The dangers and risks of drinking
Drinking can have harmful consequences both for the drinker and to people around them. Everyone might get used to the situation and treat it as normal, which might make seeking help seem unnecessary. Please have a look at some of the issues that you or people close to you might face due to alcoholism.
Risks for the drinker:
- Injures from tripping and falling
- Causing a fire
- Driving under influence – also danger to others in society
- Making bad decisions – for example, engaging in violence
- Financial troubles
- Losing relationships
- Causing issues in the family
- Causing risks at workplace
Risks for children:
- Being affected by FASD
- Lack of safety at home
- Developing mental health issues
- Embarrassment – fear of bringing friends over
Risks for partners:
- Domestic abuse – The British Crime Survey 2013/2014 found that alcohol was involved in 36% of all domestic abuse incidents[i]
- Financial problems
- Divorce, cheating, separation and other issues related to marriage
- Developing mental health issues
- Having no safety net
Risks for friends:
- Loss of friendship
- Financial problems – ending up borrowing money for the alcoholic friend, for instance
- Peer pressure – especially among younger people to partake in drinking related events
- Aggression
Risks for co-workers:
- Accidents caused by the alcoholic – 15% people in a study admitted having been drunk at work[ii]
- Having to cover for the person with addiction and do their work
- Violence
- Lack of safety
Risks for employers:
- Absenteeism – an estimated 17M working days are lost each year by people missing work due to the effects of alcohol[iii]
- Decreased productivity
- Possibly having to dismiss an employee if they are causing too much trouble at the workplace
Here are some indicators that tell someone might be suffering from addiction. We also have tips for helping the addict, and advice for staying safe at home.
[i]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/compendium/focusonviolentcrimeandsexualoffences/2015-02-12
[ii] https://www.aviva.com/newsroom/news-releases/2008/05/uk-employees-admit-that-regular-drinking-affects-their-jobs-4048/
[iii]https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/618541/Health_and_work_infographics.pdf
