The Negative Effects of Drinking

Written by a CSUCI student.

Consuming alcohol is a common thing in today’s culture, but it's not a topic that everyone talks about comfortably. Many people use drinking alcohol to escape from their daily lives and relax without thinking about the ramifications. No one thinks about the long-term effects of drinking more than the recommended amount of alcohol while participating in night life activities with friends. An excessive amount of drinking can affect every organ in your body if it gets out of control, according to an online help guide that I recently found here. Excessive drinking can also affect your relationships with people and reduce one’s stability. 

Most of the time when people start to drink more than they normally would on a night out, that’s usually a sign something is wrong. Often alcohol abuse tends to stem from issues going on in the person’s life below the surface that most people don’t notice. Having drinking problems can affect the relationships closest to you and can cause people to no longer want to be around to deal with your behaviors. Excessive drinking can make it hard to hold down relationships such as marriage, friendship, and business relationships successfully. Alcohol use disorder can come from mental health issues, social atmospheres, and how the person was raised. 

Many people experiencing alcohol use disorder don’t realize that something is clearly wrong. They can’t tell the difference because when they are drunk it feels like they’re on top of the world. Sometimes it takes someone to confront the person and discuss that there is a problem that needs to be brought to the attention of the person. Finding helpful resources for someone with alcohol use disorder is important so that they can get what they need from professionals. I know that telling someone that they need to change their habits can come with challenges such as them denying the truth. Sometimes the best way to support someone is to tell them that you will be there for them if they need anything at all to make the process of becoming sober less daunting. 

Are you or someone you know struggling with addiction? Help is available. Visit Ventura County Limits for resources local to Ventura County: Ventura County Limits.