The Growing Problem of Alcohol Abuse

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES can add to a person’s enjoyment of a meal, causing the heart to feel good. However, the abuse of alcohol is having a drastically different effect on a growing number of persons world wide. It is making them addicts. How extensive is the problem?

The Health Department of Italy reports that the alcoholic trend there is “uncontrollable.” A published report states that in France, between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., at least every 10th car on the road is being driven by someone who is intoxicated! And nearly one half of all hospital beds in France are occupied by alcoholics. It is called France’s “national illness.”

In the Soviet Union, alcoholism is reported to be responsible for 90 percent of all minor offenses and 60 percent of all murders.

In the United States, the number of alcoholics is said to be upward of 10,000,000. A considerable number of these are war veterans.

In many countries, alcohol abuse is responsible for approximately 20 percent of the cases of child beating, 75 percent of all violent crimes, 20 percent of drownings, 50 percent of industrial accidents, 30 percent of suicides, 40 percent of separation or divorce cases, and 20 percent of psychiatric admissions. Obviously, millions of persons are endangered by alcoholism​—not only the alcoholics, but also those who live around them.

Increased Consumption

Alcohol consumption per person is increasing at an alarming rate. The World Health Organization reports that in many lands the number of persons experiencing direct adverse effects from alcohol outnumber those affected by all the dependence-producing drugs put together.

The average Italian is drinking twice as much per day now as he did 20 years ago, and the Australian consumes 277 percent more than he did some 30 years ago. Commenting on the problems that alcoholism has caused in industry, the president of the Australian Trades Unions observed that the great Australian thirst is fast becoming the all-Australian nightmare.

In some areas the increase is especially drastic among women. In Western Germany, for example, whereas the ratio of female alcoholics to male alcoholics 10 years ago was approximately 1 to 10, today it is 1 to 3, the same as in Britain. And while the French woman is still considered to be basically a water drinker, her average alcohol intake has now reached 19 percent of her daily fluid consumption.

To what extent are youths involved? Of some 1,400 underage youths interviewed in one Western country, 19 percent bought drinks personally from licensed premises. Of another group of 2,741 adolescents from 30 different schools, it was discovered that 9 percent of all 12- to 17-year-olds claim to get “very drunk” more than once a month and a further 2 percent “pass out” regularly from the effects of alcohol.

How the Problem Develops

Initially, a person may experience that, as the Bible says, wine can make the heart joyful. (Ps. 104:15) Then, as the years pass and as the body’s tolerance for alcohol appears to increase, he may find himself drinking larger quantities and stronger drinks. Generally, he appears to be able to “hold his liquor” satisfactorily. His apparent tolerance for alcohol may even add to his confidence.

Later, he finds himself relying on it more and more. He counts on it for “good times.” It becomes an escape from boredom, and it comes in handy in drowning sorrows. Or, a person may just gradually increase his dosage to get the desired euphoric or anesthetic effects.

Some authorities say that such a person has now reached the stage of psychological dependence. He may be a bit defensive about his position when alcoholism is discussed, but, in most cases, he is not ready to acknowledge that he is becoming an alcoholic. He may never actually get drunk. Nevertheless, an alcohol problem may exist.

If he faces up to his situation at this early stage, recovery is more easily achieved. But if not, he will usually advance to what some call physical dependence, a compulsion to drink regularly to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Plainly stated, when there is an excessive satisfying of the desire to drink and/​or a continuing dependence upon it, a person has an alcohol problem.

Of course, not everyone who drinks is an alcoholic. But it is a good thing to know what happens in the body of a person who does indulge in alcoholic beverages to excess. This is discussed in the following article. Such knowledge can be a protection to you. And if you are one who is having a problem with drink, it may help you to understand the situation more clearly and what can be done about it.

[Box/​Picture on page 6]

WHAT IS YOUR ANSWER?

If offered a choice between an alcoholic drink and a nonalcoholic one, is your selection easy to predict?

Do you drink alcoholic beverages as a means to change how you feel?

When you drink, do you often have several before you stop?

Have you learned to “hold your liquor” so that you no longer feel its effects as soon as others may?

