What do we call the state of consciousness that can result from the use of alcohol?
Do you indulge in a glass of wine every now and then? You are not alone. More than 85% of adults report drinking alcohol at some point. In 2020, alcohol consumption in the U.S. spiked, with heavy drinking increasing by 41% among women. Show While having a drink from time to time is unlikely to cause health problems, moderate or heavy drinking can impact the brain. And, alcohol abuse can cause deficits over time. Alcohol in Your BodyAlcohol affects your body quickly. It is absorbed through the lining of your stomach into your bloodstream. Once there, it spreads into tissues throughout your body. Alcohol reaches your brain in only five minutes, and starts to affect you within 10 minutes. After 20 minutes, your liver starts processing alcohol. On average, the liver can metabolize 1 ounce of alcohol every hour. A blood alcohol level of 0.08, the legal limit for drinking, takes around five and a half hours to leave your system. Alcohol will stay in urine for up to 80 hours and in hair follicles for up to three months. "Intoxication occurs when alcohol intake exceeds your body's ability to metabolize alcohol and break it down," states Jeffrey T. Johnson, DO, Northwestern Medicine Regional Medical Group board-certified specialist in addiction medicine. Your Brain on AlcoholYour whole body absorbs alcohol, but it really takes its toll on the brain. Alcohol interferes with the brain's communication pathways. It can also affect how your brain processes information. There are several stages of alcohol intoxication:
Drinking and DrivingThe impaired judgment you have when drinking alcohol may cause you to think that you can still drive, regardless of your BAC. Drivers with a BAC of 0.08 or more are 11 times more likely to be killed in a single-vehicle crash than non-drinking drivers. Some states have higher penalties for people who drive with high BAC (0.15 to 0.20 or above) due to the increased risk of fatal accidents. How Much Is Too Much?Your body's response to alcohol depends on many factors. These include your age, gender, overall health, how much you drink, how long you have been drinking and how often you normally drink.
Alcohol Misuse and Its Lasting EffectsOver time, excessive drinking can lead to mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety. Alcohol abuse can increase your risk for some cancers as well as severe, and potentially permanent, brain damage. It can lead to Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS), which is marked by amnesia, extreme confusion and eyesight issues. WKS is a brain disorder caused by a thiamine deficiency, or lack of vitamin B-1. Taking certain vitamins and magnesium, along with not drinking alcohol, may improve your symptoms. Alcohol can harm your body in many ways. The good news is that within a year of stopping drinking, most cognitive damage can be reversed or improved. If you or someone you know needs help, please contact your physician or Alcoholics Anonymous. What are the states of consciousness?There are four main types of brainwaves that we associate with different states of consciousness. Alpha, beta, delta, and theta.
Is alcohol an altered state of consciousness?Substance Abuse: CNS Depressants - Alcohol. Although scientists do not agree on the initial site of impairment, there is no doubt that intoxication produces an altered state of consciousness in individuals.
What is altered state consciousness?An altered state of consciousness is a change in one's normal mental state as a result of trauma or accident or induced through meditation, drugs, some foods, etc. [1] The person is not unconscious.
How does sensory deprivation affect consciousness?Although relatively short sessions of sensory deprivation can be relaxing and both mentally and physically beneficial, prolonged sensory deprivation can lead to disorders of perception, including confusion and hallucinations (Yuksel, Kisa, Aydemir, & Goka, 2004).
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