SOCIAL ASPECTS OF DRINKING
Introduction
Alcoholism or alcohol dependence is characterized by: desire or a strong need, or craving, to drink. It is also described as loss of control which is the frequent failure to stop drinking once an individual has begun. A person is physically dependent with alcohol if he experiences some symptoms such as sweating, nausea, shakiness, and anxiety when the person tries to stop the consumption of alcohol (, 2005).
Alcoholism is defined as a chronic behavioral disorder which is manifested by undue preoccupation with alcohol to the detriment of physical and mental health, by a loss of control when drinking has begun (although it may not be carried to the point of intoxication), and by a self-destructive attitude in dealing with personal relationships and life situations ( 1997). Alcoholism, is the result of disturbance and deprivation in early infantile experience and the related alterations in basic physiochemical responsiveness; the identification by the alcoholic with significant figures who deal with life problems through the excessive use of alcohol; and a socio-cultural milieu which causes ambivalence, conflict, and guilt in the use of alcohol.
Although it is noted that alcohol consumption is relatively low in Singapore, this does not mean that the country is free from problems associated with alcohol drinking. Hence, the main goal of this paper is to determine the extent of alcohol consumption in Singapore specifically among teenagers. The use and misuse of alcohol by teenagers is a topic which is paid special attention and which can be explained by several reasons. First, it is apparent that most regular and serious drinking begins at this point. Second, teenage drinking was periodically linked with public disorder.
It is the younger set who most likely indulges in a drinking pattern called binge drinking. It is “defined as men who consume five or more drinks at a single sitting and women who consume four or more” (2000). It is a tricky undertaking of actually quantifying binge drinking because it raises valid question such as whether the same number of drinks actually leads to the same amount of impairment and subsequent likelihood of negative consequences among heavy drinkers ( 2000, p.21).
Moreover, concepts like impairment and tolerance present challenges for specific measurement. It can be considered that at a minimum, level of impairment must take into account the amount of food consumption and the time frame of the single sitting which can range from one or two hours to as many as eight hours. It is more acceptable to define binge drinking as the tendency to drink to get drunk so as to cover the different degrees of impairment and tolerance of people.
This condition most often occurs in young people under the age of 25. Binge drinkers are also known to be more prone to both become a victim of violence and to commit a violent act as well. They are also not just prone to violence but also to sexual assault. Although binge drinkers are more likely to be men, studies have shown that women’s drinking consumption has also been increasing ( 1985).
Risks and Benefits
It can be said that alcohol consumption may have risks and benefits. For some, alcohol drinking can serve society meaningfully as a ritual symbol, as a means of enhancing food, as a tension releaser, and as a way of developing social ease. Yet man has, under its influence, committed crimes of all sorts and at all levels. Alcohol, “symbolizes the paradox of the human condition” ( 1962, p. 2).
(1962, pp. 5-9) in a lengthy manner discussed the reasons. These are: 1. To counter depression; 2. To blur perceptions purposively; 3. To act as a defense mechanism; 4. To break down psychological barriers; 5. Used in ceremonies and religious rituals; 6. For social gatherings; 7.To achieve a state of bliss; and 8. To appease a non-drinking partner. The differences of their definitions, however, seem vague.
(1976), in a colourful manner describes the effects of alcohol upon people: Those who get high suddenly have a great deal of energy, which accounts in part for using the word high to describe the feeling. They ant to dance, or they become more talkative, or they laugh a lot. This is partly a physiological reaction. Alcohol contains calories, which provide energy. Also certain of the brain’s mechanisms are inhibited, resulting in the suppression of unpleasant feelings or anxieties, and hyperactivity of other portions of the brain. But partly, again, it is also psychological. Drinkers deceive themselves that they are happy and free from care. With a few drinks in them, people begin to have fantasies in which they are incredibly powerful (p. 76)
’s description above puts into perspective the reasons why people drink. (1991) emphasizes on the relevance of self-esteem. He cites that the lack of esteem, or its superfluity, has been linked to various illnesses. He posits that escape has been the reaction of humans to problems of the self. Alcohol, like religion or spirituality, added (1991) is one form of escape. Thus, he offers that people overindulge in alcohol because of the desire to escape, albeit temporarily, from the own self. Ultimately, alcohol overindulgence leads to abuse. The blurring of the senses corollary to the downing of pints of beer or shots of tequila often leads to actions usually unintended for by the intoxicated.
