It is crystal clear that Alcohol and drug abuse is one of the biggest problems facing societies today. It has become a menace that the society and nations in general have found hard to contain. According to Bakewell (2009), about 43 percent of all Americans have had an alcoholism experience in their family The research further stipulates that one in eight Americans is a child of an alcoholic parent. Despite these soaring figures, it is sad to note that most of us do not actually view alcoholism as a problem.
At the beginning of 2012, the world population surpassed the 7 billion mark, with people under the age of 30 (youths) accounting for more than half (50.5%) of this number (Healey, 2007). We can therefore safely deduce that the youth make up half of the world’s current population. It is however sad to note that the alcohol abuse pandemic is threatening to eradicate an entire generation of youth. Alcohol has become one of the most used and misused drug in the 21st
Century. It has become a vice deeply rooted within out societies. Peer pressure has played a massive role in propagating the increase in alcohol indulgence among the youth. Nowadays youth consume alcohol in order to be sociable and “cool.” If one does not drink then he or she is considered to be abnormal. The effects of alcohol abuse have become under looked (Martin, Mail, " National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (U.S.), 2008).
The effects of alcohol abuse are very serious and dangerous. I am going to discuss in detail the physical, psychological and emotional effect of alcohol abuse on the youth. The first effect of alcoholism are physical. Alcoholism causes addiction. This is a state in which the body cannot function without alcohol. One is considered to be a slave to the bottle, a Daily Drinking Officer (D.D.O). Alcoholism is attributed to be the leading cause of cancer in the stomach, liver and kidney. It alters the digestion of nutrients in the body. It may cause gastritis and liver cirrhosis. Heavy drinking may also cause skin disorders such as rosacea, which causes blood vessels in the face to expand. It may also cause gout and arthritis. According to Parker, Zuckerman, " Augustyn, (2005), the leading cause of death in the US is cirrhosis of the liver. Alcoholism causes damage of neurons leading o alterations in body movements, depression and appetite loss. Excessive drinking leaves one constantly with a hangover. One can therefore not maximize his or her input resulting in maximum output. It causes one to have memory loss, lapse of concentration, chronic dehydration among other illnesses.
Alcohol effects on adolescents are not the same as the ones on adults. The brain of an adolescent is for instance tailored to receive information and learn unlike for adults which is tailored to provide solutions to problems and challenges. Recent studies conducted on young people between the ages of 20-29 indicate that youth’s ability to gain knowledge drastically decreases with increase in their alcohol intake. Generally, teens tend to be attracted to alcohol due to the intoxicating effect it has on them but not its taste and smell. It is also a sad fact that most young people do not realize that excessive alcohol consumption causes fattening of the body. It basically reduces the amount of fact one’s body burns for energy. Since the body is not able to store alcohol, it tries to get rid of it as quick as possible. This results in the formation of layers of fat. Alcohol also tends to deprive the skin certain vitamins and nutrients.
In males, it may cause low energy and sexual difficulties. There are also high chances of one being diagnosed with high blood pressure as a result of alcohol, misuse. According to In Jones (2015), roughly 26% of deaths of males in the age bracket of 16 to 24 is attributed to alcohol abuse. Research further dictates that men are likely to be vulnerable and dependent on alcohol than women. Alcohol tends to reduce the testosterone levels in the body. This could lead to loss of libido, therefore reducing the quality and quantity of the sperm. Over indulgence in alcohol may also completely stop sperm production. It may prevent the proper development of testicles. Alcohol depresses the nervous system such that it is difficult to get and keep an erection. Other long term effects of alcohol abuse in men include; enlargement of breast “man boobs”, hair loss and withering of the testis.
In women, misuse of alcohol may cause fertility issues. It may also put them at risk of breast cancer. Alcohol also tends to disrupt a woman’s menstrual cycle therefore reducing their chances of conceiving a child. Sterile births are also attributed to alcohol abuse (Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (U.S.), 2007).
The second effect of alcohol abuse to youth are psychological. Initially when one starts taking alcohol, it makes him or her feel relaxed. Continuous use causes one to become anxious and depressed. From time immemorial alcoholism has caused family conflicts and legal tussles. It may result in the drastic change of behaviors of youths with some starting to act suicidal. Alcohol tends to alter ones perception of things. It may result in poor decision making. And misjudgments’. Many youths have succumbed to death due to accidents caused by drunk driving. Many youths have been incarcerated as a result of the poor decisions they made while drunk. Youths ought to be responsible enough not to excessively indulge in alcohol. This is because the aftermath of alcohol abuse is devastating (Peacock, 2000).
