Alcoholism is one of the most serious problems that has plagued society. Virtually everyone has heard about trouble being caused in a family or elsewhere by someone being drunk.
Unfortunately, many of these same problem people try to avoid their responsibility for doing so by using their alcohol intoxication as an excuse. Silly them! They think it will exonerate them.
How does one define alcoholism?
Alcoholism is a condition that results when any significant area of your life is damaged because of it: Family, parenting, job, physical health, school etc. Someone does not have to consume a lot more alcohol than the norm, or use it more frequently than the norm to be considered alcoholic.
The mere act of drinking, no matter how much or how frequently is not an indication of alcoholism by itself. A person can be considered an alcoholic if, because of his consumption of alcohol, he gets abusive with his family, performs inadequately at work or school, spends compulsively, engages in sexual behavior indiscriminately or because of alcohol, has any other problem in the work, educational, physical, emotional or relationship spheres of his life.
If without it, an alcoholic does not have to have withdrawal symptoms and does not have to be homeless or destitute. Many serious alcoholics, on the surface, look like they are functioning well. They include executives, celebrities, professionals, clergymen etc.
What Causes A Person To Become Alcoholic
Alcoholism in a person can be caused by several factors. One hypothesis is that some people have genetic predispositions which cause them to get intoxicated easier or more intensely or have fewer side effects or hangover symptoms than others.
This causes them to drink more indiscriminately or carelessly than others. Also, many people become alcoholic due to emotional reasons; they do not like how they feel when not intoxicated, so they drink excessively, just to feel OK.
Some people, when experiencing loneliness, anxiety or depression turn to alcohol in order to feel more comfortable. This is because alcohol can have anxiety-inhibiting effects, if taken in sufficient amounts.
Alcoholically prone people are likely to imbibe alcohol in self-defeating ways just to try to forget situations or circumstances which cause them emotional discomfort.
Peer pressures can also a factor. Many people start drinking at an early age because of peer pressure to do so. In some of these cases, the body itself becomes so accustomed to alcohol that the drinker ends up craving it everyday.
Effects of Alcoholism to Society and the Person
Alcoholism is damaging to both the alcoholic and those around him. Significantly, alcoholism can cause very powerful and sometimes catastrophic social and physical damage.
For example, excessive ingestion of alcohol can cause several serious digestive problems. These include cirrhosis of the liver and inflammation of the pancreas, among others.
Other physical dysfunctions can also arise, including impairment of sexual performance, heart disease and increased cancer risk. Significantly, alcoholism can also be socially damaging.
For example, a husband or father hung over from too much drinking may find it difficult to generate income for his family because of being absent too frequently from work. If this occurs too much, it can result in him losing his job, causing devastating effects and hardships for himself and his family.
Alcohol can cause a person to lose sound judgment, causing him to act in harmful and embarrassing ways.
When triggered, alcoholics can become emotionally and even physically violent and be at high risk for committing abuses on family members.
Such behavior can lead to serious, even catastrophic consequences, including serious emotional damage to ones spouse and young children. |
