Alcohol in Nebraska

Alcohol is a substance that is often times considered a gateway drug. As with tobacco, early use of alcohol can indicate an increased likelihood of trying harder drugs. Research has shown that if a young person can avoid using alcohol until age 21, he or she is more likely to never use drugs.

When we look at alcohol use among Nebraska youth we have reason to be concerned. According to the 2003 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Nebraska ranked:

• 9th nationally for teenage binge drinking.
• 3rd among teenagers that reported driving after drinking.
• 2nd in the number of teens that reported riding with a drinking driver.
• Over ½ of Nebraska teens reported that they currently use alcohol, which ranks Nebraska as 6th in the nation.
• 7 out of 10 teens who drink have obtained it from an adult.
• 1 on out 3 teens who drank did so with an adult present.
• 1 out of 5 drank at home with a parent’s permission.
• Youth report their first regular use of alcohol was at 14.6 years of age.

We also know that the top three causes of death among young people are homicide, suicide, and unintentional injuries, which includes motor vehicle crashes and all have alcohol as a key contributing factor.

Research shows that two-thirds or more of date rapes or sexual offenses involve alcohol as a contributing factor.

Alcohol addiction can be influenced by a number of factors. Most people use alcohol socially to change how they feel because they want to feel better or different. They use alcohol for the perceived benefits, or the benefits experienced, not for the potential harm. People use alcohol to relax, have fun, to be part of a group, out of curiosity, and to escape from physical and/or psychological pain. Many of the reasons young people use alcohol are the same reasons adults use alcohol.

Many factors influence a person's initial alcohol use. Personality characteristics, peer pressure, and psychological stress can all contribute to the early stage of alcohol abuse. These factors are less important as alcohol use continues and the person repeatedly experiences the potent pharmacological effects.

This chemical action, which stimulates certain brain systems, produces the addiction, while other psychological and social factors become less and less important in influencing the individual's behavior. When the pharmacological action of a drug dominates the individual's behavior and the normal psychological and social control of behavior is no longer effective, the addiction is fully developed. This self-perceived "loss of control" is a common feature of alcohol addiction and reflects the biological nature of the problem. People who are physically dependent on alcohol usually develop a tolerance. This means that they need to drink more and more to get the same effect.

School and job performance may suffer either from the after effects of drinking or from actual intoxication on the job or at school; child care or household responsibilities may be neglected; and alcohol-related absences may occur from school or job. The person may use alcohol in physically hazardous circumstances (e.g., driving an automobile or operating machinery while drunk).

Legal difficulties may arise because of alcohol use (e.g., arrests for intoxicated behavior or for driving under the influence). Finally, individuals with alcohol abuse problems may continue to consume alcohol despite the knowledge that continued consumption poses significant social or interpersonal problems for them (e.g., violent arguments with spouse while intoxicated, child abuse). When these problems are accompanied by evidence of tolerance, withdrawal, or compulsive behavior related to alcohol use, a diagnosis of alcohol addiction, rather than alcohol abuse, should be considered.

Withdrawal
People who drink Alcohol on a regular basis become tolerant to many of the unpleasant effects, and thus are able to drink more before suffering these effects. Yet even with increased consumption, many such drinkers don't appear intoxicated. Because they continue to work and socialize reasonably well, their deteriorating physical condition may go unrecognized by others until severe damage develops - or until they are hospitalized for other reasons and suddenly experience alcohol Withdrawal symptoms.

Psychological addiction to alcohol may occur with regular use of even relatively moderate daily amounts. It may also occur in people who consume alcohol only under certain conditions, such as before and during social occasions. This form of addiction refers to a craving for alcohol's psychological effects, although not necessarily in amounts that produce serious intoxication. For psychologically addicted drinkers, the lack of alcohol tends to make them anxious and, in some cases, panicky.

Physical addiction to alcohol occurs in consistently heavy drinkers. Since their bodies have adapted to the presence of alcohol, they suffer alcohol Withdrawal if they suddenly stop drinking. Alcohol Withdrawal symptoms range from jumpiness, sleeplessness, sweating, and poor appetite, to tremors (the "shakes"), convulsions, hallucinations, and sometimes death. Alcohol Withdrawal symptoms include but are not limited to:

Sweating or Rapid Pulse, Increased Hand Tremor, Insomnia, Nausea or Vomiting, Physical Agitation, Anxiety, Transient Visual, Tactile or Auditory Hallucinations or Illusions, Grand Mal Seizures.