Womens Health 12

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Chapter Twelve

Using Alcohol Responsibly


Women and Alcohol

• Alcohol has been consumed by humans for thousands of years

• Societal attitudes regarding women’s use of alcohol has been inconsistent and ambivalent

• In early American, women played a significant role in the control of alcohol during the temperance movement

• After attempting to enforce Prohibition, alcohol is considered a legal substance with certain restrictions and is regulated by state governments


Alcohol: The Beverage

• Ethyl/ethanol is a clear, tasteless, toxic liquid when consumed, creates an intoxicating effect

• Nutritionally, a source of “empty calories” and alcohol content of beverages differs among spirits and other drinks

• The term, ‘proof’ refers to a number twice the alcohol concentration

• Alcohol is a depressant upon the CNS


How Alcohol is Created

• Fermentation– C6H12O6 yeast 2C2H5OH+2CO2

• Distillation (high temperature condensation) of fermented products


Factors Affecting Absorption of Alcohol

• Strength of beverage (% of alcohol)

• Number of drinks consumed

• Rate of consumption• Presence of food in

the stomach

• Body weight/size• Blood chemistry• Emotional factors• Other beverages

mixed


Why Liquor is Quicker for Women

• An enzyme, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) found in the liver and stomach is lower in women compared to men

• As a result, 30% more alcohol enters the female bloodstream, creating a higher intoxication effect

• Over time, the liver fails to produce ADH, allowing women to absorb almost all alcohol consumed without breaking this down

• Other factors such as body fat percentage, body water, and the stage of the premenstrual cycle will have a profound effect upon the CNS


Women and Alcohol: A Unique Relationship

• In the past, women have used alcohol medicinally for many purposes

• Women who consume alcoholic beverages should be concerned about the following:

• Increased amounts of body fat/year• Increased risk of breast cancer and osteoporosis• Increased risk of cirrhosis compared to men• Reduction of lifespan and brain impairment• Societal values placed on women who drink alcohol regularly


Criteria for Drinking Classifications (Table 12.2)

• Abstainers – does not drink at all or once a year• Light drinkers - drinks once a month in medium

amounts• Moderate drinkers – drinks once a week in small

amounts• Heavy drinkers- drinks large amounts at least

once a week per drinking occasion


College-Aged Women and Alcohol

• To relieve stress and anxiety

• To feel more sociable• To decrease inhibitions• For the “high” that results• To be part of the group

• To lessen sexual inhibitions

• To escape• To relieve worrying• To become less self-

conscious• To reduce depression

Reasons given why college-aged women drink

Binge drinking is consuming four or more drinks in a row for women


Drinking Alcohol Responsibly

• Drink no more than one drink per hour

• Allow time to elapse between drinks

• Intersperse alcoholic beverages with non-alcoholic drinks

• Sip drinks• Eat before drinking

alcohol

• Know your limits• Be comfortable

choosing not to drink• Never encourage

another woman to drink

• Know when to say “no” and say it!


College-Aged Women and Alcohol

• Hormonal Effects• Dieting Relationship• Disease Development• Ethnicity Relationship• Sexual dysfunction

• Behavioral Effects, e.g., impaired ability to function socially

• Economic Effects• Social Effects• Effects on

Relationships

Negative consequences associated with over-consumption


Effect of Alcohol on the BodySee Table 12.5


Benefits to Drinking Alcohol

• Decreased risk of heart attack

• Increases levels of HDL

• Decreased risk of coronary artery disease

• Decreased anxiety

• Relaxation• Increased ease

during social situations

• Increased life expectancy


Alcohol and Pregnancy

• Alcohol can impair personal health cause birth defects to their unborn fetus due to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

• Alcohol crosses placenta• Fetal liver is under-developed and can result in the

following:• Prenatal and postnatal growth deficiency• CNS dysfunction• Deformed facial circumstances• Major organ malformation e.g. heart defects

• Even women who drink “moderately” may have infants with Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE), less severe birth defects, however, dangerous to the fetus


Addiction and Dependency

• Addiction is a compulsive, uncontrollable dependence on a substance

• Components of addiction include:• Tolerance• Physical Dependence• Psychological Dependence

• Once physically dependent, if the body is deprived of alcohol, an addict will experience withdrawal symptoms

See FYI: Stages of Withdrawal from Alcohol


Alcoholism

• Alcoholism – primary chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors affecting the individual

• The number of female alcoholics in the U.S. is estimated to be between 4-7 million and can shorten life expectancy by 10-15 years

• The cause is unknown, but the following are revealed in the background of female alcoholics:

• Parent(s) are alcoholics• Child Abuse relationship• Excessive drinking as teens• Social factors contribution


How to Help

• Learn the facts about alcohol and alcoholism

• Develop a factual attitude vs. an emotional attitude

• Don’t use home remedies e.g. lecturing

• Find assistance for yourself and the alcoholic through support groups

• Talk with people who understand the illness, not just friends and family

• Allow the alcoholic to be responsible for behavior and consequences

• Expect relapses and difficult days after recovery begins

• The person has to learn to say “no, thanks” when offered alcohol


Family Issues with Alcoholic Family Members

• Codependency issues of family members• Women with co-dependent traits should obtain help through

individual or group counseling

• Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACAs)• Children of Alcoholics (COAs)

• Effects of Growing up in an Alcoholic Family• Coping skill development are developed by family members• Understand the 4 C’s of a dysfunctional family

– You didn’t cause it– You can’t control it– You can’t cure it– You can help yourself


Treatment for Alcoholism

• Treatment centers

• Chemical Treatment (drug therapy)

• Aftercare (follow up treatment)

• Counseling

• Lifestyle Behavior Changes

Intervention (confrontation) may lead to the following:


Prevention

• Primary prevention programs are aimed at women who have not begun to use alcohol, focusing and reducing the rate of possible new alcohol users

• Activities are developed to reduce factors that may contribute to the early use of alcohol

• Young women often believe that alcohol use does not produce any negative consequences, therefore, thinking this is an acceptable behavior

• Enhancing positive family influences and integrating “life skills training”, will allow young women to engage in more productive behaviors

• Prevention can yield the greatest benefit if initiated at any early age (pre-school) and continued into adulthood


Chapter Twelve

Using Alcohol Responsibly

Womens Health 12

Health & Medicine

Transcript of Womens Health 12