The third effect of alcoholism is emotionally based. Alcoholism affects most youth because it causes separation of families. As a result youths start becoming distant from their parents and siblings. Truancy is also associated with alcoholism. Youths tend to loose friends and relatives simply because they cannot be able to foster and maintain relationships. Minor offenses in work areas such as arriving late, poor work output and conflicts have caused unemployment to the youth simply because they continue to indulge in alcohol even in work places. Why risk everything you have just for a drink? It is simply not worth it. Youths need to develop the virtue of self-control. Let us be drivers of our own destinies.
Alcohol abuse also affects youth financially. Instead of investing and saving, youths are busy spending large proportions of their incomes on partying and drinking. The high rates of crime can also be attributed to drinking. Nowadays youths are going to the extent of stealing from their parents to quench their “thirst.” Alcoholism has simply taken a toll in their livelihoods. It is also important to note that alcoholism in modern developed nations increases with the increase in the nation’s economic well-being. In my own opinion, I think that it is time for youths to turn on a new leaf. They simply need to change their ways to new ones. Let’s us become nation builders. We need to be innovative, inventive and creative such that we are able to develop ways to solve the various challenges we encounter in our day to day lives. Addiction needs to be curbed (Jennings, Meridian Education Corporation, " 25 Productions, 2004).
Other effects of alcohol abuse among the youth include; great risk of infection of HIV and AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases. There is the failure of the gastrointestinal tract to work. It may also lead to the disorders of the pancreas i.e. peritonitis. It may cause cardiovascular complications, inflammatory of the kidneys and urinary tract (urethritis). Alcohol abuse may also cause various types of inflammatory diseases in the lungs, bronchi, nasopharynx and the larynx. It may also result in the reduction of the body’s immune system. It therefore becomes hard for the body to fight disease causing pathogens. Lastly, alcoholism may also cause diabetes. All these problems may quickly escalate and leave one unemployed or lead to the loss of family life.
Schlessinger Media (2006), states that constant alcohol consumption reduces ones lifespan by about 12 years. It is the responsibility of parents to school their children especially the youth and teenagers on the adverse effects of using alcohol and other drugs in general. They ought to be open and honest about this life threatening predicament. Apart from rehabilitation, AA meetings also play a huge role in the recovery process of addicts. If the correct support is accorded to the victims of alcoholism, the can easily recover and mend ways become responsible people in the societies.
In a nutshell, alcohol can affect one’s life in either a positive or negative way depending on how of often one consumes the commodity and how much does an individual drink. There are many long term effects brought about by drinking too much alcohol. They include; damage of organs such as the heart, brain and liver, impaired vision and obesity. Short term effects on the other hand include; insomnia and regular blackouts. It is better for an individual to drink both responsibly and in moderation. Eating healthy should also be an accompaniment to responsible drinking. The horrible side effects of alcohol abuse are evident for all to see. We should all strive to live healthy lifestyles devoid of alcohol and substance abuse.
References
Bakewell, L. (2009). Alcohol information for teens: Health tips about alcohol and alcoholism including facts about alcohol's effects on the body, brain, and behavior, the consequences of underage drinking, alcohol abuse prevention and treatment, and coping with alcoholic parents. Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics.
Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (U.S.). (2007). Effects of alcohol on women: What you need to know. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.
Healey, J. (2007). Alcohol abuse. Thirroul, N.S.W: Spinney Press.
In Jones, K. (2015). Alcoholism sourcebook: Basic consumer health information about alcohol use, abuse, and addiction, including facts about the physical consequences of alcohol abuse, such as brain changes and problems with cognitive functioning, cirrhosis and other liver diseases, cardiovascular disease, pancreatitis, and alcoholic neuropathy, and the effects of alcohol on reproductive health and fetal development, mental health problems associated with alcohol abuse, and alcohol's impact on families, workplaces, and the community ; along with information about underage drinking, alcohol treatment and recovery, a glossary of related terms, and directories of resources for more information.
Jennings, J., Meridian Education Corporation, " 25 Productions. (2004). Fetal abuse: The effects of drugs " alcohol. Bloomington, IL: Meridian Education Corp.
Martin, S. E., Mail, P. D., " National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (U.S.). (1995). The effects of the mass media on the use and abuse of alcohol. Bethesda, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Parker, S., Zuckerman, B. S., " Augustyn, M. (2005). Developmental and behavioral pediatrics: A handbook for primary care. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
Peacock, N. (2000). Drowning our sorrows: The psychological effects of alcohol abuse. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers.
Schlessinger Media. (2006). Peer pressure. Wynnewood, PA: Author.
