Why is Alcohol Harmful
This organ is primarily responsible for filtering and breaking down alcohol in the body.
What is the liver?
A temporary physical condition resulting from drinking too much alcohol, characterized by headaches, nausea, and fatigue.
What is a hangover?
Chronic liver damage caused by long-term heavy alcohol use leads to this severe scarring of liver tissue.
What is cirrhosis?
The term for a physical or psychological need for alcohol, where stopping causes withdrawal symptoms.
What is dependence (or addiction)?
The most widely recognized 12-step mutual support group for individuals recovering from alcohol addiction.
What is Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)?
Alcohol belongs to this class of psychoactive drugs that slow down brain and body functions.
What is a depressant?
Alcohol impairs this motor capability, greatly increasing the risk of falls, accidents, and slurred speech.
What is coordination (or balance)?
Long-term heavy alcohol consumption significantly increases the risk of high blood pressure and this major cardiovascul
What is a heart attack (or stroke)?
his phenomenon occurs when a person needs increasingly larger amounts of alcohol to achieve the same effect.
What is tolerance?
The initial step in addiction treatment involving the safe medical management of alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
What is detoxification (detox)?
The legal limit for Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) for drivers aged 21 and older in most US states.
What is 0.08%?
A period of temporary memory loss caused by heavy drinking where a person remains conscious but cannot form new memories.
What is a blackout?
A severe neurological disorder caused by thiamine (Vitamin B1) deficiency due to chronic alcoholism.
What is Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome?
Consuming 4 or more drinks for women, or 5 or more for men, within about 2 hours is defined as this drinking pattern.
What is binge drinking?
A support group specifically designed to help family members and friends of individuals struggling with alcoholism
What is Al-Anon (or Alateen)?
Because the brain is still developing until approximately this age, alcohol exposure during youth causes greater structural damage.
What is 25?
A severe and potentially fatal physical reaction to consuming large amounts of alcohol in a short time.
What is alcohol poisoning?
Prolonged alcohol misuse can lead to this gastrointestinal condition involving severe inflammation of the pancreas
What is pancreatitis?
The medical term currently used in the DSM-5 to replace the terms "alcohol abuse" and "alcoholism."
What is Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)?
A type of evidence-based psychological therapy commonly used in addiction recovery to identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors.
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?
Alcohol acts as a CNS depressant primarily by enhancing the effect of this inhibitory neurotransmitter.
What is GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid)?
Alcohol causes blood vessels to do this near the skin's surface, creating a sensation of warmth while actually lowering core body temperature.
What is dilate (vasodilation)?
Long-term alcohol consumption is classified by the WHO as a Group 1 human carcinogen, notably increasing the risk for this type of digestive tract cancer.
What is esophageal (or liver/colon) cancer?
Severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms that include extreme confusion, tremors, and hallucinations, typically occurring 2-4 days after stopping heavy drinking.
What is Delirium Tremens (DTs)?
This non-addictive, FDA-approved medication works by blocking opioid receptors in the brain to reduce alcohol cravings and the pleasurable effects of drinking.
What is Naltrexone?