Alcoholism is a widespread problem today among societies. According to the 2011 World Health Organization (WHO) report, “The Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health” approximately 2.5 million people die from alcohol abuse every year. The report further revealed that not only is alcohol a cause for many diseases, but it also leads to injury and violence.
There are several reasons why alcohol can be considered a curse. It is a curse because it is a highly addictive substance. If taken in moderation, alcohol does not produce any harm, but if taken without control, it may cause severe problems. Foremost among the problems which result from alcoholism are the health problems. Diseases caused by an abuse of alcohol include cirrhosis of the liver, anemia, cancer, cardiomyopathy, epilepsy, seizures, high blood pressure, infectious diseases, nerve damage and pancreatitis. Other chronic physical effects of alcoholism are hand tremor, jaundice, rosacea, seborrheic dermatitis, parotid swelling, finger clubbing, rhinophyma, dyspepsia, nausea, vomiting, recurrent diarrhea and abdominal pain, hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, gastrointestinal bleeding, palpitations, chronic obstructive airways disease, chest infection and pneumonia. As if these physical conditions are not enough to consider alcoholism a curse, psychological disorders are also direct repercussions of alcoholism such as short-term memory impairment, blackouts, insomnia, nightmares, hallucinations, depression, anxiety, severe disorientation, confabulation and mood swings.
The health problems mentioned above are just one of the many curses of alcoholism. Another problem related to alcoholism is it affects one’s family life. According to a research, eighty five per cent of men who were violent towards their wives were frequent or daily users of alcohol. Alcoholism is a contributory factor in domestic violence. Physical and verbal abuse of family members may stem from the excessive consumption of alcohol.
Even the financial aspect of family life is affected by alcoholism because an alcoholic spends a portion of the family income on the purchase of alcohol instead of using it for other necessary household expenditures. Because of these problems in family relationships brought about by alcoholism, separation or divorce of parents occurs which cause emotional stress on the members of the family, especially the children.
Aside from the emotional curse that alcoholism brings, there are several crimes which are associated to its excessive consumption. Sexual assault, date rape, child abuse and rowdy behavior in neighborhoods are often results of alcoholism.
Drunk driving is another curse of alcoholism. Not only can it cause injury to the driver, his companions and other people on the road, most often it can lead to death. A study showed that 2.8 million students drive while intoxicated. Moreover, more than 1,800 college students in the United States have died from alcohol-related unintentional injuries.
The worst effect of alcoholism is that the moral sensibilities of people are deadened. This means that the moral judgement of individuals become clouded when they are under the influence of alcohol. This is precisely the reason why people become violent, commit crimes and other immoral behaviors when they are intoxicated. What is morally right and wrong becomes undistinguishable to an alcoholic.
It is no wonder that governments around the world are now spending billions of dollars to fight alcoholism. Given its bizarre effects on the individual and the society, the curse of alcoholism should definitely be addressed.
References
Dlcas.com. (n.d.). Chronic physical effects of alcoholism. Retrieved from dlcas.com: http://www.dlcas.com/MAAP/Chronic_Alcoholism.pdf
Freeman, D. (2011, September 15). 12 Health risks of chronic heavy drinking. Retrieved from webmd.com: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/alcohol-abuse/features/12-health-risks-of-chronic-heavy-drinking
Khan, S. (2012). Alcohol a curse for the mind, body and spirit! Retrieved from radianceweekly.com: http://www.radianceweekly.com/342/10006/the-scourge-of-alcoholism-and-drug-abuse/2013-01-20/cover-story/story-detail/alcohol-a-curse-for-the-mind-body-and-spirit.html
Palm, J. T. (2013, April 12). The tragic curse of alcohol abuse. Retrieved from realtruth.org: http://realtruth.org/articles/130408-005.html
The Naked Truth. (2012). Alcohol: A curse or a harmless habit. Retrieved from tnt.org.za: http://www.tnt.org.za/index.php/component/k2/item/121-alcohol-a-curse-or-a-harmless-habit
