Health and Wellness

By Minal Jain, PT, DSc, PCS

Alcoholism and Binge Drinking

"Ek glassy, do glassy, theen glassy, char" -Hard Kaur

Nearly a decade ago, most South Asian women did not drink alcohol, even though the men did. As women’s lifestyles change through a combination of factors, such as increased educational opportunities, personal freedom and financial independence, the number of South Asian women who drink has risen as well. These days, social drinking, such as having a mixed drink or a glass of wine at a wedding or party, is considered acceptable for many South Asian women.

South Asian high school students between the ages of 12 and 17 are less likely than their peers to drink alcohol, due to fear of parental disapproval. Drinking behavior tends to emerge when teens leave restrictive home environments and attend college. When leaving behind social customs and expectations, many young women feel especially liberated and, as a result, engage in formerly restricted behaviors such as drinking. Some South Asian college students drink casually, some become alcoholics and some begin binge drinking. As they move from college into their professional lives, many continue to engage in binge drinking, a remnant of their college lives.

Consider Ayesha’s case: She is a young professional who loves to party, bar hop and meet up with friends after a long week. Invariably, she has too many drinks and has to be guided home by her friends. Ayesha suffers from blackouts, and her friends have noticed her mood swings. Her best friend, Swati, is used to Ayesha’s drinking, since she has been nursing her through drinking bouts since their college days.

Ayesha exhibits classic signs of binge drinking. Binge drinking is defined as excessive alcohol consumption in a very short period of time: five consecutive drinks for men and four for women.

The potential health effects of binge drinking are numerous and include unintentional injuries, such as car crashes, falls, burns and drowning; firearm injuries; alcohol poisoning; high blood pressure, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases; liver disease and neurological damage. People who binge drink are also at high risk for sexual assault, sexually transmitted diseases, domestic violence and unintended pregnancy.

Ayesha’s mother has had some problems as well. Although she seems withdrawn, she manages to attend every family party. Her husband has to tear her away from the bar at the end of the night, and he always accepts leftovers since Ayesha’s mother hasn’t been cooking. While visiting her parents, Ayesha discovered half-empty bottles of Johnny Walker hidden in her mom’s bedroom closet.

Ayesha’s mother shows signs of alcohol dependence or alcoholism. Alcoholism is an established pattern of excessive alcohol use, and is considered a disease in which the body is dependent on alcohol consumption.

Signs of alcoholism include large amounts of time spent drinking; neglect of other activities; excessive and persistent alcohol use; impaired control; increased tolerance to alcohol, requiring greater alcohol consumption and withdrawal symptoms, such as sweating and tremors.

Alcoholism also poses a grave threat to one’s health. Such effects may include liver disorders, gastrointestinal problems, cardiovascular problems, diabetes complications, sexual dysfunction and menstruation problems, birth defects, bone loss, neurological complications and an increased risk for various cancers. A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Oxford analyzed the drinking behaviors of over a million middle-aged women and concluded that even one alcoholic beverage a day (beer, wine or hard liquor) increased the risk of breast, rectum, liver, mouth, throat and esophageal cancers in comparison to women who did not drink.

Many women who are either binge drinkers or alcohol-dependent may deny there is a problem. As a result, family or friends must persuade their loved ones to get screened to determine if they have a problem with alcohol. Persuading a loved one to get help can be a daunting challenge, but specialists at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism suggest the following tactics:

1. Stop all "cover ups." Family members often make excuses to others or try to protect the alcoholic from the results of his or her drinking. It is important to stop covering for the alcoholic so that he or she experiences the full consequences of drinking.

2. Time your intervention. The best time to talk to the drinker is shortly after an alcohol-related problem has occurred--like a serious family argument or an accident. Choose a time when he or she is sober, both of you are fairly calm, and you have a chance to talk in private.

3. Be specific. Tell the family member that you are worried about his or her drinking. Use examples of the ways in which the drinking has caused problems, including the most recent incident.

4. State the results. Explain to the drinker what you will do if he or she doesn't go for help--not to punish the drinker, but to protect yourself from his or her problems. What you say may range from refusing to go with the person to any social activity where alcohol will be served, to moving out of the house. Do not make any threats you are not prepared to carry out.

5. Get help. Gather information in advance about treatment options in your community. If the person is willing to get help, call immediately for an appointment with a treatment counselor. Offer to go with the family member on the first visit to a treatment program and/or an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

6. Call on a friend. If the family member still refuses to get help, ask a friend to talk with him or her using the steps just described. A friend who is a recovering alcoholic may be particularly persuasive, but any person who is caring and nonjudgmental may help. The intervention of more than one person, more than one time, is often necessary to coax an alcoholic to seek help.

7. Find strength in numbers. With the help of a health care professional, some families join with other relatives and friends to confront an alcoholic as a group. This approach should only be tried under the guidance of a health care professional who is experienced in this kind of group intervention.

8. Get support. It is important to remember that you are not alone. Support groups offered in most communities include Al-Anon, which holds regular meetings for spouses and other significant adults in an alcoholic's life, and Alateen, which is geared to children of alcoholics.

Source: http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/FAQs/General-English/default.htm#problem

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