Drugs and teens...Alcohol...

I know there are a couple of articles already on Minti about alcohol but I wanted to add this to my drugs and teens articles...These articles that are out include alot of personal experience for people who have been hooked on this terrible drug and are linked to the bottom of this article...Realistically it is a drug... Its addictive and just as damaging as alot of illegal ones if used in excess...It is also an illegal drug when it comes to teens because here in Australia you must be 18 before it is legal to consume this out of the home...

To start off this article... Alcohol is a liquid made by fermentation...Pure alcohol is colourless and tastless...Alcoholic drinks vary in colour because of all the other ingredients that are added to it...  Alcohol even though people think it makes you high and happy is a depressant because it also slows down the central nervous system...This makes the messages between the brain and the body alot slower..Depressant drugs affect co-ordination and concentration...Ever seen an intoxicated  person walking a straight line?...Being drunk on this depressant slows down your reaction time in an unexpected situation too... In small doses alcohol can make a person feel more confident and relaxed...they can also act in a extrovered way and even lose their inhibitons..In larger amounts alcohol can cause unconciousness and even death...Yes death...

When people drink alcohol it is absorbed directly into the blood stream through the stomach..If the person has eaten before drinking then this will slow this process down but eating does not help the person to not get drunk or intoxicated...All alcohol will eventually be absorbed into the body no matter how much is eaten...Alcohol travels through the water in the human body not the fatty tissues...

The Liver breaks down around 91% of alcohol and a small amount goes down the toilet when the person urinates, through the skin in sweat, and on you breath...The liver can only work at a rate of being able to get rid of close to three quarters of a standard drink an hour...When an intoxicated person wants to sober up it takes time, So drinking coffee, having a shower, and vomitting will not speed this up... If a person drinks a large amount there will still be a high concentration of alcohol in the body the next day...

There are immediate effects from alcohol the feeling of being more relaxed and have slower reflexes, After a few drinks the person might have less inhibitions and intense moods eg sad...happy...angry...If the perosn then continues to drink the can experience confusion, their vision can become blurred...Continueing to drink at that stage can make a person feel sick and vomit even sleep...Consuming more after this point could possibly result in a comma or even death...

Binge drinking is something that is affecting alot of our teenagers out there...Binge drinking is when a person drinks continuosly for a short period of time, or drinks continously over a number of weeks or days... Binge drinking is really dangerous because it causes severe and immediate intoxication...As well as having huge health risks... this can also lead to people taking risks and finding themselves in a dangerous situation...Binge drinking side effects that are common are hang overs, headaches, feeling sick and vomiting...

There are alot of long term effects drinking alcohol can cause...If it is used over a long period of time it can cause damage to the brain and liver that are permanent...It can also cause emotional problems too... In teenage years this alone can be a nightmare.. The list can go on with the things that alcohol can do to your body...

Lots of alcohol can have a social effect too in your family, at work and in your personal relationships... It can also cause legal problems as well especially if you get behind that wheel of the car...

On bottles or cans of alcohol sold there is how many standard drinks are in it and the alcohol content...You can go here to check out a pdf to show on average the standard drink...

When teenagers drink they usually do it on a binge...Did you know that alcohol abuse is one of Australia biggest problems when it comes to drugs... Teens drinking do it for curiosity maybe they are also looking to feel good... Some even do it to fit in... There are some non alcoholic beers on the market that a teen can take to a party to feel like they fit in without their peers knowing it is not alcohol...I have even seen unaware people get drunk on this... that is true too...

The point of this article is some teenagers experiment and will drink but if they must do it give them the facts and encourage them to do it sensibly...I have provided an excellent website called think b4u drink have a look if you have the time...You will find it very interesting... Once again now you are armed with the information you need to talk to your teens be open about it and do not think under any circumstances that alcohol is any less dangerous to teens or anyone for that fact than any other drug....

Have a great day
Cheers
Angie