general, alcohol consumption levels among Americans
have declined steadily since the late 1970s.
●
In 2006, the estimated per capita consumption was the
equivalent of 2.31 gallons of pure alcohol per person.
●
The downward trend has been tied to growing attention
to weight, personal health, and physical activity.
●
ALCOHOL IN THE BODY
●
The Chemistry and Potency of Alcohol
●
Ethyl alcohol or ethanol
●
Fermentation process
–Yeast
●
organisms break down sugar.
Distillation
–Alcohol
●
vapors are released from the mash at high temperatures.
Proof
–Measure
of the percent alcohol
80 proof whiskey = 40 percent alcohol
●
ALCOHOL IN THE BODY
●
●
Absorption and Metabolism
Absorption that occurs in stomach is about 20 percent
Absorption that occurs in small intestine is about 80
percent
●
●
Factors that influence absorption:
–Concentration
–Amount
–Food
of the drink
consumed
in the stomach
–Mood
–Pylorospasm
(spasm of valve)
WHAT IS A STANDARD DRINK?
ALCOHOL IN THE BODY BLOOD ALCOHOL
LEVELS
Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)
–Ratio
–The
of alcohol to total blood volume
legal limit for BAC is 0.08 percent in all states.
–Both
breath analysis (breathalyzer tests) and urinalysis are used
to determine whether an individual is legally intoxicated, but blood
tests are more accurate.
–Learned
behavioral tolerance—though BAC may be quite high,
the individual has learned to modify his behavior to appear sober
APPROXIMATE BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION (BAC) AND THE
PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL EFFECTS
EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON THE BODY AND
HEALTH
ALCOHOL AND YOUR HEALTH
●
Immediate and Short-Term Effects of Alcohol
Reduces frequency of nerve transmissions
●
Dehydration
●
Water is lost from cerebrospinal fluid.
●
Alcohol irritates the gastrointestinal system.
●
Hangovers
●
Congeners—forms of alcohol that metabolize more slowly
●
Be informed of drug and alcohol interactions
●
What are some symptoms experienced by
someone with a hangover?
●
GENDER & HEALTH
●
●
Women and Alcohol
Women have more body fat than men do.
Women have half as much alcohol dehydrogenase—
enzyme that breaks down alcohol in the stomach
●
More vulnerable to impairment due to alcohol consumption
●
Hormonal differences and use of oral contraceptives
likely to contribute to longer periods of intoxication
●
ALCOHOL AND YOUR HEALTH
●
Alcohol and Injuries
13 percent of emergency room visits by undergrads are
for alcohol-related injuries
●
Patients with a BAC over 0.08% are 3.2 times more likely
to have a violent injury than an unintentional injury.
●
Most people admitted to the ER are men aged 21 and
over, most as a result of accidents or fights in which
alcohol was a factor.
●
ALCOHOL AND YOUR HEALTH
●
Alcohol and Sexual Decision Making
Alcohol lowers inhibitions, impairing the ability to make
wise decisions regarding sexual activity
●
70 percent of college students admit to having engaged
in sexual activity primarily as a result of being under the
influence of alcohol.
●
●
Less likely to use safer sex practices
–Risk
of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or
pregnancy increases among those who drink heavily
ALCOHOL AND YOUR HEALTH
●
Alcohol Poisoning
Consuming large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time can be
lethal.
●
Alcohol alone or mixed with another drug is responsible for more toxic
overdose deaths than any other substance.
●
Deaths are caused by either central nervous system and respiratory
depression or by inhalation of vomit or fluid into the lungs
●
Signs include inability to be roused; weak and rapid pulse; unusual
breathing pattern; cool, damp, pale, or bluish skin.
●
●
Call 9-1-1 immediately.
