the abuse of alcohol essay

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Effects of Alcohol Consumption on Various Systems of the Human Body: A Systematic Review

Jerin varghese.

1 Medical School, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences, Wardha, IND

Sarika Dakhode

2 Community Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences, Wardha, IND

Prolonged alcohol intake for many years has been known to cause serious ailments in human beings since time memorial. Even after knowing that this dangerous addiction paves the way to one’s own grave, there isn’t much difference in the way the community sees this deadly habit. Time and again history has proven that this fatal addiction could make the life of those who consume it terrible. Also, the lives of the dear ones of alcoholic people are affected as alcohol not only affects those who consume them but also kin and friends. Various research studies conducted over many years clearly show the association of prolonged alcohol intake in the causation, aggravation, worsening, and deterioration of the health of its consumers. Moreover, chronic alcohol intake single-handedly is one of the major etiological factors in various serious diseases.

Introduction and background

Through the ages, alcoholism has been undisputedly maintaining its position in the list of risk factors for preventable diseases in the world. According to a WHO report, 5.3% of all deaths that occurred worldwide in the year 2016 were because of harmful alcohol use [ 1 ]. It is the main culprit behind the advancing nature of many chronic diseases. It drastically increases the severity of diseases and also makes the treatments less effective. Alcohol not only affects the person physiologically, but it has many adverse effects psychologically and socially too. Also, the habit of alcoholism leads to huge expenses [ 2 ]. Apart from systemic involvement, which causes various clinical manifestations, there are certain signs and symptoms that are most of the times non-specific and that as such don’t point out or say lead to a particular diagnosis, such as nausea, agitation, vomiting, anxiety, diaphoresis, tremors, headache, visual hallucinations, tachycardia, seizures, delirium, temperature elevation, etc. It is not always necessary that these mentioned signs and symptoms are compulsorily linked with disease conditions.

Alcohol clearly plays a very important role in making many other diseases progress to their advanced stages. It has been also noted that alcohol intake and its related disorders are often associated with many other manifestations; for example, patients with alcoholic neuropathy often have associated nutritional deficiencies. Recent studies have clearly proved that alcoholism is associated with many types of cancers too and this understanding of alcoholism has spurred research minds all over the globe to find out the exact pathophysiology behind the same. Alcohol is a very easily available source of addiction, which is one of the main reasons why it remains a serious threat to the community. There is a huge variety that is available as far as alcoholic drinks are concerned. Alcohol is also one of the cheaply accessible means of addiction; this explains why alcoholism is so prevalent. A person may initially start consuming alcohol in very low amounts most probably with just a desire to try it, but once he or she gets addicted, then getting rid of the habit becomes extremely difficult. Even if a person is mentally resolute enough to quit alcoholism, his or her body, which has been modified because of the chronic use of alcohol, won’t be up to the challenge anytime soon; he or she has to overcome many hurdles put forward by the body, which could in an umbrella term be referred to as alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

There are many social stigmas associated with alcohol intake. Most people get into this addiction by getting inspired by the people whom they admire, like actors, celebrities, role models, etc. Also, exposure to the sight of family members, relatives and friends drinking alcohol has a huge impact on one’s mindset as he or she may take it to be something that is normal. In the long run, most of the time, even without their realization, people get pathetically trapped in this dangerous fatal habit of alcoholism, which eventually makes their lives pitiful in almost all aspects. Studies have shown that alcohol is also a key player in many other domains too like accidents, suicide, depression, hallucinations, violence, memory disturbances, etc.

The main purpose of this review article is to enable any person reading this article to get a comprehensive insight into the effects of alcohol on the various systems of the human body, and for the same, many recognized research articles published in numerous well-acknowledged journals across the globe are reviewed. The article is written using very basic and simple terminologies so that even a layperson who reads it would be able to understand it. For the easy acceptability and understanding of the reader, the discussion is written in such a way that almost every major system is reviewed one by one and the effect of alcohol on these systems put forward in very simple language. The strategies used for the establishment of this review article are summarised in Figure ​ Figure1; 1 ; these include considering research articles that have been published in journals with are indexed in reputed platforms, segregating articles according to the different systems, framing the review like a discussion section of an article where details are explained in simple and straight forward sentences, etc.

Impact of alcohol on the central nervous system (CNS)

Alcohol exerts various effects on our CNS in various ways, the common ones being depression of the CNS, destruction of the brain cells, contraction of the tissues of the brain, suppression of the excitatory nerve pathway activity, neuronal injury, etc [ 3 ]. Alcohol’s impact on the functioning of the brain ranges from mild and anxiolytic disinhibitory effects, motor incoordination, sedation, emesis, amnesia, hypnosis and ultimately unconsciousness [ 4 ]. The synaptic transmission is heavily disturbed and altered by ethanol, and the intrinsic excitability in various areas of the brain is also compromised. The effects of ethanol may be pre-synaptic, post-synaptic, and at times, non-synaptic too. Alcohol being a psychotropic depressant of the CNS exerts a deeply profound impact on the neurons, which alters the biological and behavioural well-being of the one who consumes it by the promotion of interference in various neuronal pathways [ 5 ]. The treatments of many disorders of the CNS are shown to be affected by the consumption of alcohol, and thus, it is generally advised to keep oneself away from alcohol if one is undergoing treatment for any CNS manifestations, like anxiety or mood disorders [ 6 ].

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is chronic in nature and is characterized by uncontrolled drinking and also a preoccupation with alcohol. The severity of AUD is a crucial factor in how it is going to affect the human body. AUD can be mild, moderate, or severe according to the symptoms a person experiences. The clinical manifestations of AUD include signs and symptoms such as inability to control the amount of alcohol intake, spending a lot of time drinking, feeling an uncontrollable craving for alcohol, loss of interest in social activities, failure to fulfil tasks within the time provided, etc. Most of the time, along with the person who consumes alcohol, several other factors are also to be taken care of in order to effectively manage alcohol-related health conditions. These factors can be social, environmental, genetic, psychological, etc, which make a considerable impact on how alcohol affects the behaviour and body of those consuming it. Binge drinking, i.e., drinking to such an extent on a single occasion that the blood alcohol concentration level becomes 0.08% or more, is a very relevant aspect of alcohol intake, which has to be dealt with, with utmost urgency. Certain research studies suggest that mild to moderate alcohol intake provides a certain sort of protection against a few CNS disorders like dementia, ischemia of neurons, etc, but this in no way should encourage the community in promoting alcohol intake as in reality, it is very difficult to remain within the limits of mild to moderate alcohol intake, and thus, eventually, people do end up as full-time severe alcohol abusers. Epilepsy, a seizure disorder caused by disturbed nerve cell activity in the brain, aggravates on excessive alcohol intake as alcohol increases the frequency of seizures in patients of epilepsy [ 7 ]. The issue becomes more severe in those epileptic patients who have refractory forms of epilepsy. As far as comorbidities are concerned, a valid history of abuse of substances or alcohol dependence is believed to be strongly associated with a high risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) [ 8 ]. Heavy alcohol drinking over a long period of time has been found to have an intensely negative undesirable effect on the autonomic nervous system too.

Impact of alcohol on the cardiovascular system (CVS)

Chronic alcohol intake is undoubtedly a very important risk factor as far as cardiovascular diseases are concerned and several clinical trials do point out this fact. The results of several research studies conducted in various settings clearly indicate that increased intake of alcohol has increased adverse effects on our heart and its vasculature. Alcohol exerts its action on the cardiovascular system both directly and indirectly. Blood pressure, a very vital player in the domain of cardiovascular diseases, is in turn itself affected by increased alcohol consumption. Blood pressure gets increased on regular consumption of alcohol in a manner which is dose-dependent, which in turn increases the risk of hypertension and eventually leads to various cardiovascular complications. How exactly alcohol causes hypertension is still unclear with many pathophysiological theories out there. Atrial fibrillation, one of the most common causes of arrhythmia, is associated with the high-volume chronic intake of alcohol and above 14 g alcohol/day, the relative risk dramatically increases by 10% for each extra standard drink (14 g ethanol) [ 9 ].

