Alcoholism is a severe problem. Given the amount of drinking the whole world population does everywhere, every time, and all at once, there is no surprise that alcoholics can be found in all corners of the world. In the US alone, there are an estimated 14.5 million people aged 12 and older who are affected by alcohol use disorder. That is just in the year 2019. There is also an emerging trend of high-intensity drinking, that is, the consumption of alcohol at levels that are twice or more times the gender-specific binge drinking thresholds, and compared to people who avoid binge drinking, they are seventy times more likely to visit an emergency department due to alcohol-related incidents. The number changes to ninety-three times for those people who consume three times the gender-specific binge thresholds.
The consequences for people who are living with an alcoholic are also significant. According to a 2017 report, approximately 10.5 percent of children in the United States aged 17 and younger live with a parent suffering from alcohol use disorder (AUD), which roughly translates to 7.5 million children. Then there are the adverse effects that living with an alcoholic parent or spouse can cause.
The truth of the matter is that alcoholism does not only affect the person with the alcohol use disorder. Close family members of alcoholics also share the suffering and pain the illness causes. Chief among these is the emotional whiplash it will cause them.
Direct family members will feel different emotions ranging from anger, frustration, discouragement, and disappointment, especially when promises to stop alcohol consumption are repeatedly broken and alcohol abuse continue to increase. In some cases, these relatives even think that they caused this situation.
There are two possible outcomes for this, one is pushing the affected to get help, and the other is denial. With the first one, it will often create a conflict in the relationship, especially if the person with the disorder does not want to get help. In the latter situation, the alcoholic is enabled, thus, promoting or incentivizing their drinking habits.
Children are the most who suffer from living with an alcoholic family member. First and foremost, their home life would be missing the stability It needs in order for them to thrive. This usually means the lack of love and affection coming from a family member can give them anxiety and stress that will need therapy for the rest of their lives. There is also the high possibility of being emotionally or physically abused by a parent who is under the influence of alcohol. Such an ordeal will only magnify the aforementioned stress and anxiety that they will incur multiple times.
Given that environment is one of the factors for developing a drinking problem, children who live with an alcoholic parent develop the same issues themselves in the future. This cycle of substance abuse can last for multiple generations. Furthermore, given that these people will grow up to have low self-esteem, chances are they will use alcohol in order to cope up with it. Thus only creating another cycle of alcoholism as well as other disorders, ranging from social to emotional ones.
Alcoholism can also cause a tremendous financial burden. Despite the low price of most liquors, the amount that is accrued over time due to alcohol addiction will impact health, judgment, and performance at work as well as in their daily lives. The decision-making process of those suffering from alcohol use disorder is impaired, thus usually causing them to make mistakes, including financial ones.
Alcoholism can also bring forth impulsive behavior and couple that with gambling will undoubtedly lead to financial disaster.
However, the most significant cause of financial ruin due to alcoholism is another problem caused by alcoholism. This is the development of multiple health problems caused by the heavy consumption of alcohol. It is undeniable that health care costs a lot in the United States. As they seek treatment and cures for the multiple illnesses and medical conditions caused by alcoholism, their medical bill will also rise. And there is no shortage of medical conditions caused by too much alcohol, ranging from liver disease, cancer, pancreatitis, heart disease, hypertension, and alcohol poisoning.
Indeed, alcoholism kills.
Alex Writes 