ALCOHOL AND YOUR HEALTH
●
Long-Term Effects of Alcohol
●
Effects on the nervous system
●
Cardiovascular effects
●
Liver disease
–Cirrhosis
–Alcoholic
hepatitis
●
Cancer
●
Chronic inflammation of pancreas
●
Impairs ability to recognize and fight bacteria and viruses
COMPARISON OF A HEALTHY LIVER WITH A CIRRHOTIC LIVER
ALCOHOL AND PREGNANCY
Alcohol and Pregnancy
•Alcohol can harm fetal development.
•Even a single exposure to high levels can cause
damage.
•Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)
•Mental retardation, small head, tremors, and
abnormalities of face, limbs, heart, and brain
•FAS is the third most common birth defect in the United
States.
ALCOHOL AND YOUR HEALTH
●
●
Alcohol and Pregnancy
FAS Symptoms Include
–Impaired
–Poor
learning
memory
–Impulsive
behaviors
–Reduced
attention span
–Poor
problem solving
–Fetal
alcohol effects are less severe than FAS
DRINKING AND DRIVING
32 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2008 were alcohol
related.
●
●
Many college students drink and drive.
In 2008, there were 11,773 alcohol-impaired driving
fatalities in the United States.
●
–This
represents one alcohol-related fatality every 45 minutes
At BAC 0.10 a person is approximately 10 times more
likely to be in an accident.
●
PERCENTAGE OF FATALLY INJURED PASSENGER VEHICLE
DRIVERS WITH BACS > 0.08 PERCENT, BY DRIVER AGE
ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM
●
●
Identifying a Problem Drinker
Abuse interferes with work, school, and relationships.
Alcoholism (alcohol dependence) results when personal
and health problems related to alcohol use are severe,
and stopping alcohol consumption results in withdrawal
symptoms.
●
•Characterized by craving, loss of control, physical
dependence, and tolerance
ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM
●
Alcohol and Prescription Drug Abuse
Young adults aged 18 to 24 are at most risk for
concurrent or simultaneous abuse of both alcohol and
drugs.
●
●
Alcohol and prescription drugs taken together can cause
–Alcohol
poisoning
–Unconsciousness
–Respiratory
depression
–Death
Opiates, stimulants, sedatives, and sleeping aids are
most often combined with alcohol.
●
ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM
●
●
The Causes of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Biological and family factors
–Alcoholism
is 4 to 5 times more common among children of
alcoholics
–Heredity
accounts for two-thirds of the risk for becoming an
alcoholic.
●
Social and cultural factors
–Family
attitudes
–Weakening
of family links
–Combination
of heredity and environment
ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM
●
Costs to Society
It is estimated that alcohol is directly or indirectly
responsible for over 25 percent of U.S. medical expenses
and lost earnings
●
Cost of underage drinking is estimated at $61.9 billion
annually.
●
–Includes
crashes, violent crime, FAS, high-risk sex, poisoning,
psychosis, and treatment for alcohol dependence
ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM
●
Women and Alcoholism
Female alcoholics approaching the rate of male
alcoholics
●
●
Women are addicted faster than are men.
●
Risk factors include
–Family
history
–Pressure
to drink from peers
–Depression
–Stress
ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM
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Alcohol and Ethnic or Racial Differences
Different minority groups have unique problems related to alcohol
consumption and abuse.
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Alcohol most widely used drug among Native American
populations
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Generally, African Americans drink less than white Americans, but are
more likely to be heavy drinkers when they do drink.
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Latino men have higher-than-average rates of alcohol abuse and
alcohol-related health problems than other groups.
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Asian Americans have a defect in the gene that manufactures alcohol
dehydrogenase, leading to unpleasant side effects of alcohol
consumption.
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RECOVERY
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The Family’s Role in Recovery
Intervention is a planned confrontation.
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Treatment Programs
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Psychologist and psychiatrists specializing in treatment
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Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
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Private treatment centers
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Family, individual, and group therapy
RECOVERY
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Relapse
There is roughly a 60 percent rate of relapse (resuming
drinking) in the first three months
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Many say they are recovering their whole life.
To be effective, one must work on self-esteem and
personal growth.
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