Alcohol and Society

 Have you ever been woken up late one night to the sounds of drunken shouting from those besotted souls leaving the pubs at closing hours?  Where the individuals involved bellow incoherently at each other, sometimes accompanied by the report of smashing beer bottles? Such is but a small taster of some of the many social effects that alcoholism can have upon British society.

Remember that alcohol's strength as a social lubricant comes from its capacity to remove the usual social inhibitions that people place upon themselves. This is why conversation is easier, jokes are funnier, and tempers grow more unbridled. You're simply not as inclined to check your behaviour as you normally would. Half the time you don't even realise the change.

Consider, then, what effects that alcohol-induced social apathy towards your behaviour can have on a broader scale, especially to those who have become incapable of controlling their urge to drink. After all, alcohol is an addictive substance. Indeed, scientific studies have shown that alcohol is in fact more addictive than cannabis.

The effects of alcoholism on society can be clearly seen in a variety of sources. Cases of domestic abuse, for example, are often linked with excessive alcohol abuse. Families experiencing alcohol addiction frequently suffer from heightened tensions, arguments and destabilised relationships. Crime hotspots, likewise, tend to gravitate around areas where alcohol is freely plied, with cases such as assault or vandalism plaguing such areas. Alcoholism can also have an adverse effect on employment, largely by inducing an attitude that conflicts with the working ethic of the modern workplace. Due to conflicts with colleagues, poor performance and possible lapses in attendances, workers suffering from alcoholism frequently find themselves in long-term unemployment.

The effects of alcoholism also damage our children. Children living in alcoholic households are more likely to suffer from poor grades, behavioural problems, truancy and depression. Worst still, such children are more likely to succumb to alcohol addiction themselves in their future lives.

So what can you do? Fortunately there is a wide berth of support available for those suffering from alcohol addiction. Clinics, rehab centres and hospitals across the country all possess effective programmes tailor-made to deal with alcoholism, from identifying the illness to treating the damage it causes. Alcoholics Anonymous is perhaps the most well-known support group known, and there are dozens, if not hundreds, others like it. Check with your local hospital for further information.

Alcohol, the Body and You!

It's a common occurrence in today's world; when life gives you lemons, have a slice of them with a shot of vodka. Today Britain has garnered a rather unsavoury reputation for drinking, and not just drinking, but binge drinking. Let's not split hairs here; there's nothing wrong with drinking in moderate amounts, in keeping with the daily recommended limits (3-4 units for men,  1-2 units for women). However binge drinking by definition is far from moderate.

But what's the big deal, you may well ask? After all, what could a little booze-up on the side possibly do? All this sounds like the typical British Nanny State.

Au contraire, mon ami. The effects of alcoholism on the human body are extensively documented and well-studied, and very few of the effects on the body can be considered positive. Remember: alcohol is, ultimately, a poison. It's a chemical that disrupts the delicate chemical balance of your body. It adversely inhibits your cognitive ability, such as memory and reflex times, which can also lead to brain damage, corrodes the liver and kidneys, and can also cause numerous illnesses, such as dysentery, diabetes, or even cancer. In extreme cases, it can very easily kill you.

Rest assured that although it's tempting to declare that only the occasional night of hard drinking is harmless, the truth of the matter is even just a weekly binge can cause colossal damage to your system. Perhaps the most insidious trait alcoholism possesses is the ability to convince you there is no danger. To paraphrase CS Lewis: "the greatest victory alcoholism can have is to convince you it does not exist". Like all addictions, alcoholism requires the individual to recognise for himself that he is suffering from a problem, something all too easier said than done.

So what can you do? Fortunately there is a wide berth of support available for those suffering from alcohol addiction. Clinics, rehab centres and hospitals across the country all possess effective programmes tailor-made to deal with alcoholism, from identifying the illness to treating the damage it causes. Alcoholics Anonymous is perhaps the most well-known support group known, and there are dozens, if not hundreds, others like it. Check with your local hospital for further information.

How to Help an Alcoholic

How you can help an alcoholic is something that many people find themselves thinking when a family member, a loved one, friend or colleague is suffering from alcoholism. It most certainly is not an easy question to ask, nor to answer, as it is really only the alcoholic themselves who can be the one to decide to help themselves. However, there are some techniques that you can use which will encourage the alcoholic to take a hard look at their addiction, which in turn can help them seek help for their alcohol addiction sooner rather than later.

Unless someone is sectioned under the mental health act, you cannot force them to do anything against their will, this includes seeking treatment for their alcohol addiction. The best way to broach their problems with alcohol is to approach the situation as a concerned party rather than someone trying to pile on the pressure. Offering information about treatments can help the alcoholic realise that they need to look for help themselves rather than forcing them into getting help.

When speaking to an alcoholic it is best not get emotional or confrontational, simply taking a step back and speaking with information and facts instead is more beneficial. Sometimes professional intervention works best as you have others to support you and offer a bigger support group for the alcoholic themselves.

Often alcoholic will suffer from a type of severely deluded thinking and cannot see or simply refuse to accept the reality of their situation. This includes not being able to care about pleads for them to stop or sternly worded health warning from a medical professional. They will ignore them with the belief that they are in control of their drinking even though it is obvious that they are not.

Trying to help an alcoholic will most likely leave you feeling frustrated, helpless and at a complete loss on what to do. What you need to remember is that these feelings are completely normal and you shouldn’t beat yourself up over these feeling. Instead focus on not ‘enabling’ someone drinking, this means not making excusing for them or trying to ‘work around’ their drinking problem. This means that if the alcoholic comes home and passes out at the bottom of the stairs then do not move them to a comfortable position, instead leave them there.

This is because the sooner the realistic effects of alcoholism starts to impact a person’s life then the sooner they will realise that there is a problem with their drinking behaviour and the quicker they will get help for their addiction. This is far easier than trying to convince them that they have a problem.

If you are worried about someone that you love and feel they may need treatment for their alcohol addiction, then contact Timetostop on 0808 163 6005 if you want advice, support or more information about alcoholism.You can also complete an online self-assessment to see the scale of yours or their alcohol addiction on the Time to Stop site.