Effects Of Alcohol On New Zealand Essay

While alcohol may have damaging effects to one’s body, many benefits exist if one drinks responsibly. Many studies and cases do show alcohol can damage the liver and other parts of the body; however, when one drinks in a moderate manner many health benefits may exist. Alcohol helps to fight against various health conditions and risks common among many people,

As of January 2015 alcohol related deaths were represented as accountable for approximately 6% of deaths worldwide. That is 3.3 million deaths from alcohol related car accidents to alcohol poisoning. The consumption of alcohol can be tied with being a factor in a variety of diseases, disabilities, tragedies, and crimes. An estimate of over 76 million people suffer from alcohol dependence and abuse. Consumption of alcohol can become a serious threat to personal and public health when an individual engages in activities such as binge drinking or drinking while driving. In other words, harmful drinking is anytime an individual becomes unable to have full perception and control of his/her surroundings because of alcohol. Harmful drinking can also be defined as a pattern of alcohol consumption causing health problems that are directly connected to alcohol.

Alcohol is the most abused licit psychoactive drugs that affect one 's ability to think rationally and distorts their judgement if consumed excessively. Alcohol addiction is an illness arising from prolonged and excessive intake of alcoholic drinks. An alcoholic is a person suffering from alcohol addiction. Prolonged excessive use of large quantities can eventually lead to chronic health diseases like cirrhosis of the liver, anaemia, cardiovascular disease, dementia, depression seizures, gout and alcohol related accidents and crime. Statistics show that 9 million people in England drink more than the recommended daily intake while an estimated 8.697 died of alcohol-related deaths in 2014. According to the WHO worldwide alcohol causes 1.8 million deaths (3.2% of total) and 58.3 million (4% of total) of Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). Alcohol beverages with varied percentage content are consumed globally during religious, social, cultural events, festivals and other occasions. The use of alcoholic beverages has been an integral part of many cultures for thousands of years (McGovern, 2009). Over the centuries, there have been ongoing measures, research, interventions and policies which are aimed at promoting the moderate use of alcohol with a particular emphasis on preventing or reducing undesired outcomes. This essay will outline the key components of brief interventions in alcohol, the difference in approach with traditional methods of treatment and in conclusion, the

Alcohol abuse has become one of the principal causes of mortality and morbidity in the United States causing more than 200,000 deaths every year (Hendey, Dery, Barnes, Snowden, &

The risks of drinking alcohol are health issues, your body wouldn’t stay fit if you are drinking too much. Health issues for drinking can be a serious and damageable for you.

In Whiting S. Albert’s article “Alcohol Use Is Harmful” he stated that alcohol is a chemical that contains hydrogen and carbon. Whiting stated further that the active ingredient of alcohol is ethyl alcohol, which is also known as ethanol. Alcohol is one of the few things that human being consume that do not need digestion. Alcohol appears the bloodstream immediately, thus, its intoxicating effects are felt instantly (1). “High levels of mortality, morbidity, and social malaise are associated with abuse of alcohol, and increasing numbers of women and youth are abusing alcohol” (Ferreira and Darryn 1). “Alcohol slows down the function of all living cells, especially those in the brain” (Whiting 1), which causes thinking to be impaired. Alcohol is probably the most used drug worldwide. “Three in ten adults 18 years of age and over have had alcoholism and/or engaged in alcohol abuse at some point in their lives …” (“Impact of Alcoholism” 1). According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

While many people view consuming alcohol as charming, it is indeed detrimental to a person’s health and well-being. “[As of] 2013, 86.6 percent of people ages eighteen and older have drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime…56.4 percent reported that they drank in the past month” (NIAAA). Drinking is the cause of many accident inflicted hospital visits, increases the risk for a plethora of illness, and is a leading cause of preventable death in the United States (NIAAA).

