PRESENTATION OUTLINE
This is about how alcohol affects your body at social acassions.
Like other drugs, the effect of alcohol varies from person to person. But there are some factors which are likely to influence how a person could be affected. These include:
› How much they have had to drink
› How quickly they have drunk the alcohol
› Whether they have mixed alcohol with other drugs
› How regularly they drink
› Their mood when they are drinking
› Their age, sex and body weight
› Their health at the time
Some of the other more immediate effects of alcohol may include:
› Feeling more confident
› Feeling sleepy
› Losing balance or feeling dizzy
If you drink a lot you’re likely to experience more physical effects like:
› Nausea
› Shakiness
› Vomiting and memory loss
› Alcohol poisoning
› Losing control of your body including you bladder
Continuous heavy drinking over a long period of time can lead to:
› Physical and psychological dependence on alcohol
› Significant damage to the brain and liver
› Possible increased risk of neurological disorders and heart problems
› Sexual dysfunction (particularly male impotence)
› Emotional and mental health problems developing, such as depression and anxiety
› Negative impact on relationships
› Problems with work and study
In addition to the health risks, drinking may also impact your self–esteem and social life because you may find yourself doing things when you’re drunk that you wouldn’t normally do if you were sober. In fact, one in two Australians aged 15 – 17 who get drunk will do something they regret.
Being drunk also affects your judgement and may lead to you:
› Feeling bad about yourself and embarrassed by your actions
› Losing friends or loved ones as a result of your behaviour
› Losing money that you need for other things after reckless spending on alcohol
› Drinking alcohol also increases the likelihood of acting in a violent way. Violence is
really serious and if you are becoming violent when you drink, it may be a good idea to take a closer look at your alcohol consumption.
