#1 AOS2 HEALTH - Alcohol & Drugs

Impact on physical health and wellbeing

Alcohol can depress the central nervous system. Which can cause slurred speech, unsteady movement and an inability to react quickly. Alcohol and drugs can cause long-term damage to organs such as liver, kidney, brain and heart. Which would lead to heart failure, high blood pressure, strokes, dementia, cognitive impairment, etc.

Impact on mental health and wellbeing

Drugs can alter the balance of chemicals in the brain. Which can increase levels of stress and anxiety and affect concentration levels. Alcohol reduces an individual’s ability to think rationally, lessens inhibitions and distorts judgement. Regular heavy drinking and drug use is linked to depression and anxiety. At first, alcohol and drugs can lessen the symptoms of depression and anxiety, however this short lived feeling quickly disappears. Over time, this can lead to alcohol dependence as you would crave to feel that feeling again. Alcohol dependence worsens depression and anxiety as it is not directly addressing the mental issues and instead letting them build up underneath the good feelings that alcohol and drugs create.

Impact on emotional health and wellbeing

Alcohol can disrupt the balance of chemical messengers in the brain. And some drugs can make you feel drowsy or emotional, while others can make you more alert and excitable or increase mood swings. This can affect feelings, thoughts and behaviour. Can also slow down how your brain processes information, making it difficult to manage one’s emotions and the consequences of their actions.

Impact on social health and wellbeing

A humiliating drinking incident such as vomiting or passing out can result in ridicule, social exclusion, and other forms of bullying. This can damage relationships and make it difficult to maintain social connections with family, friends and romantic partners, leading to breakups, conflict and a sense of loneliness.

Impact on spiritual health and wellbeing

Alcohol affects the part of the brain that controls inhibition. Which makes a person feel relaxed, less anxious and more confident after a drink. This can then lead to behaviour that is not consistent with beliefs and morals.

Alcohol & Drugs importance within youth

Regular, heavy drinking can cause changes in the brain, especially in key areas like learning, memory and decision making. Its especially crucial as youth’s brain are still developing. Starting to drink alcohol at a younger age also makes people more likely to become addicted to alcohol. If someone starts using drugs or alcohol to feel confident or ‘cool’, they might stop learning how to be confident on their own.

Developmental Risk Factor

Adolescent’s brain (particularly their prefrontal cortex) are still developing. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for rational thinking. This area controls decision-making and impulse control, so teens are more likely to make risky choices, like experimenting with alcohol and drugs unsafely, like drink driving. Drug use is more damaging to the brain development.

Behavioural Risk Factor

Individuals with depression or anxiety, have a increased likelihood of substance use to lessen or cover symptoms.

Environmental Risk Factor

Parental substance use/family dysfunction. If parents drink heavily or use drugs, their children are more likely to see it as acceptable which would lead them to try it, as children usually look up to their parents. Unstable family environments can push youth towards the intake of alcohol and drugs as a coping mechanism.

Commercial Risk Factor

Social media. Marketing strategies often make alcohol and drugs look attractive, fun and glamorous in a way that catches the attention of youth with like colourful packaging which makes them more susceptible to taking the substances. On social media, influencers can make it seem like ‘everyone is doing it’ and normalise harmful behaviours such as excessive drinking, to youths who look up to those influencers and can be easily influenced, following their actions.

Protective Factors

Good coping skills: Youth who can manage stress, emotions and life challenges in other, healthier ways have a reduced likelihood of turning to alcohol or drugs.

Positive peer influence: A supportive, drug-free friend group can discourage youth from engaging in substance use.

Health literacy: Providing youth with information about the risks of alcohol and drugs, can reduce the likelihood of them using these substances as they are informed of the detrimental impacts of taking drugs and alcohol.