Introduction
Today, the number of alcoholics is increasing, and alcoholism is becoming a very common social problem. Why do people drink? How can it be handled effectively?
Why do people drink Alcohol?
- Past Experience
Past experience with alcohol influences the present value of their alcohol consumption and expectations of it. People who recall positive experiences with alcohol typically drink more. On the contrary, people with negative experiences will be reluctant to drink.
- Impulsive personality
People with impulsive personalities choose rewards that are available right now, even while considering the consequences of their choices. People who enjoy drinking tend to be more impulsive and end up consuming more alcohol than those who don’t.
- Stress
Drinking helps relieve stress temporarily. Therefore, people who suffer from a poor psychological state of being drink to reduce these feelings.
- Environment
Exposure to alcohol-abundant surroundings increases the desire for it and increases the value of alcohol. Whereas financial impacts such as taxes make alcohol less fascinating. Evidence for this shows that raising the price of alcohol by 10 percent reduces alcohol consumption by 7 percent (Heshmat, 2017).
Effects of Alcohol
If people drink a lot for a long time, alcohol can affect their brain’s shape and ability. Cells begin to change. Drinking too much alcohol can constrict a person’s brain. It greatly affects the brain’s ability to think, learn, and remember things. It can also make it difficult to maintain a person’s body temperature and control movement.
Everything in Moderation
Alcohol can influence our bodies in dissimilar ways according to how much one drinks. Drinking too much alcohol increases your chances of falling or short-term risks such as traffic accidents. In addition, drinking a lot in the long run can cause health problems such as heart disease and liver damage.
Does it help you sleep?
Drinking alcohol makes it easier to fall asleep because it causes sleepiness but, that doesn’t mean getting a well-rested sleep. When we drink and fall asleep, our bodies will work all night to detoxify alcohol. Also, the person who drinks will wake up frequently to go to the bathroom and increase their chances of having nightmares.
More stomach acid
Alcohol stimulates the production of gastric mucosa and causes digestive juices to flow. If there is a lot of acid and alcohol, the possibility of nausea and vomiting increases. Repeated behavior can cause gastritis and a disease called gastric ulcer.
Hangovers
It is no coincidence that your mouth is heavy and my eyes are hard to see with the morning after drinking. Drinking alcohol dehydrates a person and dilates blood vessels in the body and brain. Also, you will have a headache. Their stomachs want to get rid of toxins and acids mixed with alcohol that causes them to vomit. Also, their livers were too busy detoxifying the alcohol to release enough sugar in their blood. This causes weakness and tremors in the body.
A change in body temperature
Alcohol widens blood vessels to allow more blood to flow into the skin. It makes a person’s face red and warm, but it appears in the short term. The heat from the extra blood is transferred directly out of the body, lowering the body’s temperature. Whereas drinking for a long time increases blood pressure. The heart needs to pump harder to deliver blood because it releases stress hormones and narrows blood vessels in the human body.
Diarrhea and heartburn
People’s small intestine and large intestine also become irritated. Alcohol deviates away from the normal speed at which food travels through them. Therefore, excessive drinking can lead to diarrhea and lead to long-term health problems. It also causes heartburn easier because it relaxes the muscles that block acids in the esophagus, the tubes that connect the mouth and stomach (Swiner, 2021).
How to control alcohol intake
Change your environment
If you are in common contact with alcohol around you, you may develop a habit of drinking automatically, especially when you are stressed or in a bad mood.
You don’t have to completely change your surroundings to stop drinking, but just changing a few things within your surroundings to control your drinking habits can make a big difference.
Throw away the alcohol
If you have alcohol in your house, it can seduce you. If you want to drink, the fact that you know that you will have to go out and make your own purchases can discourage you from wanting to drink alcohol.
Talk about it
Telling people around you that you’re quitting drinking will motivate you to stick to your decision to quit drinking.
Make time for self-care.
The process of abstaining from alcohol will be quite stressful. If you look for alcohol to deal with emotional pain, the added stress during abstinence can cause an urge to drink, and it may seem much more difficult to succeed in abstaining.
It’s normal to have difficulties in implementing big changes, but good self-care will help you control bad emotions and take care of your mind and body.
Call for backup
Stopping yourself from drinking alcohol alone will not be easier than doing it with others. If you find it difficult to quit drinking alone, or if you need help, think about asking a specialist agency for help (Raypole 2020).
Conclusion
Today, alcohol is one of today’s common social cultures and most people drink alcohol even though they know it’s not good for their health. Moderating drinking can help with human relationships and filtration time, but excessive drinking has a serious impact on our health. If anyone drinks excessively, why don’t you raise awareness about alcohol and start other activities instead of alcohol in consideration of your health?
References
Heshmat, S. (2017). Why Do People Drink? [online] Psychology Today. Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/science-choice/201703/why-do-people-drink [Accessed 26 November. 2022].
Swiner, C. (2021). Slideshow: What Does Alcohol Do to Your Body? [online] WebMD. Available at: https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/ss/slideshow-alcohol-body-effects [Accessed 26 November. 2018].
Raypole, C. (2020). How to Stop Drinking: 14 Tips for Success. [online] Healthline. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/alcohol/how-to-stop-drinking#takeaway [Accessed 1 December. 2022].
