From weddings to boardroom conferences there is barely a social gathering that doesn't warrant the casual drink or two, as a means of rejuvenation or social bonding. Consumption of alcohol is widely accepted, if not encouraged, by many societies all over the world. But this seemingly harmless drink, which is often a pleasant addition to a great evening of relaxation, does have a dark and vicious side to it. Enslaved by the temporary 'high' that alcohol grants them, many individuals begin to rely on alcohol as a means to handle stress and unwind after a long, hard day. And with every drink that he reaches out for, either as a habit he is accustomed to, or as an escape from his tensions, he draws closer and closer to falling prey to the vicious disease of alcoholism.

Alcoholism as a disease is very deceptive as often the victim himself is prone to shrug away his excessive drinking habits as something he can 'deal with'. The perception of those who are in his vicinity is also apt to be skewed as society by and large believes that this is a phase the alcoholic himself can pull out of, with just a little determination and will power. But not many are aware of the disastrous effects alcoholism has, both on the victim and those he interacts with, until it is indeed to late. Apart from the physical havoc that alcohol wreaks on the individual's body, this disease also has several far-reaching consequences on society as a whole, both in terms of the huge dent it causes to economies all over the world, and also the delinquent behaviors it can lead to.

Excessive consumption of alcohol claims its stake on the victim's body, inflicting him with a multitude of physical illnesses like heart and liver disorders. Needless to say, his performance at work is affected which, over time impairs the functioning of the organization and thus hindering the progress of the economy which the organization is a part of.

In addition to the diminished amounts of income that an alcoholic earns, his expenditure only increases as he spends more and more of his earnings on alcohol. Needless to say, this behavior takes a toll on the physical and emotional health of his immediate family, causing relationships to be estranged and burdening the victim with financial woes. To escape these worries, he tends to drink more and more, without realizing the fact that alcohol is only further adding to his depression, as the inherent trait of alcohol is that of a depressant. This pattern of drinking has no end to it, as he continues to drink to evade the depression that his drinking itself is causing him.

Society is not very sympathetic in their outlook towards alcoholics as most people scorn victims of alcohol abuse as too weak to control their excesses. This takes its toll on the victim's self esteem a condition that is compounded by the psychological disorders that alcohol is responsible for. The chronic depression that the alcoholic suffers from matures into more terrifying diseases like paranoia and even schizophrenia in the long run. Alcoholics are also more inclined to other forms of substance abuse which complicate the problems alcohol is already causing them.

Children, whose parents are victims of alcohol abuse, are also more susceptible to depression, which exhibits itself in the form of uncontrollable crying, bedwetting and nightmares, when they are younger and acting-out behaviors as they grow older. This means that they may either be very rebellious, failing classes and engaging in destructive behavior, or they may be overly compliant and obsessive about their grades, extremely self-conscious and suffer from phobias. These children often isolate themselves as they have no one to confide in about their fears and often believing that they are destined to be failures, no matter how hard they try.

The mounting pressures of the modern day world and the relentless pace of life lead to larger numbers of people trying to drink away their fears and worries with every passing day. But if you think that these are reasons enough for you to loosen up with 'just another tin drink' think again. Your excesses can not only jeopardize your life and well-being, but also that of your family and those you are close to. Take a minute to consider if the gamble, though a seemingly harmless one, is a wise choice to make, given all the disastrous effects it can lead to. Take that first step today and pull yourself out of the reaches of alcoholism and you'll soon realize all the wonders of life you had shut your doors to.