PROBLEM 5. 



Hoii' to Achieve Better Health for All 36-7 



is a symptom or product of mental ill- 

 ness. The cause for the strong desire to 

 drink is different in each individual and is 

 not merely the result of moderate drink- 

 ing. It has also been clearly shown that a 

 chronic alcoholic, to be cured, must re- 

 frain from all drinking. Do Exercise 2. 



Alcohol is absorbed from the stomach 

 very quickly, particularly when the 

 stomach is empty. As it circulates, a 

 larger percentage is absorbed by brain 

 tissue than by other tissues. It acts as an 

 anaesthetic or depressant. It is not a 

 stimulant except for a very short time 

 immediately after being taken. Like 

 other anaesthetics, it acts first on the cen- 

 ters which control thouo-ht and emotion. 

 This is why those who drink have the 

 mistaken idea that it acts as a stimulant. 

 In time as more alcohol reaches the brain 

 it affects the lower centers which con- 

 trol such vital activities as breathing. 

 How much is needed to bring about 

 marked changes in these various centers 

 varies with the individual and even varies 

 in the same individual at different times. 



Now that the complexity of human 

 behavior is better understood scientists 

 are far more cautious about stating the 

 effect of alcohol on behavior. But it has 

 been demonstrated clearly that there is creasing responsibihty. 



Because of these investigations many 

 communities suspend or cancel the driv- 

 ing license if a driver in an accident is 

 shown to have been drinking. Good citi- 

 zens who drive automobiles will, for 

 their own safety as well as for the safety^ 

 of others, refrain from driving an auto- 

 mobile after taking alcohol. 



Mental health. Mental health is far 

 more difficult to define or observe than 

 physical health. When we observe the 

 normal activities of a boy or girl of 

 sound mental health we discover that his 

 daily living includes work that must be 

 done (school work, household duties), 

 physical play (usually out of doors), a 

 hobby, meeting with friends, engaging 

 in family life in a home, occasional par- 

 ties or outings, and also some "blues" or 

 periods of boredom and mild unhappi- 

 ness. This young person is clearly a 

 happy person generally, with a feeling 

 of increasing satisfaction in growing up. 

 Such a person is able to accept the occa- 

 sional defeats that everyone experiences 

 without suffering from a continued feel- 

 ing of depression. Together with this 

 ability there goes a growing feeling of 

 independence of thought and action, 

 combined with a readiness to accept in- 



a relation between the use of alcohol and 

 automobile accidents. The amount of 

 alcohol in the blood of two groups of 

 drivers was measured. One group in- 

 cluded men who were not in accidents; 

 the other group was made up of those 

 who were responsible for accidents. In 

 the nonaccident group very few of the 

 drivers had alcohol in the blood. Alcohol 

 was present in the blood of very many 

 of those in the accident group. 



It is not possible in a page or two to 

 tell how one can achieve sound mental 

 health. But a few simple rules for the in- 

 dividual will be useful to you. 



1. Several times each week play out 

 of doors at some game that you like and 

 that brings you together with boys or 

 girls of your own age. 



2. Try out hobbies or learn about 

 them until you can choose one of your 

 own from which you get satisfaction. If 



