Category: Alcohol

In June 2017, Andre Picard brought public attention to seemingly trivial issue of alcohol in his article at the Globe and Mail ‘We Need to Stop Romanticizing Alcohol’. According to the Globe and Mail, Andre Picard is known for his dedication to improving healthcare. “He was named Canada’s first ‘Public Health Hero’ by the Canadian Public Health Association and as a ‘Champion of Mental Health’ by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health. His work has been recognized by a number of other consumer groups, including the Alzheimer Society of Canada, the Canadian Hearing Society, Safe Kids Canada, and the Campaign to Control Cancer” (The Globe and Mail, p. 2017).

Picard spoke about public awareness and acknowledgement of the potential health impacts of legalizing marijuana and obvious harmful effects of opioids. While most of Canadian society would agree with the risks associated with the consumption of these drugs, for some reason we forget about disturbing effects of legal substance of alcohol. The author noted (2017), that “opioids overdoses caused 2,000 deaths in Canada last year, but alcohol kills more than 5,000 people annually, year in and year out”.

Andre Picard mentioned a report published by Canadian Institute for Health Information about alcohol harm in Canada proving statistics of alcohol related hospitalizations. These numbers are staggering. According to this report, in 2016, about 70,000 hospitalizations in Canada were direct result of alcohol consumption, more than for heart attacks (Canadian Institute for Health Information, 2017).

Picard recapped potential devastating alcohol implications on life of many Canadians:

• Health implications: liver diseases, pancreatitis, various cancers, fetal alcohol syndrome, mental disorders;
• Impaired driving kills and injures thousands every year;
• Alcohol leads to domestic violence:
• Sexual assault;
• Suicide and traumatic injuries;
• Ruins families and damages relationships.

The author thinks, that legalization of a substance does not make it safer and we, as Canadians, do overuse it. Unfortunately, alcohol consumption turned into unspoken norm in “virtually all social settings, rather than an occasional pleasure” (Picard, 2017).

Finally, Andre Picard (2017) suggests more stringent guidelines for alcohol consumption and advises the need to review our norms, “beginning with abandoning our hypocritical romanticization and normalization of alcohol”.

I believe, that the author’s most important message of this article is that we need to update our culture norms concerning alcohol. For some reason, some behaviors turn into acceptable norm when they become a routine. Let us look at smoking as an example of a positive direction for norm change. Some of us do remember smoking being not just acceptable, but even portrait as attractive and healthy behavior: doctors and beautiful women in TV commercials talking about relaxing benefits of cigarettes, ashtrays in hospital rooms and university auditoriums, smoking on airplanes. These actions seem futuristic and unimaginable now, but they were very real. It took us a long time, dozens and dozens of years to change our perception of smoking. But we see, that it is possible – smoking is illegal in most public areas in Canada. Our cultural norm changed, and smoking is no longer considered to be an acceptable behavior because of it.

We need to change our cultural norm and perception of alcohol consumption. Now we drink because we are happy, sad, lonely, ecstatic, devastated, to keep a company, to celebrate, to support, to protest. We need to break this causality and take the alcohol out of the equation. It would be ideal if we could substitute alcohol consumption as a reaction to any situation with an alternative healthy behavior: a lengthy walk, gym exercise, book reading, meditation or may be just having a glass of plain water instead. It is hard to underestimate the importance of such change considering all devastating effects of alcohol. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alcohol consumption associated with various short term and long-term health risks. Such risks include, but not limited to injuries, violence, risky behaviors, alcohol poisoning, miscarriage, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancers, cognitive and mental health problems, social problems. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.)

There is a need in public policy change to influence the change in cultural norm of alcohol consumption. This policy change should be activated on all the levels of health promotion and disease prevention. As per Canadian Institute for Health Information (2017), policies geared toward minimizing negative alcohol effects could include various marketing regulations and enforcement, raising awareness through warning labels on alcohol bottles, legal drinking age legislation and enforcement, licensing suspensions in cases of violations (Canadian Institute for Health Information, 2017).

To sum up, we, as Canadian society, should be honest with ourselves and realize our overuse of alcohol and alcohol impact on our everyday life. It might take us years, but we need to put emphasis on development of new strategies that will help us to become a healthier happier society. Such complex policy and norm change will require a collaboration of professionals from many different disciplines, government and private sectors. It is a long road, but we need to start walking it, we do owe this to ourselves and our future generations.

References

1. Canadian Institute for Health Information. (2017). Alcohol Harm in Canada. Retrieved October 2017, from Canadian Institute for Health Information: https://www.cihi.ca/sites/default/files/document/report-alcohol-hospitalizations-en-web.pdf
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Fact Sheets – Alcohol Use and Your Health. Retrieved November 2017, from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm
3. Picard, A. (2017, June 27). We Need to Stop Romanticizing Alcohol. Retrieved October 2017, from theglobalmail.com: https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/we-need-to-stop-romanticizing-alcohol/
4. The Globe and Mail. (2017). Retrieved October 2017, from The Globe and Mail: https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/authors/andre-picard/

I would say that there is a high probability that you know someone that is either in your family or a friend of someone in your family that has dealt with the consequences that alcohol brings. Alcohol can take a toll on our lives whether we abuse it or not. Maybe you are not personally affected by the consequences of alcohol in your life, but we as a society need to understand that there is a huge issue with people who abuse alcohol and cause these issues. Unless we address and spread the word about the consequences of alcohol and how it can end up being an issue in people’s life nothing will change. These problems caused by alcohol will continue as if society is admitting defeat on a serious topic that needs to be addressed. In this essay I will explain the effects that alcohol brings onto people’s physical, mental, and emotional health.

