Ecstasy (E) – Class APenalties: Possession: 7 years and a fine Effects: Pure ecstasy is a white crystalline powder known to chemists as MDMA. Ecstasy sold on the street is usually in tablet form. Es come in all sorts of colours and some of them have pictures or logos stamped into them. They are usually swallowed, although some people do snort them. Ecstasy dilates the pupils, produces a tingling feeling, tightens the jaw muscles, raises the body temperature and makes the heart beat faster. Short-term effects can include anxiety, panic attacks, confused episodes, first time epileptic fits and paranoia. Current evidence suggests that long term use can cause depression, personality change and memory loss. |
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LSD – Class APenalties: Possession: 7 years and a fine Effects: LSD is a hallucinogenic drug originally derived from ergot, a fungus found growing wild on rye and other grasses. It is commonly called acid and the experience from it is known as a trip. There is no evidence to suggest LSD does any long-term damage to the body or long-term psychological damage but if you have mental health issues, acid can make them worse. People have also been known to harm themselves and others during a bad trip. |
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Magic Mushrooms – |
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Amphetamines (Speed) – (Class B - illegal to have, give away or sell. Prepared for injection, speed becomes a Class A)Penalties – Class B: Possession: 5 years and a fine Penalties – Class A: Possession: 7 years and a fine Effects: Speed is the street name for Amphetamine. It is Britain's least pure illegal drug and is often taken along with ecstasy. Like coke it is a stimulant that people take to keep them awake and alert. The more speed you take the greater chance you'll need to take more to get the same buzz. Speed users have died from overdose. Speed can lead to anxiety, depression, irritability and aggression as well as mental illness such as psychosis and paranoid feelings. |
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Cannabis – Class CPenalties: Possession: 2 years and a fine Effects: Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug in Britain. It is a naturally occurring drug made from parts of the cannabis plant. It is a mild hallucinogen and often gives sedative like effects that make some people feel relaxed and others feel sick. It is widely available and comes in many different forms. Much like a cigarette, the effects are immediate and last from about an hour to a few hours. Even hardcore smokers can get anxious and panicky and cannabis has a negative impact on the short-term memory. Eating or drinking the drug delays the effects and can make them stronger and longer lasting. Cannabis can cause a disease called cannabis psychosis, likened to a mild form of schizophrenia.
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GHB – Class CPenalties: Possession: 2 years and a fine Effects: GHB is usually sold as an odourless liquid in small bottles or capsules. It is very dangerous and can be fatal when mixed with alcohol or other drugs. It is hard to tell the difference between a dose that gives a pleasant buzz and an overdose that could kill. Too many hits could cause sickness, stiff muscles, fits and collapse and no one knows what GHB could do to you 20 years down the line. |
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Anabolic Steroids – |
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Poppers – (not illegal to possess but can be illegal to supply)Effects: Poppers are small bottles filled with liquid chemicals called alkyl nitrites. They dilate the blood vessels and allow more blood to get to the heart. They are usually sniffed straight from the bottle and deliver a short, sharp high. Poppers are toxic and can kill you if you swallow them. Taking poppers is a dangerous idea for anyone with chest or heart problems, anaemia or glaucoma. |
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AlcoholEffects: Dependence on alcohol can creep up on an individual and tolerance increases with use. Alcohol leads to all kinds of problems in Britain from violent crime to domestic violence and car related deaths. It takes the body an hour to process one unit of alcohol. One too many can lead to effects such as slurring of words, loss of balance and vomiting. Serious overindulgence can lead to alcohol poisoning. Long-term use of alcohol has been linked with illnesses like liver damage and heart disease. |
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11.18.2007
all kind of drugs
Heroin and Cocaine
Heroin
Effects:
Pure heroin comes as a white powder, but because of the range of substances with which it can be cut, street heroin can be anything from brownish white to brown.
It can be smoked, snorted or dissolved in water and injected. Heroin is not instantly addictive but over time the desired effects reduce so much that users have to take more and more just to get the same effects and then take even more just to feel 'normal'.
