Alcoholism: A Social Problem

Alcohol is made from a combination of various foods and substances. In many cultures, taking it is encouraged; especially during special occasions. Nonetheless, it is one of the most abused substances in the world today. Many people are addicted to it, and notably, the social consequences of alcoholism are serious.

Alcoholism’s Effects on Family

To start with, most alcoholics tend to hurt their families because of their changed personalities. Often, such people are irritable, and have poor judgment. Hence, they will make poor decisions and finally hurt the family members. In extreme cases, it can result to domestic violence and further affect children’s welfare for the rest of their lives.

Alcoholism can result to heavy financial burdens; both for the alcoholic and the relatives. Other than spending a lot of money to buy alcohol, the addicted person may have anxiety and depression at some point in their life, in which case, finances will be required for treatment. Such obligations can reduce a family that was once well- established to low levels of poverty and misery. For most people, going from a higher class of the society to a lower one can result to lowered self-esteem and discouragement to peruse life’s goals.

In addition, there is chance that children will end up as alcoholics if their parents or close relative are engaged in the behavior. Normally, children observe what their parents do and try to emulate them. Hence, if the parents are alcoholics, the children will think that it is an acceptable thing to do. In the future, such children cannot make worthily contributions in the society. Still, such children tend to be depressed, easily irritable, and will show poor performance in school.

Loss of Productivity in the Society

Still, because of an alcoholic’s inability or unwillingness to fulfill their obligations, the whole society can be affected. At the work place, the addicted persons will either not avail themselves or may not be as productive as required. They will also not participate in community projects or make efforts to foster unity within the society. It implies that in the end, the society will have lost a productive person.

Further, some of the people who abuse alcohol are those who have previously been unable to find employment or even take their responsibilities in the society. They are, therefore, provided with an easy way of running away from conflict and tough issues in life. As they get deeper into the addiction, there is chance that they will never take time to go through self -improvement programs. Indeed, if the right measures are not taken in good time, alcoholism can become a big social problem.