The Dangers of Alcohol Consumption - Essay Example

The Dangers of Alcohol Consumption Today in many countries, drinking alcohol is legal and has become part of the lifestyle of many people. Whilst ithas been proposed that alcohol in small quantities may have medicinal qualities, there is now strong evidence that such positives are minor compared to the many negative ways in which it affects aspects of human life, in terms personal life, the general community and in relation to the overall health of people. The latter in particular is often seriously affected by alcohol.

It has been said that consumption of the drink in small quantities may assist the removal of ‘plaque’ from arteries; however, this appears minor compared to the many diseases that alcohol consumption can cause, from minor ailments to serious diseases. Thus a person consuming alcohol on a regular basis may feel lethargic, experience lack motivation and have headaches. If the practice continues over a long period of time, a drinker may develop liver problems, which result in a reduced function of the organ and in serious cases in tissue disintegration – Cirrhosis.

The liver can regenerate itself to some extent, however, once the damage has gone too far, this disease often proves fatal. This may be the case for the kidneys, which may be subject to simultaneous damage, resulting in an inability to filter toxic fluids away from the heart and other organs. Acute kidney failure is a major cause of death, particularly in those countries, where alcohol consumption is high. Although the liver and kidney are often the first organs to be affected, constant alcohol consumption may also compromise stomach acid and lead to digestive problems.

This in turn may produce vitamin and mineral deficiencies that affect the general operation of the circulatory system. It may also have a serious impact on weight gain and heavy drinkers are often quite overweight, which in turn can trigger diabetes and heart problems. The most often seen damage, however, is that to the nervous system, where in the later stages of excessive alcohol consumption, symptoms of delirium tremens appear. In the light of such horrendous potential consequences, it is hardly a case for drinking, that small quantities of red wine may help with cholesterol levels.

However, health is not the only area where alcohol has a major impact. Drinkers often cause untold damage to the people around them in different ways. This is because alcohol consumption may lead to personality changes and people under ‘the influence’ may behave in irrational, embarrassing and often even violent ways. Regardless of age and sex, drinking too much may lead to surges in confidence – a kind of ‘euphoria - that may prompt people to say or do things that are silly or hurtful to others.

They may regret that later and friends and family may forgive them but the memory lingers. The worst aspect of such behavior is perhaps that it renders the person irresponsible, which is unforgivable within the context of any relationship. In extreme cases drinkers become argumentative and resort to violence when they meet with opposition. Thus, serious alcoholics may in the end have nowhere to turn other than to seek medical help. It seem clear, that very little benefit accrues from drinking alcohol and that the damage to the drinker’s health as well as to his or her personal life and standing in society may suffer irreparable damage.

It must therefore be seriously questioned whether half an hour of ‘euphoria’ at the beginning of a drinking session is a large enough benefit for with the massive problems that may plague the drinker for many years to come.