Alcoholism: When your habit takes over your life and home

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 is one of the most difficult of all diseases to detect and diagnose, as the victim himself is unaware of how grave his addiction is. This is further complicated by the fact that people around him tend to overlook his addiction as a mere indulgence that can easily be dealt with, if he simply makes up his mind to put an end to it. And thus, the victim keeps deceiving himself until his addiction gets the better of him and causes terrifying consequences. Alcohol is directly responsible for a host of physical complications, which, over the course of time, also affect the individual's social interactions and gradually but steadily, the society and even the economic growth and development of the country.

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 discernable losses in revenue to the economy, thus hindering its growth and development.

The loss on income on account of impaired performance at the workplace is further compounded by the expenditure the individual incurs on fueling his addiction which in turn affects the well-being of his family. The stress that the individual is looking to escape is aggravated by marital discord and feelings of financial insecurity, which in most cases, lead him to drink even more to block out these factors. And alcohol being a depressant itself, the individual is drawn deeper into the vicious cycle that his addiction creates, where he drinks more and more to deal with the depression that alcohol 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 families where either or both parents suffer from alcohol addiction, also tend to be at a heightened risk of depression, which can begin from their early childhood in the form of uncontrollable crying, bedwetting and nightmares. As they grow older, they are also likely to be very extreme in their behavior, which can either mean that they will be very rebellious and delinquent, or conversely, obsess about their grades, be increasingly submissive and self-conscious and are also more likely to develop phobias. These children also suffer a very lonely childhood, having no one to speak to about their fears and even convince themselves that they are failures, despite their best efforts to prove otherwise.

Alcohol abuse has become increasingly prevalent with the changing times and the ever increasing burden of stress it encumbers people with. In such circumstances, taking to the bottle as temporary relief may seem to be a viable solution, but on closer inspection, is it really such a wise decision? Can you afford to sacrifice not only your health and well-being, but also that of your family and those you care about, all for the sake of a few minutes of relief that alcohol grants you? Stop drinking today and open your doors to a world of opportunities that await you, every step of the way.

Article Source: http://www.health-fitness-for-all.com

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