Nigeria is home to so many variations of the substance known by the generic term alcohol, hence it is called by many names- pito, palmi, ogogoro, kai–kai, and the list is endless. Every generation of men and manly women is presented with a chance to indulge in this euphoric experience and the most recent goes by the name shayo which is synonymous with the English word ‘enjoyment’. To some it is fun to others it is not so here are some of the top ten essential facts about alcohol.
- Alcohol-related problems such as cancer, violence, sexually transmitted infections, and truancy are rising.
With a lack of control over the distribution and sales of alcohol plus behaviors of alcohol addicts, we can say that not only is society now unsafe, but so is the health of its people.
In 2022, 46.0% of liver disease deaths among people ages 12 and older involved alcohol.
Among males, 48.6% of liver disease deaths involved alcohol. Beyond cancer, there are more and more unhealthy effects of alcohol usage and with time and the aid of science, it will be revealed to us soon.
2. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant.
We see these days that there is a rise in the use of alcohol especially amongst the youths with specificity towards undergraduates and schooling teenagers.
The driving force to excel has caused some of the youths in society to use alcohol to stay up late. Most crowd-shy young adults have confessed to using this elixir to boost their confidence while engaging in seminars, presentations, and project defense.
However, in the long run, it ends with so many disadvantages. We see issues such as addiction and alcohol use disorders, mental health disorders, and impaired brain functions and motor skills.
3. Alcohol poisoning.
Lack of coordination or being unable to walk,difficulty remaining conscious, vomiting, slow breathing,slow heart rate, and incontinence. I believe that some of us who binge on alcohol have experienced one( if not all) of such symptoms.
While one is still young, he or she thinks the body is strong, and it all seems fun to satiate one’s craving for alcohol, however, these symptoms could lead to even worse presentation such as a delayed or absent gag reflex, which could lead to choking on vomit, cyanosis, hypothermia, and seizures all of which would result in the death of a person.
4. Brain.
Alcohol interferes with the brain’s communication pathways and can affect the way the brain looks and works. These disruptions can change mood and behavior, and make it harder to think clearly and move with coordination. With this, we know that the deranged people who aimlessly roam the streets and marketplaces of most major cities in Nigeria weren’t always mad- something just disrupted their central nervous system.
- Cardiovascular diseases
Alcohol use is related to an increased risk of heart disease. Over time these diseases make a pathway in the genetics of a person leading to Cardiovascular diseases of a hereditary nature.
6.Genetics of Alcohol Use Disorder
How do genes influence alcohol use disorder? One may ask. Well you see, alcohol use disorder (AUD) often seems to run in families, and we may hear about scientific studies of an “alcoholism gene.” Genetics certainly influence our likelihood of developing AUD, but the story isn’t so simple.
Research shows that genes are responsible for about half of the risk for AUD. Therefore, genes alone do not determine whether someone will develop AUD. Environmental factors, as well as gene and environment interactions account for the remainder of the risk.
Multiple genes play a role in a person’s risk for developing AUD. Some genes increase a person’s risk, as well as those that may decrease that risk, directly or indirectly. For instance, some people of Asian descent carry a gene variant that alters their rate of alcohol metabolism, causing them to have symptoms like flushing, nausea, and rapid heartbeat when they drink.
- Dehydration and electrolyte imbalance
Not only do they make a person age faster, but a significant electrolyte imbalance (either too high or too low) can cause serious, life-threatening problems. These complications include Coma, seizures, and sudden cardiac death (sudden cardiac arrest).
- Reduces immunity
Alcohol as an immunosuppressant increases the risk of communicable diseases, including tuberculosis. Although alcohol can alter the actions of all cell populations involved in the innate and adaptive immune responses, the effect in many cases is a subclinical immunosuppression that becomes clinically relevant only after a secondary insult (e.g., bacterial or viral infection or other tissue damage), however, it remains relevant in its ability to render a person immune-deficient.
- Dependency.
Alcohol use often leads to dependency, a state similar to addiction. The major complication of this disease is in regards to withdrawal syndromes, which can be life-threatening this is because people who are dependent on alcohol often experience poor mental health. Anxiety, depression, and suicidal feelings can all develop when you’re alcohol-dependent. Others experience symptoms like shaking, sweating, or nausea when their blood alcohol level drops.
Being dependent on alcohol means a person feels they’re not able to function or survive without it and that drinking becomes an important – or sometimes the most important – factor in their life.
People who are becoming dependent on alcohol notice they need to drink more to get the same effect. They often give priority to drinking over other activities or obligations (such as work or family life) or continue drinking despite harmful consequences. Alcohol dependence also causes physical withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking.
- A well known cause of death
In Nigeria, alcohol is the sixth leading risk factor contributing to most deaths and disability and the alcohol-attributable deaths in both sexes for liver cirrhosis, road traffic accidents, and cancer in 2016 were 42,120; 15,365, and 4687 respectively
Current estimates of alcohol-related diseases only partly reveal the impact of harmful alcohol use. Accumulating evidence suggests a link between harmful use of alcohol and such infectious diseases as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Such relationships have to be proven and quantified before the global burden of disease estimates attributable to alcohol can be adjusted accordingly.