Alcoholism’s a family woe
ALCOHOL is a stain on our society, it destroys bodies, minds and souls. We can all relate to that one family member, friend or neighbour who never knows when to stop drinking, inevitably setting in motion a tsunami of chaos and/or violence. I’ve had the ordeal of living with an alcoholic family member and know it takes a mental and physical toll. Alcoholism is a family disease even though one person may drink, the entire family suffers.
The University of Cambridge recently did a study on the long-term effects of alcohol on
600 000 drinkers from 19 countries. The findings revealed that consuming 10 to 15 alcoholic drinks every week will shorten a person's life by one to two years and people who drink more than 18 drinks a week can lose four to five years of their life. Drinkers are also at increased risk of stroke, heart failure and fatal hypertensive disease.
2016 World Health Organisation statistics ranked SA in the top 20 largest alcohol consuming nations in the world. SA has also been in the spotlight as the worst country in the world for drunk driving with 58% of deaths on SA roads due to excessive alcohol consumption (WHO, 2016).
A CAGE test formulated by the South African We Do Recover Centre, identified questions that could help in understanding alcohol addiction.
C – Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
A – Have people annoyed you by criticising your drinking?
G – Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
E – Eye-opener: Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?
Two “yes” answers indicate an alcohol drinking problem (WDR, 2010).
Don’t let the stigma of alcoholism be a barrier for getting treatment. It can be found in many places: the Department of Social Development’s toll-free substance abuse helpline on 0800121314 or attending Alcoholics Anonymous (0861435722).
Your body is not only a temple, it’s a home for you to live in. Take care of it. Think before you drink! — Velisa Naicker, via e-mail