First, I am going to discuss the physical effects that alcohol can bring into people’s lives. As I stated earlier there is an issue on our hand whenever it comes to people and their alcohol. We can see all the time that people are not just dealing with the mental and emotional consequences. With the mental and emotional consequences of alcohol, we can see that a physical issue is at hand. People are not just being hurt on the inside, people are dying and being abused because of it. There are people who are being abused by their spouses because of their alcohol issues (Finan, 61). We can see people who are not able to go on their day-to-day course because they are being preoccupied with not just the want but the need for alcohol. Not only are people not able to go on with their day to day lives because of alcohol, but they do not want to go out and do things with others. They themselves know that at some point their issue will take them over and they will have to come up with some sort of reasoning for leaving their friend or family to go and get what they need to remove that inner need for alcohol (Black, 21). Not only am I talking about having to change their routines randomly based upon their needs and avoiding plans because of the need for alcohol. I am talking about life and death for people. I am talking about people being addicted to alcohol to the point in which they die from drinking way more than they need to and are poisoned (Finan, 148). There are people who are locked up in prison who can’t get their needs or even medical attention that they need from alcohol who end up killing themselves (Finan, 251). Once again though I am not only talking about the death of people who just had drinking issues. There are children who suffer from their parent’s issues and their own. Some parents think that they can’t help but to fuel their issue and would rather do so than feed and nourish their children (Finan, 14). Teenagers are dying every year because of all of the issues that alcohol can bring upon them and their friends (Nelson, 107). We can see that there are many physical effects and consequences that are brought by drinking alcohol. Whether or not you drink alcohol you can still deal with the issues that are brought by it.

The second thing I am going to discuss is the mental issues that come with drinking alcohol. Once again, these things can cause issues on people other than the person who drinks. The mental consequences that are brought by alcohol can even start at a young age. Children who drink are highly more likely to end up have alcohol dependence problems later in their lives (Nelson, 109). Alcohol can not only get you pulled over from not being able to drive correctly but once you get pulled over you can tend to think to yourself that you are fine. You can think that it is not your fault that you got pulled over and what this does is make it where your brain wants to think that it is not at all your fault and that your drinking was not at fault. It makes you want to think that your drinking is okay and that you can continue. Mentally you deny all responsibility for the actions caused by drinking just to continue on your way (Black, 20). Your actions as an alcoholic can cause others to not understand their life and why they are stuck with you. It can seem to them as unfair and they can question their own beliefs like their religion (Al-Anon, 9). As I said earlier, we saw that people would actually end up killing themselves whenever they could not get alcohol or treatment in some situations or even just becoming depressed and letting alcohol influence their decision of suicide. We can see that alcohol can mess with your mentality in a very weird way to the point in which you would consider or possibly commit the unthinkable, suicide. Whether it be direct or indirect we can see these effects cause people to hurt them or even end to killing themselves. We can see that alcohol in many ways can mess with your mental state and abilities.

Lastly, I will discuss the emotional effects that are brought by alcohol. We can already see where some of this is heading based on the previous text. We see people ending their lives over issues involving alcohol. This can cause emotional times in their friend’s and family’s lives. We can see children being rejected by their parents, and you may ask yourself what emotional effects would this have on them? People who are dependent on alcohol are very emotional because some of them know they have an issue and do not know what to do about it. What are they to do other than beg for help from doctors and people that can hopefully help? They have a dependency, and in their minds, they know that it may not be the best but it is needed for their body at that point in their lives (Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 29). Alcohol users can get emotional withdrawals as well as mental and physical (Black, 23). The spouses of alcohol users can feel very emotionally stressed because their life is so difficult and complicated, and as if they are the only ones with this type of issue with their spouse. Although alcohol plays its part in many families throughout our world (Al-Anon, 252). The emotional effects and responses are not taken as serious compared to the others but as we can see it can be very damaging to the user, family, and friends.

Clearly, there are a lot of effects that alcohol brings onto people and their lives. Alcohol can bring effects that are physical, mental, and emotional. We can see the physical consequences in their lifestyles, abuse, and suicide. We see the mental issues in their dependency, denial, and thoughts. The emotional effects can be seen in the user, the family, and friends. Alcohol can be used correctly but when not treated for serious issues these effects can become an issue in everyone’s life and possibly fatal.

Alcohol related accidents are far too common in today’s world for one for not directly involved or related to those involved to be utterly shocked and amazed by the outcome. Far too often the individual who decided to get behind the wheel inebriated often walks away from the scene usually rather unscathed with minor bumps and bruises, while the innocent family, person, dog, etc., are maimed or dead beyond saving. Most individuals have a hope that they will never be a part of this statistic. However, according to the US Department of Transportation in “2010 the total economic cost of motor vehicle crashes in the US was $242 billion. The represents the present value of lifetime economic cost for 32,999 fatalities, 3.9 million non-fatal injuries, and 24 million damaged vehicles” (‘Crash States’, page 6). Alcohol related accidents in today’s world can instantly change the rest of the lives of those in the car and the remaining world around them.

I recently heard of any event that changed the lives of some many individuals in my life. I was not always close with the people and the poor girl that lost her life I had never met in person, but because of the circle of people she knew I could almost guarantee I had met somewhere along the way of life. The lady in question and her husband and a mutual friend were heading home from a Halloween party. The road conditions were highly questionable that night and the vehicle had flipped and became submerged in a canal near the road where the poor girl was stuck. The details of what lead the accident were not released due to the courtesy and request of the family but the hearsay on the matter was deafening. Simple nights out that lead to choices which resulted in deadly consequences that would last a lifetime for those who remained.

In doing the research for this paper, it was intriguing to find out all the different terms to describe driving while intoxicated (DWI), operating while intoxicated (OWI). If an individual drives while impaired in Ohio whether it is under the influence of drugs or alcohol the citation is labeled OVI. Drinking and driving leaves a devastating impact on society. The effect begins at home because you chose to have one too many and thought that you had the capability to navigate your way back to your home, apartment, hotel, etc. Immediately the first person’s life you have ruined the moment the accident happens is your own. No matter how grand of a lawyer or family structure you have at your back there is no coming back from this.