Effects on the brain cause 'cravings' and strong psychological and physical dependence. Excessive doses can lead to coma and even death from respiratory failure. There is a risk of death due to inhaling vomit, as heroin stops the body's cough reflex from working properly.
Similar effects and risks are caused by opium.
Methadone and subutex (buprenorphine) are used as substitutes for heroin in the treatment of heroin addiction. Methadone makes the pupils in the eye look like pinheads and makes users constipated. Some people are sick the first time they take drugs like methadone and if you are a woman they can stop you having regular periods.
Cocaine/Crack – Class A
Penalties:
Possession: 7 years and a fine
Supply: Life imprisonment and a fine
Effects:
Cocaine (coke) is a white powder that is usually divided into lines on a smooth surface and snorted up the nose with a rolled up banknote or a straw. It can be smoked and is sometimes made into a solution and injected.
Taking cocaine raises body temperature, makes the heart beat faster and staves off feelings of hunger. The hit from coke does not last long (20-30 minutes). When the effects start to wear off there is a strong temptation to take more.
Coke is very addictive. Evidence also suggests possible long-term changes to the nervous system.
Crack is a smokeable form of cocaine that is made into small lumps or rocks. It is called crack because it makes a crackling sound when being burnt. It is a stimulant with short-lived effects and is addictive. Also it’s much stronger than cocaine because all the impurities are taken out when the rocks are made (i.e. cooked) – also it can be injected and due to it’s anaesthetising effects users may miss their veins and not be aware of this which can lead to abscesses.
Their effects Drugs
Addiction is a form of stress disorder; it occurs when the body’s reaction to the ingestion of a substance, such as a drug, energizes the accompanying memory. It is generally called a ‘high’, caused by an adrenaline rush. Even if it is an unpleasant experience there often seems to be a compulsion to repeat the experience when the level of physical reinforcement, or adrenaline release, is great enough, because the addiction then takes on an uncontrollable stress pattern similar to a post traumatic stress disorder. While normal stress control methods can help, they are usually insufficient by themselves once the addiction takes hold. There are physiological changes to the body that have to be reversed, causing withdrawal problems. Anyone with a severe addiction generally requires patient and sympathetic long-term assistance to beat the habit. Many programmes are ineffective because they do not take into consideration that the physiological and more particularly the psychological imprint of the addiction are permanent. In this sense there is no ‘cure’, only a learned ability to avoid the addiction resurfacing and taking over again, and knowing that in a moment of inattention or weakness they may succumb once more.
We can divide drugs into two categories – prescription & recreational. Some prescription drugs, such as anti-depressants, may cause memory and other problems. Generally the effect only lasts while the drug is being taken, but if students are depressed, taking an anti-depressant may not solve their study problem, it may make it worse – if that is the reason for their depression. Get professional counselling instead. (see page 13 on Stress & Study)
In the recreational category there are many drugs. Alcohol is probably the oldest and most common. Most young people consume alcohol without realising it is a poison that damages both the body (brain) and therefore the mind, if its use is excessive or prolonged. Binge drinking is in this category. I recall working with two drinkers, both of whom had addled their brains with alcohol – the first I had to recommend to his employer that he be ‘retired’ because he could no longer carry out simple clerical procedures without making continual mistakes. The second was so bad that he became lost moving around the house – he couldn’t find his way from one room to another.
Two other drugs that have been popular among young people, including students, are cannabis and ecstasy. The University of Newcastle Upon Tyne recently published the results of an international study, which included Australia, on the effects of these drugs. [Journal of Pharmacology] The news is not good. It found that users of ecstasy were likely to use other drugs, including cannabis.
Regular users of ecstasy suffered mainly long-term memory difficulties, and they were 23% more likely to have problems remembering things than non-users.
Regular users of cannabis reported up to 20% more memory problems than non-users. It was their short-term memory that was mainly affected.
The study found no significant differences between male and female participants.
