Chapter 10 - Alcohol WK Worksheet
Section 1 - Alcohol Affects the Body
Write “S” on the line in front of a short-term effect of alcohol. Write “L” on the line in front of a long-term effect of
alcohol.
______ 1. diminished immune system function and decreased ability of the body to absorb vitamins
______ 2. cirrhosis, hepatitis, liver cancer, brain and heart damage
______ 3. reduced reaction time and impaired judgment, self-control, memory
______ 4. nausea, vomiting, poor vision, blackout, coma, death
______ 5. possible cancer of the mouth, esophagus, and stomach
Using items from the list below, fill in the table to show the possible long-term and short-term effects of alcohol on
the body.
kidney strain
cancer of mouth, stomach, esophagus, and liver
diminished immune system function
cirrhosis
poor vision
loss of self-control
impaired judgment
vomiting
hepatitis
anemia
reduced reaction time
nausea
decreased ability of the body to absorb vitamins
heart damage
shrunken brain and dead brain cells
blackout
memory loss
coma and death
1. Short-Term Effects
2. Long-Term Effects
6. What is the purpose of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)? In what types of emergencies would CPR be
necessary? Give specific examples.
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7. What are some part-time jobs that might require or desire you to be certified in CPR?
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Every bottle of alcohol has a government warning on its label.
(1) According to the surgeon general, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy
because of the risk of birth defects. (2) Consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to
drive a car or operate machinery, and may cause health problems.
8. Why do you think this warning was added to alcoholic beverages?
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Ronald is 55 years old. He has been drinking alcohol heavily since age 21. In the spaces provided, list the possible longTerm effects of alcohol use on each part of Ronald’s body.
9. Brain - ______________________________________________________________________
10. Esophagus - _________________________________________________________________
11. Pancreas - ___________________________________________________________________
12. small intestine - ______________________________________________________________
13. heart - ______________________________________________________________________
14. Liver - ______________________________________________________________________
Mary is considering drinking alcohol at a party. In the spaces provided, list the possible short-term effects of alcohol
use on each of the following.
6. Her stomach - __________________________________________________________________________________
7. Her heart and blood vessels - ______________________________________________________________________
8. Her brain - _____________________________________________________________________________________
9. Her safety - ____________________________________________________________________________________
Section 2 - Alcoholism Affects the Family and Society
Each slice of the pie indicates a percentage of the total cost of alcohol to society. The asterisk (*) indicates the total cost
of alcohol to society.
1. What percentage of the total costs of alcohol to society is due to health problems?
2. What was the cost of alcohol due to crime, expressed in dollars? (Hint: Use the information next to the asterisk.)
3. What fraction of the costs of alcohol to society is due to medical bills?
4. Why do you think the majority of the costs of alcohol to society are related to health problems?
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PART I
Decide which stage of alcoholism each example below demonstrates: problem drinking, tolerance, dependence, or
alcoholism. Write the correct term in each blank.
5. Carlos only drinks at parties, but he always gets drunk.
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6. Mr. Gomez begins drinking in the morning and sips all day at work to keep his hands from shaking.
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7. Ms. Salcido used to have one glass of wine with her lunch every day, but lately she has been drinking more than
one glass of wine at lunch.
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8. Ms. Robinson has lost three jobs within a year because she cannot stay away from alcohol, not even during the day.
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9. Juan has a headache every day until his first drink.
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10. Sylvia turns down an invitation to Carlos’s “dry” party because she never has any fun at a party without alcohol.
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PART II
Decide which person(s) mentioned in PART I in each statement below might apply to. Write their name(s) in the space
provided.
11. Family members might be experiencing guilty feelings and might be subjected to violence and neglect, as well as
disregarding their own needs.
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12. Family members belong to Al-Anon or Alateen.
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13. Person(s) may be responsible for huge emotional, physical, and financial
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Miguel is an alcoholic. His alcoholism developed in stages. Complete the chart by writing the letters that identify his
symptoms next to the stage of alcoholism in which they occur.
14. problem drinking:
16. tolerance:
STAGES OF ALCOHOLISM
15. dependence:
17. addiction:
a. drinks alcohol and gets drunk almost every day
b. needs more alcohol to produce the same effect
c. experiences withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, sweating, shaking, and nausea
d. drinks alcohol to avoid boredom, escape anxiety, relieve stress, or cope with depression
e. is both physically and emotionally dependent on alcohol
f. becomes secretive, paranoid, and defensive as he tries to hide his drinking behavior
g. puts alcohol before everything else, craves alcohol, and cannot control his drinking
h. cannot drink alcohol in moderation or limit his drinking to appropriate times
i. believes that he needs alcohol to function properly
j. substitutes alcohol for food, which can lead to malnutrition
Answer these questions about Nathan’s alcoholism.
18. What effects of Miguel’s alcoholism might his wife and children are experiencing?
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19. How might Miguel’s alcoholism affect society?
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Section 3 - Drugs and the Brain
1. Complete the chart below about the problems associated with alcohol use. In the left-hand column of the chart, list
problems drunk driving can cause. In the right-hand column, list problems underage drinking can cause.
Problems Drunk Driving Can Cause
impairment of skills needed to drive
Problems Underage Drinking Can Cause
criminal record
2. What are some ways to deal with peer pressure to drink alcohol?
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3. What is SADD and what is its mission?
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Making GREAT Decisions
4. Oh, no! It was already 1:00 A.M., and Beto had promised his parents that he’d be home by 12:30 A.M. Beto wanted
to ask Sarah for a ride home, but she had been drinking. On the other hand, he would have the chance to ask her
out. Beto remembered that his parents had always said that they would pick him up if he needed a safe ride home.
But Beto had wanted
Write below the advice you would give Beto. Remember to use the decision-making steps as outlined in the textbook.
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