YOUR ANSWERS MAY REVEAL MORE THAN YOU REALIZE

What Alcohol Does to Your Body

TO UNDERSTAND how alcohol affects your body, you need to know something about the cells and organic systems of the human body. These cells and organs do not regularly work at full capacity. They have what some term a “functional reserve,” available for use when your body is put under extra stress. Thus, one of your kidneys can be completely removed without its interfering with a normal life. Even with about 90 percent of a normal liver removed, or a considerable portion of the brain taken out, a person can continue to perform the normal activities of life.

Because of this “functional reserve” you can put your body under considerable stress by drinking an excess of alcohol without your even being aware of what is going on inside. But you ought to know.

When a cell is put under stress, it enlarges. If the stress is too great for too long, the cell will eventually burst and die. But if the stress is removed in time, the cell may gradually recover its normal size and function. It is only when you have used up the reserve, when too many cells have been damaged or killed, that you will be forced to admit that you are sick and have gone too far over too long a period of time.

For many somewhat heavy drinkers, there is no major health collapse. But there may be a number of alcohol-related sicknesses that the person does not realize result from his drinking habits. His death may appear to be due to some common sickness. Yet, death may come perhaps 10 years before that of others his own age in the community.

Do you use alcoholic drinks? If so, how much do you drink? How much can a person drink without its doing harm to him?

Safe Level of Drinking

The question as to how much alcohol the human body can cope with is very complex. Each person’s capacity is different. What causes no problem for one person may be too much for another. Some persons experience adverse effects when they consume any alcohol at all.

Authorities differ as to what they classify as a “risk level” in regard to daily consumption. However, many of them agree that the body of a normal healthy adult can absorb and break down only one ouncea (one shot) of spirits or two ounces of fortified wine or four ounces of table wine or eight to ten ounces of beer in one hour. Other authorities say that two hours must be allowed. Of course, not everyone is healthy, and that can change the picture considerably.

If a person consumes more alcohol than his body can break down, his blood-alcohol level rises. At first he may feel relaxed, but an increase of alcohol in the bloodstream causes loss of good judgment and of emotional control. Then muscle coordination becomes impaired, and even more serious problems follow.

Most teen-agers would be affected adversely if they tried to imitate the drinking done by average adults. Because their body build is not that of an adult, they usually experience the sedative effects of alcohol more rapidly and to a greater extent. Likewise, because of the state of development of a young person’s emotions, these quickly give evidence of intoxication and he may very easily give in to sexual urges.

Can it be assumed, though, that no harm will result to an adult so long as he spreads his drinks out over a period of time, consuming no more per hour than his body can handle? That does not necessarily hold true. There is a limit to what a person’s body can safely handle in a day. What is that limit?

The World Health Organization (WHO) and medical literature give a wide variety of figures. For example, one report from the WHO labeled 120 grams of alcohol (12 average-sized drinks) as “excessive consumption.” Two years later a WHO report said that the danger level might be at less than half that figure. And a study in France has indicated that women who take even one normal-sized alcoholic drink (of 10 grams of alcohol) on a daily basis are more likely to suffer from cirrhosis of the liver than are nondrinkers, and that two drinks daily can have damaging effects on men.

Why the difference in figures? For one thing, the tests were run with different groups of people. Individuals differ. Not everyone can tolerate the same amount of alcohol. It would be foolish to drink a certain amount each day just because that is what people “are supposed to be able to drink.”

Remember, it is your health that is at stake. If your drinking subjects your body to excessive stress on a regular basis, you are destroying your “functional reserve.” That means that you are headed for trouble.

The Bible plainly condemns drunkenness. (Eph. 5:18; Gal. 5:21) Not only does a drunkard damage his own health and endanger his life; he also puts the lives of others in jeopardy. Additionally, however, the Scriptures warn: “Do not come to be among heavy drinkers of wine.” (Prov. 23:20) The wisdom of that counsel is highlighted by what has been learned about how alcohol abuse affects the various body organs.

Effects You Ought to Know About

If the body is frequently subjected to an overload of alcohol, many parts are affected, and the poisonous effects are cumulative.