Cerebrovascular accidents are increased to a great extent at almost all levels of alcohol intake [ 10 ]. Alcohol intake leads to both acute (depresses the cardiac function and also alters the blood flow of the involved region) and chronic cardiovascular manifestations [ 11 ]. Alcohol abuse along with other associated factors is one of the leading causes of secondary cardiomyopathy [ 12 ]. Cardiac arrhythmias get precipitated by alcohol consumption, be it acute or chronic. Heavy alcohol drinking is shown to impact the cardiovascular system in many ways, one of the most important among them being rebound hypertension [ 13 ]. Apart from congenital disorders of the cardiovascular system, it indeed is a very well-evident fact, which could be understood from the history of most of the patients diagnosed with cardiovascular disorders, that they used to consume a lot of alcohol for many years.

Impact of alcohol on the digestive system

Chronic alcoholism is found to have a very strong relationship with both acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis. Chronic alcohol intake impairs the repair ability of the structures of the exocrine pancreas, thereby leading to pancreatic dysfunctioning [ 14 ]. Most of the patients diagnosed with pancreatitis have a strong history of chronic intake of alcohol. Liver diseases related to alcohol intake are known to humankind from the very beginning and probably are one of the oldest known forms of injury to the liver [ 15 ]. In liver diseases linked with alcohol, liver cirrhosis is a major concern. Statistics show that liver cirrhosis is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide and this in itself indicates the severity of the same [ 16 ]. The changing lifestyle and also many people turning to prolonged alcohol intake for many years are contributing to the increased number of liver cirrhosis patients in the modern world. In liver cirrhosis patients, there occurs an increased severity of fibrosis due to the loss of parenchyma and fibrous scar proliferation [ 17 ]. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is an umbrella term which incorporates a wide range of injuries of the liver, spanning from simple steatosis to cirrhosis, and this also includes alcohol-related fatty liver disease (AFLD) and also alcoholic hepatitis [ 18 ]. Advancements in the diagnostic modalities have helped to diagnose ALD at an early phase and there is no doubt that newer and better investigations that have helped to detect more cases have led to a surge in the number of ALD patients on whole. Alcohol intake has a prominently bigger impact on the mortality of liver cirrhosis when compared with the morbidity [ 19 ]. A systemic review and meta-analysis suggests that women might be at a higher risk as far as developing liver cirrhosis is concerned even with little consumption of alcohol, as compared to men [ 20 ].

Impact of alcohol on the causation of cancer

Alcohol has much to do with cancers too and continuous research studies are conducted in order to find out the relationship between the two in detail. In a meta-analysis, it was found that women consuming alcohol had a later menopause onset, which is found to be associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk and also all-cause mortality, but unfortunately, the happiness of this advantage gets compromised by the ironic fact that it has an increased risk of cancer (including ovarian and breast cancers) [ 21 , 22 ]. Large cohort studies, many meta-analyses, experimental research studies, etc are suggestive of the fact that the chronic intake of alcohol clearly increases colon and gastric cancer risk [ 23 ]. A causal association is also found between alcohol intake and cancers of the rectum, colon, liver, oesophagus, larynx, pharynx and oral cavity [ 24 ]. There are various theories put forward so as to understand the role of the consumption of alcohol in the development of cancer; there is suspicion that the rise in the number of alcohol users worldwide may be one of the reasons why the number of cancer patients is increasing at a global level. Chronic intake of alcohol may promote the genesis of cancer in many ways, some of the most notable ones being acetaldehyde (weak mutagen and carcinogen) production, cytochrome P450 2E1 induction associated oxidative stress, S-adenosylmethionine depletion/ which leads to global DNA hypomethylation induction, iron induction associated oxidative stress, retinoic acid metabolism impairment, etc [ 25 ].

Impact of alcohol on other systems

Apart from the systemic manifestations which do affect a particular system of the body, there are various disorders in which alcohol indirectly provides its crucial contribution. It is a common finding that one could perceive that alcohol is most of the time in the list of risk factors for various diseases. Alcohol has been found to adversely affect our immune system and the matter of concern as far as this issue is concerned is that immune responses are influenced by even moderate amounts of alcohol intake [ 26 ]. Alcohol affects innate immunity and also interferes with almost all the various aspects of the adaptive immune response. Alcohol is a key player in impairing anti-inflammatory cytokines and also promotes proinflammatory immune responses. The gastrointestinal biome is severely manipulated by the use of alcohol over a long period of time, which in turn is found to have a link with the establishment of various complications [ 27 ]. Alcohol and its metabolites are found to promote inflammation in the intestines and they do so through varied pathways [ 28 ]. Alcohol being a teratogen is documented to cause abnormalities of the brain, limbs, etc [ 29 ]. Multiple studies have been conducted across the globe to understand the effect of alcohol on humans; implications from certain such studies are put forth in Table ​ Table1 1 . 

Conclusions

Alcohol seldom leaves any system untouched as far as leaving its impression is concerned, spanning from single tissue involvement to complex organ system manifestations. Almost all the major organs that make up a human’s physiological being are dramatically affected by the overconsumption of alcohol. There is an enormous overall economic cost that is paid for alcohol abuse all over the world.

The content published in Cureus is the result of clinical experience and/or research by independent individuals or organizations. Cureus is not responsible for the scientific accuracy or reliability of data or conclusions published herein. All content published within Cureus is intended only for educational, research and reference purposes. Additionally, articles published within Cureus should not be deemed a suitable substitute for the advice of a qualified health care professional. Do not disregard or avoid professional medical advice due to content published within Cureus.

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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103 Alcohol Abuse Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

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Alcohol Abuse Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Alcohol abuse is a prevalent issue that affects individuals, families, and communities worldwide. Writing an essay on this topic can help raise awareness about the consequences of alcohol abuse and encourage discussions on prevention and treatment strategies. Here are 103 alcohol abuse essay topic ideas and examples to inspire your writing:

• The impact of alcohol abuse on physical health.
• Exploring the psychological effects of alcohol abuse.
• The correlation between alcohol abuse and domestic violence.
• The role of genetics in alcohol addiction.
• Alcohol abuse among college students: causes and prevention.
• The effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on fetal development.
• Alcohol abuse among teenagers: risk factors and prevention strategies.
• The relationship between alcohol abuse and mental health disorders.
• Alcohol abuse and its impact on academic performance.
• The societal and economic costs of alcohol abuse.
• Exploring the link between alcohol abuse and sexual assault.
• Alcohol abuse and its connection to liver disease.
• The role of advertising in promoting alcohol consumption.
• Alcohol abuse and its consequences on the workplace.
• The influence of peer pressure on alcohol abuse among adolescents.
• Is alcoholism a disease or a choice?
• The effects of alcohol abuse on memory and cognitive functioning.
• Alcohol abuse in the LGBTQ+ community: prevalence and challenges.
• The role of parenting in preventing alcohol abuse among adolescents.
• The impact of alcohol abuse on relationships and family dynamics.
• The representation of alcohol abuse in literature and media.
• Alcohol abuse and its effects on the immune system.
• Alcohol abuse and the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
• The role of law enforcement in preventing alcohol-related crimes.
• Alcohol abuse and its connection to prescription drug misuse.
• Exploring cultural differences in alcohol abuse patterns.
• The impact of alcohol abuse on college campus safety.
• Alcohol abuse and the risk of developing cancer.
• Alcohol abuse and its impact on sleep quality.
• The role of social media in promoting alcohol consumption.
• Alcohol abuse among older adults: causes and interventions.
• The effectiveness of treatment programs for alcohol addiction.
• Alcohol abuse and its connection to homelessness.
• The role of alcohol abuse in motor vehicle accidents.
• Alcohol abuse and its impact on the developing brain.
• The relationship between alcohol abuse and suicide rates.
• Alcohol abuse and its effects on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
• The role of alcohol abuse in the development of eating disorders.
• Alcohol abuse and its impact on memory formation and retrieval.
• The use of medication-assisted treatment for alcohol addiction.
• Alcohol abuse and its connection to child neglect and abuse.
• The impact of alcohol advertising on underage drinking.
• Alcohol abuse and the risk of developing liver cirrhosis.
• The role of education in preventing alcohol abuse.
• Alcohol abuse among military personnel: causes and interventions.
• Alcohol abuse and its effects on driving performance.
• The connection between alcohol abuse and gambling addiction.
• Alcohol abuse and its impact on college retention rates.
• The role of alcohol abuse in the spread of sexually transmitted infections.
• Alcohol abuse and its effects on the developing fetus.
• The influence of family history on the development of alcohol addiction.
• Alcohol abuse and its connection to mental health stigma.
• The effectiveness of brief interventions for alcohol abuse.
• Alcohol abuse and the risk of developing pancreatitis.
• The role of alcohol abuse in the progression of HIV/AIDS.
• Alcohol abuse and its impact on the immune response to vaccines.
• The connection between alcohol abuse and intimate partner violence.
• Alcohol abuse and its effects on decision-making processes.
• The effectiveness of school-based prevention programs for alcohol abuse.
• Alcohol abuse among healthcare professionals: challenges and solutions.
• The role of alcohol abuse in the development of fetal alcohol syndrome.
• Alcohol abuse and its connection to substance use disorders.
• The impact of globalization on alcohol consumption patterns.
• Alcohol abuse and its effects on the teenage brain.
• The role of community support in alcohol addiction recovery.
• Alcohol abuse and its connection to child development delays.
• The influence of alcohol abuse on sexual risk-taking behaviors.
• Alcohol abuse and its impact on the immune response to infections.
• The connection between alcohol abuse and homelessness.
• Alcohol abuse and its effects on emotional regulation.
• The role of spirituality in alcohol addiction recovery.
• Alcohol abuse and its connection to adolescent delinquency.
• The impact of alcohol abuse on academic achievement.
• Alcohol abuse and the risk of developing neurological disorders.
• The effectiveness of harm reduction strategies for alcohol addiction.
• Alcohol abuse and its effects on executive functioning.
• The role of cultural norms in alcohol abuse patterns.
• Alcohol abuse among first responders: causes and interventions.
• Alcohol abuse and its connection to self-harm behaviors.
• The impact of alcohol abuse on the gut microbiota.
• Alcohol abuse and its effects on attention and concentration.
• The connection between alcohol abuse and food insecurity.
• Alcohol abuse and its impact on the endocrine system.
• The role of trauma in the development of alcohol addiction.
• Alcohol abuse and its connection to adolescent mental health disorders.
• The effectiveness of peer support groups for alcohol addiction recovery.
• Alcohol abuse and the risk of developing respiratory diseases.
• The impact of alcohol abuse on creativity and artistic expression.
• Alcohol abuse and its effects on social cognition.
• The role of public health campaigns in preventing alcohol abuse.
• Alcohol abuse and its connection to child maltreatment.
• The influence of alcohol abuse on academic motivation.
• Alcohol abuse and its impact on the cardiovascular system.
• The connection between alcohol abuse and eating disorder recovery.
• Alcohol abuse and its effects on sensory perception.
• The role of cultural identity in alcohol addiction recovery.
• Alcohol abuse and its connection to adolescent substance use.
• The impact of alcohol abuse on the immune response to vaccines.
• Alcohol abuse and the risk of developing kidney disease.
• The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for alcohol addiction.
• Alcohol abuse and its effects on spatial cognition.
• The connection between alcohol abuse and social isolation.
• Alcohol abuse and its impact on the neurobiology of addiction.

