Social Effects of Alcohol Abuse

The social effects of alcohol abuse are a growing problem.

When a person drinks alcoholic beverages, the effects of it do not just pertain to them, but to everyone the person knows and anyone they come in contact with. The social effects of alcohol are not just contained to the home, they will affect a person’s work performance as well as their standing in society.

Alcohol and Family

When a family member is abusing alcohol, this will surely cause tension within the family itself. Everyone will be on edge because the drinker can be very emotionally unstable. The family unit begins to fall apart. Families may become more violent toward each other, especially if there are multiple drinkers in the family. Each person will experience negative emotions and may develop depression. Anxiety is another disorder that can occur from alcohol abuse. There are also higher rates of divorce among those who abuse alcohol. If there are children, they may develop behavioral problems as well.

Alcohol and the Workplace

If an employee is abusing alcohol, they may begin to see several social effects of alcohol abuse. First there will be a decrease in work performance, the person may be late to work or they may not show up at all. There may even be conflict with other co-workers or bosses. The employee may show up to work under the influence of alcohol which could lead to job loss. There are some employers who will help a person with their drinking problem.

Alcohol and Social Status

Often, when there is alcohol abuse, the drinker may become more isolated. This is because many people do not want to be around someone who is an alcoholic. People do not want to have to walk on eggshells around a drunken person because of the emotional highs and lows as well as violent tendencies. Therefore, the drinker will begin to lose friends and even family over alcohol abuse. This may be a time when the drinker begins to spend time with others who drink.

Alcohol Abuse and Crime

Crime is another common social effect of alcohol abuse. A person who abuses alcohol will spend all of their money on it. Once that is gone, they will resort to crime to get money for more alcohol. Crime is the option to those who have also lost their jobs because of alcohol abuse. There is a lot of petty theft amongst those who abuse alcohol. Those who drive under the influence will obtain driving offenses which may result in fines or jail time. Alcohol abusers are more likely to commit sexual offenses, fraud, and violent crimes.

Risky Behavior

Many people enjoy drinking alcohol to relax, namely in social situations. Most can handle it without going overboard. Those who abuse alcohol may get involved in risky behaviors. Not only will they use poor judgment by driving drunk and possibly killing themselves or someone else, but they will engage in sexual activities as well, which may end up being regrettable. A person can become pregnant or obtain a sexually transmitted disease. Hepatitis C, a liver disease which can be contagious, can sometimes be transmitted between people as a result of impaired judgement related to alcohol abuse.

Help for Alcohol Abuse

The social effects of alcohol abuse may bring a person to want to quit drinking. There are many places to get help, such as going to meetings at Al-Anon or AA. There, people talk about their problems and encourage each other to stay sober. One may also go into a treatment facility where counseling and other services are available. Having a sober coach is another option to stay sober. When a person makes an effort to stay sober, their family and friends are more likely to help them.