Alcohol: The Enemy In The Bottle

Do you find yourself longing for the evening, only to grab a pint of beer or maybe down a few stiffs? Are you the first one to 'raise a toast to that' or propose a celebratory drink? Do you find these occasions where you decide to indulge yourself with just a couple of drinks cropping up a lot more frequently than they used to? If all of these situations sound distinctly familiar, then it's time to take a minute to seriously revaluate those drinking habits. For these are none but the precursors to the most pervasive addiction of the modern era Alcoholism.

The most widely known and accepted definition of alcoholism is the continued consumption of alcohol even after it impedes your social and personal interactions and causes a significant number of health issues. Simply put, if your friends and family have been talking about your drinking habit a lot more than they used to, or if you have been putting off that visit to the doctor, only because you don't want him to launch into a minute speculation about your drinking routine, you are well on your way to alcohol addiction.

The most common, and also the most grave, symptom of alcoholism, is when the individual fails to see the damage his addiction is causing himself, as well as those around him, even when the effects become apparent to those he interacts with. He is unable to comprehend the fact that his drinking habit is indeed doing him harm, and deludes himself with the reasoning that he is in control. And this is what leads him to start drinking secretly, and making up reasons to justify his drinking patterns, simply because he believes that he is being unnecessarily nagged, or even victimized.

The most prevalent causes of alcoholism are as physical as they are psychological. An individual who has a family history of alcoholism is genetically more susceptible to addiction. Also, if he is known to suffer from bouts of severe depression, or if his stress-coping mechanisms are poorly developed, he may recourse to alcohol to blot out his despair. Also, if you drink as a means to simply while away your time, you are already reeling on the verge of plunging into the deep, dark void that is alcoholism.

The ill-effects of long term abuse of alcohol are many. Alcohol directly impacts your liver, wherein you will find a significant loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain and sometimes even a fever. These are sure signs of Alcoholic Hepatitis or inflammation of the liver, which over time can deteriorate to yellowing of the skin or jaundice and finally cause irreversible scarring of the liver tissue, which is termed as Liver Cirrhosis. Alcohol can also aversely affect your stomach lining, thus interfering with the absorption of several essential nutrients, or even raise your blood pressure, eventually leading to heart failure or stroke. Alcohol abuse also causes several complications in the menstrual cycle for women and is one of the most common causes of erectile dysfunction in males. Excessive intake of alcohol has also been directly linked to an increased risk of cancer and several neurological maladies. Long term abuse also causes a number of social problems, which range from domestic abuse and violence to a marked decline in performance and productivity at the workplace.

The best way to deal with a reliance on alcohol is to come out in the open about your dependence. This could be either through consulting your physician to have him recommend the necessary treatment, and being honest with him about your consumption patterns. You will either be asked to cut down on your drinking or abstain completely, depending on how severely affected you are. If your counselor finds that your dependence on alcohol is rooted in other psychological problems like chronic depression, marital discord or work-related stress, you will be advised to undergo counseling for the same, in addition to your detoxification treatment. You may even be prescribed medication to help curtail your withdrawal symptoms and recommended group therapy, to help you deal with the process of de-addiction. However, the key factor which influences how effective your treatment will be your determination and resolve to stick to your decision. This may also warrant that you keep away from any social gatherings and people where you may find yourself being coerced or even tempted to relax your rules for 'one tiny drink'.

So, the next time you reach into the refrigerator for an ice cold beer or decide to head back to the bar for the second round of drinks take a minute to consider whether you really want to go that way. It's just a single step that leads you to cross the fine line between celebrating an event with a drink, and creating an event which will celebrate the drink. As they say, it's never too late to begin. So, take that first step to a healthy and fruitful journey down life's myriad lanes and let's not raise a toast to that!

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