Accountability
In order to solve the problems attached to alcohol misuse among teenagers, the government of Singapore, especially the health organizations, the parents and the entire community should be held responsible for this matter. Herein, the government must be able to strategically plan an activity which will make people be aware about alcoholism, its benefits if properly consumed and the risks that it may provide when an individual abuse it.
The government should link with alcohol abuse/misuse prevention organizations. This association would save the government both time, effort and money that would be invested in research for treatment facilities. It would also express the message that the government is serious in its message to stop alcohol misuse and its adverse effects in all ways possible. Thus, when people realize this, an additional benefit would be confidence and pride accorded to the government.
Furthermore, the government should also have an alliance with alcohol industry and other business sectors related to beverages. In this manner, marketing plans should be drawn up to outline the sponsorship of different activities. Local businesses other than pubs should be encouraged to join to show a stronger commitment to the community that they are doing business in. The members of the community will remember the businesses’ involvement in the cause and would reward the establishments with their loyalty which translates to profits. Their reputation would also increase and the bottom line would translate into profit again.
Public houses and bars should be involved in another way. Developing and securing an alliance with the pubs and bars would ensure strict compliance of government guidelines on drinking unless they want to have their licenses revoked. This association would be beneficial to them because aside from getting to keep their licenses, they would also be able to attract other customers, most likely the older market that stayed away from community centres because of alcohol-related crimes happening. Owners of pubs and bars would naturally guarantee to keep their environments safe because the older clientele would provide bigger profit for them.
The alcohol industry should be a strong partner in the campaign. An apparent alliance would dispel any thoughts, especially that of young people that the alcohol industry is on the side of binge drinking and is blindly ignoring the effects of adverse effects of the problem. It would ultimately be beneficial for the alcohol industry because their more expensive products would be bought due to the added business that pubs and bars would bring in from the older and more sophisticated clientele.
Proposal
Although alcohol consumption can also be considered as an important aspect of social life in most areas, there is an undeniable perception of alcohol misuse as a chronic national problem. The availability of cheap alcoholic beverage have greatly influenced Singaporean drinking patterns, most especially the youth’s and have resulted to a phenomenon like binge drinking. It is interesting to note however that while there are actions that increase the social integration of alcohol and discourage alcohol-related problems, drinking itself is not being restricted.
For this, it can be noted that there is a need for the Singaporean to tackle the issue of alcohol use and misuse. It is also recommended that the Singaporean must not only recognise that there is a problem in the increasing number of alcohol misuse in the country. It is also important to explore the signs and reasons of alcohol misuse because once a better understanding is reached; identification and education would be easier. Treatment for those suffering from alcohol problems would also be beneficial for preventing alcohol-related crime and disorder and reduction of anti-social behaviour. It would also ultimately save the country economic and social costs.
The government could mobilize local authorities to facilitate the proposed activities in their respective areas. It could also employ different departments to help in the planning and execution of the campaign. The government also holds the power to propose legislation that will affect alcohol-related problems. Although the government has advantages in single-handedly executing the campaign, what it lacks is the money, time and manpower the campaign so obviously needs. This can paralyse the whole cause in the middle of execution in case fiscal problems or more pressing national issues come up.
The integration of the government, private and business sectors is another strategic option available to the government. The primary advantage to this is an integration of three factors: cause, government and business. The cause of preventing alcohol misuse, particularly binge drinking is a major national concern which the government is attempting to take care of. Available options are high because of its intensity and the need for involvement by the people. The government, therefore, should open the door to as many alternatives on hand as possible because of long terms goals of saving the burgeoning costs of alcohol-related problems.
Conclusion
The consumption of alcohol has received much attention throughout the world. Because of the growing problems related to alcohol misuse, many institutions have been alarmed with the negative effects of this not only to the person involved but most especially to society as a whole. In this analysis, it discussed the emerging problems of Singapore in terms of alcohol misuse among teenagers. The discussion also includes the healthy benefits of drinking moderately. The possible advantages of alcohol consumptions are shown in terms of personal, physical and social aspects. Herein, analysis shows that moderate drinking can be benefit the health of the person, but if an individual drinks too much, the alcohol can be a cause of some negative effects to the body and brains which may lead to more serious problems.
Hence it is important that the public must be aware of the consequences of drinking too much alcohol. With this, the government has an important part as well as the family, the society and the business sectors. These groups must joined together to provide effective campaign fro informing the public about the positive and negative effect of drinking alcohol. In addition, it should also be noted that alcohol drinking is a part of social interaction, but people must see to it that they know their limitations.
Reference
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