The consequences on society are a revolving downfall due to the fact that you have not only harmed the person or persons that were in the other vehicle, on the sidewalk, or for lack of better reasoning in the definite wrong place at the wrong time. Drunk driving is a frightening experience for the driver, the occupants, and anyone else on the road. Driving on roads on any day/night of the road, especially during the holidays can be particularly nerve racking because you know what the other drivers on the road have participated prior to getting behind the vehicle. The statists of people who are willing to admit that they have drunk and drove have decreased rapidly over the generations.

Drunk driving to some is thought to be funny, to see if they can get away with it. However, one silly mistake can cost lives, thousands of dollars, etc. Drunk driving has an overall impact on society because it is not just your life that is interrupted. More often times than not there is no coming back from the decisions made in that split second. Drunk driving can carry sentences that financially and physically ruin the driver’s life, but more often than not it is a truly small price to pay in the grand scale.

“Every day, 29 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. That is one death every 50 minutes. The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes is more than $40,000,000,000” (CDC.org). There are some many dangers that come with drinking and driving its remarkable and so easily forgotten. Alcohol delays your reaction time because it causes the brain to see things happening slower than what is actually truly going on. At that same breathe, intoxication can throw of your coordination and concentration so getting behind the wheel of a vehicle, and that does not mean just an actual car, it could be a motorcycle, golf cart, etc. Alcohol is a depressant so it slows down your thought processes and definitely fails to help you make the best decisions.

Single vehicle accidents that involve alcohol happen at a higher rate than multiple vehicle accidents. The decision to get behind the wheel of the car after consuming alcohol is not always a deadly decision. Some individuals are able to have that one drink/glass of wine/beer and hang around for a bit and then proceed on their way. There is a difference in understanding when you have had too much and need to phone a friend, uber, taxi, etc. In the days that we live in there is no excuse as to why you have to enter your vehicle and proceed to potentially ruin your life and the lives of so many others. Drinking and driving has and will continue to have a lasting effect on society until better decisions are made.

Francis Scott Fitzgerald in his novel ‘The Great Gatsby’ in one way or another touched on the topic of alcohol and addiction to it, characteristic of the society of that era.

Caraway is particularly susceptible to alcohol in ‘The Great Gatsby’. Nick Caraway drinks to avoid his reality and associated problems. Secondly, he drinks a lot of alcohol, especially in parties to avoid socializing with strangers. On the afternoon of Myrtle’s party, he states, “I sat down discreetly in the living-room and read a chapter of Simon Called Peter—either it was terrible stuff or the whiskey distorted things, because it didn’t make any sense to me” (p. 19). A couple of weeks later at Gatsby’s party, he notes, “I had taken two finger bowls of champagne, and the scene had changed before my eyes into something significant, elemental, and profound” (p. 31). Caraway is by and large displayed as being calmer and more discerning than everyone around him and in this manner a progressively dependable storyteller. However, in Chapter 2, Nick’s story is especially divided and incoherent which mirrors his inebriated state at the gathering in Tom’s house in New York. Nick’s intoxication carries him to a similar degree of incongruity and failure to fathom occasions as different characters, in this way including his group of spectators in a similar vulnerability. In this section, he is as befuddled as Myrtle, Tom, Catherine and the McKee’s, and, as the gathering gets fierce with Tom breaking Myrtle’s nose, he reacts by leaving and his story continues without compassion. The associations between one occasion and another are likewise broken in this section, utilizing ellipsis toward the conclusion to feature the impact of intermittency, making a feeling of an unreasonable and tremendous existence where significance is lost.

Tom Buchanan has a high tolerance for alcohol but can’t seem to control his temper that worsens when under the influence. In ‘The Great Gatsby’, Tom is always seen with an alcoholic beverage. Rarely will he be without one. “‘I’ll get some whiskey’, answered Tom” (Fitzgerald, 2004). This shows that Tom is reliant on alcohol in every situation. If there is no alcohol present, he will suggest that he go and get some. In Chapter 2 of ‘The Great Gatsby’, Tom had a few drinks with his mistress, Myrtle Wilson. She provoked him by repeatedly saying ‘Daisy! Daisy! Daisy!’ and that lit up a fit of anger within Tom that he just couldn’t control, especially since he had consumed a few drinks beforehand. He swung at her and broke her nose. This shows that too much alcohol can result in loss of control and unstable moods. Tom Buchanan has a short temper and when mixed with the excessive amount of alcohol that he consumes, the result is not very pleasant.

At the point when Nick goes to one of Gatsby’s gatherings without precedent for Chapter 3, he quickly means to get an alcoholic at the mixed drink table to just evade looking alone and without reason. Scratch and Jordan Baker experiences an inebriated Owl Eyes in this gathering just because, as well, as they stroll around the chateau and pass by the library in look for Gatsby. Owl Eyes, as he chats with the two, expresses that he had been inebriated for seven days.

“There was dancing now on the canvas in the garden; old men pushing young girls backward in eternal graceless circles, superior couples holding each other tortuously, fashionably, and keeping in the corners ─ and a great number of single girls dancing individualistically, or relieving the orchestra for a moment of the burden of the banjo or the traps. By midnight the hilarity had increased. A celebrated tenor had sung in Italian, and a notorious contralto had sung in jazz, and between the numbers people were doing ‘stunts’ all over the garden, while happy, vacuous bursts of laughter rose toward the summer sky. A pair of stage twins, who turned out to be the girls in yellow, did a baby act in costume, and champagne was served in glasses bigger than finger bowls. The moon had risen higher, and floating in the Sound was a triangle of silver scales, trembling a little to the stiff, tinny drip of the banjoes on the lawn” (53).

Chapter 5 highlights Gatsby and Daisy’s gathering, which had been set-up by Nick. As the two arrive at Gatsby’s room after a visit, Gatsby then hauls out a wine glass and beverages; a jug of Chartreuse. Effectively apprehensive, Gatsby, as Nick had seen, had gone through two states and was entering a third one, inferable from his drinking. Humiliation, unexplainable delight, and afterward a region of marvel at Daisy; Gatsby was in those three states.

