Alcohol Essays (521 words) - Drinking Culture, Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol There are some 14 million people in the United States and 1 out of every 13 adults are considered alcoholics or at least experience drinking problems to some degree. Most people just don't understand the consequences of drinking. Alcoholism is a disease and unless something is done, more and more will be affected by this dangerous drug. A bad withdraw from this drug can lead to death, not even heroin results in death as many times as alcohol. The majority of people see alcohol as a social outlet and does not consider it to be as dangerous as it may really be. Alcoholism is an often-progressive disease with symptoms that include a strong need to drink despite negative consequences, such as serious job and health problems. The thing about alcohol is that a person does not need to be an alcoholic to experience problems with alcohol. Just a couple of drinks for anyone can result in irresponsible behavior, clumsiness, slurred speech, loss of balance, even unconsciousness. If you are diagnosed as an alcoholic you can not just try to cut down on drinking and think that this will help. Studies show that nearly all alcoholics who try to merely cut down on drinking are unable to do so indefinitely. Instead, cutting out alcohol is nearly necessary for successful recovery. Alcohol has direct toxic as well as sedative effects on the body, and failure to take care of nutritional and other physical needs during prolonged periods of excessive drinking may further complicate matters. Some cases even require hospitalization. The effects on major organ systems can be dramatic. A wide rang of digestive-systems can be affected, such as ulcers, inflammation of the pancreas, and cirrhosis of the liver. The central and peripheral nervous systems can be permanently damaged. In advanced cases, abstinence from alcohol may result in a serious withdrawal syndrome, commonly known as delirium tremens, characterized by symptoms ranging from shaking limbs to hallucinations and blackouts. This condition can prove to be deadly even with prompt treatment. There are some good things about moderate drinking. Several studies have reported that people that drink one or two drinks per day are less likely to develop heart disease than people who do not drink any alcohol or who drink larger amounts. Small amounts of alcohol may help protect against coronary heart disease by raising levels of ?good? HDL cholesterol and by reducing the risk of blood clots in the coronary arteries. Most people just don't understand the health risks heavy drinking can cause. They think of alcohol as a way to relax and forget about problems, but in fact it creates more problems. Earlier and better treatment has led to high recovery rates. Despite these encouraging signs, estimates of the annual number of deaths related to excessive drinking exceed 100,000 in the United States alone. Economic costs related to alcoholism are nearly $150 billion a year. Bibliography Work Cited Page United States. National Safety Council and California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs. Effects of Alcohol United States. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. FAQ's on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Social Issues Essays