These essay topic ideas provide a broad range of perspectives on alcohol abuse, enabling you to choose a topic that aligns with your interests and academic goals. Remember to conduct thorough research and support your arguments with credible sources for a compelling and thought-provoking essay.

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It is a well-known fact that alcohol abuse is a serious disease associated with intense drinking of alcoholic beverages and neglecting its negative consequences. Very often alcohol abuse is described as something like an alcoholic dependence, but there is a definite difference between these two forms of addiction. The difference is that alcohol abuse doesn’t have such symptoms as withdrawal (getting physical symptoms after not drinking for a short period of time) and tolerance (having to drink increasing amounts to achieve previous effect). Although it is much easier to treat alcohol abuse than alcohol dependence, it is still a huge problem. In this paper I want to argue that the seriousness of alcohol abuse and its consequences mustn’t be overlooked in any case. Many people may claim that alcohol can have a lot of positive effects on one’s health and mental well-being, but what I want to underline is that there is a very thin crossing border between drinking to one’s good and over consuming alcohol. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Analysis states that each year more than 100,000 deaths in the United States of America are caused by the excessive alcohol consumption. Alcohol is also a cause of thousands of innocent deaths each years, it is one of the major reasons for domestic violence and violent crimes.

There are a lot of different causes of alcohol abuse, but the most common among them are: 1) peers pressure – it is considered to be somewhat fashionable and common to drink alcohol, especially among teenagers and college students; 2) biological predisposition – those people who had alcoholics in their families are at the higher risk for abusing alcohol than those who don’t have a family history of such an addiction; 3) stressful situations or great life challenges – many people start drinking alcohol in excess in order to cope with all the problems and to get through all the challenges that they’re facing in their lives.  As Saisan reports very often people start drinking to mask their depression, grief, anxiety or loneliness, or drinking may become the only way for them to feel comfortable and relaxed, and to feel themselves connected to other people.  Another negative aspect of drinking alcohol is that many societies and cultures dictate it in one way or another. For example, in many countries it is natural to drink beer or wine during meals, different kinds of celebrations can’t be seen without alcohol beverages and cocktails, and in many businesses entertaining clients with alcohol after a working day is considered to be a norm.

The most dangerous thing is that people continue to consume alcohol in excess despite knowing all the social, personal and legal problems that alcohol abuse is causing them. Many people argue that a flute of champagne or glass of a red wine can make one’s heart stronger and may boost one’s memory, so there is nothing wrong in drinking alcohol time after time. But the problem is that such ‘time after time’ may turn into every night or everyday alcohol consumption. Another for-alcohol aspect is that some experts and doctors state that alcohol consumption may help to burn calories. Whatever food items a person eats alcohol will break it down. Moderate drinking also raises HDL (good) cholesterol and lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol, decreases blood pressure, improves body’s sensitivity to insulin, which cuts the risk of type 2 diabetes. However, what people should remember is such a case is that drinking must be moderate in order to have positive effects on one’s health. Moderate drinking is defined as one or two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women and those over 65. A drink is a 12-ounce bottle or can of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.

But what people do forget is that eventually untreated alcohol abuse leads to alcohol dependence which is much more difficult to cure. According to the Institute of Alcohol Studies, a person is considered to be dependent on alcohol when one have experienced three or more of the following symptoms during a year.

• A strong urge to drink, difficulty controlling how much they drink, or difficulty stopping.
• Physical withdrawal symptoms, such as sweating, shaking, agitation and nausea when they try to reduce drinking.
• A growing tolerance to alcohol – needing larger quantities to get the same effect.
• Gradual neglect of other activities.
• Persistent drinking even though it is obviously causing harm.

During different periods of their lifecycles all people can be in the risk zone of starting abusing alcohol, but still there are several groups of people who are more likely than others to have problems with alcohol. 1) Teenagers and young adults – approximately one-half of all high school seniors in the USA admit to having used alcohol. 2) Adults older than 65 – many people of this age use alcohol as a way of self-medication in order to cope with sleep problems and depression. 3) Low-income population – alcohol abuse is a problem for many minorities, homeless and disabled adults.  According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism one in three people will become hooked on alcohol at some point in their lives, and only one-quarter of people with a problem will get treated. So what’s the point to get yourself in the risk of abusing alcohol by saying to oneself that it will happen to somebody else, but not me?

Another point that people, especially women, like to use in order to justify their sometimes excessive consumption of alcohol is that it lowers cancer risks. For example, it is stated by doctors that women who don’t drink at all have higher risks for certain diseases, for example breast cancer. But Rimm (2007) says that if one wants to lower risks of getting cancer one should better ditch cigarettes, eat more fruits and vegetables, avoid too much sun exposure, keep weight under control, get regular exercises, than simply add an extra bottle of wine to one’s everyday menu.

Alcohol abuse has negative consequences for single individuals as well as for the society in general. The main negative aspect of alcohol abuse is first of all health problems that it causes. There is a number of both long-term and short-term effects of alcohol on the organism of a person. Short-term problems are easier to treat, but eventually they may turn into much more serious diseases. As alcohol is a depressant of the central nervous system its excessive consumption may lead to a loss of inhibition. It also results in the loss of balance, blurred vision, vomiting, slurred speech and nausea. National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism also provides information that drinking too much alcohol at one time may result in unconsciousness, coma and even death. Long-term effects include:

• high blood pressure that can lead to stroke;
• hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver;
• heart failure;
• damage to the brain;
• neurological problems such as epilepsy;
• other neurological problems, such as confusion, numbness and problems with memory;
• birth defects;
• gastritis (inflammation to the stomach lining) and pancreatitis (inflammation to the pancreas);
• different types of cancer, including mouth, lung and throat.

