Alcoholism: The Effects
Alcoholism: Noun, “addiction to the consumption of alcoholic drink; alcohol dependency.”
Alcohol is, for most, the fuel of the party. A nerve-calming liquid to ease the stress of life. The go-to potion of weekend enjoyment. Whatever it may be to others, there are those who see alcohol as their entire life. Their only way of being normal is to drink—constantly. How does this habit affect them?
Personal Health
Due to the energy-draining and vitamin-destroying effects of alcohol, it takes a significant toll on the individual, physically and spiritually, when it becomes an abusive habit. The individual will be irritable, unstable and often agitated. Their immune system will begin to deteriorate and their liver and kidneys will malfunction over time. This results in nutritional deficiencies causing a rise in mood swings and poor physical health.
An individual suffering from alcohol abuse will have a hard time coping with day-to-day activities without being under the influence of alcohol. Therefore they are more likely to distance themselves from routine actions that properly maintain their personal life. For example, grocery shopping, laundry, cleaning, going out, etc.
They will lack enthusiasm and be unwilling to communicate to others, even close family. I have seen first-hand how an alcohol abuser acts when I have tried to speak and reason with them. I received nothing but retaliation and anger. I was not especially close to this individual but I knew how they acted before they took to the bottle.
Relationships
Alcoholism is a family-shattering ailment. It is not something to play around with or joke about. Alcoholism causes the individual to make drinking their priority. When at work, with family, at home, out with friends, drinking is all they want to do. This causes neglect of their environment and people around them.
This is especially prominent amongst personal relationships with the abuser, familial or otherwise. Their close friends and family, girlfriends or boyfriends, will be pushed away. When all you can think about is drinking and how to procure more alcohol, they tend to distance themselves from anything else but that, thereby isolating themselves from their family and friends even when they are in the same space.
The ultimate result of this is the loss of family, friends and their significant other. I have seen numerous instances of this first-hand. One man deserted his family for 20+ years after he could not stop his alcoholism. His family only wanted him to do better but he was too far gone to start listening to them now.
Professional
On a more work-related basis, the alcoholic may struggle with routine actions at their job or professional life. They may be frustrated and flustered whilst trying to perform their duties. They may be distracted, constantly thinking about alcohol. They may make mistakes as their body is withdrawing. All they want to do is go home and drink. They may not be easy to work with at all and colleagues may not enjoy being around them. Functioning alcoholics are often capable of completing high-level tasks as part of the necessity to then procure alcohol.
An alcoholic has a hard time seeing a future. With their attention wrapped up entirely in their habit, they are not able to look ahead and see what their actions will do to their goals, dreams, and aspirations. This results in an “I don’t care” attitude regarding their profession which in turn means, if they lose it, no worries.
Help
Every alcoholic is not alone in their struggle. They can be helped. If you or someone you know is struggling with alcoholism contact Narconon UK. At Narconon, they are focused on giving the highest quality, drug-free and natural rehabilitation service.
