How many individuals face major problems in their lives because they received a “driving under the influence” conviction? On an annual basis, how many alcoholics fail to get the professional alcohol treatment they need? How many junior high, high school, and college students lose their lives every year due to an alcohol overdose? How many individuals die each year from a condition that is totally preventable, such as alcohol poisoning? How many individuals get injured or lose their lives in alcohol related traffic accidents every year? How many people are the victims of alcohol related crime or violence each and every year? How many individuals lose their lives every year because of drinking problems? How many children are born each year with fetal alcohol syndrome? How many people’s lives are cut short due to abusive and excessive drinking?

Why Would Anyone Want to Drink in a Hazardous and Abusive Manner?

So what’s the point in asking these questions? Basically to highlight the destructive and devastating nature of abusive and excessive drinking. Indeed, and based on the above questions, I wonder why anyone would choose to drink in an excessive and irresponsible manner.

Stated a different way, with the host of relationship difficulties, legal proceedings, employment dilemmas, health issues, and financial problems that are correlated with chronic alcohol abuse and alcoholism, why would any individual with a common sense mentality want to drink in an excessive and hazardous manner? In fact when some of the above topics are looked at more closely, hazardous and abusive drinking becomes more illogical and makes even less sense.

Wouldn’t you think that chronic alcohol abusers would be able to see some of the alcohol symptoms that they manifest? In a similar manner doesn’t it seem feasible to think that many more families would involve themselves in an alcohol intervention for the individual in the household who is an alcohol abuser or an alcoholic? What is more, wouldn’t you think that individuals who drink heavily would try to learn more about their drinking behavior by researching various alcohol related statistics?

After reviewing the alcoholism and alcohol abuse research literature, the point is so significant that it needs to be said again: With all of the damaging and disastrous outcomes that are directly or indirectly linked to continuous and repetitive alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency, why would any person want to engage in hazardous drinking?

What Can be Done About the Extensive Nature of Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse in the U.S.?

So what can be done about the pervasive nature of alcoholism and alcohol abuse in the U.S.?

1. Our students need more meaningful and more relevant preventative and educational methods and approaches so that more students at all grade levels, including those at college, are “reached.
2. With a similar line of reasoning, our students need to learn how to become problem solvers in life rather than getting easily drawn to the ”quick fix” and the “instant gratification” of an alcohol or drug abuse “buzz” or “high”.
3. People who are alcohol abusers or alcohol dependent need to look at themselves in the mirror and ask why they are not getting the professional alcohol rehab they require.
4. Society needs to get the message to more people about the destructive and debilitating consequences of unhealthy and excessive drinking.

There’s Room For Optimism if Those Who Engage in Unhealthy and Excessive Drinking Can Become Encouraged to Get the Alcohol Treatment They Require

There’s room for hope and optimism if people can start drinking in moderation and those who engage in repeated and continuous drinkingcan become encouraged to get the alcohol rehab they require. Indeed, why put your loved ones through turmoil, suffering and pain because of your abusive and excessive drinking when you have the power to control your life by drinking responsibly or even refraining from drinking if you cannot control your drinking behavior?

Alcohol consumption affects us in a number of ways and our social skills; After 1 or 2 drinks you may become more comfortable and more socialble as the alcohol gets to the brain and affects the way you think.
Alcohol misuse causes your heart rate to heighten and you may experience a warm glow. This is caused by alcohol making the tiny blood vessels in the skin widen, allowing blood to flow closer to the surface and lowers blood pressure.

Effects of Alcohol on your health

The dangers of drinking extreme amounts of alcohol can be dire. Effects of alcohol misuse on health include slowed breathing and heartbeat, loss of consciousness, impaired judgment leading to accidents and injuries, anxiety, suffocation through choking on your own vomit and potentially fatal alcohol poisoning. There are also many mental effects, inducing guilt, anger and even paranoia, for no real reason. Your words may slurr, often don’t recognise your surroundings and drinking too much alcohol can result in memory loss.

Drinking heavily also increases your calorie intake, which is why alcohol is a huge factor in adult obesity. There are 125 calories in a medium-sized (175ml) glass of wine and in a bottle there are over 500 calories. So thats about one quarter of your guidline daily calorie allowance!

The morning after – hangover unpleasantries

Alcohol abuse can cause you to get a hangover the next morning, often being unpleasant to experience. You may feel stomach ache, sometimes diarrhea, sickness and nausea, Drinking alcohol also has a dehydrating effect. Drinking alcohol can also make you feel upset, guilty

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If you drink over the guidline daily amounts regularly you are putting your health at risk. Consuming alcohol in large quantities increases blood pressure.

Alcohol consumption is frequently connected with mental health problems. It has been found that people enduring depression and anxiety were twice as likely to be alcoholics.

Big levels of drinking could occasionally cause ‘psychosis’, a harsh mental illness where they develop delusions of persecution. Consuming large amounts of alcohol may lead to isolation and depression.