Gatsby is found in the novel as an exacting non-consumer and even though tossing the extreme drinking parties he never partakes in devouring the liquor like his visitors. Gatsby knew about the frightening influence liquor had on individuals and this is could be the reason he decided not to participate in it and only watch his visitors. In one sense, Gatsby’s clothes to newfound wealth example of overcoming adversity make him an exemplification of the American dream. He began existence with little, as the child of genuinely ineffective ranchers. When he was a youngster, he had even less, having intentionally repelled himself from his family, incapable to grapple with the part he had been managed throughout everyday life. While all alone, he had the chance to reexamine himself, and due exclusively to his creativity, Jimmy Gatz advanced into Jay Gatsby. In that capacity, life turned out to be entirely different (although he was missing one key fixing: cash). He was never again attached to his initial years; however, he could envision whatever past for himself he wanted. And afterward, he began to look all starry eyed at, a decisive episode that would change a mind-blowing course for eternity. After meeting Daisy, all that he did was for the solitary motivation behind winning her. Cash was, basically, the issue that averted their being as one, thus Gatsby ensured he could never again be without it. Gatsby’s drive and constancy in acquiring his objective are, in numerous faculties, admirable. He is an independent man (in all regards) and thusly, is commendable.

In summary, Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s novel is a great illustration of the theme of alcohol and addiction. Thanks to a detailed analysis of the novel’s characters, you can see what the society of that era was like and what addictions ruled them.

In the last year over eighty-eight thousand people have died from the results of over drinking. This is only part of the reason alcohol usage should be controlled. Alcohol can have a very negative impact on the lives of people and someone needs to fix it. There are many different reasons why alcohol usage should be controlled.

One of those reasons is driving while drinking. Many people’s lives are ruined due to car accidents involving drunk drivers. A survivor of an impact with a drunk driver, Jacqueline Saburido, suffered severe burns to over 60% of her body that has left her with no nose, ears, eyelids, lips, hair or fingers after the car she was in caught on fire (Fera, Rae). In Texas about every thirty-one minutes someone will be injured or killed due to a drunk driver. That’s about one thousand thirty-seven lives lost each year. Now in the United States that’s ten-thousand lives each year.

Another reason is that alcohol can affect the brain of overdrinkers. It can cause memory loss, trouble with learning, loss of attention span, and depression. Alcohol can affect short term and long-term memory. Alcohol can affect short term by slowing down how nerves communicate to each other in the part of the brain called the hippocampus (Nall, Rachel). Long-term memory loss is caused by drinking so much alcohol that it doesn’t only slow it down, but damages it. Alcohol can also affect learning. The side effects (memory, concentration problems, anxiety) last for at least forty-eight hours. So, if a person drank Friday night and had to study for a test on Monday, they would remember less than fifty percent of the information. Finally, alcohol can make depression worse. Sometimes people drink it to relieve depression and sometimes it can cause it. Those who drink while having depression are likely to have suicidal thoughts. Drinking a lot of alcohol can lead to brain damage which leads to depression. Depression can result with ruined relationships of friends and family.

Alcohol can destroy relationships with friends and family. Time spent drinking and getting drunk can take away time spent with family. Relationships with husband or wife can be ruined if a person has sex while being drunk and can affect the children. A child can get hurt from drunk and abusive parents. All of these things are reasons why alcohol should be controlled.

A huge reason is a person’s health. A big thing about alcohol is that it can affect a person’s health in many ways. It can cause several types of cancer, liver problems, and mental health problems. Alcohol can cause seven different types of cancer, bowel cancer, breast cancer, laryngeal cancer, liver cancer, mouth cancer, esophageal cancer, and pharyngeal cancer. Liver cancer is one of the most common types of cancer caused by alcohol. Liver cancer happens when you drink so much alcohol that it can damage the liver cells in your stomach which causes liver cancer. When the cancer in the liver spreads it can affect the breast and lungs causing breast and lung cancer. Alcohol can also cause mental health problems like depression, anxiety, and mood swings. Alcohol does not really cause depression or anxiety but can make them worse. People often go to alcohol to help with their mental problems in life but usually it makes it way worse or can lead to a different problem.

On the positive side of things there are very many solutions to the problem. Many people are running campaigns for younger underage drinkers so that they can learn the side effects of drinking and will not do it. There are also many organizations that are doing many things to help control the usage of alcohol. The organization NIAAA does research on alcohol, tries to prevent people from getting disorders, and is finding treatments. Another organization, NCADD, is dedicated to helping those who are in midst of trying to overcome an alcohol-disorder or other substance abuse problems. It’s founder, Marty Mann, was one of the earliest members of yet another organization, Alcoholics Anonymous. AA is an international organization that provides alcoholics a safe place to talk, share, and discuss their past dealing with alcohol.

The government has also passed several laws trying to prevent these things from happening. Underage drinking and drinking while driving are examples of laws that the government has passed to prevent these problems. There are more laws that could be passed such as no drinking after eleven pm.

There are many ways that alcohol can have a negative impact on our community but there are ways we are working on stopping it. This is why alcohol usage should be controlled.

Alcohol is one of the most controversial products of relatively common consumption. Its side effects affect many elements of our body, having the serious problem of not being able to differentiate the supposedly positive effects that we notice from the harmful effects it produces inside. With insomnia, alcohol has a double effect on our body that evolves over time. By not knowing in depth its consequences we let it act hoping that it happens alone, based mainly on our experience and what we have learned by intuition.