Dr Jacqui Rodgers, of the School of Neurology, Neurobiology & Psychiatry at the University, among other things, said ‘Users may think that ecstasy is fun and that it feels fairly harmless at the time. However, our results show slight but measurable impairments to memory as a result of use, which is worrying. It is equally concerning that we don’t really know what the long term effects of ecstasy use will be, as it is still a poorly understood drug. The results indicate that users are potentially creating a time bomb of potential cognitive difficulties later in life… The findings also suggest that ecstasy users who take cannabis are suffering from a ‘double whammy’ where both their long-term and short-term memory is being impaired.’
Recently - 2006/7 - another even more deadly drug has been discovered in association with Ecstasy, it is called PMA, and has been added in with the ecstasy powder, unbeknown to drug users, and with deadly results. It has caused several deaths.
GHB is another drug whose use has escalated recently among party goers, and at rave parties. It is cheap and very dangerous, and over dosing - which has been fatal - is too easy, because it is a liquid.
Amphetamines, which are becoming more widely used, are now proving to be a very serious problem, causing all sorts of personal and social problems, including mental derangements and violence.
There is only one really safe way with either legal drugs or illegal drugs –
don’t start & don't experiment!
How drugs effect families?
Drugs effect families in a big way specially for the ones who don't take them.They have the pressure of wondering is the person going to be ok or will they steal off you or others. I have been there not taking drugs but being with some one who was and its an experiance i hope no one has to go through.You are on the edge all the time not knowing which way to turn, you get so low its unbelieavble. What ever you do is wrong, in away you have to be cruel to be kind.
There are various ways by which drug effect families and the most fatal one among them is the financial one. A drug addict is unable to do any productive work neither for himself nor for his family and as drugs are very costly substance, he needs the financial backing constantly. So it’s a two way attack; the conduit for release is getting bigger and bigger and the incoming substance is getting shorter each passing day.
The other most disturbing effect is the mental retardation. The person is consistently in effect of drug and he cannot think any thing about what he is doing. So in that way also he is harming himself, his family and the society as a whole.
So it is advisable for everybody to never indulge in the addiction of drug as it will kill you.
ANTI-HIV DRUGS' EFFECTS ON CELLS
New York -- Some of the drugs used to treat HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, are known to interfere with the basic activities of the body's cells, which can lead to side effects. Detecting the cellular effects of the medications has not been easy, however.
Now scientists in Canada have developed a blood test that can measure the effects of anti-HIV drugs on cell structures called mitochondria. The screen can detect drug-related damage to mitochondria even before side effects begin, which could give doctors time to adjust a patient's therapy.
The power plants of cells, mitochondria create the energy that cells need to function normally. But a class of anti-HIV drugs called nucleoside analogues, which include medications like AZT, can interfere with the ability of mitochondria to produce energy. If patients taking nucleoside analogues, which are often prescribed as a part of combination therapy for HIV, develop this so-called mitochondrial toxicity, they may experience fatigue, shortness of breath, weight loss and a rapid heartbeat.
One way to detect mitochondrial toxicity is to measure levels of lactic acid in the blood, which often rise when mitochondria are damaged. But this test is not very reliable.
Now a team led by Dr. Julio S. G. Montaner at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver reports the development of a test that can detect mitochondrial toxicity by measuring levels of mitochondrial DNA in the blood.
The researchers tested the effectiveness of the screen in three groups of people: a group of HIV-positive individuals on nucleoside therapy who had developed symptoms of mitochondrial toxicity; a set of HIV-positive people who were not taking any anti-HIV drugs; and a group of HIV-negative people.
Levels of mitochondrial DNA were "significantly depleted" in patients with HIV who had symptoms consistent with mitochondrial toxicity. Though these patients had high levels of lactic acid in the blood, the test developed by Montaner and his colleagues detected mitochondrial toxicity even before lactic acid levels rose. Once the patients stopped taking their anti-HIV therapy, levels of mitochondrial DNA rebounded.
