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Alcohol

The impact of alcohol addiction and its physical, psychological, and societal repercussions has been studied and debated for as long as man has been distilling it. The recognition that alcohol can cause serious problems has the same history, but it only since the scientific age that formal study has been conducted, and then most of that beginning in the latter half of the 19^th century. Indeed, consumable alcohol being referred to as “spirits” reflects the older view that the changes it brings arise from metaphysical sources. The most recent studies have been attempts to clarify the condition commonly referred to “alcoholism”, and while greater understanding is developing, greater confusion has also arisen.

Alcoholism

Very loosely speaking “alcoholism” is an addiction to alcohol, regardless of whether there are obvious debilitating effects or not. Because of the broad applications of the term, both the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have worked to refine its definition in attempts to aid in its treatment and diagnosis.  The DSM identifies it as “alcohol dependence” and “alcohol abuse”, while the WHO prefers “alcohol dependence syndrome.” There is debate regarding its classification as a disease. However, semantics and categorization aside, alcohol abuse and addiction and abuse is a serious problem world-wide and negatively affects millions upon millions of people, society as a whole, businesses and the economy, families, and relationships.

Signs of alcohol abuse

As a caveat, not everyone who abuses alcohol becomes or is an alcoholic, but there is a direct correlation. For the purposes of this article, an assumption will be made that the alcohol abuser is also addicted or on the verge of addiction. Among the more common signals are:

• Shame or guilt about drinking
• Lying to hide drinking habits
• Needing a drink to relax, feel good, or function
• “Blacking out” and/or memory loss
• Drinking to excess on a regular basis
• Neglecting responsibilities at school, work, and home
• Drinking alcohol in situations that endanger the drinker and others
• Disdain for personal relationships in favor of drinking

There are many more, but these are some of the most recognizable, and should trigger a concerned response. If there is concern over someone’s drinking pattern, confronting the situation is the next phase. A person who is confronted about drinking may react negatively and deny a problem exists. Denial may be expressed as:

• Underestimating how much is consumed
• Comparing drinking habits with others (I drink less than so-and-so)
• Refusing to acknowledge the negative consequences
• Claiming over-exaggeration about the issue
• Shifting blame for drinking to outside influences

Effects of alcohol abuse

The list of negative effects of alcohol abuse goes on ad infinitum. In a nutshell alcohol abuse: kills – directly and indirectly, it destroys the body and the mind, ruins families and lives, severely damages the unborn, loses billions of dollars in lost work, health costs, and legal costs.

Understanding the obstacles of Alcoholism

Because of alcohol’s inextricable relationship with human civilization, it is quite difficult to motivate people to seek treatment or to broach the subject with someone who may have a problem. Entrenched cultural attitudes often interfere with a genuine understanding of the problem, or admitting a problem exists.

However, facts demonstrate that alcohol abuse is on the increase and is happening at younger ages. Statistics reveal that almost twenty-five percent of teenagers have at least five or more drinks at least once in a given two-week period before they finish high school. The reasons for this are diverse and complicated and best left for another time. The most important thing to remember is that alcohol consumption and abuse are pervasive.