For us to understand how alcohol affects our rest, we must first know a little about the phases of the dream. In basic terms, there are two main stages of sleep that are affected by alcohol: the REM phase (rapid eye movement) and the NREM phase (no rapid eye movement). The NREM phase occurs approximately in the first half of the sleep cycle, leaving REM for the second half, where deep sleep is included. With this idea in mind is when we can move on to the paradoxical effect of alcohol. In the first phase, alcohol favors sleep, quickly falling asleep. It is not strange that we have lived it or that we know people who when drinking too much suddenly fall asleep. Reducing the latency to sleep can even occur in just seconds, so many people who have difficulty sleeping resort to alcohol more or less constantly. Unfortunately, here comes the REM phase, damaged by alcohol. When we drink, we usually notice that our sleep is altered, waking us up in the middle of the night without a feeling of rest. Beyond the hormonal effects that alcohol has, we can not achieve deep sleep, making it less refreshing and we find ourselves sleepy throughout the day. In short, we fall asleep faster, but it is a dream of lower quality and duration. Although drinking alcohol sporadically will not cause our sleep to be altered in a serious way, making it normal in our pace of life can lead to sleep disorders.

Unable to reconcile a restful sleep, we find two main disorders: insomnia and narcolepsy. Although they do not necessarily have to be produced by alcohol, they are very affected by consumption and can become chronic if our intake becomes constant over time. The most common is insomnia. We do not get a good night’s sleep, waking up frequently at night without getting proper rest at any time. It is easy to go back to sleep, but it will be even easier to wake up abruptly. If we add an obligation as usual as having to get up early to work, insomnia is virtually assured. In the case of narcolepsy, it is necessary to clarify that it is not pure narcolepsy as such, which occurs mainly by genetic influence. The effects of narcolepsy in the form of fatigue throughout the day and constant drowsiness are what alcohol produces when taken regularly. We can not rest properly, a difficult sensation to eliminate to which we curiously seek solutions by taking substances such as alcohol itself.

Other related effects such as nervousness or anxiety produced by alcohol can affect our rest. Collateral with its influence on the phases of the dream, it is the variety of effects of alcohol that makes our dream so affected. If we also add the psychological consequences of consuming alcohol for a long time, it is easy to conclude that we should never resort to it to help us in our sleepless nights.

In times when alcohol moves around the social controversy mysteriously suddenly appears voices that defend its therapeutic effect, including its benefits to sleep better. Of course, the interest behind is at the discretion of each one.

Alcohol is, in my point of view, the most dangerous drug in our society. Its effects are potent, and the main reason for it being incredibly dangerous is that we don’t see it as a drug. We see it as a tasty beverage, something to relax with, something to lighten our mood. This may be true, but your opinion of the substance may change when you realize the harm, and risks that it can also cause.

Everyone drinks. We go over to our mates for pre-drinks and have a few pints before a party. We then get to the party at 9 or 10pm, only to pour more alcohol down our throats. We continue until 3 or 4, and then stumble home, running about causing havoc, stealing cones and street signs before arriving home and going to bed. The next day you will wake up with a splitting headache, feeling rough and only wanting to lie in bed with a Chinese and bottle of Irn-Bru. Was it worth it? One night of fun for one or two days of feeling terrible? Hearing the embarrassing stories of what you did the night before, possibly having gotten into fights or kissing someone who when sober you wouldn’t even have thought about? I would say no. I would like to be able to have fun while still being in control of my actions. ‘Alcohol is legal though? It can’t be that bad for you! Right?’. Wrong.

A 2010 study by the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs found that by ranking drugs on their harm to the user, and by their harm to others (family, friends, society), alcohol came out on top, beating drugs like methamphetamine, heroin and crack cocaine, by quite some margin on their ranking score. This means that despite being legal, alcohol is extremely dangerous. If a mate offered you crack you probably wouldn’t take it, so why when someone offers to buy you a pint would you drink it?

Deaths occur scarily often because of alcohol. In 2017, there were 1,235 alcohol-related deaths in Scotland alone. Compare this with drug-related deaths in Scotland, 943 in 2017, and you can see that there are nearly 300 more deaths in which alcohol has been involved than deaths involving every other drug out together, legal or illegal. That is ridiculous, that a legal substance that nearly anyone could go to a shop and purchase kills that many people per year. If a bottle of coke killed over 1200 people per year there would be public outcry, and it would be made illegal immediately, so why doesn’t the same thing happen with alcohol? Critics will look at those figures and say, “Well, drugs are illegal? That means less people do them so of course there is less deaths?”, and I think that is so idiotic.

Most of these substances are relatively safe, if taken sensibly and you actually know what they are. It gets dangerous when you think you are taking one thing, but you are actually taking another. This could lead to an overdose, or you taking something other than MDMA for example which is way more dangerous. One of the recent crises is the fentanyl epidemic in the UK. People thought they were buying and taking heroin, which in the scale of things has a relatively large lethal dose of 30mg. That may seem tiny but compare this to fentanyl, with a lethal dose 10 times smaller, 3mg and you can see the issue. People who thought they were taking a small dose of heroin were actually taking more than the lethal dose of fentanyl, leading to overdose. If these drugs were legal like alcohol they could be controlled and taxed. This would mean that people would know exactly what they were taking, and overdoses due to mistaking one substance for another would decrease extremely fast. The extra income from the tax of these drugs could go to the NHS, to help deal with even more of these unnecessary deaths and hopefully reduce them even more.

Another extreme danger is how the media views alcohol. Over 1200 people die every year due to alcohol, meaning more than 3 every day. Now when a teen overdoses on MDMA or cocaine it’s always in the news, telling everyone how dangerous it is to take drugs, and if people die at a festival the next year there is way more security and police cracking down on drugs. However, do you see 3 reports of people dead due to alcohol in the news every day? I certainly haven’t.

I do not think that alcohol should be illegal, however, I think that there should definitely be a large shift in perspective of how people view alcohol, and how it is treated in the media and socially. Schools, and the news should push more information about the dangers of consuming alcohol, and the risks of addiction and overdose. There should be more warnings about alcohol in shops, and on social media. We need to stop viewing it as just another drink, and something to enjoy at will, and treat it the same way we treat other drugs, while keeping it legal.