LIVER: This organ is one of the body’s principal detoxifiers, neutralizing fumes that we breathe, chemicals from our food and water and from medicine. Drinking too much alcohol not only interferes with that vital work; it adds to the load of chemicals in the body. Furthermore, it reduces the liver’s ability to contribute to the formation of red blood cells, coagulating factors and defense mechanisms against bacteria. Liver damage may result in loss of energy, varicose veins, swelling of the ankles, hormone imbalance, sexual impotence and jaundice, to mention a few.

Normally soft, the liver becomes enlarged and hardens when abused. If drinking stops soon enough, it can return to its normal size. But if heavy drinking has already destroyed a good portion of its cells, it may have shrunk and permanently hardened.

ESOPHAGUS: If the liver is seriously inflamed, pressure on the veins in the digestive tract increases and those located where the esophagus enters the stomach become dilated and thin walled. These easily bleed, sometimes profusely.

STOMACH: While small quantities of alcohol stimulate the secretion of gastric juices, large quantities and strong concentrations of it inhibit their secretion. The stomach becomes inflamed. The surface of the stomach that secretes digestive juices deteriorates and stomach muscles break down. As a result, food does not get sufficiently mixed or chemically broken down. Malnutrition develops, often because the body is not receiving the full benefit from what is eaten, and also because one who drinks excessively satisfies his appetite with alcohol but deprives it of the more necessary food elements.

PANCREAS: The pancreas supplies enzymes to break down food material, as well as insulin to regulate the blood-sugar level. But alcohol excess causes enzymes to attack and kill large portions of the pancreas. As a result, insulin production is reduced, causing mild diabetes, and because of lack of digestive enzymes food is not absorbed properly. An associated danger is that one becomes dependent on drugs (analgesics) because of the pain caused.

HEART AND BLOOD CIRCULATION: Hypertension (high blood pressure) and abnormalities of heart rhythm also develop with excessive drinking. As the heart cells enlarge, the whole heart becomes bigger. The heart valves then fail to function properly, its muscle action weakens and blood circulation is impaired. The entire body is deprived of proper nourishment, and toxins accumulate. The individual so afflicted becomes disposed to heart attacks and strokes.

LUNGS: Chronic bronchitis and pneumonia are common among alcohol abusers. Tuberculosis is a common complication, thought to be due to poor nutrition and a greater susceptibility to lung infections. One study showed that at least 50 percent of those with tuberculosis were alcoholics.

KIDNEYS: The overconsumption of alcohol causes the blood vessels in the kidneys to dilate. The amount of urine discharged becomes excessive, depriving the body of needed fluids.

BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM: Excesses of alcohol are particularly damaging to the nervous system. The brain, like other organs, has a large “functional reserve,” so many cells may be destroyed without the appearance of disturbing symptoms. But, unlike what happens to other organs, the damage here may be permanent. Brain scanners have shown that, not only alcoholics, but social drinkers who have more than they ought to, experience an actual shrinkage of the brain.

Alcohol’s effect on the nervous system may become manifest in loss of memory. A person may remember drinking, but the next morning he cannot recall how he got home or where he parked his car. Shakiness and lack of muscle coordination, not merely for a few hours, but on a prolonged basis give further evidence that the nervous system is being impaired.

Some people boast about their ability to “hold their liquor.” They may drink heavily but appear to be sober. What has really happened? It is not necessarily that the drinker can consume more with less damage. Rather, he has developed only a seeming tolerance for the alcohol and as a result is consuming more before his brain and the nervous system sound a warning. At the same time, if the liver has been damaged due to excessive drinking, the body’s ability to handle the alcohol has actually diminished. Continued drinking under these circumstances results in increased damage to his entire system. It is nothing to brag about.

The brain and the nervous system also control breathing. So there is severe danger in drinking bouts. When the blood-alcohol level goes too high, vital functions of the body may cease.

Because of the effect of excess alcohol on the brain, the personality of the one who drinks too heavily is adversely affected. This does not await the time when his health has deteriorated to the extent that he seeks medical help. Long before that a man may mistreat his wife physically and he may lose several jobs because of unreliable or irrational behavior.

Knowing what happens inside a person’s body when he drinks too much, and what others see happening to his personality, ought to make any sensible person stop and take a serious look at his own drinking habits. Why wait until your “functional reserve” is all gone before you try to turn back?