Alcohol abuse can also cause muscle disease, infertility, sexual and skin problems; erectile dysfunction. Excessive drinking also leads to a number of psychological problems. Although in short-term alcohol may help people to relax, in a long run it can lead to increase of anxiety and eventually to depression. It also causes sleeping problems, mood-swings and may lead to suicides.

But even more disastrous are the ways in which alcohol abuse affects families and family lives. It is stated by psychologists and sociologists that very often alcohol abuse results in the child abuse and neglect. “The abuser may neglect a child’s basic needs due to drinking.  Lack of impulse control can lead to increased physical and emotional abuse” (Saisan). Alcohol abuse of one of the family members causes huge emotional and psychological stress to other members of the family. Especially sensitive in this case are children, who may not understand what is happening with their parents, or who may come to the conclusion that drinking too much is a norm of living. Drinking in excess also leads to the increased domestic violence, greater number of injuries and deaths at homes.  Another major issue is alcohol and pregnancy. Women who drink heavily during pregnancy are at risk of having babies with a condition called fetal alcohol syndrome. This can result in growth deficiencies, nervous system problems, lowered intelligence, and facial abnormalities in the child (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism).

Another important aspect of alcohol abuse is that it can eventually lead to the loss of one’s job. Person who suffers from alcohol addiction may not only have problems with meeting job requirements and deadlines, but one may cause serious hazards for others, especially if one’s job is connected with servicing people. For example, Leigh found in his research that heavy beer use is strongly correlated with the fatality rates within occupations and industries (20). But drinking among workers not only threatens public safety, it also results in costly medical, social and other problems both for the employees and for the employers. Problems with jobs cause even greater stress for the family. Other family members may find themselves in the situation when they have to work more in order to make financial ends meet.

The most frightening thing is that alcohol abuse doesn’t only affect single individuals and families, but it is a major threat for the American nation and society as a whole. Problems with alcohol in the USA start from drinking alcohol as a way of entertainment among teenagers and college students, it leads to the increase of deaths from the impaired drivers, and the ultimate result is the general degradation of the American nation. Studies showed that many male college students drink in order to feel themselves “macho” and female college students drink in order to feel equal to men. The consequences of drinking among college students include missing classes, not studying for the test, failing courses, altercations with other people. But the most serious issue in this case is that many college students drive cars while being under the influence of alcohol.  It was found that alcohol kills 6 ½ times more youth than all other illicit drugs combined. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that about 45% of all the traffic crashes are due to the excess alcohol consumption. And all this leads to the general degradation of our population. For many people (especially for youth) to go to the party or club and get drunk is more interesting and exiting than to go to some kind of a gallery, performance, or simply to watch a movie or read a book. Eventually alcohol abuse leads to the increased dropout rates, to the inability of students to find a job after college or school graduation, or to poor job performance if they will manage to obtain a job. Another aspect is that students who abuse alcohol are in the great risk of being involved in all sorts of crimes and high risk sexual behaviors. In such a way the amount of single mothers and abandoned children increases as well.

Many people in the USA and all over the world fight for the general prohibition of alcohol consumption but I don’t think that it is a good solution to the problem of alcohol abuse. First of all, because many people do drink reasonably and good alcohol adds certain level of pleasure to their lives, and therefore it is not right to punish the majority for the actions of minority. And secondly, total prohibition of alcohol consumption will lead to the increased desire to drink as it was observed in the USA in the 1920s – 1930s. Plus alcohol prohibition may encourage people to experiment with other drugs that may be much more dangerous than alcohol. The solution that I can propose in such a situation is to increase the awareness of the population not only about the negative consequences of alcoholism, but of alcohol abuse as well. People should come to the understanding of the true meaning of moderate drinking. Another way to decrease alcohol consumption rates is to punish people more severely for all the illegal actions done under the influence of alcohol.

So once again the point that I wanted to make in this argumentative essay is that alcohol abuse is indeed a serious problem and it mustn’t be underestimated in any case, because it can lead to even a greater problem – alcohol dependence. Many people find a lot of for-drinking arguments, covering excessive alcohol consumption by such reasons as improving health, relaxing and lowering risks of getting certain types of diseases, but in any case people should remember that eventually alcohol abuse may turn into an alcoholism, which is a chronic and progressive disease, and it may become fatal in not treated in time. The main issue of excessive drinking is that in doesn’t only cause problems to individuals, but it as well affects their families, friends, colleagues, employers, and it threatens the well-being of those people who simply surround them. Eventually alcohol abuse affects the American nation as a whole, making it weaker, less productive and culturally degraded.

Leigh, Paul J. “Alcohol Abuse and Job Hazards.” Journal of Safety Research 27.1 (1996): 17-32.

Saisan, Joanna, & Cutter, Deborah, & Segal, Jeanne. “Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.” Helpguide. Jan. 2009. 5 Apr. 2009.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). “Alcohol Alert: Underage Drinking – A Major Public Health Challenge”, Alcohol Alert #59. Apr. 2003.

Heath, Dwight B., and Hanson, David J. “The misguided prohibition that governs U.S. colleges.” The Chronicle of Higher Education 47.48 (2001): B14.

Formichelli, L. “The Health Pros and Cons of Drinking”. CNN Health. 4 Dec. 2007. 18 Apr. 2009. http://edition.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/12/04/healthmag.alcohol/index.html

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Alcohol Awareness Month: Raising Awareness about the Dangers of Alcohol Use Among Teens

March 27, 2024

April is Alcohol Awareness Month, an opportunity to update your knowledge about the adverse effects of alcohol misuse on health and society. It is also a good time to talk to teens about drinking and to equip them with the knowledge to handle situations involving alcohol. Even teens who would not normally be tempted to drink alcohol may be drawn in by certain social situations, so don’t assume they have all the facts they need to resist peer pressure. Parents and trusted adults can play a meaningful role in shaping youth’s attitudes toward drinking.

Alcohol-related problems continue to take a heavy toll on individuals, families, and communities. Researchers estimate that each year there are more than 178,000 alcohol-related deaths, making alcohol a leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Alcohol is a significant factor in the deaths of people younger than age 21 in the United States. This includes deaths from motor vehicle crashes, homicides, alcohol overdoses, falls, burns, drownings, and suicides. Research indicates that alcohol misuse during the teenage years can interfere with normal adolescent brain development. Alcohol use during adolescence also significantly increases the risk of developing alcohol use disorder later in life, and the earlier a teen starts, the higher the risk. In addition, more than 200 disease and injury-related conditions are associated with alcohol misuse.

Here are some resources from NIAAA to inform teens and their parents—as well as people such as educators, coaches, and faith group leaders who work with teens—about the detrimental health effects of underage alcohol use:

• Facts About Teen Drinking : Designed for teens, this website contains in-depth information about how alcohol affects health, how to identify signs of an alcohol problem, and how to get help.
• NIAAA for Middle School : This website contains interactive activities to help parents, caregivers, and teachers introduce and reinforce key messages about peer pressure, resistance skills, and other important topics related to underage drinking.
• Alcohol and Your Brain: A Virtual Reality Experience : This educational experience shares age-appropriate messages through engaging visuals, informative billboards, and narration.
• Kahoot! quiz about underage drinking : This quiz can be taken at home or in the classroom to help teens gain a better understanding of underage drinking. Topics covered in the quiz are negative health consequences associated with drinking, signs of an alcohol problem, and how to find support.

More NIAAA resources about drinking during adolescence are available on our underage drinking landing page , including resources for talking to kids about alcohol. Parents and other adults can make a difference in helping teens make the right decisions when it comes to alcohol and preventing underage drinking. Having conversations with them about alcohol is a strong start. Another strong start is to understand your key function as a role model when it comes to alcohol. Adolescents are less likely to drink heavily when the adults in their life demonstrate responsible behavior regarding their own alcohol use and when they live in homes where parents/guardians have specific rules against drinking at a young age.

In addition, for adults, the Rethinking Drinking website features interactive calculators as well as tips and strategies to cut down or quit drinking. The Alcohol Treatment Navigator walks individuals through the process of finding treatment options and recovery resources. Whether you are seeking more information about what alcohol use disorder is, are thinking about cutting back on alcohol, are a parent looking for information about how to talk to your child about alcohol, or a health care professional looking for how to help patients with alcohol-related problems, NIAAA can help.

