Alcohol and Performance - Research Paper Example

[Teacher’s Alcohol has been a part of society for thousands of years, being used yet in the ancient civilizations. Approximately 8000 years ago people have learnt the properties of the intoxicating influence of the alcoholic beverages (Zanjani et al., 12-23). Going all the way back to ancient China, Egypt, Babylonia, India, beer and wines were considered one of the foods of life. Also, Native American carvings show many of their civilizations had alcoholic beverages that were much like the beers of today. Alcohol dates back to a very early part of man’s history. When we look back on history, it is easy to gather that alcohol had been used socially for many diverse purposes like providing courage in battles, calming feuds, sealing pacts and celebration festivals (Batista et al., 33-42). As of today, alcoholic beverages, used by many to relax, act as a social “ice-breaker” or, in other words, “bridge-builder”, is a way to alter one’s mood by decreasing one’s reserve. While its use is prevalent and acceptable in our society, it should not come as a surprise that problems arise in the use of alcohol and the performance of safety-related activities, such as driving an automobile or flying an aircraft. These problems are made worse by an exaggerated confidence and a tendency to forget that flying an aircraft is a highly demanding cognitive and psychomotor task that takes place in an inhospitable, trying environment where pilots are exposed to various stressors (Batista et al., 33-42). In general the effects of alcohol consumptions on the human body are detrimental. The first fact to mention is that pharmacologically ethanol can be relegated to anesthetic drugs. The most sensitive to it are the CNS cells, especially the cells of the cerebral cortex, influencing which it arouses alcoholic excitement associated with the inhibitory process decreasing (Van Reen, 137). Then also excitative processes are decreasing, followed by inhibition of medulla oblongata and spinal cord that leads to the respiratory center suppression. If not used for medical purpose it is harmful for health being consumed even in small amounts. Thus, alcohol is sedative, somewhat hypnotic and extremely addicting drug (Van Reen, 137). It quickly impairs the situation assessment and causes the behavior that can easily contribute to unexpected emergency, or worse, lead to an accident. The process of ethanol circulation needs to be elaborated to explain its adverse effects. Thuswise, alcohol is rapidly absorbed from the stomach and small intestine, and transported by the blood throughout the body. Any amount of alcohol consumed, even that not causing intoxication (starting with concentration of 1.10 micrograms per 1 ml of blood) causes harm to the human body (Dougherty et al., 4). There are two phases of ethanol action: absorption and elimination. Time from taking in alcohol until its concentration in the blood reaches maximum is absorption. The rate of absorption of ethanol varies. Thus, until the ethanol is in the stomach the absorption is rather slow, then, as it proceeds to the small intestine, absorption rate increases, and finally slows down again. It is believed that, depending on the organism the absorption period may increase by almost 2.5 times (up to 2-6 hours), but for each particular person this time is pretty stable (Van Reen, 137). During the absorption drenching the organs and tissues with ethanol happens faster than its oxidation and elimination occurs, and for this reason, its concentration in blood at a particular time is increased. As it is estimated by most researches, ethanol is distributed throughout the 64% of the human body, being absorbed into practically all body fluids. The elimination phase after alcohol intake occurs after 90-98 % of alcohol was absorbed by the body. Up to 2-10 % absorbed ethanol is subject to intact recovery through the urine, exhaled air, sweat, saliva and feces within 7-12 hours (Zanjani et al., 12-23). The remaining alcohol is oxidized to carbon dioxide and water internally at a cellular level, that is, it is not excreted. The duration of the elimination phase is much greater than that of absorption. On average, the alcohol is retained in the body for several days. During the elimination the alcohol absorbed into organs and tissues is evolved to the degree of its saturation per cent in blood. The alcoholic content in brain tissues is higher than in blood, and its elimination from the brain tissues and cerebro-spinal fluid lasts significantly longer in comparison to other organs, tissues and blood (Van Reen, 137). This knowledge is of great practical importance, as it clarifies the reason of ethanol effects on the brain and nervous system being prolonged than it would be supposed to be based on the dynamics of its content in the blood. The toxic effects of alcohol vary considerably from person to person, and are influenced by various factors such as gender, body weight, rate of consumption, and total amount consumed. This rate of elimination is relatively constant, regardless of the total amount of alcohol consumed. In other words, whether a person consumes a few or many drinks, the rate of alcohol elimination from the body is essentially the same. Therefore, the more alcohol an individual consumes, the longer it takes his or her body to get rid of it. Talking about such sensitive occupation as pilot, alcohol consumption before or in-flight should be strictly prohibited and blood alcohol test should be obligatory applied to not only the pilot-in-command, but to every member of the crew. Firstly, the majority of adverse effects produced by alcohol relate to the brain, the eyes, and the inner ear – three crucial organs to a pilot (Dougherty et al., 4). Thus, brain effects include impaired reaction time, reasoning, judgment, and memory. Alcohol decreases the ability of the brain to make use of oxygen. This adverse effect can contribute to simultaneous exposure to altitude, characterized by a decreased partial pressure of oxygen. Visual symptoms include eye muscle imbalance, which leads to diplopia and difficulty focusing. Inner ear effects include vertigo, and decreased aural sense. If other variable factors are added, such as sleep deprivation, fatigue, medication use, altitude hypoxia, or flying at night or in adverse weather conditions, the negative effects are significantly potentiated (Dougherty et al., 4). Furthermore, a hangover effect, produced by alcoholic beverages after the intoxication, may be as dangerous as the intoxication itself. Symptoms commonly associated with a hangover are headache, vertigo, xerostomia, fatigue, upset stomach, irritability, impaired judgment, and increased sensitivity to bright light (Van Reen, 137). A pilot with these symptoms would certainly not be fit to safely operate an aircraft. The studies of alcohol affecting pilot performance have shown that pilots demonstrated impairment in their ability to fly an Instrument Landing System approach or to fly Instrument Flight Rules, and even to perform routine Visual Flight Rules flight tasks while under the impact of alcohol, regardless of individual flying experience. The number of serious errors committed by pilots dramatically increases at or above concentrations of 0.04% blood alcohol. This is not to say that problems don’t occur below this rate. Some studies have shown impairments in pilot performance with blood alcohol concentrations as low as the 0.025%. According to General Aviation Pilot Fatalities statistics, annually certain amount of pilots with blood alcohol concentration of 0.02-0.04% is regularly involved in fatal aviation accidents (Zanjani et al., 12-23). All in all, flying is a precise, demanding, and unforgiving sphere of operation. The arguments we have presented suggest that any factor that impairs the pilot’s ability to perform the required tasks during the operation of an aircraft is an invitation for disaster. The use of alcohol is a significant self-imposed stress factor that should be eliminated from the cockpit. Pilots and crew should understand the negative effects of alcohol and its deadly impact on flight safety. Ideally, total avoidance of alcohol should be a key element observed by every pilot in planning or accomplishing a flight. Works Cited Battista, Susan R., Alissa H. Pencer, and Sherry H. Stewart. "Drinking and Thinking: Alcohol Effects on Post-event Processing in Socially Anxious Individuals." Cognitive Therapy and Research 38.1 (2014): 33-42. Dougherty, Donald M., James M. Bjork, and Robert H. Bennett. "Effects of alcohol on rotary pursuit performance: A gender comparison." The Psychological Record48.3 (2012): 4. Van Reen, Eliza, et al. "Biphasic effects of alcohol as a function of circadian phase." Sleep 36.1 (2013): 137. Zanjani, Faika, et al. "Alcohol effects on cognitive change in middle-aged and older adults." Aging & mental health 17.1 (2013): 12-23. Read More