About Alcohol
What is alcohol?
Alcohol is a name for ethanol or ethyl alcohol. It's an intoxicating substance that is present in alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine and spirits.
What are health risks that come with drinking alcohol regularly?
Drinking alcohol regularly can lead to severe liver, heart, stomach, and brain damage in the future. It can also increase the risk of liver, breast, throat and stomach cancer.
What are a few long term effects of alcohol consumption?
Damage to internal organs
Increase risk of cancer
Decreased appetite
High blood pressure
What happens when you drink alcohol regularly?
Drinking alcohol regularly can increase the risk of high blood pressure, decreased appetite, and disturb sleep patterns.
What are risks that come with drinking alcohol regularly as a student?
School problems, including higher rates of absences, lates and lower grades.
Social problems, such as fighting
Getting into car accidents due to drunk driving, resulting in legal problems
Memory problems
Interrupting brain development (that could have life-long effects)
Increased risk of suicide and homicide.
What are a few short term effects of alcohol consumption?
aggressive and violent behavior
slurred speech
flushed skin
nausea and vomiting
What are other types of alcohol?
There are two other main types of alcohol that are NOT safe to drink.
isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol)
Used in sterilization (for example, hand sanitizers) as well as everyday cleaning products and cosmetics.
methyl alcohol (methanol or wood alcohol)
An industrial solvent that is antifreeze and fuel for things like camping stoves.
What are a few effects/risks on children with parents that consume alcohol regularly?
Without a clear role model of what is right or wrong in terms of alcohol consumption could lead to feelings of confusion once they realise that drinking isn’t considered very normal in families.
As a child of alcoholic parents grows up in a space where lying and keeping secrets is considered normal, they might develop trust issues as they grow older. Those trust issues could result in the child never getting close to others.
How does alcohol make you feel?
Alcohol makes you feel euphoric,relaxed,disinhibited and it gives you a sense of well being
What is fermentation?
Beer, wine and cider are all types of alcohol made through a fermentation process. Fermentation is a process in which yeast changes sugar into alcohol. (fermentation only makes drinks with a lower alcohol concentration, 4% to 15%)
Where can you go for help? (#1)
Wellness Together Canada
Wellness Together offers free, confidential mental health and substance use help.
You can call 24/7, sessions in English and French (with interpreters available in over 200 languages)
1-866-585-0445
Adults text WELLNESS to 741741
Youth text WELLNESS to 686868
Frontline workers text FRONTLINE to 741741
Behavioural effects that come with the use of alcohol
When you drink alcohol frequently you might notice some differences in the way you behave, like increased aggression, self-disclosure, and sexual adventuresomeness.
What is distillation?
Spirits (examples include: gin, rum, vodka, whiskey), are made through distillation. Distillation is an industrial process that produces drinks with high alcohol concentrations ( 40% and up)
Where can you go for help? (#2)
Kids Help Phone
Kids Help Phone offers professional counseling, information, referrals and support to young people.
They are available 24/7 with virtual services available in both French and English.
1-800-668-6868
text 686868
Mental effects that come with use of alcohol
Some mental effects alcohol can have on you are depression, anxiety, psychosis, and anti-social behaviour.