But have you ever thought about why people, including you, get drunk nearly every second day and how the whole process of drinking started? Is it due to some peer pressure or your personal satisfaction?
Indeed, people have a long history of drinking and enjoying alcohol, some claiming it to be the only source that helps them get rid of worldly affairs and worries, while others mark it as a social norm. In fact, research shows that 86% of people above 18 years claim to drink alcohol once in their lifetime.
So, to come up with the reasons that make people prone to drinking alcohol, various rehabilitation centers and alcohol addicts were consulted, along with a detailed literature review. Finally, we were able to find the following reasons:
1. Emotional Imbalance
Emotional Imbalance has been marked as the prime factor why people get drunk. The reason is that when emotionally unstable, mostly after a breakup or a divorce, they find drinking alcohol the only way to cope with these issues.
As a result, they start drinking large quantities of alcohol, in fact, to a level that they become alcohol dependent.
Alcohol is known to slow down the central nervous system, thus helping people distance themselves from various stressors of life.
In short, people claim getting drunk is a vehicle to cope with unpleasant life experiences.
2. Peer Pressure
Some people also claimed that they started drinking alcohol because of peer pressure and social norms. At certain life events like parties and weddings, drinking alcohol has become a social norm. It is widespread in society to drink.
So, most people drink alcohol for the first time at some social event like a friend’s gathering or wedding and then get addicted to it.
3. Environment
The environment in which a person has spent his childhood is known to have a sound effect on his likelihood of drinking alcohol.
So, those individuals who were brought up in an environment where one or more adults or their parents were into drinking felt much safer around alcohol consumption and had a comparatively greater enjoyment rate.
Similarly, people exposed to harsh environments and pressure quickly get prone to drinking alcohol.
4. Readily Available
Another possible reason why people get drunk so easily is the easy availability of booze.
Anyone can have access to a bottle of vodka or champagne by buying it from the grocery store or enjoying sipping one at the bar.
And for those youngsters whose parents are prone to drinking booze, it is even available at their homes, in their refrigerators.
5. Rebellion
It was pretty surprising to see that some youngsters opted for alcohol just to rebel against the order of their parents.
They wanted to show that they were different from others and started drinking alcohol to defy the orders of others, which ultimately ended up becoming a habit. And now, these youngsters are so exposed to alcohol that they can’t spend even a day without sipping booze.
6. Soothing a mental condition
Another possible reason why people get drunk and experience alcohol use disorder is that they might be suffering from a mental condition like depression, a history of abuse or body shaming, bipolar disease, etc.
As a result, they start drinking alcohol and feel its euphoric effects as the only way to escape from the mental condition.
7. Overcome Loneliness
Research has found a strong link between intoxication, alcohol dependency, and suicide.
It was found that people who experienced depression, anxiety, and loneliness got drunk to overcome these issues.
8. Past Experience
One of the prime reasons why people get drunk is sound past experience. They claim drinking alcohol makes them happy and is an excellent source of self-meditation. It helps to eliminate workplace and study stress, thus claiming it to be the water of life.
As soon as they get drunk, the feedback system between the brain and glands gets slowed, due to which they start to feel good.
9. For Fun
And then comes a category of people who drink alcohol just to experience fun, joy, and delight.
So, they start drinking at parties, clubs, bars, etc. However, people belonging to this category are mostly not heavy drinkers.
10. Helps Sleep Better
Some people believe that alcohol helps them enjoy a happy nap for a longer time. The reason is that a few studies claim that alcohol is known to reduce slow wave amount and REM sleep.
But at the end of the day, sipping booze obviously has various detrimental effects on the brain, leading to dementia and severe memory loss.
Now that you are up with the possible reason, why not find the reason that made you habitual of drinking alcohol and overcome it?
Why Is Drinking Alcohol Harmful? The Dark Side!
Moving on to its harmful effects, drinking alcohol impacts our health differently. These include:
- Memory loss
- Heart attack
- Infection in the digestive tract
- Kidney diseases
- Liver Dysfunction
- Arrhythmia
- High blood pressure
- High levels of uric acid and gout
- Likelihood of developing different cancer
How To Prevent Yourself From Drinking Booze
Once you become prone to drinking, leaving it becomes quite tricky. It requires absolute determination and self-control to do so. A few steps that can help you cut back the consumption are:
- Don’t keep alcohol in your house
- Set a limit on how much alcohol you should consume, and then keep on reducing it
- Keep yourself busy
- Keep reminding yourself why you wanted to abstain from drinking alcohol
- Stay persistent
- Take different therapy sessions, like behavioral and psychological sessions, that assist you further
- Visit rehabilitation centers
Final Verdict
Different people have different reasons why people get drunk. Some claim alcohol as a vehicle that keeps the stress away, while others believe it to be their way to enjoy freedom from worldly affairs, at least for some time.
However, whatever the reason, drinking booze has a bad effect on our bodies, so we should abstain from sipping it.
I am a passionate beer connoisseur with a deep appreciation for the art and science of brewing. With years of experience tasting and evaluating various beers, I love to share my opinions and insights with others and I am always eager to engage in lively discussions about my favorite beverage.
