______________________________________________________________ Alcohol and Alcohol Use Disorder
PERCENTAGE OF COLLEGE STUDENTS MEETING SPECIFIC ABUSE AND DEPENDENCE CRITERIA
Recurrent legal problems (3.3%) Recurrent interpersonal problems (12.4%) Alcohol-related school problems (26.7%) Alcohol use in hazardous situations (27.2%)
30% —
27.2%
26.7%
20% —
17%
15%
Spending a lot of time on drinking-related activities (7%) Drinking despite physical or psychologic problems (8%) Drinking more or longer than initially planned (15%) Symptoms of tolerance (17%)
12.4%
10% —
8%
7%
3.3%
0% —
Abuse Criteria
Dependence Criteria
Source: [15]
Figure 1
DEFINITIONS Tolerance: Either (1) a need for markedly increased amounts of the substance to achieve intoxication or desired effect; or (2) a markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of the substance [17]. A Standard Drink: 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits, 5 ounces of table wine, or 12 ounces of standard beer [18; 19]. Alcohol Intoxication: Clinically significant problematic behavioral or psychological changes (e.g., inappropriate sexual or aggressive behavior, mood lability, impaired judgment) that developed during, or shortly after, alcohol ingestion [17]. Changes include slurred speech, loss of coordination, unsteady walking or running, impairment of attention or memory, nystagmus, stupor, or coma. Alcohol Withdrawal: The presence of certain symptoms after stopping or reducing heavy and prolonged alcohol use [17]. The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal may develop within a few hours to a few days after stopping or reducing use and symptoms cause significant physical and emotional distress in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. Symptoms include increased hand tremor, sweating, increased pulse rate, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, temporary hallucinations or illusions, anxiety, psychomotor agitation, and generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Fewer than 5% of persons who develop alcohol withdrawal experience severe symptoms such as seizures and death [20].
Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC): The percentage of alcohol present in the bloodstream. The BAC is usually what is measured by police officers to determine legal intoxication. It can be measured directly from a blood sample or a breath sample collected by a “Breathalyzer.” The national legal limit for intoxication is a BAC of 0.08. Moderate Drinking: No more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men [19]. Current Use: At least one drink in the past 30 days [16]. Binge Drinking: Consuming five or more drinks on the same occasion in the past 30 days [16; 19]. Heavy Drinking: Five or more drinks on the same occasion on each of 5 or more days in the past 30 days [16]. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS): A severe fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), FAS is a lifelong syndrome in children with confirmed prenatal exposure to alcohol. Signs include growth deficiencies, facial abnormalities, and neurocognitive deficits that may lead to problems with vision, hearing, attention, learning, memory, or any combination thereof [21]. There is no safe recommended level of alcohol use in pregnancy.
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MDMI1826
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