FREE ESSAY ON ALCOHOLISM - PROS AND CONS

ALCOHOLISM - PROS AND CONS

The following essay will introduce you to pros and cons of drinking. It will also give you
a clear understanding in why you shouldn't drink alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant; it
impairs your ability to drive, slows down your reaction time and causes you to make some
risky decisions that you wouldn't normally take. This essay will also help you comprehend
how and why things happen, because of alcohol. 
Alcoholism can kill in many different ways, and in general, people who drink regularly
have a higher rate of deaths from injury, violence, and some cancers. The earlier a
person begins drinking heavily, the greater their chance of developing serious illnesses
later on. Any protection that occurs with moderate alcohol intake appears to be confined
to adults over 60 who have risks for heart disease. Adults who drink moderately (about
one drink a day) have a lower mortality rate than their non-drinking peers, their risk
for untimely death increases with heavier drinking. Alcohol may not cause cancer, but it
probably does increase the carcinogenic effects of other substances, such as cigarette
smoke. Daily drinking increases the risk for lung, gastric, pancreatic, colorectal,
urinary tract, liver, brain cancers, and leukemia. About 75% of cancers of the esophagus
and 50% of cancers of the mouth, and throat are attributed to alcoholism. (Wine appears
to pose less danger for these cancers than beer or hard liquor.) Smoking combined with
drinking enhances risks for most of these cancers dramatically. When women consume as
little as one drink a day, they may increase their chances of breast cancer by as much as
30%.
In the liver, alcohol converts to an even more toxic substance, which can cause
substantial damage. Not eating when drinking and consuming a variety of alcoholic
beverages are also factors that increase the risk for liver damage. People with
alcoholism are also at higher risk for hepatitis B and C, potentially chronic liver
diseases than can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. People with alcoholism should be
immunized against hepatitis B; they may need a higher-than-normal dose of the vaccine for
it to be effective.
Alcohol has widespread effects on the brain. The use of alcohol, however, eventually
produces depression and confusion. In chronic cases, alcoholism can lead to mental
disturbances. Alcohol can also cause milder problems, including headaches (especially
after drinking red wine). Except in severe cases, the damage is not permanent and
abstinence nearly always leads to recovery of normal mental function. Alcohol may
increase the risk for hemorrhage stroke (caused by bleeding in the brain), although it
may protect against stroke caused by narrowed arteries. Alcohol plays a major role in
more than half of all automobile accidents. Alcohol also increases the risk of accidental
injuries from many other causes. Drinking and driving is dangerous to yourself and others
around you. The penalty for drinking and driving is Driving Under the Influence (DUI). If
your Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) registers over .08, you are Driving Under the Influence.
After having one drink it takes approximately one hour for your body to burn off the
alcohol. You can't depend on yourself to be able to drive after an hour, because everyone
processes alcohol differently and you might even feel the effects long after you've been
drinking. Your BAC is based on your body weight, how much you have had to drink, the
amount of food you may have eaten before drinking, the length of time over which you have
had alcohol, and the speed at which your own body processes alcohol (once again, everyone
is different). There is no way to make your body burn alcohol faster; eating, drinking
coffee, exercising, or taking a cold shower may make you feel better, but they have no
effect on your rate that alcohol is processed. 
Alcohol can also create hormonal effects. Alcoholism increases the levels of the female
hormone estrogen and reduces the levels of the male hormone testosterone, factors that
contribute to impotence in men. I placed this statement here, because I personally
believe that men, such as myself, should be aware on how alcohol effects a male's ability
to perform. Domestic violence is a common consequence of alcohol abuse. For women, the
most serious risk factor for injury from domestic violence may be a history of alcohol
abuse in her male partner. Alcoholism in parents also increases the risk for violent
behavior and abuse toward their children. Children of alcoholics tend to do worse
academically than others, have a higher incidence of depression, anxiety, and stress and
lower self-esteem than their peers. Children who were diagnosed with major depression
between the ages of six and 12 were more likely to have alcoholic parents or relatives,
than those children who do not have parents who are alcoholics. Alcoholic households are
less cohesive, have more conflicts, and their members are less independent and expressive
than households with non-alcoholics or recovering alcoholic parents. In addition to their
own inherited risk for later alcoholism, children of alcoholics have serious coping
problems that may be life long. Alcoholic parents are at higher risk for divorced and for
psychiatric symptoms. The only events with greater psychological impact on children are
sexual and physical abuse.
During pregnancy and infant development, one must take extreme precautions. 
Even moderate amounts of alcohol may have damaging effects on the developing fetus,
including low birth weight and an increased risk for miscarriage. High amounts can cause
fetal alcohol syndrome, which can result in mental and growth retardation. There is also
a higher risk for leukemia in infants of women who drink any type of alcoholic beverages
during pregnancy. From what you have read, you can see that alcohol has a great influence
on the body. Many people drink alcoholic beverages and believe that it will not have an
affect, but they are wrong! Alcohol plays a very disturbing role and affects you
physically, mentally and spiritually. Personally, drinking alcoholic beverages is
something that doesn't have to be part of your life. Alcohol is a want, not a need, and
if you live a life without alcohol you will definitely live a life of happiness. Don't
take my word for it... try it!
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