Hockenbury Discovering Psychology 5th txtbk

168 CHAPTER 4 Consciousness and Its Variations• Alcohol is involved in more than half of all assaults, homicides, and motor vehicleaccidents (Julien, 2008).• Alcohol intoxication is often a factor in domestic and partner violence, childabuse, and public violent behavior (Shepherd, 2007; Easton & others, 2007).• Drinking during pregnancy is a leading cause of birth defects. It is the mostcommon cause of mental retardation—and the only preventable one (Niccols,2007).Although the majority of adults drink on an occasional basis, an estimated 17 millionAmericans are either dependent upon alcohol or have serious alcohol problems.They drink heavily on a regular basis and suffer social, occupational, and healthproblems as a result (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration,2009).However, the numerous adverse health and social consequences associated withexcessive drinking—health problems, injuries, accidents, violence—are not limitedto those who are alcohol dependent. In fact, most of those who periodically drinkheavily or drive while intoxicated do not meet the formal criteria for alcohol dependence(Woerle & others, 2007).What Are Alcohol’s Psychological Effects? People are often surprised that alcoholis classified as a depressant. Initially, alcohol produces a mild euphoria, talkativeness,and feelings of good humor and friendliness, leading many people to think of alcoholas a stimulant. But these subjective experiences occur because alcohol lessens inhibitionsby depressing the brain centers responsible for judgment and self-control. Reduced inhibitionsand self-control contribute to the aggressive and violent behavior sometimesassociated with alcohol abuse. But the loss of inhibitions affects individuals differently,depending on their environment and expectations regarding alcohol’s effects.The Dangers of Driving Under theInfluence Intoxicated drivers have impairedperceptual ability and psychomotorfunctions, delayed reaction time, and poorcoordination. They are also likely todisplay impaired judgment, poor impulsecontrol, and an inflated self-image. Thisdeadly combination results in more than17,000 U.S. traffic deaths each year.How Does Alcohol Affect the Body? As a general rule, it takes about one hourto metabolize the alcohol in one drink, which is defined as 1 ounce of 80-proofwhiskey, 4 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer. All three drinks contain the sameamount of alcohol; the alcohol is simply more diluted in beer than in hard liquor.Factors such as body weight, gender, food consumption, and the rate of alcoholconsumption also affect blood alcohol levels. A slender person who quickly consumesthree drinks on an empty stomach will become more than twice as intoxicated as aheavier person who consumes three drinks with food. Women metabolize alcoholmore slowly than do men. If a man and a woman of equal weight consume the samenumber of drinks, the woman will become more intoxicated. Table 4.4 shows thebehavioral effects and impairments associated with different blood alcohol levels.Binge drinking is a particularly risky practice. Binge drinking is defined as five ormore drinks in a row for men, or four or more drinks in a row for women. Every year,several college students die of alcohol poisoning after ingesting large amounts ofliquor in a short amount of time. Less well publicized are the other negative effectsassociated with binge drinking, including aggression, sexual assaults, accidents, andproperty damage (Hingson & others, 2002; Wechsler & others, 2002).A national survey of college students at 119 colleges found that close to 50 percentof all male students and 40 percent of all female students had engaged in bingedrinking (Wechsler & others, 2002). White students were most likely to bingedrink,while African-American students were least likely.In a person who is addicted to alcohol, withdrawal causes rebound hyperexcitabilityin the brain. The severity of the withdrawal symptoms depends on the level ofphysical dependence. With a low level of dependence, withdrawal may involve disruptedsleep, anxiety, and mild tremors (“the shakes”). At higher levels of physicaldependence on alcohol, withdrawal may involve confusion, hallucinations, and severetremors or seizures. Collectively, these severe symptoms are called delirium tremens,or the DTs. In cases of extreme physical dependence, alcohol withdrawal can causeseizures, convulsions, and even death in the absence of medical supervision.