ALCOHOLISM
Whenever I hangout with friends, I get asked “what brand do you drink?” and I reply with a grin, and order a cold bottle of soft drink or just a plain bottle of water. Now, this is no holier-than-thou post. Besides, soft drinks aren’t exactly healthy anyway. I just want to outline how common alcohol-drinking is. Well, I don’t even think I need to convince you about that.
ALCOHOLISM: WHAT IS IT?
Also called Alcohol Use Disorder, this condition refers to an addiction to alcohol intake to the extent that it causes both physical and psychological changes. Alcoholism is a state that you cannot control your desire to consume alcohol despite being conscious of its negative consequences.
HOW MUCH OF A PROBLEM DOES ALCOHOL CAUSE?
National Institutes of Health writes that in 2012, 3.3 million deaths, or 5.9 percent of all global deaths (7.6 percent for men and 4.0 percent for women), were attributable to alcohol consumption.
After you take a sip of alcohol, it takes 30 seconds for it to reach the brain after crossing a protective barrier known as the “Blood-Brain Barrier”. Alcohol could cause shrinking of the brain substance over time. It could also cause memory loss, poor concentration, poor sleep patterns, depression, aggression, less focus, etc.
Alcohol could also cause damage to the following organs:
- Liver
- Heart
- Pancreas
Whenever I am tempted to indulge in alcohol, I remember the many cons as against the few debatable pros of alcohol consumption.
RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE:
Recovering from alcoholism can be the hardest period of a person’s life. But with some hard work and will power, you can overcome it.
In a nutshell, the first thing you need is willpower. You need to see your doctor regularly so you don’t miss any chance to cope with this problem. Together you can make plans to treat it thoroughly.
It also helps to have good friends around you who can constantly remind you and help you reach your goals. Overcoming addiction to alcohol is a long bumpy road that could be exhausting as the journey to recovery is a roller-coaster ride. Full of fears, but at the end of the tunnel, the light shines bright. With the determination, you are already halfway out of it. I’ll leave you with this interesting quote:
Remember that we deal with alcohol—cunning, baffling, powerful!
alcoholics anonymous
Cheers!