Introduction
Alcoholism is a community problem that affects
everyone negatively whether directly or indirectly. Alcohol consumption is
perceived as a personal choice. It is the oldest drug, and it is widely
consumed. Some drinkers develop addictions and can destroy them. Many people
drink alcohol with beverages, and they drink for social reasons. Some people
believe that there is no cause for drinking, but others believe that there are
several causes and effects. Alcoholics
are 6times more likely to commit violently a crime and thirteen times more
likely to commit a crime on the property. Alcohol abuse significantly minimizes
the ability to solve problems, understand situations and predict the
consequences. (McMurran, 1999, p.219).
Abstract
The study used quantitative research
techniques on alcohol abuse. The study objectives were; to determine out the
reasons why people abuse alcohol and to identify effects of alcohol abuse. The
methodology used in the study to gather information was in-persons interviews,
and the target population was people who once abused alcohol but had quit
drinking, and some of the were being rehabilitated. The findings of the study
were: people indulged in alcohol abuse because of trauma, stress, peer
influence and adverting of alcohol. The effects of drinking alcohol excessively
included increased road accidents, increase the crime rates, liver damage,
alterations of body movement, and loss of appetite, decreased brain function
and increased in other health related illnesses. Alcoholism is a major problem
affecting everyone in the society and health education, and rehabilitation
should be done so as to solve the problem.
Methodology
The study population was conducted
among people who took alcohol and quit. The participants were selected using a
simple random method. Everyone was given an equal chance to be selected. The
researcher selected 5 participants for the study. The information was gathered
through in-person interviews. An in-person interview guide was used to collect
the data from the homogenous population. The data collected was cleaned,
classified and after that coded before it was entered into a computer for
analysis. The analysis was done using Microsoft Excel
Findings
The findings on the reasons that made
people abuse alcohol included; stress- out of the five people interviewed 3
felt that alcohol relieves stress. Our world today is full of difficulties that
people have never experienced. Some
people view alcohol as a means of reducing stress and relaxing the mind, but it
can have very severe side effects. It is very rare for people to have positive
outcomes when they turn to alcohol because of stress. Alcohol can act like a
little tranquilizer but stress is stress, and it will always remain.
Peer pressure is another reason people
indulged in alcohol abuse. Most of the people are influenced by their peers
either negatively of positively they can make someone try something they would
not try on their own. People wanted to fit in and to look like their friends
when hanging out. When others are drinking alcohol the chances that someone
will fall in the trap. Some individuals think that they can easily handle
alcohol and control it, just like their friend. But most of them were likely to
develop addiction especially if they have a family background of alcohol abuse.
Trauma is also another reason that made
people drink. People being rehabilitated for alcohol abuse reported a huge
number of physical injuries, victimization violently, rape and witnessing
domestic violence. The physical abuse led most of them to alcohol abuse because
of the trauma.
Lastly, advertisement; five people were
interviewed, and 4 agreed that advertising predisposes to alcohol especially to
the young population. Alcohol is usually advertised in the media. When people
listen to alcohol advertisement and watch movies on the same, it increases
their societal status. It increases
their self-confidence, sexual attractiveness and fun in their world.
One consequence of alcohol abuse is
liver damage. 3 of the interviewed felt that alcohol abuse shortens human life
as it causes liver cirrhosis. One of the interviewees said “my uncle was an
alcoholic; he abused it for more than thirty years. Finally, he was diagnosed
with liver cirrhosis.†The majority agreed that once someone has the disease of
the liver, a lot of pain is experienced, and a lot of money is spent on the
disease. The participants strongly agreed that alcohol abuse causes neurons
damage. One of the participants said “whenever I drink excess alcohol my body movements
are being altered, I lose appetite†another member told me to have witnessed
his friend undergo depression after excess alcohol taking over a long time.
A few of the interviewed claimed that
exposure to consuming alcohol for a long time contributes to decrease in brain
functionality. Two of the participants
felt that excessive in taking of alcohol on an empty stomach would help to
blackout. One of the interviewee said. “My dad was a drinker, with time I
realized that he had a problem of remembering things’’ The participant felt
that dementia could be prevented if it were not for excessive drinking of his
dad.
A member said that a drunken person decided to
take an offensive off-the-cuff remark. The member felt that the individual who
was under the influence of alcohol had an anger management this contributed to
violence. Probably, the action may have involved innocent people. Majority of
the interviewed felt that, driving while drug over acceptable levels may
contribute to accidents
Conclusion
In summation, alcohol abuse is a
problem the needs to be solved as soon as possible. Change in someone’s
personality due to stress, trauma or influence by others need to be corrected
so that people do not indulge in alcohol abuse as the last resort. The study revealed
that there was a relationship between alcohol abuse and violent crime. The
study also showed excessive alcohol had a correlation with accidents, disease
of the liver, decreased brain functionality, and loss of appetite, blackout and
violence. Public awareness should be done through health education to empower
people with knowledge of alcoholism. Rehabilitation is another intervention
that can be implemented to save those who are already drinking and addicted
from severe effects of alcoholism and by doing these the general welfare of the
community will be improved.
IN PERSON INTERVIEW GUIDE
1.
Have
you ever taken alcohol?
………....................................................................................................................................
2.
If
yes in 1 above, are you still taking alcohol? ………………………………………………
3.
If
no in 2 above what are the major reason that made you stop taking alcohol?
4.
What are effects of alcohol abuse?............................................................................................
5.
Why
do you think alcohol abuse contributes to the above
effects?..........................................
6.
In
your opinion, what do you think should be done to reduce the above mentioned
effects?......................................................................................................................................
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