April is Alcohol Awareness Month

  • Published
  • By Patty McGruder
  • 7th Aeromedical Dental Squadron
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Alcohol abuse is prevalent within many demographic groups in the United States. People who abuse alcohol come in all shapes and sizes and may be college students, pregnant women, professionals or senior citizens. 

In an effort to reduce alcohol abuse, April has been designated as Alcohol Awareness Month. The purpose is to educate everyone who drinks alcohol on the dangers of abusing it. 

Once alcohol is swallowed, it's not digested like food. Instead, a small amount is absorbed directly by the mucosal lining of the mouth. Once in the stomach, alcohol is absorbed directly into the blood stream through the tissue lining the stomach and small intestine. Food, water and fruit juice help to slow this absorption, while carbonation works to speed absorption. 

Once alcohol is in the blood stream, it's carried to all the organs of the body. In the majority of healthy people, blood circulates through the body in 90 seconds, thereby allowing alcohol to affect the brain and all other organs in 90 seconds. The affects of alcohol on the body will vary according to the individual; their sex, their body make-up, the amount and type of alcohol consumed, the situation, and the presence of food in the stomach. 

Alcohol is a drug that must be changed into a non-harmful substance. Ten percent of the alcohol is eliminated through sweat, breath and urine. The liver must detoxify the remaining alcohol. The liver detoxifies, or breaks down, alcohol at a rate of one half of an ounce per hour. However, some people cannot detoxify that much alcohol in an hour. Nothing will speed this rate. When the rate of alcohol consumed exceeds the liver's detoxification rate, the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream continues to increase, further impairing the brain, causing intoxication, coma or possibly death. 

If someone is intoxicated, it's important that wingmen are available to aid them if necessary. 

Anyone who thinks their friend might be suffering from alcohol poisoning should take action. If they appear to be asleep, try to wake them up. Do not attempt to give them food if they can not get it themselves. Giving the semiconscious person food could cause vomiting or choking. Stay with the person if they are vomiting. Try to keep them sitting up, but if they must lie down, keep them on their side with their head turned to the side. Watch for choking, if the person begins to choke, get help immediately. If you cannot keep the person awake, position them on their side in a fetal position. Place a pillow in the small of their back to prevent them from rolling out of this position. This is important to help prevent aspiration if the person should vomit. Stay with the person and wake them up frequently. Just because the person is sleeping doesn't mean that the alcohol can not get to the brain. Alcohol levels can still rise, causing the person to be unconscious, rather than asleep. If at any time you can not wake the person up, call 911. Count their respirations, or how many times the person breathes in one minute. If the person is breathing less than 12 times per minute or stops breathing for periods of 10 seconds or more, call 911. Look at the person's skin. If it is cold, pale, bluish in color, or sweaty, call 911. 

Any person who has altered consciousness, slowed respirations, or cool, pale skin is experiencing acute alcohol intoxication or alcohol poisoning. This is a medical emergency and you must get help. 

It's important not to allow the person to drive a car or bicycle, exercise the person, give the person food, liquid, or drugs to sober them up, or give the person a cold shower; the shock of the cold could cause unconsciousness. Remember, the only thing that can sober an intoxicated person is time. 

In order for people to trust their wingman, it's important not to laugh, make fun of, or provoke the person who is drunk.

If a person chooses not to drink alcohol, people should support the individual's decision, and no one should feel pressured to drink for any reason. Individuals may choose not to drink due to health reasons, family reasons, being under age, or personal reasons. 

Let the choice to drink be yours; but do so responsibly. 

For more information, please contact the Dyess Health and Wellness Center at 696-4140.