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Go easy on the alcohol

By Ozo Mordi
16 December 2017   |   2:42 am
In recent times, drug and alcohol abuse has made news with deaths of some youths among the celebrity and influential class. But it is no secret that the use of illicit substances and abuse of alcohol is not limited to the rich and influential.

In recent times, drug and alcohol abuse has made news with deaths of some youths among the celebrity and influential class. But it is no secret that the use of illicit substances and abuse of alcohol is not limited to the rich and influential. From what we hear or read, it happens among the other classes, too. But more alarming is the suggestion that some parents could still drink to excess; more worrisome are those mothers who drink to the point of being labeled alcoholic.

Perhaps, this festive season is the time to bring to notice once again the serious consequence of alcoholism and drug abuse as this is the time more of us are likely to indulge ourselves just for the fun of it or for relaxation.

Why would a woman or mother drink to excess? Observes a friend: “Drinking alcohol, strong stuff is seen as part of tradition in some areas. Go to funerals, in those areas, women groups make it a condition of their participation by asking for numbers of jerry cans of gin, local gin or certain number of cartons or beer. They may drink to the point that their eyes turn glassy, but they always find their way home. There are the Burukutus too. So women in those areas could be said to have always drank alcohol. And a woman who drank as a youth may not have stopped drinking before she became a parent.

“Their children who observe them may choose to avoid drink completely or copy their parents ‘coping’ style. But the availability of fancy drinks like champagne, beers and alcoholic beverage, which they claim promote “health,” are not helping matters at all. They start drinking in the morning, even the girls.”Another angle some experts claim is that women/mothers may turn to alcohol or even drugs to help them cope with having to raise children and manage a career both at the same time. Unlike the past when they just raised children, more pressure is added because of the demands of work. They also see drinking as a part of independence.

But whatever the reason we have for turning to alcohol as consolation, your drinking will not help. When you drink to the point of forgetting who you are, your behaviour is unpredictable; not what your child needs. A parent who is not in control of her actions cannot do her job well. You cannot tell the children not to do something when you do the same thing.

When children can’t trust the adults in their lives, they feel insecure. They may feel ashamed and may not want you to be seen with them in public; what would an alcoholic parent tell a child who wants to try the stuff himself? You know the consequences already, but he may not believe you.

When you think that you can hide your drinking habit, children observe and hiding it from them makes them want to taste it, desperately. If you think that you could not survive a social gathering without drinking, there must be a reason for this, look for what makes you shy and seek for help of a clinical psychologist.Being a parent does not mean that you should not enjoy a drink at a party. You can enjoy yourself, but know when to stop.

When Can You Become An Addict?
The accepted reasoning is that two glasses of wine is enough. But experts warn that it may not apply to everybody. To another woman, two glasses may turn out harmful becomes of hormonal fluctuations which are heightened by menstruation, oral contraceptives or HRT. All these affect the absorption of alcohol so that it becomes a risk when too much is consumed. Health issues arising from alcohol abuse is liver cirrhosis.

Abuse of simple drugs like cannabis can lead to depression, anxiety, bi-polar disorder and panic attacks, say psychologists. Smoking of hemp causes as much harm as that done by five sticks of cigarette. It results in lung disease, reduces the sense of perception and increased risk of accidents. When combined with alcohol, it makes worse an already tendency towards aggression. When used often, it can cause alcohol and other substances to become more addictive.

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