Best wishes, George F. Koob, Ph.D. NIAAA Director

Need Help for an Alcohol Problem?

If you’re having an emergency, call 911. If you are having suicidal thoughts, call 911, go to the nearest emergency room or call the toll-free, 24-hour  National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to help you through this difficult time.

The  NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator  can help you recognize and find high quality treatment for alcohol use disorder. If you drink excessively, seek medical help to plan a safe recovery as sudden abstinence can be life threatening. NIAAA’s  Rethinking Drinking  can help you assess your drinking habits and provides information to help you cut back or stop drinking.

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Alcohol Awareness Month

April is Alcohol Awareness Month—a time to raise awareness and understanding of alcohol use and misuse. It offers communities a chance to gain more understanding of how individuals struggle with alcohol use and offers resources and support.

Social Media Toolkit

Post Copy Option 1 - All Platforms: April is #AlcoholAwarenessMonth—a time to raise awareness of alcohol use & misuse. Find helpful resources on alcohol use & misuse prevention, treatment & recovery support services that you & your community can use to support those who may be struggling: samhsa.gov/find-help/atod/alcohol

Post Copy Option 2 - All Platforms:  Do you have concerns about the health, wellness, and well-being of yourself, your child, or someone you care about? Find support with Screen4Success—a quick and easy way to identify areas where someone may benefit from more support: samhsa.gov/talk-they-hear-you/screen4success #AlcoholAwarenessMonth

Post Copy Option 3 - All Platforms:  Prevention works. Get the tools and resources to help start the conversations with youth about the importance of alcohol avoidance and other healthy lifestyle choices. Get started with SAMHSA's “Talk. They Hear You.” samhsa.gov/talk-they-hear-you #AlcoholAwarenessMonth

Post Copy Option 4 - All Platforms:  This #AlcoholAwarenessMonth, and every month, download free evidence-based resources on alcohol use and misuse prevention, treatment, and recovery support services from the SAMHSA store: store.samhsa.gov/?f%5B0%5D=substances%3A1081

Post Copy Option 5 - All Platforms:  #AlcoholAwarenessMonth is an important opportunity to highlight the positive impact of the effectiveness of underage drinking prevention. Get the latest research and resources to support underage drinking prevention and related issues at stopalcoholabuse.gov

Post Copy Option 6 - All Platforms:  #DYK: Alcohol is the most prevalent substance involved in substance-related emergency department visits. Learn more this #AlcoholAwarenessMonth in SAMHSA's newly released Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) report: store.samhsa.gov/product/dawn-alcohol-related-short-report/pep24-07-019

Post Copy Option 7 - All Platforms:  SAMHSA’s recently released Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) short-report offers important statistics about the role of alcohol in emergency department visits. Learn more this #AlcoholAwarenessMonth: https://store.samhsa.gov/product/dawn-alcohol-related-short-report/pep24-07-019

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Treatment and Support

Post Copy Option 1 - All Platforms:  Treatment for alcohol use varies based on a person’s needs. But there are many choices today that make #recovery possible. Visit samhsa.gov/find-help if you or someone you know is looking for help for alcohol use or misuse. #AlcoholAwarenessMonth

Post Copy Option 2 - All Platforms:  It is possible to live a healthy and productive life. If you or someone you know is looking for help related to alcohol use or misuse, free and confidential support is available at samhsa.gov/find-help #RecoveryIsPossible #AlcoholAwarenessMonth

Post Copy Option 3 - All Platforms:  Spread the word this #AlcoholAwarenessMonth 📢 Prevention works. Treatment is effective. #RecoveryIsPossible for everyone. If you or someone you know needs support for alcohol use or misuse, help is available at samhsa.gov/find-help

Post Copy Option 4 - All Platforms:  The FDA has approved medications to treat alcohol use disorder at different stages of an individual's recovery. Whether someone has stopped drinking or not, treatment medications may be available. Learn more: samhsa.gov/medications-substance-use-disorders/medications-counseling-related-conditions #AlcoholAwarenessMonth

Post Copy Option 5 - All Platforms:  This #AlcoholAwarenessMonth, learn about different FDA-approved medications to treat alcohol use disorder at different stages of recovery: samhsa.gov/medications-substance-use-disorders/medications-counseling-related-conditions #RecoveryIsPossible

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Check Your Alcohol Use

Post Copy Option 1 - All Platforms:  The use and misuse of alcohol affects the health and well-being of millions of Americans. Use these tips to help check your alcohol use. For more information or to get help, visit samhsa.gov/find-help/atod/alcohol #AlcoholAwarenessMonth

Post Copy Option 2 - All Platforms:  Do you know what is considered a standard drink? 12 oz of beer; 8 oz of malt liquor; 5 oz of wine; 1.5 oz of distilled spirits or liquor are considered standard drinks. Learn more about alcohol use this #AlcoholAwarenessMonth: samhsa.gov/find-help/atod/alcohol

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Signs of Drinking

Post Copy - All Platforms: Do you know the signs of drinking too much? These are some of the signs that may mean someone is drinking too much. If you’re concerned that you or a friend may be struggling, there are resources available to help: samhsa.gov/find-help/atod/alcohol #AlcoholAwarenessMonth

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More than one alcoholic drink a day raises heart disease risk for women

Young to middle-aged women who drink more than one alcoholic beverage a day, on average, were more likely to develop coronary heart disease than people who drink less, according to new research by Kaiser Permanente Northern California.

Women in the study who reported drinking eight or more alcoholic beverages per week were 33 to 51 percent more likely to develop coronary heart disease. And women who binge drink — three alcoholic beverages per day — were 68 percent more likely to develop coronary heart disease than those who drink in moderation, the research showed.

“There has been an increasing prevalence of alcohol use among young and middle-aged women as women may feel they’re protected against heart disease until they’re older, but this study shows that even in that age group, women who drink more than the recommended amount of one drink per day or tend to binge drink, are at risk for coronary heart disease,” Jamal Rana , a cardiologist with the Permanente Medical Group and the study’s lead author, wrote in an email.

The study will be presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session in early April. It was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Risk is highest for binge drinking

The study used data from 432,265 adults, ages 18 to 65, who received care in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California integrated health organization. The group was composed of about 243,000 men and 189,000 women who filled out routine assessments between 2014 and 2015 in which they reported their alcohol intake. Researchers then looked at the coronary heart disease diagnoses among participants over the four years that followed.

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Participants were divided into three groups, according to their alcohol intake: low (one to two drinks per week), moderate (three to 14 drinks per week for men and three to seven drinks per week for women), or high (15 or more drinks per week for men and eight or more drinks per week for women).

Participants were also categorized as either engaging in binge drinking or not, with binge drinking being defined for men as having more than four drinks in a single day and for women as having more than three drinks a day, in the prior three months. Those who reported no alcohol use were not included.

During the four-year follow-up period, 3,108 participants were diagnosed with coronary heart disease. Higher levels of alcohol consumption were associated with a higher incidence of coronary heart disease. Both men and women who reported heavy episodic drinking, or binge drinking, had the highest risk.

The link between alcohol and coronary heart disease proved to be especially strong among women, the data showed.

Coronary heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease, is the most common type of heart disease in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . The disease develops when the arteries of the heart are unable to deliver enough oxygen-rich blood to the heart because of plaque buildup.

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of American women , according to the CDC. Symptoms differ, and often there are none until people suffer from a heart attack or other problem, a NIH report said.

“There has long been this idea that alcohol is good for the heart, but more and more evidence is challenging that notion,” Rana wrote.

Alcohol is a risk factor for many health issues

Alcohol is actually a toxin to the heart, said Nieca Goldberg , a clinical associate professor of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and medical director of Atria New York City. Alcohol raises blood pressure , increases the risk for heart rhythm problems, especially during times of binge drinking, is associated with an enlarged heart and is a toxin to the heart muscle , she said.

“I think this is an important study to do because for a while, people thought that alcohol was protective against the heart because of earlier studies that were done in the past. But in fact, we don’t prescribe alcohol to fight heart disease,” she said.

Alcohol use is rising among women

The link between alcohol and heart disease for women is cause for concern, given that alcohol use among women is on the rise. While men used to drink more, studies over the past several years show that gap is closing.

Approximately 13 percent of adult women report binge drinking , with 25 percent of those women saying they do so at least weekly, on average, and 25 percent saying they consume at least six drinks during a binge drinking occasion, according to the CDC. A study in July in JAMA Network Open showed the number of alcohol-related deaths among women was rising at a faster rate than those among men, particularly for people 65 and older.

