Alcohol
(Known as booze, plonk, I could go on…)
What is it?
Alcohol is derived from fermented sugar to make ethyl alcohol, and it’s one of the most popular recreational drugs around. It’s legal, and a lot of people underestimate the risks because it’s seen as an acceptable drug in society and often goes hand-in-hand with celebration and having a good time.
Effects
Alcohol can affect women a lot more quickly than blokes. This is because their bodies are made up of less water, so the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream is less diluted. This doesn’t mean that men can drink to their hearts’ content and not be badly effected. Here are some of the other factors which change the effects booze can have on you:
- How strong the drink is / how much you’ve had
- How much food you’ve eaten beforehand
- Your size
- Your tolerance
- Your state of mind (are you happy, sad, feeling angry?)
- Where you are (a happy, comfortable place? A place where you don’t feel safe?)
All things considered, drinking can make you feel:
- Happy
- Confident
- Relaxed
- Loss of balance, slower reactions
- Very sick
- Argumentative
- Aggressive
- Hungover (headache, feeling sick & depressed the day after)
- Many alcoholic drinks contain a lot of sugar
Risks
In the short term, many of the risks associated with alcohol are a result of being out of control, ie passing out, getting into fights, falling over and having accidents. Passing out can be really dangerous because there’s a chance of choking on your own puke. Booze is a depressant, so it slows your body down. In extreme cases, if enough alcohol is consumed, it can slow the body down to the point of coma, or even death.
There are also several long-term risks:
- Loss of brain cells
- Liver damage
- Stomach ulcers
- Certain types of cancer
- Heart attack
- Epilepsy
Being Safer
- Drinking on an empty stomach will bring you to the bad sides of drinking more quickly. Make sure you’ve had something to eat before booze.
- Mixing your own drinks eg Vodka with a soft drink, can make it really hard to tell how strong the drink will be. Know how many units of alcohol are in the drink and know your limits.
- Be with people you trust and be in a safe environment.
- Plan how you’re getting home before you go out.
- Avoid walking home, especially alone.
- Drinking water in between alcoholic drinks & before you go to bed will reduce the level of dehydration.
If your friend is really drunk…
STAY WITH THEM!
- Try to keep them awake
- If you can’t wake them up, put them in the recovery position
- Call an ambulance
For more info, see our First Aid section