Alcohol Abuse

When Galahad was established in 1997, we began our ongoing social-science research into issues surrounding drugs & alcohol abuse. Our scope has now broadened to include training, education, evaluating projects, & and producing policies: all of them aiming at "substance-misuse solutions".

This broad area of work keeps us up to date with developments and social trends in the world of illegal drugs & alcohol abuse, with the latest policies & practice, and with developments in managing change for & treating substance misusers.

Alcohol abuse is one of the particular issues that we are aiming to tackle. Alcohol abuse can lead to potentially life threatening consequences, not just for you but for other people as well.

In the UK, the Department of Health has introduced the unit measurement of alcohol and guidelines about how many units men and women can safely drink. Nearly one in four adults in the UK risks their health by drinking more than the recommended daily amount of alcohol.

Alcohol abuse can be divided into three categories based on the severity, duration, behaviour patterns and consequences of drinking alcohol. The three categories of alcohol abuse are -

Hazardous drinking

Drinking which could cause harm to either the drinker or others is known as hazardous drinking (for example binge drinking). Binge drinking is a form of alcohol abuse defined as drinking with the intention of getting drunk and/or drinking over twice the recommended daily amount of alcohol in one session. If you drink in this way very occasionally, you're probably not dependent on alcohol and are unlikely to have any long-term health effects, but it may cause you or others harm (for example hangovers, or antisocial or violent behaviour).

Harmful drinking

Frequent or regular binge drinking is a form of alcohol abuse that is classified as an example of harmful drinking. If you drink in this way you may be dependent on alcohol and can develop long-term health problems.

Alcohol dependence

If you prioritise alcohol above anything else in your life, you're likely to be dependent on alcohol & is a vert serious form of alcohol abuse. You may feel the need to drink frequently throughout the day, drink large amounts at a time, or experience withdrawal effects between drinks. Alcohol dependence often leads to serious long-term health problems.

Alcohol abuse can lead to serious short & long term health effects.

Short-term effects of alcohol abuse

A small amount of alcohol may relax you and make you feel less anxious. In increasing amounts, alcohol will suppress the part of your brain that controls judgement, resulting in inappropriate behaviour and a loss of inhibitions. Alcohol is a contributing factor to many assaults, incidents of domestic violence and fatal road accidents.

Alcohol negatively affects your physical coordination, vision, speech and balance.

Drinking a very large amount at one time can lead to unconsciousness and coma. If you vomit when you're unconscious you may choke, which can result in suffocation and death.

Long-term physical effects

Alcohol abuse can lead to a range of long-term health problems including:

• liver/brain/heart damage
• gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining)
• pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
• high blood pressure
• cancers
• seizures
• impotence/infertility

Psychological effects

Long-term alcohol abuse can increase anxiety and cause depression, memory loss and dementia. It can also lead to sleeping problems, mood-swings, violence and suicide.

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