Alcohol is one of the most prevalently consumed resources in the world, used by thousands and thousands of human beings in the course of the United States on a normal basis. Alcohol consumption can have a pervasive influence on health and well-being and even light ingesting is associated with sure unfavorable effects. The greater alcohol a character consumes, the extra of an effect it has on their system.

When one thinks about the effect that alcohol can have on a person, a change in behavior is often one of the first matters that comes to mind. Alcohol and altered behavior have really grow to be synonymous with every another. Alcohol interferes with normal brain communication, therefore changing a person’s conduct and mood. The potential to assume certainly is frequently inhibited, and adequate alcohol consumption can significantly affect motor functioning through its outcomes on the brain. Commonly viewed consequences on the brain and the rest of the central anxious machine (CNS) include slurred speech and problems with coordination.

The coronary heart is one of the most necessary organs in the human body, and it additionally happens to be particularly susceptible to the results of alcohol. Some of the cardiovascular results of alcohol include: cardiomyopathy (or an enlarged, inefficient coronary heart muscle), arrhythmia, increased blood pressure, increased hazard of stroke, increased possibility of varicosities and bleeding. Some lookup has indicated that consuming very moderate quantities of alcohol can without a doubt enhance coronary heart health, but immoderate consumption places a man or woman at chance for complications. Heart attack and coronary heart failure are very serious troubles related with long-term alcohol consumption.

Liver harm is usually associated with the consumption of alcohol as well. Cirrhosis of the liver is a circumstance that outcomes from chronic irritation and scarring of the liver tissue, according to the U.S. Library of Medicine. Sclerotic or scarred tissue impair necessary liver functions, such as cleaning the blood and helping to battle infection. Alcoholism is the most frequent motive of this condition, and it can additionally end result in fatty liver, fibrosis, and alcoholic hepatitis. The digestive gadget can suffer considerably due to the consequences of alcohol. Beginning with the mouth, alcohol can do sizable injury to the salivary glands, gums, and tongue. Tooth decay is now not amazing amongst heavy drinkers. Esophageal troubles can arise in the shape of ulcers, which can also shape in the stomach. Combined with a decline in liver feature and elevated blood pressure, blood vessels in the esophagus may additionally grow to be enlarged and at-risk of rupture.

In different components of the gastrointestinal system, the pancreas can be also affected by using alcohol. Drinking, even occasionally, can lead to acute pancreatitis, which is irritation of the organ. Complications to occur from pancreatitis include endocrine problems (e.g., diabetes), a spilling of digestive enzymes into the stomach (a painful condition sometimes referred to as autodigestion), pseudocyst formation, and everlasting organ damage (chronic pancreatitis). Surgery can also be required to manage some of these potentially-fatal complications.

A woman can also trip the disruption of her menstrual cycle due to alcohol abuse, and menstruation can even quit completely in some cases. Some female ride infertility in connection with alcohol use, and the danger of pregnancy and beginning problems increases. A female drinking while pregnant can lead to a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in the child, a range of stipulations with each bodily and cognitive ramifications. An individual’s immune device is frequently affected through alcohol use as well. This can make a man or woman extra susceptible to a broad range of viruses and illnesses, ranging from frequent to very serious.

Long-term alcohol use can put one at an increased chance for sure conditions, such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, and even cancer.

Alcohol can additionally have dramatic results on an individual’s reproductive system. Men who drink excessively often experience issues with erectile dysfunction, a situation that effects in difficulty reaching and/or retaining an erection. Multiple studies over the years have observed a correlation between alcohol consumption and testosterone production, in accordance to NIAAA. Alcohol seems to inhibit testosterone and different hormonal secretion, as alcohol can be immediately poisonous to the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal system. Low testosterone degrees can end result in diminished male physical characteristics and have been associated with a greater risk for prostate troubles in the future. Alcohol has additionally been known to decrease sperm production and alter sperm structure.

Light and average alcohol use are not associated with significant weight reap and obesity, but a study posted in Current Obesity Reports discovered that heavy ingesting is constantly related to weight gain. Alcohol is excessive in energy and can alter cognitive methods and metabolism (leading to negative nutritional preferences and impaired macronutrient processing). The volume of alcohol ate up appears to be the most serious issue in affecting a person’s weight, however the intensity and frequency of drinking additionally appear to have an effect.

It is obvious that alcohol can have extraordinarily drastic effects on a number systems of the human body. The momentary results on the talent and different components of the body can be very serious, mainly as more alcohol is bump off in a quick quantity of time. Long-term effects can be even greater dire and lead to a multitude of ailments and life-altering conditions. In order to reverse or enhance the outcomes of alcohol on the body, an individual should decrease the quantity they drink or abstain from consuming altogether. For many people with alcohol use disorder, and for anybody with tremendous physiological alcohol dependence, professional therapy is needed to safely give up drinking.

My research

My Research Topic is Teenage Pregnancy

My research title is the study of Factors Influencing Teenage Pregnancy in Africa

Background information on teenage pregnancy

Africa remains one of the landmasses with the most elevated levels of adolescent pregnancies in the world. In showing disdain toward this, there are constrained experimental inquiries about ponders on determinants of young pregnancy in Africa. Research has shown that Africa is the leading nation with the highest number of teenage pregnancy cases. This ponders points to examine the slant and determinants of high school pregnancy in Africa. A few social and financial variables show up to be the causes of adolescent pregnancy in Africa. In this manner, understanding the affiliation between young pregnancy and different social and financial components would offer assistance in diminishing the adolescent pregnancy rate in Africa. Teenage pregnancy is the condition of being pregnant and puberty matures 13-19. The casualties of adolescent pregnancy are the young lady herself, her child, her guardians, and the national society as a whole. Teenage pregnancy is a communal problem because it disrupts children’s school work and future in Africa it is believed that education is key to success without it there is no other way of succeeding in life; it goes hand in hand with premarital sex. Also, teenage pregnancy causes health complications to both the mother and the child for example premature birth and low birth weight. In addition, it also affects teenagers’ social well-being, it brings about questions like . How will they provide for the child if their parents cut them financially? Will they be able to go to graduate school? What will become of their future? Will they become good parents to their children? The objective of this research is to try to find out ways that contribute to the foundation of early parenthood and the other objective is to try to find solutions and ways of solving and avoiding early parenthood.