“I think this raises an important issue, because oftentimes, we think of heavy drinkers as men only. But we have to have heightened awareness that women may be heavy alcohol drinkers,” Goldberg said.

Occasional binge drinking can affect heart health

But it wasn’t just heavy drinkers who were affected, said Mary Ann McLaughlin , cardiologist at the Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital. The study is interesting because it showed that even occasional drinking, if it reaches the level of binge drinking, can affect heart health, she said.

There are those who thought just drinking on the weekends was not a big deal, because they weren’t drinking every day, she said. “But the fact is, if they have more than four drinks as a woman or more than five drinks as a man on one day, in the past three months, they were at increased risk,” McLaughlin said.

Women are more adversely affected by alcohol

It is not a surprise that alcohol poses a higher risk for women than men when it comes to heart health, said C. Noel Bairey Merz , director of the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai.

Women are more adversely affected than men by a lot of things such as cigarettes and pharmaceuticals and a bottle of beer or a glass of wine, where the dosage for men and women is the same and yet women are smaller, she said, referring to women being physically smaller, on average. Women also metabolize differently, their blood pressure is different, their liver function is different, they even deposit fat differently, Merz said.

“Women and men are built differently,” she said, noting she wasn’t even referring to the obvious reproductive differences. “It could be that in addition to body surface area … there are just pure biological differences in how the alcohol is metabolized.”

It’s possible to mitigate some of the ill effects of alcohol, the experts said. For instance, when people reduce or stop drinking, their blood pressure can improve and some lose weight as alcohol is a sugar that is no longer being consumed.

But issues such as enlargement of the heart happen with long-term heavy drinking, and even if the person stops, that may not improve, they said.

“If one stops drinking, some of the risk could reverse,” McLaughlin said. “The degree of improvement would depend on the age of the person and number of years of drinking.”

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Problem of Excess Alcohol Drinking in Society Essay

Introduction, causes of alcohol consumption, consequences, works cited.

For generations, alcohol has held an important place in the spiritual, emotional and social experience of people. For this reason, people drink as a form of relaxation, to mark important cultural events, and as a way of celebrating with friends (Heron 7). Taken in moderation, alcohol does not have any drastic effects on the drinker.

Problems only arise when alcohol is consumed in excess. Each year, nearly 80,000 lives are lost in the United States due to excessive use of alcohol (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention n.p.). It is estimated that in 2006, some $ 223.5 billion was lost due to excessive consumption of alcohol.

There are a number of reasons why people consume alcohol. People drink alcohol as a way of reducing associations in their minds. Alcohol weakens molecules separating neurons in the brains, thereby impairing communication. Consequently, an individual finds it hard to associate ideas. Psychologists also say that we drink as a way of escaping the self. Most people say that they drink alcohol in order to drown their sorrows. Since alcohol impairs communication, people momentarily forget their troubles.

Like other things in life, there are other underlying reasons that shape our drinking habits. For example, some people drink because they feel sad, angry, or lonely.

Others drink as a way of bonding with their friends and loved ones (Heron 8). Therefore, our drinking habits, whether in excess or in moderation, are shaped by hidden motivations. In the case of heavy drinkers, this behavior could be due to the need to address underlying problems, such as difficulty in dealing with low self-esteem, inability to handle strong emotions, and problems with relationships.

Peer pressure is yet another reason why people may start drinking alcohol (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention n.p.). For example, a teenager may start experimenting with alcohol while in college because his friends are also doing it. In this case, he feels compelled to experiment with alcohol so that he can belong with his peers. We also drink since alcohol has become culturally normalized.

The media aggressively promote alcohol consumption to an extent that it has now become culturally normalized. Alcohol is also readily available in supermarkets, bars, and discount stores. In fact, children under the age of 18 years can buy alcohol without some seller requesting to see their IDs first. For these reasons, consumption of alcohol has become normal and socially acceptable.

Effects of alcohol use

The effects of alcohol on the drinker are dependent on a number of factors. First, it depends on the body chemistry. This means that some people can get tipsy quite easily while others need larger quantities of alcohol to get drunk.

The effects of alcohol are also dependent on one’s weight, gender, and age (Masters 21). For example, women tend to get drunk by smaller quantities of alcohol compared with men. Effects of alcohol also depend on one’s weight. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is the level of alcohol in the blood that causes one to get intoxicated, and is weight-dependent.

Thus, a man who weighs say, 200 pounds, may be less intoxicated than one who weighs 150 pounds even after both men have consumed the same quantity of alcohol. Among the elderly, the rate at which the liver metabolizes alcohol is slower in comparison with younger people. Other important factors to consider include quantity and type of alcohol consumed, drinking experience, and whether one had eaten or not, before taking alcohol.

The effects of alcohol use on one’s behavior also vary, depending on the amount of alcohol consumed. As one gets drunk, they are talkative, and more confident. As they become more intoxicated with alcohol, their speech is slurred, while their balance and coordination gets impaired. Their reflexes also slows down, and their exhibit unstable emotions.

Excessive consumption of alcohol is associated with immediate health risk that if not addressed, can lead to long-term health risks.

Immediate health risks

Excessive consumption of alcohol is linked violent behavior. Masters (23) reports that nearly 35% of the violent crimes are caused by individuals under the influence of alcohol. Moreover, excessive alcohol use also leads to cases of child neglect and maltreatment (The National Center on Addition and Substance Abuse 4).

Excessive use of alcohol also causes unintentional injuries such as falls, burns, traffic injuries, and drawings (Rehm et al. 41). Risky sexual behaviors such as sexual assault and engaging in unprotected sex are also some of the other immediate health risks of excessive alcohol use (Naimi et al. 1139).

Long-term health risks

If the immediate health risks of excessive alcohol use are not addressed, the victim could suffer neurological impairments, in addition to suffering from various social problems. They are also likely to develop chronic illnesses. Some of the neurological problems attributed to long-term excessive alcohol use include stroke, dementia, and neuropathy (Corrao et al. 615).

Over time, too much of alcohol can also cause psychiatric problems like anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts (Booth and Feng 162). Excessive alcohol use is also linked to liver diseases such as cirrhosis, which is today one of the leading causes of lifestyle-related deaths in the United States (Heron (8).

There are various reasons why people consume alcohol, including peer pressure, to drown sorrows, and to bond with families and friends, among others. Excessive consumption of alcohol causes both immediate and long-term health effects, including violence, involvement in risky sexual behaviors, and neurological and psychiatric problems.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Alcohol-Related Disease Impact (ARDI) , Atlanta, GA: CDC, 2012. Print.

Corrao, Giovanni, Vincenzo, Bagnardi and Antonella, Zambon. “A meta-analysis of alcohol consumption and the risk of 15 diseases.” Prev Med , 38(2004):613-619.

Heron, Melonie. “Deaths: Leading causes for 2004.” National vital statistics reports , 56.5(2007):1-96.

Masters, Ruth. Counseling Criminal Justice Offenders, London: Sage, 2003. Print.

Naimi, Timothy, Leslie Lipscomb, Robert Brewer and Brenda Gilbert. “Binge drinking in

the preconception period and the risk of unintended pregnancy: Implications for women and their children.” Pediatrics , 11.5(2003):1136-1141.

Rehm, Jurgen, Gerhard Gmel, Christopher Sempos and Maurizio Trevisan. Alcohol related morbidity and mortality. Alcohol Research and Health , 27.1(2003):39-51.

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Opinion | Commit to responsible alcohol use this April |…

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Opinion | key bridge collapse live updates: goal set for restoring port traffic; sba head visits, opinion | commit to responsible alcohol use this april | reader commentary.

April is Alcohol Awareness Month, a time to think about your alcohol consumption to ensure you are enjoying alcohol responsibly and in moderation. According to the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans, this means limiting alcohol to two drinks or less a day for men and one drink or less for women.

While any alcohol abuse is too much, the good news is federal data indicate harmful drinking in the U.S. is declining. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows binge drinking among adults ages 21 and older decreased 11% from 2018 to 2022, and 9 out of 10 (89%) say they drink the same amount or less than they did pre-pandemic.

Adults who choose to drink should commit to mindful drinking year-round. There are some people who should not drink alcohol at all and talking with health care providers can help determine what is best based on individual factors and family history.

— Amanda Berger, Washington, D.C.