In contrast, HIV-positive individuals who did not have symptoms of mitochondrial toxicity had higher levels of mitochondrial DNA. Their levels were lower than those of the HIV-negative group, however, according to the report in the March 14th issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.
Montaner told Reuters Health that he hopes the screen will make it possible to learn how mitochondrial toxicity develops so that it can be prevented or treated. He and his colleagues are conducting several studies of the screen, including additional research to see if the test can be used to predict whether certain drug-related side effects will develop. They also are testing the benefits of several treatments, including vitamin supplements, to treat mitochondrial toxicity in its early stages.
"It is unclear at this time how frequently mitochondrial toxicity is at the bottom of some of the side effects that we currently see in the clinic among patients on antiretroviral therapy," Montaner told Reuters Health. But it is "quite clear," he said, that severe mitochondrial toxicity is to blame for rare, but sometimes fatal, severe cases of a condition called lactic acidosis.
It is possible, but not yet proven, that changes in mitochondrial DNA levels could prompt a physician to change a patient's therapy, according to Montaner. There is preliminary evidence that some nucleoside medications are less likely to cause mitochondrial-related side effects than others.
"If this kind of data could be confirmed, one could conceive of mitochondrial-sparing regimens which could be appropriate for any individual, but particularly so for individuals who have evidence of mitochondrial toxicity," he said.
Montaner noted, however, that the test, or assay, is not yet available. "We are currently evaluating the value of the assay in epidemiological and clinical trials," he said. After these trials are completed, "we will be in a better position to discuss whether or not using the test in the clinical setting is appropriate," Montaner said.
Source: The New England Journal of Medicine 2002;346:811-820
Long-Term Effects of Alcohol
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| REPRODUCTION AND PREGNANCY |
Alcohol and Life Style
No, it wouldn't. The moderate consumption of alcohol appears to be more effective than most other lifestyle changes that are used to lower the risk of heart and other diseases. For example, the average person would need to follow a very strict low-fat diet, exercise vigorously on a regular basis, eliminate salt from the diet, lose a substantial amount of weight, and probably begin medication in order to lower cholesterol by 30 points or blood pressure by 20 points.
But medical research suggests that alcohol can have a greater impact on heart disease than even these hard-won reductions in cholesterol levels or blood pressure. Only cessation of smoking is more effective.Additionally, other medical research suggests that adding alcohol to a healthful diet is more effective than just following the diet alone.
- A large-scale study in China found that middle-aged men who drank moderately had a nearly 20% lower overall mortality compared to abstainers.
- Harvard's Nurses' Health Study of over 85,000 women found reduced mortality among moderate drinkers
- A British analysis of 12,000 male physicians found that moderate drinkers had the lowest risk of death from all causes during the 13 year study.
- A large study of about 88,000 people conducted over a period of ten years found that moderate drinkers were about 27% less likely to die during the period than were either abstainers or heavy drinkers. The superior longevity was largely due to a reduction of such diseases as coronary heart disease, cancer, and respiratory diseases.
- A large study funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that moderate drinking increased the length of life by about 3% among white males.
- A twelve year long prospective study of over 200,000 men found that subjects who had consumed alcohol in moderation were less likely to die than those who abstained from alcohol.
- A study of more than 40,000 people by the Cancer Research Center in Honolulu found that "persons with moderate alcohol intake appear to have a significantly lower risk of dying than nondrinkers.”
- An analysis of the 89,299 men in the Physicians' Health Study over a period of five and one-half years found that those who drink alcohol in moderation tend to live longer than those who either abstain or drink heavily.
- An Italian study of 1,536 men aged 45-65 found that about two (2) years of life were gained by moderate drinkers (1-4 drinks per day) in comparison with occasional and heavy drinkers.
- A study of 2,487 adults aged 70-79 years, who were followed for an average period of over five and one-half years, found that all-cause mortality was significantly lower in light to moderate drinkers than in abstainers or occasional drinkers (those who drank <1>
Drugs Rehabilitation in a caring environtment
Our drug rehabilitation center is one of the most picturesque in the world. It stands on over three acres of beautiful Malibu beachfront property, and we offer our clients every amenity and service under the sun. At Passages, you are a patient, not a prisoner. You can bring your cell phone, consult regularly with family members and friends, and enjoy gourmet food and exercise.