Research problem

Teenage pregnancy is a global issue that affects the lives of many young girls negatively. It brings about a concern to the general world not only Africa due to its high increasing rate even though it is mostly dominant in Africa. This issue is a problem because many teenagers are forced to leave school (school dropouts) in order to take care of their children. Secondly, teenage pregnancy is an issue of concern as it calls for premarital sex which is often against the code of ethics also if these teenagers are involved in premarital sex if poses a threat to their health. They are likely to contract STIs which makes their lives short-lived. However many teenagers find themselves in this issue involuntarily. They end up in this situation due to factors that are mostly beyond their control even though some are within their command. Factors that lead to teenage pregnancy include poverty, peer pressure, sexual abuse, media influence, drugs and alcohol, and lack of information about sexual and reproductive health and rights CITATION Pla18 l 1033 (Plan International, 2018). They find themselves held up in this situation as they try to fend for themselves by being involved in relationships with men who are older than them and some find themselves in the situation to acquire necessities that their friends have so as to please them. Schools and the community through guidance and counseling departments should work together to try to find solutions to this problem. Even though schools are doing everything possible to create awareness of this issue, it is not enough because teenage pregnancy cases continue to increase greatly. The results of this study will help to outline factors that lead to teenage pregnancy, and their effects and provide solutions on how best to solve deal with the factors.

Broad objective

To examine the factors that influence teenage pregnancy in Africa

Specific objectives

• To determine how the culture and tradition promote teenage pregnancy
• To examine how alcohol and drug abuse lead to teenage pregnancy

Research questions

• Null Hypothesis – Entails that there is no relationship between the two variables being studied CITATION Sau18 l 1033 (McLeod, 2018).
• Alternative Hypothesis- CITATION UCO18 l 1033 (UCONN, 2018) – Entails that there is a relationship between two variables in a present statement

Q1. Is there any relationship between poverty and teenage pregnancy?

• Null Hypothesis: There is no relationship between poverty and teenage pregnancy. Poverty does not affect teenage pregnancy
• Alternative Hypothesis – There is a relationship correlation between family economic status and teenage pregnancy. As the teenage pregnancy rate increases, the poverty rate increases

Q2. How do alcohol and drug abuse lead to teenage pregnancy?

• Null hypothesis – Alcohol and drug abuse does not have any effect or relationship to teenage pregnancy
• Alternative Hypothesis: There is a relationship between alcohol and teenage pregnancy.

Works Cited

1. McLeod, S. (2018). What is a hypothesis? simplypsychology. https:www.simplypsychology.orgwhat-is-a-hypotheses.html. Retrieved 5 April 2021
2. Plan International. (2018). Teenage Pregnancy. 2-4. https:plan-international.orgsexual-healthteenage-pregnancy Retrieved 5 April 2021
3. UCONN. (2018). https:researchbasics.education.uconn.edunull-and-alternative-hypotheses#.Retrieved 6 April 2021

Alcohol is one of many psychoactive drugs with addictive potential, which has a significant impact on public health and individuals in society (Crocq, 2007). Alcohol is a modifiable lifestyle factor that has intentionally inflicted and unintentionally acquired injuries (Iranpour and Nakhaee, 2019, p. 132) that has resulted in hospitalization and is most widely used as a recreational drug in the Western world. The health of the eye is important because there is a co-dependent relationship between the eyes and the brain. Alcohol consumption can cause anomalies of the central nervous system (CNS), including the brain, and lead to a wide spectrum of ocular deformities (Stromland and Pinazo-Duran, 2002). Further studies have shown alcohol ingestion results in a varying degree of consequences regarding vision and eye health such as impaired eye coordination, blurry vision, cataracts (Silva et al., 2017). This essay will discuss the effects of alcohol on the health of the eyes. More specifically the essay will touch upon certain ocular diseases or conditions that are triggered by the consumption of alcohol, which include fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), visual impairment, impairment of rod and cone photoreceptors and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

Fetal alcohol syndrome begins with maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy. This later leads to many anomalies of the central nervous system (CNS) and a wide spectrum of ocular deformities (Stromland and Pinazo-Duran, 2002). A retrospective study by Hug et al., (2000) looked at 11 children who had been diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ophthalmologic exams were conducted, and it was found that all participants tested had abnormal magnetic resonance imaging results (Hug et al., 2000). Optic nerve hypoplasia was found in 91% of the subjects during the ophthalmology exam (Hug et al., 2000). Optic nerve hypoplasia is a condition whereby the optic nerves are underdeveloped (National Organization for Rare Disorders, n.d.). Alcohol exposure can damage the optic nerve and the retina by altering glial cells and degenerating myelin sheath, ganglions, and optic axons (Pinazo-Duran et al., 1997). These findings suggest that early pregnancy alcohol exposure affects the development and the health of the fetus’s eyes. Stromland and Hellstorm’s (1996) study of 25 children with fetal alcohol syndrome, which reported a finding of 76% occurrence of optic nerve hypoplasia in their subject’s ophthalmology exam results is significantly lower than Stromland (2002) study. Since Hug et al., (2000) finding was conducted on small sample size (11 children), the retrospective study can be repeated on a larger sample size, to determine the accuracy of Stromland and Hellstorm’s (1996) study, however there might be other reason for this difference, which might be worth exploring by Hug et al., (2000). Overall, FAS is important both in terms of its prevalence and its effects. The eye is a sensitive, yet accurate marker that serves as a helpful diagnosis for FAS, and many women will not admit to excessive drinking while pregnant. For several reasons, diagnosing FAS at birth may be difficult. There are no laboratory tests to show FAS, so finding the usual signs and symptoms such as underdeveloped optic nerve and damaged retina alongside finding a history of drinking during pregnancy is the only way to diagnose FAS. Treatments could be offered for more serious conditions when it has been detected earlier on (Chicago Medicine, n.d.). In conclusion, FAS is important both in terms of its prevalence and effects, this goes to show how it can have a detrimental effect on the fetus’s eye health.

