The Domino Effect

Most people don’t realize that more than one drink a day for women or two drinks a day for men can increase their risk for health and safety problems. Scientific research has clearly defined the health risks and benefits of alcohol use for most people. The guidelines used in The Domino Strategy™ for Responsible Alcohol Use are taken from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. When these guidelines are not followed, a domino effect of negative outcomes may result. Just as one domino can tip the next one causing a change reaction to occur, the same philosophy can be applied to drinking alcohol. With each drink there is a deterioration of judgment, alertness, self-control, reasoning and memory. It becomes harder to detect danger and decision making skills become impaired. This is why teaching people to count their drinks and stay within the low-risk consumption guidelines is so important. While we cannot mandate that people follow The Domino Strategy™ for Responsible Alcohol Use, we can make every effort to educate and urge people to voluntarily adopt a 0-1-2 lifestyle.

• Effects usually not apparent or obvious
• Behavior nearly normal by ordinary observation
• Impairment detectable by special tests

• Mild euphoria, sociability, talkativeness
• Increased self-confidence; decreased inhibitions
• Diminished attention, judgment and control
• Sensory-motor impairment
• Slowed information processing
• Driving skills diminished

• Emotional instability; loss of critical judgment
• Impairment of perception, memory and comprehension
• Impaired balance; slurred speech; vomiting; drowsiness

• Disorientation, mental confusion; vertigo
• Exaggerated emotional states (fear, rage, grief, etc.)
• Disturbances in vision
• Lack of muscular coordination; staggering gait
• Apathy, lethargy

• Approaching loss of motor functions
• Markedly decreased response to stimuli
• Lack of muscular control; inability to stand or walk
• Vomiting; incontinence
• Impaired consciousness; sleep or stupor

• Complete unconsciousness; coma
• Depressed or abolished reflexes
• Subnormal body temperature
• Impairment of circulation and respiration
• Possible death

• Death from respiratory arrest