We have a nurse in-staff on call 24 hours a day, 80 dedicated staffers and therapists, and an incredibly high ratio of staff members to clients (approximately 3 to 1). Best of all, we limit group therapy and focus on individual treatment so every person discovers the unique “turnkey” approach to his or her addiction problem. All clients get assigned 10 therapists from a range of disciplines, who consult on a weekly basis to home in on problems, rework treatment methodologies, and suss out underlying causes of addiction.
Best of all, once you leave the safety and security of Passages, we’ll stay with you through thorough aftercare. Often, group rehab patients quickly relapse after leaving the comfort and security of collective therapy because they are not equipped with the tools they need to handle stresses and chaos in their lives.
We have an amazing cure rate of over 84 percent--compare this with the cure rate for most group treatment programs in the country (approximately 5 percent--the same as the natural [i.e. completely untreated] course of action). We also believe that clients who educate themselves about the nature of addiction will fare better in the long run.
We are also available to help with interventions and to educate friends and family. Experience the specialness of Passages today by calling our toll free hotline.
Drug treatment center
You need to ask appropriate questions when you call a Drug Rehab for information and you should expect to receive clear answers.
Before you make any decisions-ask questions and get the facts!
How much does a drug rehab cost?
"How much does it cost?" is often one of the first questions asked.
The price tag for drug abuse & alcoholism is presented in many different formats. You need to know what is included in the price, what will be added on to your bill as a fee-for-service program, and what services your health insurance will cover. This makes it extremely difficult to compare prices by simply asking the question - "What does it cost?"
If you are seeking the best value for your treatment dollar, remember: Price can be meaningful only in the context of quality and performance.
Is the drug rehab medically based?
There is an advantage to including on-site medical care in a Drug Rehab. Physicians and nurses provide 24-hour hospital services to monitor and ensure a safe withdrawal from alcohol and other drugs. In addition, a medical staff specializing in addiction medicine can oversee the progress of each individual and make necessary adjustments to the treatment plan.
Medical credentials can also be important. For example, a chemical dependency Drug rehab that earn a JCAHO accreditation (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) meet national standards for providing quality medical care. Appropriate state licensing is also an important consideration.
Be sure to ask which medical costs are included in the price of treatment.
Is family involved in the program?
Drug abuse and alcoholism affects the entire family, not just the alcoholic/addict. Quite often family members do not realize how deepaly they have been affected by chemical dependency. Family involvement is an important component of recovery.
Drug Rehabs vary in the degree and quality of family involvement opportunities. Some offer just a few lectures and others offer family therapy. Ask if there is any time devoted to family programs and if group therapy is included.
How The Family Surffers and what it can do
Guilt is a common and overwhelming feeling. Culturally, the wife or parents are usually blamed squarely for the addict's problems. This leads to a lot of self-blame and consequently to deep shame.
With an addict in the family, the family experiences lot of loss - loss of prestige, of family ties, of personal dignity, of feelings of love, of friends, of finances… the list goes on. Thus the family experiences Grief - when the family loses the pleasures of life.
When there is no sharing and caring, it creates lots of Anger . The family's helplessness makes them angrier with just about everything- family, friends, and the world at large. The addict gets angry and shouts throughout the night. The wife starts shouting the next morning. In either case, the other person is not listening. Continued anger becomes deep-rooted resentment.
There is also a lot of humiliation . The drunken behavior of the addict in front of relatives and friends causes embarrassment leading to feelings of low self-worth and deep shame.
Living in such a constantly stressful state produces a lot of Fear - fear of future, of family life, of financial matters, of relationships, of arguments, of the addict's health etc.
These stressful situations lead to communication breakdowns in the family. There is no love, caring and sharing. Instead, in an attempt to hide the emotions, the family experiences terrible Loneliness.
