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Alcohol enjoys a long tradition of being an inseparable part of celebrations and social gatherings in almost every society. Be it the customary flute of champagne at weddings, or the officious glass of scotch which has become mandatory at almost every social do it is not uncommon to find the occasional drink being accepted, and even encouraged, at numerous occasions in the course of an individual’s adult life. But it is when this occasional drink becomes a way to escape or deal with stress, or when an individual gets accustomed to his round of drinks every evening, that without realizing it, he succumbs to the deep dark void of alcoholism.

Alcoholism as a disease is very deceptive as often the victim himself is prone to shrug away his excessive drinking habits as something he can ‘deal with’. The perception of those who are in his vicinity is also apt to be skewed as society by and large believes that this is a phase the alcoholic himself can pull out of, with just a little determination and will power. But not many are aware of the disastrous effects alcoholism has, both on the victim and those he interacts with, until it is indeed to late. Apart from the physical havoc that alcohol wreaks on the individual’s body, this disease also has several far-reaching consequences on society as a whole, both in terms of the huge dent it causes to economies all over the world, and also the delinquent behaviors it can lead to.

When an individual begins to consume excessive amounts of alcohol, his abuse first manifests itself on his physical health. From heart disease to complications in the functioning of the liver, the victim begins to fall prey to a host of ailments which result in him calling in sick more often, which impairs the productivity of the organization as a whole. On a broader spectrum, this also causes discernible losses in revenue to the economy, thus hindering its growth and development.

In addition to the diminished amounts of income that an alcoholic earns, his expenditure only increases as he spends more and more of his earnings on alcohol. Needless to say, this behavior takes a toll on the physical and emotional health of his immediate family, causing relationships to be estranged and burdening the victim with financial woes. To escape these worries, he tends to drink more and more, without realizing the fact that alcohol is only further adding to his depression, as the inherent trait of alcohol is that of a depressant. This pattern of drinking has no end to it, as he continues to drink to evade the depression that his drinking itself is causing him.

Alcoholics are also known to suffer from low self-esteem, as his addiction is viewed as something he has brought on to himself, as he is too weak in spirit to ‘resist’ the temptation and he more often than not receives very little sympathy, if at all. Alcohol also directly hinders the functioning of the brain and the nervous system, causing severe psychological ailments which begin with chronic depression and may even progress to schizophrenia and paranoia. Alcoholics are also at a heightened risk of developing other substance abuse patterns, which combined with the drastic impact alcohol itself has on the victim, destroy his physical and mental well-being.

Children who come from alcoholism-wrecked homes are also more likely to suffer from depression, which sets in right from early childhood in the form of uncontrollable crying, bedwetting and nightmares. Older children tend to exhibit extreme behavioral patterns where some of them are overtly rebellious, irregular in their study habits and destructive in their behavior, while those at the other end of the scale tend to be extremely docile, excessively meek and eager to please and compulsive about their grades. These children also cut themselves off social activities, with no one to speak their hearts out to, and despite their valiant efforts, are convinced that they are failures.

The mounting pressures of the modern day world and the relentless pace of life lead to larger numbers of people trying to drink away their fears and worries with every passing day. But if you think that these are reasons enough for you to loosen up with ‘just another tin drink’ think again. Your excesses can not only jeopardize your life and well-being, but also that of your family and those you are close to. Take a minute to consider if the gamble, though a seemingly harmless one, is a wise choice to make, given all the disastrous effects it can lead to. Take that first step today and pull yourself out of the reaches of alcoholism and you’ll soon realize all the wonders of life you had shut your doors to.

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