The sad truth about alcohol is that it is actually condoned world-wide as an acceptable form of recreation, and is the most abused and addictive legal substance available. Abusing alcohol does not mean that you have an addiction to alcohol, but that you use the substance while in a risky situation and you put yourself or others at a high risk of trouble while consuming or under the influence of alcohol.
People of all ages consume alcohol, but the age group of people for alcohol abuse and overdose are young adults first entering into college. These young people put themselves at a high risk for trouble as this is when most young adults have a choice to live a life of sobriety or go down a path of alcohol abuse that can last their entire life. Being concerned that someone you care for is addicted to or abusing alcohol is a common problem that a lot of people face in their life. If you are one of the many people that is concerned that someone you care for is using alcohol look for the possible warning signs that can include:
Weight gain:
Due to the high levels of alcohol consumed and the fat content and calories that are produced with every alcoholic beverage.
Trouble focusing on school or work:
This occurs when someone has been using alcohol for a short amount of time and is due to the hype that they have over the drug. They will constantly talk about an under the influence experience, how alcohol overuse is hilarious and even say that they love using alcohol.
Changes in social behaviors:
He or she may no longer hang out with the same crowd of friends that they used to because their old friends may look down on them or even try to help them with their alcohol problems. They will assume that their friends are jealous or that they have no idea what they are talking about.
Mood changes:
A person can go from happy to sad in a matter of minutes whenever they are under the influence of alcohol and once they are no longer under the influence they will have to face the problems of depression that come due to the depressive nature of alcohol.
Alcohol is not something to be taken lightly. In fact, this drug was actually banned in America during the time now known as prohibition. Millions of people smuggled alcohol into their homes and there were even underground bars where people could come and drink illegally, but due to the massive amounts of people that overdosed on alcohol, it was made legal and the numbers of overdose soon dropped.
Even though numbers of deaths due to alcohol consumption and alcohol related incidents decreased after prohibition, this does not mean that today the story is the same. In actuality, alcohol causes more than 100,000 deaths in America every single year. This “legal” substance is ripping apart families , making teens and young adults become victims to rape, violence and disease, and causing adults to choose alcohol over their marriage . Alcohol is a deadly substance with a legality that should be second guessed, but because of the constant increases in the alcohol and the financial advantages for for many people, this drug will remain a problem in America for the future generations.
Being concerned that someone you care for is addicted to or abusing alcohol is a common occurrence that people face every day. Whether you are concerned that your child is using alcohol or that your mother is using alcohol, you should always refer to the warning signs of alcohol use mentioned above and also consider the possibility that without your help they could lose their life like thousands of others do every single year.
Marilyn Kegley works with several inpatient substance abuse treatment centers to educate individuals about the dangers of substance abuse. After watching numerous loved ones struggle with addiction, her goal is to help as many people as possible get effective and successful rehabilitation treatment.