These negative emotions lead to a predictable behavioral response called denial .
As fear increases, the family denies having any problem. They justify and rationalize the situation by attributing all this to ‘too much pressure” or some such external factor. Denial is not lying. It is used unconsciously to control fear and anxiety.
The spouse of the addict usually becomes a good ‘enabler' (enabling the alcoholic / addict to continue with his addiction). In order to show care and concern, and to protect her dignity, she covers up the consequences of the addict's behavior. She perpetually keeps bailing him out of situations to avoid an awkward situation, instead of allowing him to face the consequences of his behaviour. She becomes an 'idea', competent and protective wife, thereby enabling the addict to continue his addiction without taking responsibility.
As a family member, one must realize that addiction is a disease- not a moral weakness, nor a lack of willpower (alcoholics / addicts have immense willpower – they almost always get what they want).
The family member needs to accept this truth. This will help in changing the attitude and approach towards the addict and his addiction. The addict is truly powerless, over the power of addiction. Just as addiction has taken years to develop, recovery cannot happen overnight. Addiction is a progressive disease, requiring professional help.
Some don'ts for the family:
Don't justify the addict's drug / alcohol abuse.
Don't hide liquor / drugs. The addict will anyway know how to acquire more and you will end up frustrated.
Don't argue with the person when under the influence of drugs / alcohol.
Don't attempt to punish or bribe.
Don't feel guilty for the addict's behavior.
Don't treat the addict as a child.
Don't try to control the addict and his addiction. Seek professional help.
Chemical dependency is a family problem, a family ‘disease'. It effects the entire family. Whatever time it takes, recovery is worth all the efforts – for the addict and for the family.
Non-Alcoholic Beer
Other than the fact that all "NA" beer does contain a small amount of alcohol, there is now a new study out that seems to support the theory that it can cause a relapse for recovering alcoholics.
In the November issue of the Journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, a team of California scientists report that smell may be enough to trigger cravings and a subsequent relapse among certain alcoholics.
In their laboratory experiments, rats were trained to self-administer alcohol or a bitter, white substance called quinine when they smelled either orange or banana.
The smell of banana was used when the rats consumed alcohol, while the smell of orange was presented to them when the rats tasted quinine.
Both alcohol and the anticipation of alcohol may raise levels of a brain chemical called dopamine, which plays a role in feelings of elation and pleasure, according to the investigators. The researchers found increases in dopamine in the rats' brains before and after smelling these "alcohol-related cues." One visitor to our Forum said her family member seemed to develop the same attitudes and behavior while drinking NA Beer as he used to do when he was drinking the real stuff. This finding could help explain that phenomenon.
The California study has been cited by scientists as an important step in the possible development of medications that may prevent relapse. As many as 90 percent of alcoholics will experience one relapse in the four years after they quit drinking, according to statistics from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Dr. Friedbert Weiss from The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, said, "This is our study's significance: it provides a reliable tool that allows us to investigate brain mechanisms and neurochemical systems so that we can embark on a more educated approach to find effective medications."
In the meantime, the best advice for those trying to remain sober, would be to stay away from anything that even smells like alcohol.
effects of alcohol for our body
if you have seen someone who has had too much to drink, you've probably noticed definite changes in that person's performance and behavior. The body responds to alcohol in stages, which correspond to an increase in BAC
Euphoria (BAC = 0.03 to 0.12 percent)
* They become more self-confident or daring.
* Their attention span shortens.
* They may look flushed.
* Their judgement is not as good -- they may say the first thought that comes to mind, rather than an appropriate comment for the given situation.
* They have trouble with fine movements, such as writing or signing their name.
Excitement (BAC = 0.09 to 0.25 percent)
* They become sleepy.
* They have trouble understanding or remembering things (even recent events).
* They do not react to situations as quickly (if they spill a drink they may just stare at it).
* Their body movements are uncoordinated.
* They begin to lose their balance easily.
* Their vision becomes blurry.
