Alcohol abuse remains one of the key healthcare concerns around the globe, not least because addicts do not purely injure their own health. An alcoholic’s family and friends are also in danger, furthermore, there may be consequences for the wider public. To minimize the risk, society has to pay additional attention to the problem of binge drinking as long as the reasons for such behavior are predominantly sociocultural.
Overall, men across the world consume considerably more alcohol than women, which may result from a stereotype of male strength. In the USA, particularly, no more than a quarter of heavy drinkers are female (Sudhinaraset et al., 2016). A clichéd image of so-called real man involves alcohol consumption, meanwhile, an attitude to a drinking woman would generally be negative. By rejecting gender stereotypes, it is possible to reduce the number of alcohol abusers.
An essential contributor to the development of an addiction to substances, including alcohol, is a lack of social support. It is most critical in adolescents, frequently leading to a major depressive episode, which, in turn, may stimulate a patient to try substances as a potential source of endorphins. According to the research by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the amount of youngsters who have experienced a major depressive episode is gradually growing (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2019). An early onset increases the probability of alcoholism in adult life and is among the reasons why approximately 4% of grown-ups suffer from alcohol addiction (Wang et al., 2020). It is necessary to protect the sensitive psyche of the adolescents by showing them strong support and paying more attention to their mental growth.
To summarize, alcohol abuse is a social concern as long as it does not only affect a single individual, but makes them a hazard to human safety. In addition, the causes of excessive drinking lie inside society as well, for instance, stereotypes and insufficient social assistance. Solving these problems would enable reducing the amount of alcohol addicts and, consequently, the risk for the wider public.
References
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2019). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2018 national survey on drug use and health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Sudhinaraset, M., Wigglesworth, Ch., & Takeuchi, D. T. (2016). Social and cultural contexts of alcohol use: Influences in a social–ecological framework. Alcohol Research: Current Reviews, 38(1), pp. 35-45.
Wang, Sh.-Ch., Chen, Yu.-Ch., Chen, Sh.-J., Lee, Ch.-H., & Cheng, Ch.-M. (2020). Alcohol addiction, gut microbiota, and alcoholism treatment: A review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 21(17), 6413. Web.