The New Straits Times, January 22, 2001
By Prof. Dzulkifli Abdul Razak
ALCOHOL is often served as a social drink, especially during festivities. It is also sometimes consumed to facilitate social acceptance.
Alcohol suppresses brain functions to produce effects resembling relaxation, increased confidence and reduced inhibitions.
As the consumption gets heavier, the nervous system will be further impaired and may eventually collapse, a high price to pay for a little relief, or even fun. Especially when there are other safer alternatives.
As mentioned, foremost to be affected are the brain functions that relate to inhibitions and anxiety. This generally leads to a false sense of relief and well-being, and sometimes euphoria. With continued drinking, the suppression of brain functions gets worse, affecting even more bodily functions. At times it can lead to death.
Some of the initial results include in a loss of muscular co-ordination and impairment of vision and speech. Through its effect on the nervous system, it will eventually affect the circulatory system, causing the small blood vessels to constrict and diverting the blood flow to the vessels of the skin (which in contrast are dilated or widened). This gives some drinkers the flushed appearance.
In the short term, overindulgence in alcohol typically leads to a hangover, the physical manifestations of excessive alcohol intake. This is characterised by nausea and vomiting. Other symptoms include headache, dizziness, stomach upset, irritability and thirst.
The thirst is because of cell dehydration since the liver is overworked by the large quantities of alcohol in the blood, and is unable to process it within its normal limits. Morever, alcohol induces diuresis, resulting in water loss through the urine.
On the other hand, stomach upsets are due to the irritation caused by the excessive alcohol. Nausea and vomiting is, in part, due to this too.
Today, with increased social pressure, more and more people are turning to a variety of alcoholic substances to escape from the harsh realities of life.
These are the typical alcohol content of some beverages: beer and cider, up to eight per cent, wines nine to 15 per cent, fortified wines 20 per cent, aperitifs 25 per cent, spirits and liqueurs 40 to 50 per cent.
Commercially, the strength of alcohol beverages is expressed as "degree proof". This does not refer to the percentage of alcohol content but the specific gravity of the liquid. In any case it can be used as an indication of the alcoholic content.
For example, in the United States, a drink with 100 proof contains 50 per cent alcohol. However, this conversion varies from country to country and product to product.
Convinced that alcohol can offer instant relief with relative ease, and unaware of the long-term negative effects, many tend to continue drinking alcohol, so much so it becomes a matter of habit. Some call this social drinking. Little do we realise that the body can gradually get tolerant to this drug. In the long run, to achieve the same level of relief, greater and greater quantities of the drink is required.
Over time, this can lead to a form of addiction, with disastrous consequences to the mind and body, and even one's family and social life. In short, one can become an alcoholic.
Alcoholism can be regarded as a form of self-poisoning. It is often viewed as any repeated drinking that exceeds the normal "standards" (albeit arbitrary) for a community. This is a rather capricious definition because the norm for each community tends to vary.
In effect, alcoholism is a process of dependence. Like all drugs of abuse _ nicotine included _ it also produces psychological (mental) dependence, and in the extreme case, physical dependence as well.
Such drinking can be compulsive and abusive in nature, without which one is unable to function. It causes a lot of discomfort, both mentally and physically. For inveterate drinkers, deprivation of the normal intake can cause acute withdrawal symptoms.
Withdrawal symptoms observed when a seasoned drinker is deprived of alcohol include body aches, diarrhoea, vomiting, runny nose and eyes, as well as sweating. Fits and convulsions are also reported. Sometimes hallucinations occur. Delirium tremens can also be triggered following several days of deprivation. The patient suffers mental confusion, trembling ("shakes"), and a rapid irregular pulse.
This is preceded by restlessness, sleeplessness and irritability. The drinker also experiences mental anguish and some psychological disturbance. It is because of the fear of all these that many hesitate to give up the drinking habit.
What is important to understand is that as one drinks, the level of alcohol in the blood increases, so does the level in the brain. This leads to varying degrees of addiction and functional impairment. It is estimated that alcoholics in the United States, for example, have seven times the normal accident rate.
When driving under the influence of alcohol, tests have indicated that errors in judgment and loss of control increase as soon as alcohol is present in the blood stream.
At a blood level of 0.04 per cent (about one pint of UK beer), driving ability at speed has been reported to be impaired, making accidents more likely. As the level of blood alcohol increases, there is a concomitant increase in the level of impairment. This is aptly demonstrated by a simple handwriting test.
Other factors that can determine blood alcohol level include:
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The size of the person. The smaller the body size, the lesser the volume of blood it contains; thus the more enhanced are the effects of alcohol;
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The speed and manner in which the alcohol is consumed. The shorter the period one takes a given quantity, the stronger the effects;
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The state of the stomach. An empty stomach gives a greater and more immediate effect; and,
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The rate in which the alcohol is metabolised by the liver. A small or diseased liver can prolong the effects of alcohol.
Thus, while it seems initially rewarding to be associated with the use of alcohol, in the long-term, it can poison your life. What started off just as a toast to health, can end up as a toast to HELL as aptly summarised by the Japanese proverb: "First the man takes a drink. Then the drink takes a drink. Then the drink takes the man".
So, don't only stop drinking when driving; better that you don't drink at all. Gong Xi Fa Cai.