Visual Impairment

One of the main causes of accidents is down to excess alcohol consumption. Consumption of a large quantity of alcohol can cause visual impairment, this leads to a decreased field of vision and an increase in saccadic eye movement. Saccadic eye movements are rapid eye movements which carry the image of a subject to the fovea (Wong, 2014). A study conducted by Marinkovic et al. (2013), showed that 22 healthy social drinkers were participated to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) which scanned and monitored eye movement when the participants were under the influence of alcohol. Visually guided prosaccades were used to move towards a target and volitional anti-saccades to move away from it (Marinkovic et al., 2013). The study shows that the consumption of alcohol can impair top-down function. This decreases control and increases saccadic eye movement, and results in a weak anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is an important part of the human mediofrontal neural circuit it monitors the cognitive system’s brain activity for any indications of error (Ridderinkhof, 2002). When the anterior cingulate cortex is weakened the communication between the optic nerve and the brain is slowed, thus delaying communication between the eye and the brain, and therefore affecting the individual’s ability to make decisions (Marinkovic et al., 2013). It is noteworthy that the results of the ACC’s sensitivity to saccadic conflict and error processing in the Marinkovic et al. (2013) study are consistent with other fMRI studies (Ford et al., 2005). In conclusion, since consumption of a large quantity of alcohol can cause visual impairment, which can affect decision-making, it is fair to say that any form of impaired vision can endanger other drivers on the road. Therefore, by optometrists or healthcare professionals recognizing visual impairment in drivers, traffic safety precautions can be guaranteed (Hartung et al., 2020).

Impairment of Rod and Cone Photoreceptors

The visual processing system can detect a wide spectrum of light: between daytime and night-time (Olympus Life Science, n.d.). Rod cells are responsible for night vision (scotopic vision), whilst cone cells can absorb a broad range of light particles and are therefore responsible for color vision (photopic vision) (Kenhub, 2020). According to the findings of a present study, at mesopic light levels, small consumption of alcohol can impair both cone and rod functions (Zhuang et al., 2015). This was addressed in Zhuang et al. (2015) study, which measured the critical flicker frequency (CFF) before and after the consumption of excess alcohol (0.8kg) in social drinkers, which was later compared with the placebo beverage (control). The social drinkers’ primary visual stimuli: cone, rod, and a mixture of both were measured under three light conditions: medium light intensity, low light intensity, and dim light intensity- this was done using the CFF test (Zhuang et al., 2015). In a CFF test, the frequency of the light is altered over time, and the patient is expected to describe the highest frequency at which they can still observe the light as ‘flickering’ (Bajaj, 2012). The results proved that alcohol had a significant impact on the CFF values of (cone, rods and, both), at all light intensity levels when compared to the control (placebo beverage) (Zhuang et al., 2015). Zhuang et al. (2015) study showed that an excess dose of alcohol impacted temporal processing, which is mediated by the magnocellular pathway – which is where rod and cone cells are mediated. The findings are consistent with a previous study done by Zhuang et al. (2012), who found that alcohol intake reduced the contrast sensitivity in the magnocellular pathway (Zhuang et al., 2015). Therefore, consumption of alcohol can impair both cone and rod functions, however, further research may be needed to determine if the impairment of rod and cone photoreceptors by alcohol, increases the risk of any rod and cone related ocular diseases such as progressive cone dystrophy.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Increased alcohol consumption increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Age-related macular degeneration is a common condition, amongst individuals over the age of 50 (NHS, n.d). It causes vision loss in the central view, but not complete blindness (NHS, n.d.). A study, conducted by Adams et al. (2012), reported that an increased risk of late AMD was associated with heavy drinking. Adams et al. (2012) study used 20,963 participants, aged 40-69, to investigate the correlation between alcohol consumption and AMD prevalence. A formal interview at the start of the study was used to assess participants’ alcohol intake at baseline (1990-2007). Then from 2003 to 2007, digital macula images of both eyes were collected and evaluated for any indication of early and late AMD (Adams et al., 2012). The results showed that alcohol consumption of 20g or more a day significantly correlated with a 20% increase in the likelihood of contracting early AMD, compared to the results for late AMD. These findings indicate that there is a clear correlation between alcohol consumption and an increased risk of AMD. Majority of previous studies (Arnarsson et al., 2006; Knudtson, Klein and Klein, 2007; Varma et al., 2004) have reported findings of increased risk of late AMD when alcohol consumption is in excess (less than 40g a day) and a significant correlation between drinking and early AMD (Adams et al., 2012). Adams et al. (2012) study findings not only suggest that excess alcohol consumption is detrimental to eye health, but alcohol levels that are deemed ‘moderate’ or ‘social’ also increases the likelihood of contracting early AMD. In conclusion, limiting the intake of a large volume of alcohol per day could significantly slow down the rate an individual develops age-related macular degeneration. Alternatively, individuals should attend their annual eye examinations with the eye healthcare providers such as optometrists. This will enable the healthcare providers to detect any abnormalities to the retina and macula, and thus start treatment at its earlier stage.

Conclusion

In summary, this essay has discussed the effects of alcohol on the health of both eyes. Excess alcohol exposure can have a long-term effect on the fetus’s eyesight, including underdevelopment of the optic nerve (optic nerve hypoplasia). Similarly, the long-term implications of age-related macular degeneration rise with increased alcohol intake and alcohol affected ACC can lead to visual impairments. However, the short-term effects of acute alcohol consumption affected both cone and rods function at mesopic light levels.

References

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