The writer is vice president for science and health with the Distilled Spirits Council.

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Alcohol Abuse — A Report on Alcohol Abuse and Its Consequences

A Report on Alcohol Abuse and Its Consequences

• Categories: Alcohol Abuse

About this sample

Words: 3936 |

20 min read

Published: Oct 2, 2020

Words: 3936 | Pages: 9 | 20 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, current status, harmful effects of alcohol abuse, possible solutions, future implications.

• Strengthen restrictions on the availability of alcohol.
• Enhance and enforce measures to combat drink-driving.
• Facilitate access to screening, brief interventions, and treatment.
• Enforce bans or comprehensive restrictions on alcohol advertising, sponsorship, and promotion.
• Increase alcohol prices through excise taxes and pricing policies.
• Primary prevention: Educating patients about the adverse effects of alcohol abuse.
• Secondary prevention: Conducting screenings and early identification of alcohol abuse.
• Tertiary prevention: Providing treatment options such as rehabilitation programs and medications to reduce the urge to consume alcohol.
• Collect routine alcohol and other drug histories.
• Implement primary prevention measures, including anticipatory guidance and alcohol abuse education.
• Assess potential alcohol-related problems.
• Formulate diagnoses of abuse based on patient assessments and data analysis.
• Undertake suitable nursing interventions.
• Identify acute alcohol-related illnesses and make appropriate referrals to physicians or specialists in addiction nursing.
• Provide ongoing care, including follow-up, monitoring, health maintenance, or healthcare support during recovery.

References:

• World Health Organization. (2018). Global status report on alcohol and health 2018. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241565639
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (n.d.). Understanding alcohol use disorder. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-use-disorders
• Rehm, J., Shield, K. D., Gmel, G., Rehm, M. X., & Frick, U. (2019). Modeling the impact of alcohol dependence on mortality burden and the effect of available treatment interventions in the European Union. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 29(8), 923-932. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.04.006
• Esser, M. B., Hedden, S. L., Kanny, D., Brewer, R. D., Gfroerer, J. C., & Naimi, T. S. (2014). Prevalence of alcohol dependence among US adult drinkers, 2009-2011. Preventing Chronic Disease, 11, E206. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd11.140329
• Shield, K. D., Parry, C., & Rehm, J. (2013). Chronic diseases and conditions related to alcohol use. Alcohol Research: Current Reviews, 35(2), 155-173. https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arcr352/155-173.pdf
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2019). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS Publication No. PEP19-5068, NSDUH Series H-54). https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2018-nsduh-annual-national-report
• World Health Organization. (2021). SAFER: A World Health Organization initiative to prevent and reduce alcohol-related death and disability. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/safer-alcohol-control-initiative

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Prescription drug abuse

Prescription drug abuse is the use of a prescription medicine in a way not intended by the prescriber. Prescription drug abuse, also called prescription drug misuse, includes everything from taking a friend's prescription painkiller for your backache to snorting or injecting ground-up pills to get high. Prescription drug abuse may become ongoing and compulsive, despite the negative consequences.

An increasing problem, prescription drug abuse can affect all age groups, including teens. The prescription drugs most often misused include opioid painkillers, anti-anxiety medicines, sedatives and stimulants.

Early identification of prescription drug abuse and early intervention may prevent the problem from turning into an addiction.

Signs and symptoms of prescription drug abuse depend on the specific drug. Because of their mind-altering properties, the most misused prescription drugs are:

• Opioids used to treat pain, such as medicines containing oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet) and those containing hydrocodone (Norco)
• Anti-anxiety medicines, sedatives and hypnotics used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders, such as alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium) and zolpidem (Ambien)
• Stimulants used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and certain sleep disorders, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, others), dextroamphetamine-amphetamine (Adderall XR, Mydayis) and dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine)

Signs and symptoms of prescription drug abuse

• Constipation
• Feeling high
• Slowed breathing rate
• Poor coordination
• Increased dose needed for pain relief
• Worsening or increased sensitivity to pain with higher doses

Anti-anxiety medicines and sedatives

• Unsteady walking
• Slurred speech
• Poor concentration
• Problems with memory
• Slowed breathing
• Increased alertness
• Irregular heartbeat
• High blood pressure
• High body temperature
• Reduced appetite

Other signs

• Forging, stealing or selling prescriptions
• Taking higher doses than prescribed
• Being hostile or having mood swings
• Sleeping less or more
• Making poor decisions
• Being unusually energetic, high or revved up
• Being drowsy
• Requesting early refills or continually "losing" prescriptions, so more prescriptions must be written
• Trying to get prescriptions from more than one prescriber

When to see a doctor

Talk with your health care provider if you think you may have a problem with prescription drug use. You may feel embarrassed to talk about it — but remember that medical professionals are trained to help you, not judge you. It's easier to face the problem early before it becomes an addiction and leads to more-serious problems.

Teens and adults abuse prescription drugs for many reasons, such as:

• To feel good or get high
• To relax or relieve tension
• To ease pain
• To reduce appetite
• To increase alertness
• To experiment with mental effects of the substance
• To maintain an addiction and prevent withdrawal
• To be accepted by peers or to be social
• To try to improve concentration and school or work performance

More Information

Prescription drug abuse care at Mayo Clinic

• How opioid use disorder occurs

Risk factors

Some people fear that they may become addicted to medicines prescribed for medical conditions, such as painkillers prescribed after surgery. But you can reduce your risk by carefully following your health care provider's instructions on how to take your medicine.

Prescription drug abuse is highest among teens and young adults.

Risk factors for prescription drug misuse include:

• Past or present addictions to other substances, including alcohol and tobacco
• Family history of substance abuse problems
• Certain preexisting mental health conditions
• Peer pressure or a social environment where there's drug use
• Easier access to prescription drugs, such as having prescription medicines in the home medicine cabinet
• Lack of knowledge about prescription drugs and their potential harm

Older adults and prescription drug abuse

Prescription drug abuse in older adults is a growing problem, especially when they combine drugs with alcohol. Having multiple health problems and taking multiple drugs can put people at risk of misusing drugs or becoming addicted.

Complications

Abusing prescription drugs can cause a number of problems. Prescription drugs can be especially dangerous — and even lead to death — when taken in high doses, when combined with other prescription drugs or certain over-the-counter medicines, or when taken with alcohol or illegal or recreational drugs.

Medical consequences

Here are examples of serious consequences of prescription drug abuse:

• Opioids can cause a slowed breathing rate and potential for breathing to stop. Opioids can also cause coma. An overdose can lead to death.
• Anti-anxiety medicines and sedatives — medicines to help you feel calm or less anxious — can cause memory problems, low blood pressure and slowed breathing. An overdose can cause coma or death. Abruptly stopping the medicine may cause withdrawal symptoms that can include an overactive nervous system and seizures.
• Stimulants can cause an increase in body temperature, heart problems, high blood pressure, seizures or tremors, hallucinations, aggressiveness, and paranoia.

Physical dependence and addiction

Because commonly abused prescription drugs activate the brain's reward center, it's possible to develop physical dependence and addiction.

• Physical dependence. Physical dependence, also called drug tolerance, is the body's response to long-term use of a drug. People who are physically dependent on a drug may need higher doses to get the same effects and may experience withdrawal symptoms when cutting back or abruptly stopping the drug.
• Addiction. People who are addicted to a drug can have physical dependence, but they also compulsively seek a drug and continue to use it even when that drug causes major problems in their lives.

Other consequences

Other potential consequences include:

• Engaging in risky behaviors because of poor judgment
• Using illegal or recreational drugs
• Being involved in crime
• Being involved in motor vehicle accidents
• Showing decreased school or work performance
• Having troubled relationships

Prescription drug abuse may occur in people who need painkillers, sedatives or stimulants to treat a medical condition. If you're taking a prescription drug that commonly leads to drug misuse, here are ways to reduce your risk:

• Make sure you're getting the right medicine. Make sure your health care provider clearly understands your condition and the signs and symptoms. Tell your health care provider about all your prescriptions, as well as over-the-counter medicines, herbs and supplements, and alcohol and other drug use. Ask your doctor whether there's another medicine with ingredients that have less potential for addiction.
• Check in with your health care provider. Talk with your health care provider on a regular basis to make sure that the medicine is working and you're taking the right dose.
• Follow directions carefully. Use your medicine the way it was prescribed. Don't stop or change the dose of a drug on your own if it doesn't seem to be working without talking to your health care provider. For example, if you're taking a pain medicine that isn't adequately controlling your pain, don't take more.
• Know what your medicine does. Ask your health care provider or pharmacist about the effects of your medicine, so you know what to expect. Also check if other drugs, over-the-counter products or alcohol should be avoided when taking this medicine.
• Never use another person's prescription. Everyone is different. Even if you have a similar medical condition, it may not be the right medicine or dose for you.
• Don't order prescriptions online unless they're from a trustworthy pharmacy. Some websites sell counterfeit prescription and over-the-counter drugs that could be dangerous.

