Blog #12: The scourge of alcoholism
This will be another change of pace from the usual nerdy stuff. To be exact this will be more of a lifestyle auricle. The idea I had for this month I’ll move over to next month. For this month I want to discuss a subject of importance to me and many others. The subject is the scourge known as Alcoholism.
The reason for this article comes on the heels of my maternal aunt’s death. My mother’s younger sister was near and dear to me. For that matter all the members of my mother’s side of the family I’ve always been closer to. As mentioned in the year in review 2024 my family had to have my aunt committed. Years of alcohol abuse had destroyed her body and mind.
Well, it was obvious that she was on borrowed time. On March the 19th 2025 my aunt died from the long-term damaging effects of her alcohol abuse. Which is why I've chosen to write this article. By writing this it’s my hope to encourage those who are suffering from alcoholism to get help. I also hope to encourage those with family suffering from such to get the help they need for said condition.
Now first thing’s first, what causes people to as the saying goes take up the bottle? Well, there are many causes of such. For a start I’ll quote an article from Ashley Murry of Sana Lake Recovery. For context this is some of what she wrote, and these are her words.
Mental Health Disorders
Having schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder or bipolar disorder can be frustrating and difficult. People with mental health disorders tend to drink to mitigate their symptoms and feel better. Even if alcohol temporarily eases symptoms of depression and anxiety, drinking frequently can lead to a high tolerance and, eventually, alcoholism. On top of that, alcohol can actually make mental health symptoms worse at times.
People with mental health disorders may also feel too ashamed to seek help. They might feel that turning to alcohol is easier since they fear others may judge them for their mental illness.
About one-third of people with a mental health disorder are also struggling with alcoholism. People with both a mental health disorder and alcoholism end up having what’s known as co-occurring disorders. These have serious side effects that can inflict long-term physical and psychological damage on your body. To effectively treat both of them, licensed clinicians must look at each disorder simultaneously.
Stressful Environments
Stress at work or at home can drive people to drink. People who work long hours and have high-demand careers like doctors, nurses, lawyers, and construction workers are more likely to develop alcoholism as they drink to keep stress at bay. Studies show that stressed men are 1.5 more likely to binge drink than women. Those recovering from alcoholism might also find stress to be an emotional trigger and end up relapsing.
Drinking away stress is part of what causes alcoholism. Finding a healthier way to manage your stress is key to avoiding dependence.
Now to these two there is without a doubt legitimate reason here. Mental health issues can play a big part in causing alcoholism. For all mankind’s advances in medicine there’s still so much we don’t know about the human psyche. And this is something that needs to get dealt with. It won’t happen today, but it does need to happen.
There are a lot of people out there suffering in silence with some kind of mental health issues. But if they were to have the help they needed it would make things a lot easier.
Stressful situations are another good one. Stress is a part of everyday life especially when a person has a nine to five job. The daily grind can wear on a person. So much so that they may take to the bottle to find some measure of relief. Whether it’s financial issues or the daily grind as a whole stress can be a killer.
Which is why it’s necessary to have some more positive outlets for stress. Now here are a couple more factors that contribute to alcoholism.
Trauma
Childhood abuse and domestic or sexual abuse are likely to mentally scar anyone, and these are high-risk factors for alcohol use disorder. When you don’t properly address past abuse in therapy, you might turn to heavy drinking to temporarily feel better about your situation. This is a dangerous practice, as it turns into a destructive cycle.
To better deal with trauma and move past it, talk to a therapist. He or she will talk to you about how these incidents have affected you long-term, and you’ll learn how to cope with trauma without turning to alcohol.
Articles by the Mayo Clinic and the American Addiction Centers confirm these to be some of the ways. There’ll be a list of the articles at the end of the essay.
The article from the Mayo clinic makes an important point. Alcoholics don’t see the problem they have. It’s a sad truth that they rationalize their behavior as normal when it’s not.
The long-term effects of alcoholism can be quite devastating. Many people have seen the terrible long -term effects of it. this author is a good example as I saw firsthand what it did to my aunt who was a nurse. Now according to The Lakes Treatment Center, the effects can vary. They can be cancer or malnutrition which are nasty.
Digestive issues, heart and liver disease, or even immune system issues can happen.
That’s the physical effects alone. The mental effects can be even more devastating. Again, The Lakes Treatment Center lists the mental issues as the following. They are Depression, Anxiety, Sleep disorders, Cognitive impairment, and other mental health issues. When someone a person cares about goes through this it’s painful to watch. Especially if that someone under normal circumstance is a giving and caring person.
As dark and depressing as this is it’s not impossible to overcome alcoholism. It’s a real struggle but it is possible. The National Institute for Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse can help. Their site has resources for people to understand alcoholism. There are many Health Insurance plans that cover Alcohol and alcoholism treatment plans.
The Hazelden Betty Ford Clinic is a place that helps addicts recover. There are many similar recovery facilities that can be of help.
Another good idea would be SAMSHA. That’s short for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. They have a helpline for people with such issues.
The best thing to do is look around for the most reputable places to help with alcoholism and its treatment. Now to be fair the person who’s addicted to alcohol must be willing to put in the time and effort to get clean. But if they are then a better future is possible. It’s not easy but it is possible. But as the old saying goes everything worthwhile takes work.
Something of note for those who aren't addicted to alcohol but could be. Some people should avoid alcohol in full. But if someone is going to enjoy it make sure it's in strict moderation. It's a well-known fact too much of anything is bad.
Also, it's good to make sure that a person has more hobbies and a good support network. Like the old saying goes an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
If anyone reading this has a loved one with alcohol addiction all I can say is this. Be very careful in how you handle this. Alcoholics can be very unpredictable. Don’t nag them but be firm and fair. Make it clear that there is a problem, and they need to get help for it.
Save the whole family intervention for a very last resort.
Alcoholism is a true scourge to everyone. Even in the 21st century it’s still proving to be quite a problem. That said there is help available. And to those with family members who have alcohol issues stay strong and stay healthy.
Thanks for reading this month’s blog entry. I hope that it provides some useful information. Or I hope it can at least offer some insight into alcoholism and hope for dealing with it. I’ll leave links to the articles used in this essay below.
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Until next time this is Animeman73 signing off. Stay true to yourselves, stay classy, and God bless you all. See you next time good readers.
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