Mixing Alcohol with Drugs

The risk of serious organ damage is greatly increased when alcohol is taken with drugs, even such common household drugs as aspirin and antihistamines. One medical study showed that more than 50 of the 100 most often prescribed drugs contain at least one ingredient known to react unfavorably with alcohol. At least one girl, Karen Quinlan in the United States, has been in a coma for a number of years because of having mixed alcohol with tranquilizers.

It is not that a new toxic element develops when two toxic ingredients are mixed, but in many cases one ingredient or the other increases in strength many times when the wrong combination is used. The already weakened liver is faced with a potency far beyond what it can safely handle without further damage to itself.

How to Cope with Alcohol Abuse

The way to cope with alcohol abuse is not by resorting to such things as eating potato chips or eggs to slow down the absorption rate. Drinking cream before an alcoholic binge is not the solution. It is true that slowing down the absorption rate may keep you from becoming tipsy, but you may still be drinking too much.

The answer does not lie in taking a cold shower, drinking black coffee, going out into the cool air, exercising or going for a swim to “liven oneself up.” Such activities may change the way one feels, but they do not change the blood-alcohol level of the body or slow down the cell damage.

What is really needed is to be moderate in your use of alcoholic drinks, if you use them at all. What can help you to do that?

[Footnotes]

[Diagram on page 9]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

What happens when you drink too much too often?

HEART

Circulation impaired

LIVER

Toxins accumulate

KIDNEYS

Excessive urination; needed fluids drained from the body

BRAIN

Loss of memory; adverse effects on personality

ESOPHAGUS

Danger of bleeding

LUNGS

50% of TB patients are alcoholics

STOMACH

Digestion impaired

PANCREAS

Partially destroyed

How to Bring Alcohol Problems Under Control

ALCOHOL abuse is a problem that can deeply affect the life of the entire family. So it is beneficial to discuss the subject as a family, to help all within the household to understand it, and to cooperate in avoiding situations that may tend to make one of its members try to drown his problems in drink.

Don’t wait until alcoholism has already marred your family life before you do something about it. Take preventive measures.

In many households, unfortunately, the problem has already developed. What can they do?

When the Problem Already Exists

First of all, there is a need to face up to the fact that there is an alcohol problem. The alcoholic may not believe that he has such a problem. Other members of his family, as well as friends outside the home, may feel that he does. Why? They can’t see whether there is damage being done to his internal organs. But they can see deterioration in behavior.

A person who is becoming dependent on alcohol tends to reach for the bottle when lonely or depressed. He may be embarrassed by his drinking or angered by the criticism of other people, so he tries to conceal the amount he consumes. When he wants a drink, he may be somewhat irritable until he gets it. As a result of his drinking habits, he may become impulsive, less reasonable and may even resort to physical violence against his marriage mate. Even though he does not drink every day, once he begins he has too much. In time, there may be alcoholic blackouts, or perhaps withdrawal fits when he fails to get a drink.

The one who is having trouble with alcohol may know that his family life is deteriorating. He may realize that he is having trouble at work. But if someone suggests that an important reason for this is that he has become overly dependent on alcohol, it is not unusual for such a person to become defensive. If a doctor were to tell him that he was allergic to a certain food and that his health would improve if he would eliminate it from his diet, he would probably do so. Is alcohol somehow different? Yes, it can act like a mood-altering drug, and a person can become dependent on it, both psychologically and physically.

If he is willing to face up to the fact that he has a weakness in regard to alcohol and that it can ruin his life, but that it is possible to get the mastery over it and that it is worth trying to do so, there is hope for recovery. It will require firm determination and a definite program to be followed.

Breaking the Hold of Alcohol Dependence

The problem is not solved by drinking only on weekends. Nor does one eliminate his dependence on alcohol by shifting from hard liquor to wine or beer. A considerable proportion of those who are alcoholics drink beer almost exclusively.

There is a need to clean out the system and allow the cells to restore themselves to the extent that it is possible. Total abstinence is required. Some doctors say that you need to allow at least four days for the body to eliminate completely your last alcoholic drink. However, the restoration of cells that have been damaged as a result of unwise drinking habits may require six months or more, during which special attention is given to good nutrition.

