The Truth About Alcohol
Slang--Booze, Sauce, Brews, Brewskis, Hooch, Hard Stuff, Juice
Get the Facts…
Alcohol affects your brain. Drinking alcohol leads to a loss of coordination, poor judgment, slowed reflexes, distorted vision, memory lapses, and even blackouts.
Alcohol affects your body. Alcohol can damage every organ in your body. It is absorbed directly into your bloodstream and can increase your risk for a variety of life-threatening diseases, including cancer.
Alcohol affects your self-control. Alcohol depresses your central nervous system, lowers your inhibitions, and impairs your judgment. Drinking can lead to risky behaviors, such as driving when you shouldn’t, or having unprotected sex.
Alcohol can kill you. Drinking large amounts of alcohol at one time or very rapidly can cause alcohol poisoning, which can lead to coma or even death. Driving and drinking also can be deadly. In 2002, 29 percent of drivers age 15 to 20 who died in traffic accidents had been drinking alcohol. (U.S. Department of Transportation, 2003.)
Alcohol can hurt you--even if you're not the one drinking. If you're around people who are drinking, you have an increased risk of being seriously injured, involved in car crashes, or affected by violence. At the very least, you may have to deal with people who are sick, out of control, or unable to take care of themselves.
Before you risk it…
Know the law. It is illegal to buy or possess alcohol if you are under age 21.
Get the facts. One drink can make you fail a breath test. In some States, people under age 21 can lose their driver's license, be subject to a heavy fine, or have their car permanently taken away.
Stay informed. "Binge" drinking means having five or more drinks on one occasion. Studies show that more than 35 percent of adults with an alcohol problem developed symptoms--such as binge drinking--by age 19. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2002)
Know the risks. Alcohol is a drug. Mixing it with any other drug can be extremely dangerous. Alcohol and acetaminophen--a common ingredient in OTC pain and fever reducers--can damage your liver. Alcohol mixed with other drugs can cause nausea, vomiting, fainting, heart problems, and difficulty breathing. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2003.) Mixing alcohol and drugs also can lead to coma and death.
Keep your edge. Alcohol is a depressant, or downer, because it reduces brain activity. If you are depressed before you start drinking, alcohol can make you feel worse.
Look around you. Most teens aren't drinking alcohol. Research shows that 71 percent of people 12-20 haven't had a drink in the past month. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2003.)
Know the signs…
How can you tell if a friend has a drinking problem? Sometimes it's tough to tell. But there are signs you can look for. If your friend has one or more of the following warning signs, he or she may have a problem with alcohol:
· Getting drunk on a regular basis
· Lying about how much alcohol he or she is using
· Believing that alcohol is necessary to have fun
· Having frequent hangovers
· Feeling run-down, depressed, or even suicidal
· Having "blackouts" («быть в отключке»)--forgetting what he or she did while drinking
What can you do to help someone who has a drinking problem? Be a real friend. You might even save a life. Encourage your friend to stop or seek professional help.
Q&A…
Q. Aren't beer and wine "safer" than liquor?
A. No. One 12-ounce bottle of beer or a 5-ounce glass of wine (about a half-cup) has as much alcohol as a 1.5-ounce shot of liquor. Alcohol can make you drunk and cause you problems no matter how you consume it.
Q. Why can't teens drink if their parents can?
A. The brains and bodies of teens are still developing, and alcohol use can cause learning problems, or make adult alcoholism more likely. People who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcoholism than those who begin at age 21.( National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2003.)
Q. How can I say no to alcohol? I'm afraid I won't fit in.
A. It's easier to refuse than you think. Try: "No thanks," "I don't drink," or "I'm not interested." Remember that the majority of teens don't drink alcohol. You're in good company when you're one of them.
Myths About Alcohol For Teens
It's time to confront some of the lies about alcohol. You've probably heard them all. So, why waste our time trying to de-bunk a bunch of harmless myths? Because they can be pretty fierce.
You may want to say no to your friends, but it's tough. And all these myths are just out there. You have heard all kinds of stuff, but this is the real story. And the next time some loser tries these lines on you, you'll know your stuff.
Myth: Alcohol gives you energy.
Nope. It's a depressant. It slows down your ability to think, speak, move and all that other stuff you like to do.
Myth: Switching between beer, wine and liquor will make you more drunk than sticking to one type of alcohol.
Whatever! Your blood alcohol content (BAC - the percent of alcohol in your blood) is what determines how drunk you are. Not the flavors you selected. Alcohol is alcohol.
Myth: You'll get drunk a lot quicker with hard liquor than with a beer or wine cooler.
Did we mention that alcohol is alcohol?
Myth: Everybody reacts the same to alcohol.
Not hardly. There are dozens of factors that affect reactions to alcohol - body weight, time of day, how you feel mentally, body chemistry, your expectations, and the list goes on and on.
Myth: A cold shower or a cup of coffee will sober someone up.
Not on your life. Nothing sobers you up but time. With coffee, you're simply a wide-awake drunk!
Myth: It's just beer. It can't permanently damage you.
Large amounts of alcohol can do major damage to your digestive system. You can hurt your heart, liver, stomach, and several other critical organs as well as losing years from your life.
Myth: It's none of my business if a friend is drinking too much.
If you are a real friend, it is your business. You can't make someone change but you can be honest. Maybe they'll listen. You might even talk them into getting help.
Myth: The worst thing that can happen is a raging hangover. (мучительное похмелье)
Sorry. If you drink enough alcohol, fast enough, you can get an amount in your body that can kill you in only a few hours.
Myth: Drugs are a bigger problem than alcohol.
Alcohol kills 6.5 times the number of people killed by cocaine, heroin, and every other illegal drug combined. Ten million Americans are addicted to alcohol. Alcohol is the No. 1 drug problem of today's youth.
Myth: Alcohol makes you more sexy.
The more you drink, the less you think. Alcohol may loosen you up and make someone more interested in sex, but it interferes with the body's ability to perform. And then there's pregnancy, AIDS (СПИД), sexual assault (изнасилование), car crashes and worse, to worry about. Not sexy at all.
Myth: People who drink too much only hurt themselves.
Every person who drinks has a mother, grandfather, sister, aunt, best friend, boyfriend or girlfriend who worries about them. Each of the 12 million problem drinkers in this country affects four other people.
Don't Drink And Drive
Close to the door he paused to stand
as he took his class ring* off her hand.
All who were watching did not speak
as a silent tear ran down his cheek.
And through his mind the memories ran
of the moments they walked and laughed in the sand.
But now her eyes were so terrible cold
for he would never again have her to hold.
They watched in silence as he bent near
and whispered the words....
"I love you" in her ear.
He touched her face and started to cry
as he put on his ring and wanted to die.
And just then the wind began to blow
as they lowered her casket into the snow....
This is what happens to man alive....
when friends let friends
Drink and Drive
*class ring – что-то типа перстня с символом школы. Они выдаются всем выпускникам.