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Glossary of Terms

• References for the Glossary of Terms
• References for the Party IQ Quiz

Alcohol Dependency or Alcoholism is a chronic, life long disease. Alcohol dependence may be characterized by craving alcohol, inability to stop drinking, physical dependence (addiction) and tolerance to alcohol. Tolerance is the need to drink more and more to feel the same or experiencing fewer effects when drinking the usual amounts of alcohol. Dependent drinkers are defined as those who are unable to control their alcohol use, have experienced repeated adverse consequences, are pre-occupied with alcohol use and have evidence of tolerance or withdrawal. Alcohol abuse and dependence are associated with repeated negative physical, psychological and social effects from alcohol.

Alcohol Exposed Pregnancy (AEP) is a pregnancy during which the developing fetus is exposed to alcohol in the uterus due to the mother drinking alcohol. Any amount or type of alcohol may result in the child being born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) or Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Since there is no known safe time or safe level or type of alcohol to drink during pregnancy, pregnant women and women planning a pregnancy should avoid all alcohol. If a woman is sexually active and not using effective birth control, she should avoid alcohol consumption because she may be pregnant and not know for several weeks or more.

Alcohol Poisoning is a condition in which a toxic amount of alcohol has been consumed, usually in a short period of time, often due to binge drinking. The toxicity is related to the level of alcohol that is in the bloodstream. The individual may become extremely disoriented, unresponsive or unconscious, with shallow breathing. Because alcohol poisoning can be fatal, emergency treatment is urgently needed.

Alcohol Treatment varies depending on the type of drug (alcohol is a drug) and the characteristics of the individual. Treatment can include counseling, cognitive therapy, or psychotherapy, medications, or both. Counseling helps people learn how to cope with their drug cravings and ways to prevent and deal with relapse if it occurs. The best programs provide therapies and other services to meet individual’s needs and situations including: their age, race, culture, sexual orientation, gender, pregnancy, parenting, housing and employment needs and physical and sexual abuse issues.

Binge Drinking The National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA) describes "binge" as a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration to 0.08 gram percent or above. For the typical adult this pattern entails consuming 5 or more drinks (male) or more than 3 drinks (female) in about 2 hours. The lower cut-point is used for women because women are generally of smaller stature than men and absorb and metabolize alcohol differently than men do.

Blackouts are episodes after drinking large amounts of alcohol when individuals wake up and do not remember what happened to them while they were drinking. During this time, they may have been in dangerous situations of which they have no memory. Drinkers who experience blackouts typically drink too much and too quickly, which causes their blood alcohol levels to rise very rapidly. College students may be at particular risk for experiencing a blackout, as an alarming number of college students engage in binge drinking. Most women can avoid blackouts if they stick to the recommended smarter limits of drinking, no more than 3 drinks in a 2-hour period.

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) is a measure of how much alcohol is in someone's blood. BAC is calculated on a formula which takes account:

• a persons body weight,
• a persons gender,
• the number of drinks consumed, 
• the amount of alcohol in the type of drink consumed, and
• the period of time in which the alcohol was consumed.

It is the most accurate and measurable gauge of alcohol impairment. In Minnesota, when a person reaches .08 BAC, it is illegal to drive a vehicle. To reach a .08 BAC level, a 170-pound man would have to drink approximately four drinks in one hour on an empty stomach or a 137-pound woman would have to drink approximately three drinks in one hour on an empty stomach. When drivers reach .08 BAC, their critical driving skills, like judging distance and speed, steering, visual tracking, concentration, braking and staying in driving lanes are severely impaired. At a .08 BAC level, a person is 11 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than someone who has had nothing to drink.

Chemical Dependency Assessment or Evaluation includes an interview with a chemical dependency counselor where the individual’s chemical use is reviewed along with the impact on the individual’s daily life and relationships. The evaluation may also include a review of relevant medical, legal, mental health and previous treatment records, a physical and interviews with other people in the person’s life. The evaluation is used to address individual's unique needs and to create a treatment plan.

Dangerous Drinking is an alternative to the expert’s term “binge drinking.” College students, who participated in research conducted at Rutgers University, preferred this term because it is nonjudgmental and corresponds with their concern about impaired judgment and the resultant negative consequences of drinking versus the experts’ focus on the quantity of drinking to define problem or risk drinking.

Drinking Levels For Women For most women, moderate alcohol use--one drink a day--causes few if any problems. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, women can avoid negative health and social consequences if they drink at or below these levels:

• No more than 3 drinks in about a 2-hour period;
• No more than 7 drinks in any week

However, certain women should not drink at all. This includes women who:

• Are pregnant or trying to become pregnant;
• Are planning to drive or engage in activities that require alertness and skill (such as using high-speed machinery);
• Taking certain over-the-counter or prescription medications;
• Have a medical condition that can be made worse by drinking;
• Are recovering alcoholics; and
• Are younger than age 21.

Note: A number of factors influence how and to what extent alcohol affects an individual’s body and brain, including:

• How much and how often a person drinks;
• The age at which a person first began drinking, and how long he or she has been drinking;
• The person’s age, level of education, gender, genetic background, and family history of alcoholism;
• Whether a person is at risk because of prenatal alcohol exposure; and
• The person’s general health status and use of other medications or drugs.

Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) In Minnesota, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above .08%. Minnesota penalties for a first offence are 90 days revocation of the driver’s license, 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 in fines. Additional penalties include a $680 reinstatement fee and completion of a DWI knowledge test to reinstate a drivers’ license. Each offense results in more severe penalties. Four DWI’s in a 10-year period can result in a felony conviction. Penalties for a felony DWI can be up to 7 years in prison and $14,000 in fines.

Effective Birth Control means using a birth control method 100% of the time exactly as directed by the product manufacturer.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is an umbrella term describing the range of possible effects on a person whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. These effects can include physical, mental, behavioral, learning disabilities, or a combination of these, with possible lifelong implications. The term FASD is not intended for use as a clinical diagnosis. Unlike people with FAS, those with FASD do not show the identifying physical characteristics of FAS and, as a result, they often go undiagnosed.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is one of the leading known preventable causes of mental retardation and birth defects. FAS represents the severe end of a spectrum of effects that can occur when a woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy. Fetal death is the most extreme outcome. FAS is a medical diagnosis and is characterized by abnormal facial features, growth deficiency and central nervous system (CNS) problems. People with FAS can have problems with learning, memory, attention span, communication, vision, hearing, or a combination of these things. These problems often lead to difficulties in school and problems getting along with others. FAS is a permanent condition. It affects every aspect of an individual’s life and the lives of his or her family. However, FAS is 100% preventable—if a woman does not drink alcohol while she is pregnant.

Malt Liquor is a beer that has a relatively high alcohol content by weight-usually from 5 to 8 percent. Several varieties reach as high as 9 percent alcohol, which makes such brews ineligible to be labeled "beer" or "lager."  Lager is a type of beer of German origin that contains a relatively small amount of hops and is aged from six weeks to six months to allow sedimentation.

“Risky” or “Problem” is drinking at levels that place individuals at risk for health, safety and social problems. "Risky" drinking is defined as consuming more than 7 drinks per week or more than 3 drinks per occasion ( in a 2-hour period) for women and more than 14 drinks per week or more than 5 drinks per occasion for men. "Harmful drinking" describes persons who are currently experiencing physical, social, or psychological harm from alcohol use but do not meet criteria for dependence.

Self-Change or Guided Self-Management Treatment helps people recognize and use their own strengths to resolve their drinking problems. It involves gathering information about a person’s drinking, providing feedback about their alcohol-related risks and offering educational materials about reducing their alcohol use (harm reduction), follow-up and support for change. Individuals may request additional treatment.

Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) An STI is an infection or disease passed from person to person through sexual contact. Two-thirds of all STIs occur in people 25 years of age or younger. Women suffer more frequent and more serious complications from STIs than men.

Standard drink is defined as:

• A 12 oz. can or bottle of beer
• A 5 oz. glass of wine
• A 12 oz. can or bottle of wine cooler
• 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits

For instance if a woman drinks 3 pints (16 oz.) of beer, she is actually drinking 48 ounces, which is equivalent to 4 standard drinks. This level of drinking in a 2- hour period is considered risky or dangerous drinking.

Standard Drink Chart

12 oz. of beer or cooler	8-9 oz. of malt liquor 8.5 oz. in a 12-oz. glass that, if full, would hold about 1.5 standard drinks of malt liquor	5 oz. of table wine	1.5 oz. of brandy (one jigger)	1.5 oz. of spirits (one jigger of 80-proof gin, vodka, whiskey, etc.) shown straight in a highball glass,before adding mixer
12 oz.	8.5 oz.	5 oz.	1.5 oz	1.5 oz
Note: People buy many of these drinks in containers that hold multiple standard drinks.  For example, malt liquor is often sold in 16, 22, or 40 oz. containers that hold between two and five standard drinks, and table wine is typically sold in 25 oz (750 ml.) bottles that hold five standard drinks.

Source: Adapted from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. 2005. (online) www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/NIAAACollegeMaterials/trainingmanual/module_2.aspx

Unsafe Sex is any behavior that increases the risks of negative consequences associated with sexual contact including HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancy. Unsafe sex may include:

1. Making poor decisions regarding sexual activities, including having multiple partners; having casual or unknown partners; failure to discuss risk topics prior to intercourse; and
2. Failure to take adequate protective measures, such as using condoms and effective birth control.

Unintended Pregnancy is a pregnancy that is identified by the woman as either unwanted or mistimed at the time of conception. Eighty-five percent of all sexually active women can expect to become pregnant at least once in the course of a year, if they are not using any form of contraception.  Half of the six million pregnancies that occur among American women each year are unintended. About 50 % of unintended pregnancies occur among couples who were using a contraceptive method in the month the woman became pregnant. Either the method did not work properly or the couple did not use it consistently or correctly.

Unwanted Sex, Sexual Assault, Date Rape, Sexual Abuse, or Sexual Exploitation is any type of sexual activity a person does not agree to, including: inappropriate touching; vaginal, anal, or oral penetration; sexual intercourse that you say no to; rape; attempted rape and child molestation

Withdrawal Symptoms may occur after a time of heavy drinking or when someone who drinks regularly suddenly cuts down or quits. Alcohol withdrawal can be very serious. It can lead to hallucinations, seizures (convulsions) and death. If you think you may be experiencing withdrawal, you should seek immediate medical attention. Other possible ways to seek help would be to call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.