Family members of alcoholics know how or what it feels to be around an alcoholic! They are the "live cameras" who are witnessing the "gaming" of the spirit every day. They are the ones who are suffering the consequences in terms of broken relationships and may be even broken doors, windows or furniture! They are the ones who are viewing the ugly side of life, which is often portrayed in movies. But alcoholism means something deeper beyond unnatural acts or activities and violence. It stands as a gateway to hell.
Alcoholism is a disabling disorder that has negative effects on the drinker's physical as well as mental health. Alcohol is a clear drink that is made from corn, barley, grain, rye, or a beverage containing ethyl. Around 20 percent of alcohol is absorbed in the stomach and the remaining 80 percent gets absorbed by the small intestine. The concentration of alcohol, the type of drink and whether the stomach is full or empty determines the rate of alcohol absorption. Alcohol affects your mind and body as it gets absorbed in your tissues. Blood alcohol concentration can rise 20 minutes after having a drink. The absorbed alcohol leaves the body in three ways - through the kidneys, the lungs and the liver.
The Facts
- Alcohol is a clear liquid at room temperature.
- Alcohol is less dense and evaporates at a lower temperature than water (this property allows it to be distilled by heating a water and alcohol mixture, the alcohol evaporates first).
- Alcohol dissolves easily in water.
- Alcohol is flammable (so flammable that it can be used as a fuel).
How is Alcohol Made?
Alcohol can be made by four different methods:
- Fermentation of fruit or grain mixtures. In this process, yeast breaks down sugars such as glucose, fructose and sucrose into ethanol and carbon dioxide. Yeast is a tiny single-celled fungus that contains special enzymes responsible for this reaction. Carbon dioxide gas bubbles out of the fermenting solution into the air leaving behind a mixture of ethanol and water. The process should take place in the absence of air. Otherwise, the yeast will produce ethanoic acid - the chemical found in vinegar. Beer and wine are also the beverages that are produced as a result of fermentation.
- Distillation of fermented fruit or grain mixtures (Spirits such as whiskey, rum, vodka and gin are distilled).
- Chemical Modification of Fossil Fuels such as oil, natural gas or coal (industrial alcohol).
- Chemical Combination of Hydrogen with Carbon Monoxide (methanol or wood alcohol).
The Ethanol Concentration in Various Beverages
Ethanol is commercially produced using a process called fermentation. Many other alcohols can be made this way, but are more likely to be produced by synthetic routes - from natural gas, oil or coal. The chemical combination of hydrogen and carbon monoxide lead to the formation of methanol or wood alcohol. You will not find pure alcohol in most drinks; drinking pure alcohol can be deadly because it only takes a few ounces of pure alcohol to quickly raise the blood alcohol level into the danger zone. For various types of beverages, the ethanol concentration (by volume) is as follows:
- Beer: 4 to 6 percent (average of about 4.5 percent)
- Wine: 7 to 15 percent (average of about 11 percent)
- Champagne: 8 to 14 percent (average of about 12 percent)
- Distilled Spirits (Rum, Gin, Vodka, Whiskey): 40 to 95 percent.
As a rule of thumb, an average person can eliminate 0.5 oz (15 ml) of alcohol per hour. So, it would take approximately one hour to eliminate the alcohol from a 12 oz (355 ml) can of beer. The BAC i.e. blood alcohol content increases when the body absorbs alcohol faster than it can eliminate it. The body can only eliminate about one dose of alcohol per hour and thus, drinking several drinks in an hour will increase your BAC much more than having one drink over a period of an hour or more.
The Harmful Effects of Alcohol as the Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) Increases
1. Euphoria: (BAC = 0.03 to 0.12 percent)
- Your Self confidence increases initially.
- Your Attention span shortens later.
- Your Judgment goes wrong.
- You begin to have trouble in writing or signing or you may tremble in the process.
2. Excitement: (BAC = 0.09 to 0.25 percent)
- You feel sleepy.
- You have trouble understanding or remembering things (even the recent events).
- You cannot react to situations quickly. For example, if you spill a drink you may just stare at it.
- Your body movements become uncoordinated.
- You begin to lose your balance easily.
- Your vision becomes blurry.
- You may have trouble sensing things (hearing, tasting and feeling).
3. Confusion: (BAC = 0.18 to 0.30 percent)
- You stay confused. For example, you don't know what to do with things and where to place them.
- You feel dizzy.
- You become highly emotional.
- You speech becomes slurred.
4. Stupor/Trance: (BAC = 0.25 to 0.4 percent)
- You can barely move at this stage.
- You cannot respond to any stimulus.
- You may vomit frequently.
- You cannot stand on your feet properly.
- You may sink to unconsciousness.
5. Coma: (BAC = 0.35 to 0.50 percent)
- This denotes a state of unconsciousness.
- You experience depressed reflexes.
- Your breathing becomes slow and shallow.
6. Death: (BAC more than 0.50 percent)
- All your sufferings end with death.
It's accepted that death is the final answer of the harsh reality. Those who take birth have to die one day. But death due to alcoholism is definitely not included in our "wish list". Death brings an end to all your sufferings and it will end the life of an alcoholic! But can it end alcoholism?
