INTRODUCTION
Alcohol is consumed by many people who want to change their emotions dramatically. they drink with their friend or family and talk under the influence of drink. One who loves to drink knows that the next day comes with a hangover, but they enjoy that moment with a drinking party.
But when we talk about drinks, alcohol is a contributory factor to a huge proportion of crimes. It is not apparent whether alcohol really pushes them to commit crimes or just gives them the nerve to do it, but one thing for sure is that alcohol has much to do with crime
How does the brain react when we drink alcohol? Can drinking make the feeling of happiness? Or just cause a negative impact on the brain and raise crimes?
Origin of drinking and background of why people drink
Phillips, Rod said that Nobody knows exactly when humans began to create fermented beverages. The earliest known evidence comes from 7,000 BCE in China, Where residue in clay pots has revealed that people were making an alcoholic beverage from fermented rice, millet, grapes, and honey.
Almost every region of the globe had its own fermented drinks and those drinks are made from what they get easily such as grapes, cereal grains, and herbs.
Ancient fermented beverages had relatively low alcohol content. At about 13% alcohol, the by-products wild yeasts generate during fermentation become toxic and kill them. When the yeasts die, fermentation stops, and the alcohol content levels off. So for thousands of years, alcohol content was limited. but the invention of a process called distillation can make drinking like beer and wine.
During the Age of Exploration, if people wanted to make their water fresh, they had to add a bucket of brandy. it could be preserved better by killing harmful microbes. at that time, alcohol is used not also make water fresh but also used as an ingredient in medicine.
When we drink alcohol
Some people said they experienced sleep deeper when they drank alcohol. in fact, when we drink alcohol, the alcohol absorbed in the body temporarily slows down the activity of the glutamate receptor, which activates nerve cells(Northwestern Medicine Staff, 2018). At the same time, it promotes GABA neurotransmitters in the brain, suppressing central nervous system activity, slowing down nerve activity, and stabilizing nerves, resulting in a calming effect (Martin Davies, 2003). This reduces the time required to sleep and misunderstands it as if you have fallen into a deep sleep.
However, it is more of a state of fainting than sleep. This is because, in the process of decomposing alcohol, which acts as a toxic substance in the body during sleep, it does not enter the essential sleep stage or fill enough time at each stage, causing early awakening(Danielle Pacheco, 2020). This makes it impossible to clean up the brain’s waste, which is the effect of sleep, even if you are sleeping, and causes blackouts because you cannot organize your memories. Growth hormones secreted during sleep are also not normally secreted, affecting muscles and the whole body, and can cause various disorders such as psychological and behavioral disorders (Nadia Eachdaoui, 2013).
Emotional Effects of Alcohol alcohol and crime
Alcohol also lead to emotional changes because it affects the brain. Some people drink because they are in pain, others drink because they are happy, and others drink because they just like alcohol. Alcohol allows you to express emotions that you cannot express, and even words that were difficult to bring up. When drunk, human emotions are expressed in various ways depending on the brain’s response.
Alcohol increases GABA levels, so it has a relaxing effect on the body. With these effects, each person has a variety of emotional reactions. Alcohol abuse and addiction make learning difficult and lead to memory loss. It also includes mental health issues such as depression and anxiety (Chris Crawford. 2018).
Alcohol and Crime
It has already been confirmed through several papers that excessive drinking is the main cause of drunken crimes including domestic violence. Alcohol consumption can increase aggression, and when drinking alcohol, the brain’s ability to control itself becomes dull and it is easy to express suppressed anger. In particular, alcohol inhibits the control function of the central nervous system, causing behavioral disorders such as excitement, aggression, and impulsivity.
Drinking damages the frontal lobe, which is deeply related to memory, impulse control ability, morality, and rational judgment. In particular, if the perpetrator is an alcoholic, he or she may be more aggressive and violent than the general public. This is because if anyone drinks alcohol, the frontal function is temporarily paralyzed, but in the case of alcoholics, the function of the frontal lobe itself is more likely to be damaged than normal people.
Conclusion
Alcohol has been around for a long time. It was used to keep the water intact for a longer time, a new flavor discovery and a diplomatic resource. Now alcohol has various flavors and different degrees. Maybe drinking alcohol is also considered a favorite food for happiness to people. People enjoy drinking while watching sports games or go to clubs or bars to play. This is because emotional changes that occur while drinking bring fun. However, alcohol does not have a good physical or mental effect. The moment alcohol enters the body, it must undergo a detoxification process, and excessive drinking causes imbalance in growth hormones, imbalance in sleep, and physical anxiety. Alcohol also causes emotional reactions and is a major cause of crime. We looked at the reactions of the brain when drinking alcohol and why people who drank alcohol are more likely to commit crimes. Rather than calling for individual moderation, the government’s step up to provide reasonable regulations on the sale of alcoholic beverages will likely help reduce the negative impact of alcohol.
References
Crawford, Chris. “Emotional Effects of Alcohol.” The Recovery Village, The Recovery Village, 22 Mar. 2018, www.therecoveryvillage.com/alcohol-abuse/emotional-effects-alcohol/.
Davies, Martin. “The Role of GABAA Receptors in Mediating the Effects of Alcohol in the Central Nervous System.” Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience : JPN, vol. 28, no. 4, 2003, pp. 263–74, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC165791/.
Gonzales, Rueben A., and Jason N. Jaworski. “Alcohol and Glutamate.” Alcohol Health and Research World, vol. 21, no. 2, 1997, pp. 120–127, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6826830/.
Northwestern Medicine Staff. “How Alcohol Impacts the Brain.” Northwestern Medicine, Northwestern Medicine, 5 Mar. 2018, www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/alcohol-and-the-brain.
Pacheco, Danielle. “Alcohol and Sleep.” Sleep Foundation, 4 Sept. 2020, www.sleepfoundation.org/nutrition/alcohol-and-sleep#:~:text=Does%20Alcohol%20Help%20You%20Sleep.
Phillips, Rod. “A Brief History of Alcohol.” Www.ted.com, 1577, www.ted.com/talks/rod_phillips_a_brief_history_of_alcohol/transcript.
Rachdaoui, Nadia, and Dipak K. Sarkar. “Effects of Alcohol on the Endocrine System.” Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America, vol. 42, no. 3, Sept. 2013, pp. 593–615, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3767933/, 10.1016/j.ecl.2013.05.008.
