As I walked in to the huge party and see my friend “Johnny”, I can once again see what a popular guy he is. Surrounded by people I don’t know, he seemed to have made the party. He didn’t seem to realize I came, so I walked up to him to say hello. “David! Glad you’re here!” He starts to introduce me to those around him, and we exchange hands and waves. It is surprising to see how one person seems to know so many people, and how appealing a person can be. He gestures me to follow, so that we can take shots (Despite the fact that I tell him I can’t drink, he is not fazed and offers nonetheless). I followed him anyway, and as we walk through the party, almost everyone in the party seemed to know who Johnny was. After swimming through the crowd, we arrived at a table, which was already occupied by a few already drunk as well as an empty flask of Crown Royal. Opening another flask of the terrible toxin, Johnny pours me a shot as he introduced me to the group of very tipsy people. There were three people who were present; one guy who had his head down on the table, breathing as if he was snoring, another guy who kept going to the restroom to throw up (who had more shots once he came back), and one other guy who just kept talking as if he hadn’t spoken for years. When I asked the talkative guy how many shots they each had to drink, he replied with a sly, reddened face, “Eight or nine I think. Dude I’m so drunk ha ha ha…” In my opinion, it looked like they had about twenty. Each of these guys were very well-groomed. They all wore nice dress pants and shirts from Banana Republic or something of that nature, but their composure was a mess. They slurred words and their breath stunk of alcohol. And, to my discomfort, my friend Johnny was the same mess after about an hour. The cool, laid back Johnny was no more, and only thing left in his place was a speech slurring throw up mess. On the surface, this scene first seemed to be of great excitement. People laughing, dancing, meeting new people, it appeared like a good social gathering. But, venturing into each individual, alcohol and its consumption seemed to be more of a torment than an enjoyment. Majority of the people were seen losing control and self-image. The faces of those drinking it made it appear that alcohol consumption was more of a torture than anything else, and those who had consumed it looked very ill.
Bad decisions in consuming can have a horrific consequence. In the United States, the legal age to drink is 21. Although the limit seems to set a sense of curiosity and ‘taboo’ which invokes a minor to drink earlier, this age limit I believe, was set at this number for a reason. A person is allowed to drive a vehicle that moves at a high velocity at age 16. A person is allowed to enlist into the army and learn to be a soldier of war at 18. After that, a person is allowed to drink at the late age of 21. We wonder of why responsibility followed in this sequence; a person allowed to learn a skill that can kill is learnt before allowing the person to drink a beverage from barley; the reason I think this is set up this way, is because alcohol IS that dangerous, and it requires a person to be more mature before allowing its consumption.
Not only is drinking harmful to the consumer, it’s just as dangerous for those around the consumer. Studies show that drunk driving is a leading cause of death, binge drinking can lead to liver failure and weakened heart, and that abuse of many sorts often trace back to the substance alcohol. Also, many families are broken up because of wrongful alcohol consumption. Alcohol just seems like a portal for crime and sin for a person to walk through.
The problem is, is that everyone already is aware of the consequences of alcohol. Yet, people continue to drink anyway. At the party, I was able to see a girl, who obviously was not of legal age to drink. I asked if she liked the taste of alcohol, and she gave me a stern ‘no’. I asked her if she enjoyed throwing up, and she looked at as if I was stupid. When I asked her why she drank alcohol, she told me that it allowed her to have fun and to forget her problems in life. People often first taste alcohol with curiosity, but continue to drink it for other reasons than taste. They force their bodies to drink the toxin in order to cover for a different pain or suffering. Some people drink it to have the approval of those around them, some people drink it to use it as an excuse to lose control, and some people drink it to forget terrible pains within them. The TV commercials we see from alcohol companies like Henessy or Bacardi advertise drink-free driving and safety within alcohol consumption. Yet, before that message is delivered, scenes of people at clubs and parties are shown having a good time thanks to the alcohol. This lures many people to think that alcohol can truly bring them happiness and comfort within their distressed lives. In reality however, the emotional pain inside does not go away and people are left lost. To add on to the disappointment, the girls at these types of events are never really hot as they appear on TV, the setting of clubs and parties are not as crisp or friendly, and alcohol sure does not taste as good as it looks.
Drinking itself is not bad. But, it can lead a person to abuse its substance and create a gateway to lots of pain, physical and emotional. The victims of alcohol, who had lost their health or family due to it are asked upon their decision in drinking, no single person will reply positively on alcohol. The true identity to what alcohol can do is never discovered until it is too late; hopefully people will realize that and alcohol will not be abused once again.
FYI
For treatment of alcohol abuse, please visit the Alcohol Anonymous Website