* They may have trouble sensing things (hearing, tasting, feeling, etc.).
Alcoholism Effects
A central role in the toxicity of alcohol may be played by acetaldehyde itself. Although the liver converts acetaldehyde into acetic acid, it reaches a saturation point where some of it escapes into the blood stream. The accumulated acetaldehyde exerts its toxic effects by inhibiting the mitochondria reactions and functions. The alcoholic is a victim of a vicious circle; a high acetaldehyde level impairs mitochondria function, metabolism of acetaldehyde to acetic acid decreases, more acetaldehyde accumulates, and causes further liver damage--hepatitis and cirrhosis.
Recent investigations have suggested that acetaldehyde may be responsible for the development of alcohol addiction. Acetaldehyde in the brain may inhibit enzymes designed to convert certain nerve transmitters from aldehydes to acids. The nerve transmitters that accumulate may then react with the acetaldehyde to form compounds which are startlingly similar to certain morphine-type compounds.
Brain
How does alcohol effect the brain? When alcohol reaches the brain, it immediately has a depressant effect. People who drink alcohol may describe the change as relaxing. What they actually experience are physical changes such as loss of sensation and a decrease in sharpness of vision, hearing, and other senses. Alcohol also affects the parts of the brain that control muscle coordination, which is why drinkers may loose their balance or stumble.
If drinking continues, alcohol depresses the part of the brain that controls breathing and heart beat. Breathing rates, pulse rates, and blood pressure, which initially increased, now decrease. A drinker may loose consciousness, slip into a coma, or die from alcohol poisoning
Heavy drinkers and many first-time drinkers may suffer blackouts. Other people recall seeing the drinker walking, talking, and in control. The following day however, the drinker has no memory of some events the day before.
Liver
When alcohol enters the liver, the liver breaks down alcohol into energy and the waste products carbon dioxide and water. The carbon dioxide is released from the body in the lungs. The water passes out of the body as breath vapor, perspiration, or urine. When people drink alcohol faster than the liver can break it down, they become intoxicated.
Effects of Alcohol for kids
* a relaxing effect
* reduces tension
* lowers inhibitions
* impairs concentration
* slows reflexes
* impairs reaction time
* reduces coordination
In medium doses, alcohol produces:
* slur speech
* cause drowsiness
* alter emotions
In high doses, alcohol produces:
* vomiting
* breathing difficulties
* unconsciousness
* coma
Effects of Alcohol on the Nervous System
As mentioned above, alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. It acts at many sites, including the reticular formation, spinal cord, cerebellum and cerebral cortex, and on many neurotransmitter systems. Alcohol is a very small molecule and is soluble in "lipid" and water solutions. Because of these properties, alcohol gets into the bloodstream very easily and also crosses the blood brain barrier. Some of the neurochemical effects of alcohol are:
* Increased turnover of norepinephrine and dopamine
* Decreased transmission in acetylcholine systems
* Increased transmission in GABA systems
* Increased production of beta-endorphin in the hypothalamus
Chronic drinking can lead to dependence and addiction to alcohol and to additional neurological problems. Typical symptoms of withholding alcohol from someone who is addicted to it are shaking (tremors), sleep problems and nausea. More severe withdrawal symptoms include hallucinations and even seizures.
Chronic alcohol use can:
* Damage the frontal lobes of the brain
* Cause an overall reduction in brain size and increase in the size of the ventricles
* Lead to alcoholism (addiction to alcohol) and result in tolerance to the effects of alcohol and variety of health problems
* Cause a vitamin deficiency. Because the digestion system of alcoholics is unable to absorb vitamin B-1 (thiamine), a syndrome known as "Wernicke's Encephalopathy" may develop. This syndrome is characterized by impaired memory, confusion and lack of coordination. Further deficiencies of thiamine can lead to "Korsakoff's Syndrome." This disorder is characterized by amnesia, apathy and disorientation. Widespread disease of the brain is a feature of both Wernicke's and Korsakoff's Syndromes.