International statistics reveal that Alcohol is attributed to 4% of total mortality and between 4- 5% of DALY’s (1, 2). Rhem et al notes that more than 25% of the global consumption is estimated to be unrecorded, due to lack of surveillance. This variance can create a higher global burden of disease attributable to Alcohol (2). According to the World Health Organisation (2014), overconsumption of Alcohol has been linked to the development of more than 200 diseases, making it the third highest risk leading to death and disability (1). Rhem et al conducted an analysis of the burden of disease attributable to Alcohol. In particular their analysis revealed that the pattern of drinking, volume and quality of alcohol consumed were causally linked to cancer, cardiovascular diseases, liver cirrhosis and injury (2). The study also elucidates the notion that even with evidence based management strategies and widespread acceptance of the harms associated with the drug, Alcohol misuse is a significant issue in society. The net harms outweigh any notable benefits of Alcohol over consumption.

Alcohol misuse is described as an increase in alcohol consumption that puts an individual at an increased risk for health problems. The United States estimates there has been a thirty percent increase in the number of adults who are drinking more than the recommended amount of alcohol, increasing their risk for physical, mental, and social health issues (Welsh, Earley, Delahanty, Wright, Berens, Williams, Barnett & DiClemente, 2013). Twenty-five percent of these individuals are meeting the qualifications for alcohol dependence and tolerance, which is becoming a major issue throughout the United States (Welsh et al, 2013).

Alcohol consumption in the United States has become a social norm and a rite of passage for a young adult who is finally turning 21. However, alcohol is use during social gatherings starting at a young age. Also, depending on environmental and social factors can an effect on what the young adults are exposed to socially and if that will influence their decision-making abilities.

“Alcohol is toxic to healthy cells and organs, a side effect that results directly in some 35,000 deaths per year from illnesses like cirrhosis, ulcers, and heart disease.” (UN Report)

It is very scary that a known fatal substance is so readily available in today’s society. A lot of people like to relax with a drink of alcohol; however, it can cause many serious problems for others who start to become dependent on it.

Alcohol dependence is known to be the most severe form of alcohol abuse. A person becomes so dependent on alcohol consumption that he/she loses sight of all the other important things going on around him/her. Family matters and social responsibilities become secondary worries to his/her primary concern for existence, which is drinking (Stephens, 2007). Nearly fourteen million Americans are somewhat dependent on alcohol. Alcohol dependence is more prominent in men, and young adults ages 18-29 (Stephens, 2007). According to a study done by Saitz “85,000 deaths, along with substantial disability from medical and psychiatric consequences, injuries and “secondhand” effects (ex: motor vehicle crashes) are attributed to the use of alcohol” (Saitz, 2005).

Alcohol is one of many dangerous substances that effects our bodies. The effects of this drug can be very harmful. Alcohol is a potent non-prescription drug sold to anyone over the national legal drinking age, 21. Unlike other deadly drugs it is easy to access. This makes it easy to over-consume and create a tragic accident, even death. It can damage a person not only physically but also mentally and emotionally. Many people each year become more and more addicted to alcohol and soon experience all of it?s dangerous effects. Even if alcohol use is discontinued, some of these damages can not be cured, because the scars have been left on those that drink and those that surround them. The only hope

Alcohol in large doses can be very detrimental to not only the user but to people around him/her. For example, if a man was to go to a club and drink a lot of alcohol, in which his body cannot withhold; his heavy intakes will lead to dizziness, vomiting, and impaired breathing and in extreme cases, unconsciousness and coma that can lead to death. According to Caron, underage drinking is a leading public health problem in the United States. Each year, approximately 5,000 young people under the age of 21 die as a result of drinking: 1,900 from motor vehicle accidents, 1,600 from homicides, 300 from suicides, and hundreds from other injuries such as falls, burns, and drowning. This shows that anyone on the road near an intoxicated driver is in grave danger as they can be killed or badly injured in an instant as the drunk driver has slight control over anything they are doing. Many reckless kills have been made by drunken drivers/people over the years resulting in many families to pay the price of losing a family member for no relevant reason at all but making alcohol increase death rates that could be provoked by intruding prohibition.