careernav.

By Careernav and Vic Health

Alcohol is present in the lives of most Australians, whether they drink themselves, or know someone who does. There are many facts, but also many myths spread about alcohol. Alcohol should be enjoyed in moderation .Below is an accurate and factual overview, written by Brian Vandenberg of Vic Health.

Here are some facts on Alcohol, provided by the Australian Government, Department for Health and Aging:

• In an average week, 4 Australians under the age of 25 die due to alcohol-related injuries.
• In an average week, 70 Australians under 25 will be hospitalised due to alcohol-induced assault.
• 1 in 2 teenagers aged between 15 and 17 will do something they regret while drunk
• On average, 1 in 4 hospitalisations of Australians aged 15-25 occur due to alcohol

Some other facts, provided by the Victorian drug statistics handbook 2007:

• 96% of 16-24 year olds reported consuming alcohol within their lifetime (2006)
• 23% of males and 21% of females reported binge drinking at levels that placed them at risk or high risk of long-term harm
• 24,714 people were hospitalised due to alcohol in Victoria (2005-06)
• 25,101 drivers were caught by police driving over the legal blood-alcohol limit
• 29.6% of Australians were victims of an alcohol-related incident: verbal abuse, physical abuse or put in fear
• Binge drinking in teenagers can distort the developmental process and can lead to addiction and alcohol dependence
• Binge drinking is associated with mental health problems, long-term memory loss, cognitive impairment, and reductions in brain mass
• Binge drinking increases the likelihood of assault, injury, and risky sexual behaviour

What is alcohol and how does it affect the human body?

Alcohol is a depressant drug. It’s not a stimulant as many people believe. Depressants slow down activity in the central nervous system, including the brain. They affect concentration and coordination, and slow the response time to unexpected situations.

When you drink alcohol, it is absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the stomach and the small intestine. That's why the effects of an alcoholic drink may be felt very quickly. Food in the stomach slows down the rate at which alcohol is absorbed, but it does not prevent intoxication or drunkenness.
 
After one or two alcoholic drinks, most people will feel more relaxed. You may not notice it, but you will have slower reflexes and reduced coordination and concentration.
 
After a few more drinks, most people will show fewer inhibitions, more confidence, reduced coordination, slurred speech, intense moods—for example, sad, happy, and angry.
 
After still more drinks you could experience confusion, blurred vision, and poor muscle control. 
 
Further drinking could result in severe affects such as nausea, vomiting, black outs, coma and death.

What is your BAC and why is it important?

Your Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) refers to the amount of alcohol in your bloodstream after you have been drinking. A BAC of 0.05 per cent (point 0 five) means that there is 0.05 grams of alcohol in every 100 milliliters of your blood.
 
Since the body processes alcohol at around one standard drink per hour, the BAC reduces over time, unless more alcohol is consumed.
 
Even very small amounts of alcohol can affect concentration, judgment and performance. This may be important where a high degree of skill is needed, or if the safety of others is involved.  These situations include recreational and occupational activities such as water sports, skiing, using complex equipment or heavy machinery or farm machinery, and driving.
 
Reducing the BAC (sobering up) takes time. The more alcohol you consume, the longer it takes for the BAC to return to zero. Cold showers, exercise, black coffee, fresh air or vomiting will not speed up the process. After a heavy drinking session, your BAC may still be over 0.05 per cent the next morning.
 
Even after the BAC returns to zero, your concentration, judgment and performance may still be impaired from the effects of a hangover.

Are all types of alcohol the same?

It is true that “alcohol is alcohol”.  Alcohol has the same effect regardless of whether it is contained in beer, wine, or spirits.  However, care should be taken when drinking certain types of beverages. 

Bottled spirits are potentially the most hazardous because they contain a high concentration of alcohol which can be consumed quickly thereby increasing the risk of overdose.  Sweet flavored alcoholic products, such as sparkling wine and pre-mixed spirits, are also potentially hazardous because they taste less astringent than other alcohol products and are therefore able to be consumed rapidly. 
 
It is also important to consider the style of drinking. Beer is often drunk in “rounds” among a group of people which can lead to rapid and hazardous levels of consumption.

What factors influence how alcohol can affect me?

Body size

For the same amount of alcohol consumed, a smaller person will have a higher BAC than a larger person, because the alcohol is concentrated in a smaller body mass.

Empty stomach

A person with an empty stomach will reach a higher BAC sooner than someone who has just eaten a meal. Food in the stomach slows down the rate at which alcohol passes into the bloodstream, but does not prevent intoxication. 

Body fat

People with a lot of body fat tend to have higher BAC. Alcohol is not absorbed into fatty tissue, so the alcohol is concentrated in a smaller body mass.

Being female

If a man and a woman drink exactly the same amount of alcohol, the woman will almost always have a higher blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Generally a woman’s body contains more fatty tissue and less water (and lean tissue) than a man’s body and women are often smaller than men. As a result, the alcohol will be more concentrated in a woman’s body, producing a higher BAC.

Being young

Younger, less experienced drinkers have a lower tolerance to alcohol and so their BAC is likely to rise more quickly than older drinkers.

What are the health risks for young people from alcohol?

Risks of accidents, injuries, violence and self harm are high among underage drinkers. Risk-taking behavior, unsafe sex choices, sexual coercion and alcohol overdose increase when young people drink alcohol. The rate of females aged 16-17 appearing in casualty due to ‘acute intoxication’ increased by 66% from 1999-2005, while for males, it increased by 25%.

Initiation of alcohol use at a young age may increase the likelihood of negative physical and mental health problems, social problems and alcohol dependence.

Childhood and adolescence are critical times for brain development and the brain is more sensitive to alcohol-induced damage during these times.

What are some tips for a safe night out?

Start with a soft drink: You will drink much faster if you are thirsty, so have a non-alcoholic drink to quench your thirst before you start drinking alcohol.

Use standard drinks: Monitor how much alcohol you drink. By converting what you drink into standard drinks, it is easier to keep track. For more information on standard drinks, click here.

Eat before or while you are drinking: Eating slows your drinking pace and fills you up. If you have a full stomach, alcohol will be absorbed more slowly.

Avoid 'shouts':  Try not to get involved in shouts, or rounds. Drink at your own pace - not someone else's. If you do get stuck in a shout, buy a non-alcoholic drink for yourself when it's your turn.

One drink at a time: Don't let people top up your drinks. It is hard to keep track of how much alcohol you have drunk.

Pace yourself: Try having a 'spacer', a non-alcoholic drink or water every second or third drink.

Try the low-alcohol alternative: A wide range of light beers are available. Low-alcohol or non-alcoholic wines are also becoming more available. Most places that serve cocktails also serve non-alcoholic versions.

Be assertive: Don't be pressured into drinking more than you want or intend to. Tell your friends 'thanks, but no thanks'.

For more tips on how to drink less and to minimise the risk of alcohol-related harm, contact Directline on 1800 888 236.

DirectLine provides 24-hour, 7-day counseling, information and referral. DirectLine is available to anyone in Victoria who is affected by an alcohol or drug problem

For more information of alcohol, visit these websites:

www.health.vic.gov.au/drugs/alcohol

www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Alcohol

www.drinkingnightmare.gov.au/internet/drinkingnightmare/publishing.nsf/Content/under-18