Preventing prescription drug abuse in teens

Prescription drugs are commonly misused substances by young people. Follow these steps to help prevent your teen from abusing prescription medicines.

• Discuss the dangers. Emphasize to your teen that just because drugs are prescribed by a health care provider doesn't make them safe — especially if they were prescribed to someone else or if your child is already taking other prescription medicines.
• Set rules. Let your teen know that it's not OK to share medicines with others — or to take drugs prescribed for others. Emphasize the importance of taking the prescribed dose and talking with the health care provider before making changes.
• Discuss the dangers of alcohol use. Using alcohol with medicines can increase the risk of accidental overdose.
• Keep your prescription drugs safe. Keep track of drug quantities and keep them in a locked medicine cabinet.
• Make sure your child isn't ordering drugs online. Some websites sell counterfeit and dangerous drugs that may not require a prescription.
• Properly dispose of medicines. Don't leave unused or expired drugs around. Check the label or patient information guide for disposal instructions. You can also ask your pharmacist for advice on disposal.
• Opioid stewardship: What is it?
• What are opioids and why are they dangerous?
• Misuse of prescription drugs research report. National Institute on Drug Abuse. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/misuse-prescription-drugs/overview. Accessed Aug. 15, 2022.
• Commonly abused drug charts. National Institute on Drug Abuse. https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/commonly-abused-drugs-charts. Accessed April 13, 2021.
• Alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/atod. Accessed Sept. 7, 2022.
• Prevention. National Institute on Drug Abuse. https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/prevention. Accessed Sept. 7, 2022.
• Drazdowski TK, et al. Motivations for the nonmedical use of prescription drugs in a longitudinal national sample of young adults. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. 2020; doi: 10.1016/j.jsat. 2020.108013 .
• Disposal of unused medicines: What you should know. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/safe-disposal-medicines/disposal-unused-medicines-what-you-should-know. Accessed April 13, 2021.
• Drug facts: Prescription drugs. National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens. https://teens.drugabuse.gov/drug-facts/prescription-drugs. Accessed April 13, 2021.
• Resources for families coping with mental and substance use disorders. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. https://www.samhsa.gov/families. Accessed Sept. 30, 2022.
• Becker WC, et al. Prescription drug misuse: Epidemiology, prevention, identification, and management. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Oct. 3, 2022.
• Voelker R. News from the Food and Drug Administration: Monthly buprenorphine injection approved for opioid use disorder. JAMA. 2018; doi:10.1001/jama.2017.20647.
• Sevarino K. Medically supervised opioid withdrawal during treatment for addiction. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Oct. 3, 2022.
• Hall-Flavin DK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. April 19, 2021.
• Intervention — Tips and guidelines. National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. https://www.ncadd.org/family-friends/there-is-help/intervention-tips-and-guidelines. 2018.
• How to buy medicines safely from an online pharmacy. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/how-buy-medicines-safely-online-pharmacy. Accessed Oct. 3, 2022.
• How to tell if a loved one is abusing opioids
• Kratom for opioid withdrawal
• Mayo Clinic Minute: Avoid opioids for chronic pain
• Mayo Clinic Minute: Be careful not to pop pain pills
• Mayo Clinic Minute: Do not share pain medication
• Tapering off opioids: When and how

News from Mayo Clinic

• Mayo Clinic Minute: 3 things to know when using Narcan during an opioid overdose March 29, 2023, 03:00 p.m. CDT
• Disparities in opioid treatment access remain for women, Black and Hispanic people June 03, 2022, 04:00 p.m. CDT
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• Care at Mayo Clinic

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Music Teacher Is Charged With Taking Teenagers on Trips to Abuse Them

Paul Geer taught for decades at the Family Foundation School, a rural reform academy where he abused students, an indictment states.

By Michael Wilson

The music teacher’s classes at the strict, no-nonsense reform school in the woods of upstate New York would seem to be a teenager’s respite amid all the rules, a place for expression and discovery.

But a criminal indictment unsealed Thursday portrayed that teacher as a domineering and abusive tyrant who, during one-on-one trips away from school and outside the state, raped his teenage students or forced them into sexual activity.

The indictment follows years of lawsuits that have portrayed the Family Foundation School , a small boarding academy in rural Delaware County, as something closer to an unsupervised, violent prison.

The teacher, Paul Geer, 56, was arrested Wednesday evening in Hancock, N.Y., where he lives a short distance from the site of the school, which closed in 2014. He was charged with six counts related to bringing three different children across state lines to engage in unlawful sexual activity.

Mr. Geer pleaded not guilty at an arraignment before a federal magistrate judge in Syracuse, N.Y., on Thursday, and was denied release pending a detention hearing set for Monday.

For former students at the school, his arrest vindicated many years of online campaigns and legal battles involving that place and, specifically, that man.

Liz Boysick, 41, identified as “Victim 2” in the indictment, was 16 when Mr. Geer drove her to Pennsylvania ahead of a class trip there and forced her to perform oral sex in his van, she said. Decades later, she was in court to see Mr. Geer in shackles during the hearing.

“It was really powerful hearing what mattered to me counts,” she said afterward. “He will not get one more tear out of me. Now is the time for me to live my life.”

Mr. Geer was in his 20s and living with his parents when an older couple approached him at a choral recital he was leading and offered him a job at the Family School, as it is known, on the spot. They were Tony and Betty Argiros, who founded the school in the 1980s.

For Mr. Geer, that began a career of more than 20 years at the school, which billed itself as a last resort for parents frustrated and distraught by their children’s drug or alcohol abuse or behavioral issues. Former students have said he asked personal questions about their sex lives and singled out children to stay behind with him after class, which was held in a red barn beside a pond.

The indictment described Mr. Geer as a bully who, in addition to subjecting students to “repeated sexual abuse,” forced them to eat moldy food, haul heavy loads of rocks around the campus and endure communication blackouts for long periods.

On three separate occasions outlined in the indictment, Mr. Geer drove students out of state on one-on-one trips and coerced them into sexual activity. The victims were two boys and a girl, ages 14 to 17.

Mike Milia, 45, of Brooklyn, is identified as “Victim 1” in the indictment. He was 14 in 1994 when Mr. Geer took him on a fishing trip to Maine and sexually abused him, according to the indictment.

On the way back to Hancock, Mr. Geer “told him not to tell anyone of what had just happened,” according to a lawsuit filed by Mr. Milia in 2019. That case is pending.

Mr. Geer was questioned about taking a minor to Maine in a deposition that same year.

“In hindsight, I shouldn’t have done that,” he said, but he denied any sexual abuse.

“I think I behaved badly in a lot of ways,” Mr. Geer said in the deposition, referring to his time working at the school. “I definitely was very aggressive.”

The couple that founded the school later retired, and their son, Emmanuel Argiros, who goes by Michael, took over day-to-day operations before it closed. In depositions in 2018 and 2021, the younger Mr. Argiros denied hearing reports of abuse while at the school.

In 2018, The New York Times published an article describing a series of suicides and fatal overdoses by former students. More former students later came forward to describe horrific conditions at the school.

Liz Ianelli is a former student who recounted her time at the school and described the abuses inflicted on her there in her 2023 book, “I See You, Survivor.” She recalled being wrapped from neck to ankle in a blanket that was duct-taped closed, and left on the floor of an empty room, shimmying toward a bowl of tuna for food.

She was among the former students who hastily arranged travel to Syracuse on Thursday for the court hearing.

Sitting nearby was Mr. Milia, watching the man who had taken him to Maine 30 years ago.

“This guy threatened my life when I was 14 years old,” Mr. Milia said after the hearing. “When he walked through that door, it was the first time I felt like he couldn’t hurt me anymore. I am not scared anymore.”

Michael Wilson , who covers New York City, has been a Times reporter for more than two decades. More about Michael Wilson