07 Nov Are You Dying For A Drink?

Alcohol can be a social lubricant, but if abused, it can injure the body, mind, and even cause death.

The incidence of alcohol-caused diseases and death in every country in the world is rising at an alarming rate. There are an estimated 17.6 million alcoholics in the United States, and about 88,000 deaths are annually attributed to excessive alcohol use.

One of the most frightening aspects of this rise is the increasing number of young people under 25 who are now joining Alcoholics Anonymous groups.

But what is so harmful about alcohol? What does it do to the body?

The rate at which alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream after it is consumed depends on the individual and his constitutional sensitivity to alcohol, as well as on his present condition.

A little alcohol taken well-diluted with water, and at the same time as food, reaches the blood much more slowly than stronger mixtures taken on an empty stomach. A person who is tired, anxious, has a cold or another mild infection may also respond more rapidly.

Brain cells, nerve cells, muscle cells – every single one is affected. The stomach lining is irritated, and it produces more gastric juice. Other body cells get dehydrated by alcohol, especially brain cells, which are the most sensitive.

It is not true that alcohol stimulates first and then depresses. The so-called stimulant effect is paradoxical.

This early effect soon changes, however, if more alcohol is taken. Our judgement, concentration and self control become increasingly impaired. Tragically, the drinker does not realize this, and may insist on handling a car even though he or she is far from safe.

Because alcohol is a poison, the body tries to rid itself of it. The kidneys are stimulated to produce more urine to wash the alcohol out, some of it is excreted through sweat and breath, but most is taken to the liver.

When all this happens only occasionally, the results are not damaging.

But, what happens if there is constant and heavy use of alcohol? Indigestion and diarrhea are likely to appear. Vitamin deficiency is common because heavy drinkers eat less and they don’t absorb all the vitamins in their food.

The paradox is that, even though heavy drinkers may feel less hungry they are likely to put on weight. The food you eat while drinking is then stored as fat. As they eat less and less, however, heavy drinkers may become emaciated, though they may develop a “beer belly”.

Brain damage may be considerable. There is now evidence that alcohol causes shrinkage of the brain. Brain and nerve cells cannot be regenerated if they are damaged or destroyed.

And the liver? This, the largest organ in the body, and it suffers the most, as it defuses the alcohol’s poisonous effects. In time, it develops a lumpy hardened appearance, the hardened areas being those which can no longer function. The liver falters and finally fails.

When that happens, death is imminent.

Women seem to be more vulnerable to some of these effects than men. Some studies have shown that women suffer the psychological effects of alcohol dependence – confusion, intellectual impairment, loss of self-control – earlier in life than men.

A pregnant woman who drinks heavily poses a threat to her unborn baby. Alcohol can be carried to the baby via her blood and can lead to growth retardation and some congenital malformations.

It is important to stress here that this applies only to heavy and prolonged drinking in pregnancy.

Menopausal women, too, seem vulnerable to alcohol, but this is very likely the reason why they started drinking in the first place. A woman who is unhappy about her lifestyle or who is distressed that she is aging may turn to drinking to solve her problems. But, of course, no solution can be found.

Men, too, may suffer hormonal damage. Alcoholics are likely to be impotent and even, eventually, sterile.

One way of finding out whether you are drinking more than you should is to use this checklist:

• Do you ever drink alone and in secret?
• Do you ever drink in the mornings?
• Do you often have a hangover – and take another drink to get rid of it?
• Do you “need” a drink to face social situations – parties, job interviews?
• Do you immediately turn to alcohol if you find that you are worried or unhappy?
• Do you regularly need a drink at a set time of the day – say, as soon as you get home?
• Do you sleep badly because of your drinking?
• Does your drinking create any money problems?
• Does your drinking ever affect your work – are you absent because of it, less able to do as much?
• Does your drinking lead to family rows and upsets?
• Do you only go to places where you know drinking will be available?
• Do you always carry peppermints or gum to hide your breath?
• Do you get annoyed when people comment on your alcohol intake?
• Do you feel other people are slow drinkers?
• Do you need more and more drinks to get the same effect?
• Are you less interested in food? Do you often miss meals?
• Do you drink anything rather than sticking to a favorite drink?
• Do you often decide to cut down on your drinking?
• Have you ever tried to stop drinking and failed?
• Have you ever “gone on a bender” and lost your memory of it?

If you’ve said yes to three or four questions, you’re still in control – but watch it. If you’ve said yes to more than six, then you have a drink problem and you need immediate help.

The first step is for the drinker to recognize and admit the problem. No one else can do this. The family can’t force an alcoholic to get over his problem.

One of the most successful ways of helping people to give up drinking altogether is mutual self-help. Back in 1935 Alcoholics Anonymous was founded by two Americans, who realized they could help each other stop drinking because they understood each other.

All parents, whether they drink or not, must be concerned to help their children grow up with a healthy attitude towards alcohol. Used in moderation, it is an agreeable social lubricant.

Don’t forbid them to taste alcohol. It makes alcohol exciting, and this leads to a growing child developing some bad habits.

Make home the normal place to drink. Surveys have shown that children introduced to alcohol after the age of 13 are less likely to develop heavy drinking patterns.

When you do give your children alcohol at home, opt for light wines and beers rather than spirits, and always make sure they enjoy soft drinks as well.

DISCLAIMER: The information and views set out in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the MyCity-Web collective. This is a contributed article via our Submit Post Page and should be viewed as such.