It is no secret that alcoholism is a problem in modern society. Some individuals are used to drinking alcoholic beverages for short-term stress reduction and well-being improvement. Nevertheless, one should remember that alcohol brings devastating effects on a drinker’s body, in no way solving urgent concerns. Thus, temporary relief from a difficult situation will not solve a problem, this is a deceptive condition, and consequences can be unfortunate. In addition, alcoholism brings adverse effects on a person’s life because drinking to get rid of some problems does not make them go away since one needs to deal with them. People have to deal with questions that bother them, heal and move on, or these issues will always be in the back of their minds.
Explanation
In most cases, alcohol is not an option because it makes people forget their troubles. In this case, alcohol is perceived as a “medicine” or, in other words, a placebo. It is about the same with problems – one can try to forget about troubles for a while. This is what alcohol is used for, but when intoxication passes, concerns often return to a greater extent – health, psyche, family, finances, and most unpleasant consequences. For instance, this happens to the characters in “Son of a Trickster” (Robinson). Jared, his parents, and others turn to drugs and alcohol to help them cope with their interpersonal issues but doing so only worsens matters (Robinson). Alcohol does not change anything and does not solve problems; it only temporarily disconnects from reality which Jared uses to stop his visions and temporarily distract from all the misery (Robinson). Drinking alcohol can cause a desire to drink, and saying that a person needs alcohol because of depression, can be a sign of alcoholism.
However, any issue has a solution, which should not be “chemical.” For instance, it is known that alcohol negatively affects the brain’s functioning. The matter begins to be perceived differently in the course of these changes. The trouble is that the brain resource will not last for a long time if the rethinking and devaluation of issues are carried out by drinking alcohol. For example, teenagers from “Sober House” strive to counteract the normalizing of excessive alcohol drinking in Indigenous communities to prevent these consequences (CBC Docs). Although Prince Albert is not unfamiliar with the adverse effects of excessive alcohol use, because so many local companies rely on alcohol sales and off-sales for income, alcohol is nevertheless easily accessible (CBC Docs). Adolescents think they can change the situation so that the next generation of Indigenous youth will have better circumstances than they did and can cope with difficulties without drinking (CBC Docs). Learning to do it naturally, through intellectual and psychological techniques, is helpful.
Alcohol does not solve problems but creates new ones, and some people need the help of specialists to understand this. Consequently, people should take responsibility for their actions and cope with accumulated difficulties. Indeed, doing this alone can be challenging, and there must be outside help. For example, in “Sober House,” people can enlist support and follow the path of real change for the better (CBC Docs). Moreover, using the example of “Son of a Trickster,” one can see how, gradually abandoning addictions, the novel’s hero has changed for the better (Robinson). Instead of “washing down” problems, he takes responsibility for paying bills, helps the elderly, and finds time even for those who once bullied him (Robinson). Hence, based on this example, one should understand that a drink would not solve any urgent problems, but only willpower and a firm grip allow avoiding unpleasant consequences.
Conclusion
Overall, it is necessary to state that alcohol consumption threatens human health and is only a temporary relief in the face of many life difficulties and obstacles. In this case, people should pull themselves together and start working on their shortcomings and problems without succumbing to the temptation. It will undoubtedly be complex and painstaking work that will bring concrete fruits and results from the fight against alcoholism and the desire to “drown out” troubles with a drink.
Works Cited
Robinson, Eden. Son of a Trickster. Knopf Canada, 2017.
“No Alcohol Allowed: Teens Lead the Fight Against Alcoholism in Saskatchewan | Sober House.” YouTube, uploaded by CBC Docs, Web.