Withdrawal symptoms do not always occur, but they are common in habitual heavy drinkers and alcoholics. As the blood-alcohol level goes down and the nervous system adjusts to the change, a person may experience restlessness, irritability, depression, sleeplessness, confusion, palpitations, sweating, the shakes and nausea. These symptoms usually begin eight to 24 hours after cessation of drinking. If the alcoholic condition has been prolonged or the physical condition is very poor, there may be further severe reactions requiring medical attention.

The extent to which the body will be able to restore damaged organs will depend on the amount of “functional reserve” that was wiped out, the length of time that the condition existed, and the care that is given with a view to rebuilding the body. For those truly addicted to alcohol; in most cases it is unlikely that they will ever be able to return to a normal use of alcoholic beverages. No matter how long it has been, one drink may be too many. It is as if a volcano within is waiting to erupt. In such a case, the only way that one can continue to lead a normal life is to abstain totally.

The Family Can Help

Cooperation of the family is important in breaking the hold of alcohol dependence, and, in most instances, the family is very willing to help. To minimize temptation, it would be wise to remove all alcoholic beverages from the house. And it will make it easier for the one having the weakness if other family members refrain from drinking in his presence.

Of course, there will be times when the person is visiting in the home of someone else. Either because of their not knowing of his condition or out of thoughtlessness, they may offer him an alcoholic drink. What will he do? That is something that he ought to think out ahead of time. He doesn’t need to go into a long explanation, but his refusal should be firm. “No thanks. But I would enjoy a glass of soda [or of water].”

What the Bible says is very encouraging for one who wants to free himself from alcohol abuse. It tells of persons who succeeded in getting the mastery over it (1 Cor. 6:9-11), and of those who for personal reasons abstained altogether. (Num. 6:2, 3) It also recounts events involving entire families that abstained, out of obedience to the family head, to preserve the dignity of the family name. The Rechabite families are given special mention in this regard. They abstained for successive generations, although they lived in the vicinity of other families that regularly used wine. God did not ask those Rechabites to abstain from wine, and neither does his Word require total abstinence today, but he looked favorably on what they did in obedience to their family head.​—Jer. 35:5, 6, 8, 18, 19.

Gaining Spiritual Strength

Accurate knowledge of God’s Word will do much to give one the spiritual strength needed to overcome weaknesses. The Bible will show you how to be successful in coping with problems instead of trying to blot out reality by heavy drinking.

Take, for example, one young man in Australia who had a serious alcohol problem. Oftentimes, in order to get home from the pub, he would put his car in first gear, hold the door open and hang his head out to watch for the white line, taking up to two hours to travel the seven miles (11 km) home. He would spend up to $40 on grog in one weekend. He even experienced hallucinations, so he made a vow to stop drinking. But he didn’t succeed.

About this time he started studying the Bible with the help of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He brought up the subject of alcohol and was shown that God does not approve of drunkards, but that everlasting life in a restored earthly paradise is possible for those who live by Bible standards.​—Gal. 5:21; John 17:3.

It was not easy for him to change, as he was the live wire of his parties. When he started to quiet down, his drinking friends thought that he had a girl friend but that soon her influence would weaken and he would be back to the parties. But the power of God’s promises had a greater hold on him than his friends realized, and he never did go back to their drunken parties. He says: “Now, 10 years have passed since I was able to get the upper hand on my drinking problem. I am a much happier and healthier person, thanks to Jehovah’s kindness.”

This change did not come overnight. It was a gradual one, as his knowledge increased and his understanding grew. What he formerly had not been able to accomplish alone he succeeded in doing with the help of God’s spirit.​—1 Cor. 6:11.

Knowledge of the Bible makes for happier marriages, happier families. It helps to reduce problems by aiding a person to make wiser decisions in life. It helps one to absorb shocks and to understand why evil conditions exist and calamities occur. It describes a new system in store for those who love life and who do God’s will, and it helps a person to develop the motivation needed to change his life pattern so as to be acceptable to God.​—Rom. 12:1, 2; 2 Pet. 3:13.

Alcoholic beverages can bring enjoyment if used in the right way. But if you have an alcohol problem, do not let it ruin your life. Come to grips with it. Do it now.