Alcohol Abuse Including Binge Drinking - Essay Sample

Introduction

The rate of alcohol consumption worldwide across several countries has escalated following the various health reports presented by multiple types of research. Alcohol is leading in terms of the most abused category of drugs and substance in the past recent years (GarciaTsao et al., 2017). Abuse of alcohol, or binge drinking can be of very grave harm to the consumers since they place the consumer's health at risk. There are various health risks that an individual puts his body through by excessively consuming alcohol. In this study, some of the factors that will be looked at include the health risk that an individual exposes himself while taking excess alcohol. The study also looks at some of the most affected communities that abuse alcohol the most, the economic and social impacts of someone abusing alcohol at a high rate, some more information that might be essential data in fighting the excessive consumption as well as some of the ways that can be used to fight the terror collaboration.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Health wise, while taking an excessive amount of alcohol in the body, there must be talks on how this affects the entire body by first going through the brain. One of the most commonly known negative results of alcohol drinking is that it tampers with brains cells of the victim (GarciaTsao et al., 2017). The brain and its proper functionality depend on the coordination of these cells to operate. When malfunctioned, these cells cannot be able to send signals to the other parts of the brain which leads to concentration and execution of some actions. When the brain cells are damaged, and they can function well, other organs of the body get affected as most organize depend on the coordination of the brain to ensure their proper physiology.

Alongside rain cells damage, excessive consumption of alcohol also leads to the damage of the leaver leading to a deadly disease called liver cirrhosis. Liver cirrhosis is the failure of the liver to function properly due to a long period of damage (Kim 2017). The long-term damage of the liver means that the healthy tissues of the liver are replaced with scar tissues thus affecting its functionality. The leading cause of this disease across the world in excessive consumption of alcohol. The above are some of the primary health effects of consuming alcohol to levels that overwhelm the body.

Liver cirrhosis is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity across the world when looked at this problem from a broader perspectival. Health researcher like the Global Burden Disease in their latest statistical report revealed that over one million individuals have passed due to the chronic disease, liver cirrhosis in 2010 as compared to their release in 1980 where 676, 000 people fall the victims (Liangpunsakul, Haber, & McCaughan, 2016). In America specifically, the prevalence has also increased by 61% from the previous years as compared to the current times with the majority of the affected being the Latino Americans(Liangpunsakul, Haber, & McCaughan, 2016). The above is the brief statistical analysis revealing that indeed abuse of alcohol is becoming a serious concern as most people are becoming victims.

As stated above, the most affected individuals with the highest morbidity and mortality rate as a result of liver cirrhosis are Latino America. The major reason for this include the fact that the Hispanic population is among the most growing populations in the country; thus they are vulnerable to the common problems facing Americans generally. The most current statistics show that this ethnic society comprises of 15% of the total population in America with Mexicans recording the highest population of 61% (Meier, 2016). About the mortality rate due to liver cirrhosis, this society is reported to be the most affected as compared to the other societies. A report revealed that in America generally, the mortality rate due to chronic liver cirrhosis decline over the years, however, this was not the case in this specific ethnic group with revealed a positive growth instead. The same research tent to compare among the most drug and substance abuse affected communities. The research conducted was to compare the level of individuals affected with excessive abuse of alcohol leading to liver cirrhosis (Meier, 2016). The researchers focused on comparing the Latino American who are the Hispanic group and the African Americans. The results revealed that in Hispanic society, the mortality rate due to liver cirrhosis caused by alcohol abuse was 50% higher than those of other ethnic communities in America including the African Americans (Runyon, 2013).

This ethnic group seems to be the most affected as they get exposed to very hard liquor at a very tender age. Their most common delicacy of alcohol being tequila, Mexicans and all the other groups among the Hispanic ethnic community are known to abuse this kind of alcohol. Their mode of taking is also among the contributors to the disease as they take the concentrated tequila without mixing with anything. Such practices, when done frequently, leads to addiction and even a worst-case scenario, lead to liver cirrhosis which eventually leads to death. The Hispanics thus, are the most affected in terms of mortality rate caused by liver cirrhosis resulting from alcohol abuse and binge drinking.

Considering that the liver is a very vital organ in the body, the cost of treating it once damaged is very expensive, and it will lead to an economic hinge to the victims and the families with a patient on the same (Salas-Wright 2017). The above-conducted research revealed that families who are victims of the disease are profoundly affected economically as most of their resources are channeled towards treating their patient. General research revealed that liver diseases varied and provided their costs as follows; an average cost for patients with liver cirrhosis annually was estimated at $17,277 and $22,752 for patients with low stage cirrhosis that was healed (Salas-Wright 2017).

Among the agencies and educators whose role is to create awareness on the harmful impacts of alcohol abuse in America are The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence among other bodies (Salas-Wright 2017). The bodies as mentioned above are some of the most common bodies whose functions are almost the same. These bodies are on the forefront in providing education regarding drug and substance abuse, especially alcohol. They educate the citizens on the effects and some of the ways to avoid or deal with addiction. These bodies engage tits participates in social, educative activities to facilitate and enhance their learning; for instance, social events like sports to capture a big number of youths who are currently becoming the most affected.

There is still room for research in terms of alcohol and alcoholism addiction that feature researchers can consider to provide more helpful information. Areas like, what are the reasons as to why most people drink, how to control addiction, why most youths are becoming victims of alcoholism and what effective measures can be deduced by the government to reduce alcohol consumption are some of the research gaps that can be filled by more detailed research and analysis(Salas-Wright 2017). As a future educator, while talking to alcoholics or victims of alcoholism, I will consider digging deeper into their problems and try to find out why they started drinking, this will lead me into the root cause of the problem thus it will be easier to solve it once its identified.

References

GarciaTsao, G., Abraldes, J. G., Berzigotti, A., & Bosch, J. (2017). Portal hypertensivebleeding in cirrhosis: Risk stratification, diagnosis, and management: 2016 practiceguidance by the American Association for the study of liver diseases. Herpetology,65(1), 310-335.

Kim, M. J., Mason, W. A., Catalano, R. F., Toumbourou, J. W., & Hemphill, S. A. (2017).Early onset of alcohol use on adolescent alcohol problems: a binational longitudinalstudy. Prevention Science, 18(1), 1-11.

Liangpunsakul, S., Haber, P., & McCaughan, G. W. (2016). Alcoholic liver disease in Asia,Europe, and North America. Gastroenterology, 150(8), 1786-1797.

Meier, K. J. (2016). The Politics of Sin: Drugs, Alcohol, and Public Policy: Drugs, Alcohol,and Public Policy. Routledge.

Runyon, B. A. (2013). Introduction to the revised American Association for the Study ofLiver Diseases Practice Guideline management of adult patients with ascites due tocirrhosis 2012. Herpetology, 57(4), 1651-1653.

Salas-Wright, C. P., Vaughn, M. G., & Cordova, D. (2017). Trends infighting and violenceamong adolescents, 2002-2014. American journal of health, 107(6), 977-982.