Thursday 6th June 2013
It’s very difficult to determine if you just enjoy drinking socially or if you are an alcohol abuser.
Alcohol is one of the most dangerous narcotic substances on the planet mainly because it’s so easy to access and also because it’s socially accepted by many cultures all over the world.
These days, many people find it quite hard to enjoy themselves without alcohol being present and drinking in moderation is often disregarded as ‘just wanting to have some fun’.
But is it really that fun?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that globally, the harmful use of alcohol is responsible for approximately 2.5 million deaths around the each year.
Here in South Africa, we don’t shy away from ‘booze’ either. In fact, the Parliamentary Monitoring Group released a report compiled by the Central Drug Authority (CDA) in 2011 which stated that we are amongst in the top 10 in the world when it comes to alcohol consumption.
The CDA also states that:
- Approximately 2 million people can be classified as problem drinkers in South Africa
- Alcohol abuse costs South Africa approximately R130 billion rand each year
- 37% of all adults were considered to be binge drinkers
- 7000 deaths are caused by drunk driving
- Male and female high school learners have drinking habits similar to adults
These alarming statistics have even prompted the South African government to consider rising the legal drinking age from 18 to 21.
Will rising the legal drinking age make a difference? Only time will tell. In the meantime, we are going to answer a question that we answer almost every day: Am I a social drinker or an alcohol abuser?
The Signs of Alcohol Abuse
Here are some of the most common warning signs that could indicate if you are an alcohol abuser or not:
- You drink alcohol to get drunk
- You can’t control how much alcohol you drink
- You have to drink more and more to become intoxicated or feel the effects of alcohol
- Your drinking habits have begun to affect all aspects of your life
- You start drinking at irregular places and at strange times, for example, at work or even while driving
- You find yourself in debt and legal trouble because of your drinking habits
- Your behaviour changes and you begin to engage in risky activity while under the influence of alcohol
- You begin lie to family and friends about how much alcohol you drink
- You constantly feel the need to drink alcohol and you become agitated and irritable when it’s not available
- You use alcohol as a mechanism to get rid of any unhappiness or stress that you may be experiencing
If you can relate to the symptoms above, then you may just be an alcohol abuser. You might think that you don’t have a problem but the longer you abuse alcohol, the faster will things start to spiral downhill.
If you still need more convincing, take our simple test to check if you are an alcoholic.
Alcohol Abuse Treatment
The best way to deal with a drinking problem is by getting treatment inside an alcohol treatment centre, where you will receive 24 hour medical care, counselling and therapy from people that understand what you are going through.
We can provide you with access to the best private alcohol treatment centres in South Africa, the United Kingdom and Thailand. Call us now and let one of our addiction consultants provide you with free expert advice on how to deal with this issue.
Article by We Do Recover