Alcoholism
If consumed responsibly, alcohol can have no negative effects. Problems with mental and physical health develop from intoxication brought on by consuming too much alcohol or by making heavy drinking a regular practice. The progression from social drinker to alcoholic can be accelerated by developing this pattern.
Why do individuals drink alcoholic beverages? Alcohol, in moderate amounts, induces a sense of exhilaration and reduces inhibitions, giving people in the West the false confidence to try things they might not try otherwise while in social situations. When we're at a baseball game, out to dinner, at a wedding, or just hanging out on the deck with friends and family, alcohol is often there. Some people drink to forget their issues, others to drown their sorrows, others to make themselves feel better when they're lonely or grieving, and still others to avoid the unpleasant symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.
How does drinking make you feel?
Depressants affect the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). An individual's liver is responsible for metabolizing alcohol after it has been taken into the bloodstream. When a person consumes excessive amounts of alcohol, complications may emerge. Intoxication occurs because the liver cannot process the alcohol quickly enough. Memory and judgment are both hampered, and one's disposition and actions are altered, by alcohol consumption.
Limiting your alcohol intake will help you avoid the negative effects of getting drunk and establishing a drinking routine. These low-risk alcohol intake guidelines were developed by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Canada. It is not healthy for a male to consume more than 5 alcoholic drinks in one session or 15 alcoholic drinks in one week. If a woman drinks alcohol, she shouldn't have more than three drinks in one sitting and no more than ten drinks in a week. Both sexes should limit their alcohol consumption to no more than once a week.
Men who consume more than five beers at once are more likely to become inebriated than women who consume more than three.
Intoxication
It's brought on by downing several drinks all at once. Memory problems are inevitable. Your speech will be slurred and your gait will be shaky. It's possible that you'll behave badly, like starting fights or being very furious. When inebriated to an extreme degree, a person's mental faculties become muddled and they pass out. If you don't cut down on your drinking, you could die from alcohol poisoning.
Alcohol's Instant Repercussions
Is it risky to get drunk? It's debatable. You pose a risk to yourself and others if you drink to excess. Individuals' rationality often takes a hit after they've had too much to drink. Everyone will act in a foolish manner. There is a risk that they will participate in criminal activity, such as vandalism or drunk driving, which could result in serious injury or even death to others. Perhaps the individual will trip and break a leg on the curb. The individual could get into a battle with a total stranger, or return home and assault his wife, leading to criminal charges being brought against him. The individual runs the risk of engaging in a sexual encounter with a woman who is infected with HIV or another sexually transmitted disease. Perhaps the person will jump off the ferry and drown trying to swim to land. In extreme cases, the victim may even die from alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning is the cause of death for a number of young people each year, and sadly, the majority of these people are teenagers and young adults. The combination of depression and alcohol can lead to hopelessness, reckless behavior, and ultimately suicide.
Alcohol's addictive nature is another another drawback. One or two drinks per day is not enough for an individual to develop an addiction to alcohol. A person who drinks alcohol socially, such as at a baseball game, is known as a social drinker. A lack of addiction is a key characteristic. Someone who regularly consumes five or more alcoholic beverages in one session and subsequently abstains from alcohol for many days is considered a binge drinker. This individual may develop a drinking problem, which is a precursor to alcoholism. The alcoholic can moderate their drinking on their own, without the help of doctors or AA. Someone who drinks daily and cannot cut back is classified as an alcoholic. He or she has a drinking problem and needs help or will destroy themselves. Addiction to alcohol has devastating effects on a person's personal and professional relationships, as well as their mental and physical well-being.
Alcoholism
An alcoholic is someone who has a compulsive need to drink alcohol and experiences intense withdrawal symptoms when they don't. A significant portion of their time will be devoted to drinking, and once they begin, they will be unable to stop. Daily drinking and frequent intoxication are to be expected from this person. They'll need more and more alcohol to get the same level of intoxication. An alcoholic is someone who puts drinking ahead of their interests and hobbies. Someone who drinks secretly or by themselves. Sometimes he may blank out and forget what happened the day before, ignore his responsibilities, and drink excessively. After a heavy drinking session, a person should expect withdrawal symptoms like shaking, nausea, and sweating. The person will feel lonely, irritated, and withdrawn when they don't have their daily drink. There are a wide range of issues, including those related to career, social life, relationships, health, and mental stability, that are always present when alcoholism is present.
The alcoholic's life is frequently destroyed by alcoholism. Most alcoholics will eventually develop serious health problems such liver disease, hypertension, and cancer. Many people will also find themselves unemployed, divorced, or without any close relationships. Many people's lives spiral out of control, and they find themselves on the streets or in a hostel. Many will also have felony convictions for crimes like assault, battery, or vandalism.
Just what are the root causes of alcoholism? Numerous explanations have been proposed. Many medical professionals view alcoholism as a brain condition that causes them to lose control of their drinking. In this framework, addiction is considered to be permanent. Since the alcoholic will always feel the urge and want to drink to the point of intoxication, the only way to avoid relapsing into addiction and harmful behavior is to abstain completely.
According to proponents of the genetic theory of addiction, a person's genetic makeup may have a role in their susceptibility to developing an addiction. Scientists have found that the offspring of alcoholics are at a considerably higher risk of developing their own substance abuse problems. Alcohol, according to the exposure theory of addiction, causes metabolic changes. A person's tolerance to alcohol increases over time, so they have to drink more and more to get drunk. As a result, the individual learns to enjoy being drunk. For the purpose of getting a "buzz," the individual consumes alcoholic beverages. They need that regular "high," so they keep drinking. They build up a tolerance to the effects of alcohol and need more and more of it to achieve the same high.
You can improve your happiness by making efforts to "flourish," or to increase your experience of joy, flow, friendships, love, significance, spirituality, and achievement in life. If you drink alcohol, it will likely get in the way of your efforts to improve your health. If you get drunk and end up with a hangover, for example, you won't be able to enjoy anything the next day. Having a few drinks won't help you get into the zone when you're working or playing. Drinking does not improve your life in any way. If that happens, you may be experiencing mental health difficulties that need to be addressed. The desire to lose weight, get in shape, and lead a healthy life will all be hampered by a drinking problem.
Final Remarks
Alcohol wrecked my heart and the hearts of far too many other people, as author Craig Ferguson recounts. Sometimes I wonder whether I could get away with drinking some today, even though alcohol caused this to me and almost killed me seventeen years ago and I haven't touched a drop of it. I agree that alcoholism is a mental disorder and that denial of this fact is foolish.
As long as you are not a problem drinker or alcoholic, there is nothing wrong with drinking alcohol as long as you do not have a medical condition or are taking prescription drugs that will be affected by alcohol.
If you choose to partake in alcoholic beverages, do it responsibly and in moderation. Men should limit their alcohol consumption to no more than two drinks per day and no more than five drinks in one sitting. You shouldn't have more than 15 drinks in a week. No more than three at one sitting and no more than ten in a week constitutes moderation for a lady. If you keep drinking, you'll eventually hurt yourself.
It's important to get help if you have a drinking problem since it can lead to other, more significant concerns in your life and health. Some individuals may be able to reduce their spending without assistance. Others will require intervention, perhaps in the form of psychotherapy.
See a doctor and get involved in Alcoholics Anonymous if you think you might have an alcohol problem.
For a short period of time, intoxication may be enjoyable, but it never contributes to long-term health and happiness. You should either limit your alcohol intake or avoid it altogether.
