You will have more fun, feel happier, make friends easier, achieve more, and generally, have a much better time if you drink. That is what the alcohol advertisements want us to believe.
Of course, the alcohol industry is not just promoting the actual liquid that is poured from a bottle or can, it is selling a dream, an idealised lifestyle. This slick storytelling associates its products with our deepest desires. Little wonder then that people, especially the young, who are yearning to appear grown-up, sophisticated, and accomplished are drawn to something that promises to help them achieve just that.
However, these clever advertising campaigns do not show us the darker side of alcohol use, the damage it can cause to drinkers, their families, and communities. Nor do they tell us the cost of harmful drinking to the State - about €14 billion every year.
The effect of alcohol misuse on people's health is often under appreciated. A Group One carcinogenic - a substance that can cause cancer - it is in the same category as tobacco, asbestos, and radiation. All types of alcoholic drinks, including beer, wine and spirits, increase your risk of cancer, according to the Health Service Executive (HSE ). About 1,000 people are diagnosed with alcohol-related cancers annually in Ireland. These include about 400 bowel cancers and 260 female breast cancers.
There is strong scientific evidence linking alcohol to several types of cancer, said Evelyn Fanning, a senior health promotion and improvement officer with the HSE locally. These include cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx (voicebox ), oesophagus (food pipe ), liver, breast, and bowel. Even small amounts of alcohol increase your cancer risk, she stresses. There is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Alcohol can also affect your liver (about four out of five deaths from liver disease are caused by alcohol use ) and heart (excessive alcohol intake can lead to high blood pressure, heart failure, or stroke ). It also causes road accidents, violence, and suicide.
It is important to recognise that alcohol misuse is not just an individual problem, she said. "Alcohol harm is everybody's business, we all have a role to play [in addressing the issue]."
Brain health
Beyond initial intoxication and cancer risks, alcohol can impact your brain health. It can affect teenagers' brain development, increase dependence, and put them at risk of mental health issues. Long-term drinking among adults and older people increases the likelihood of experiencing cognitive decline, brain injury, and dementia.
And, there are further sobering facts. Four people die each day in Ireland from alcohol-related causes and one-third of fatal road collisions involve alcohol. Additionally, 39 per cent of self-harm presentations at hospitals involve alcohol.
Speaking at a recent "Men and Alcohol" webinar, organised by the Galway City Alcohol Forum, Ms Fanning said one in four people report experiencing harm from somebody else's drinking. "The big picture is that alcohol impacts across society and the cost is seen in all settings. It's not an individual issue, it's a population-wide one."
Dr Brian McNicholl, a consultant in emergency medicine at University Hospital Galway, outlined that a study of 29 Irish hospital emergency departments revealed that one in 20 people attending hospital has an alcohol-related problem. He also said that one in four hospital presentations on Saturday/Sunday mornings is alcohol related. This figure drops to almost zero on a Monday, he added.
Alcohol use among older people brings its own set of problems, he said. "We have an increasingly elderly population. People are much more vulnerable to falls if there is alcohol involved, for example, they may fall downstairs. A lot more people are on blood thinners [now] and, if they fall, there is an increased risk of bleeding. It is very important that safety is optimal in the case of elderly drinkers. Falls are on the rise, people fall in their kitchens, on the stairs, doing DIY, or on the pavements."
Alcohol can worsen mental health or emotional issues, warned Dr McNicholl. "It can also enhance impulsivity and loss of control. We see people who combine alcohol with other things, such as speed. People tend to drive faster and more dangerously if they are drinking. We also see lots of Saturday night fights but overall, these are going down. Road trauma and alcohol-related trauma has gone down in emergency departments (EDs ) over the years." He attributes this to Garda vigilance.
EDs also treat teenagers who have had too much to drink, he said. "This is fairly common. We see lots of kids who are not used to alcohol, who are taking their first drink, they have no idea of how to control their drinking, and are in trouble.
"There is a smaller cohort - we call them our regulars - they come back again and again. They have been alcoholics for a long time. They are homeless, helpless, old, and worn down. We look after them very well."
Alcohol abuse
Some people with a history of alcohol abuse develop a thiamine (vitamin B1 ) deficiency. He explained that this vitamin is almost as important as oxygen to our health. Chronic alcohol use can limit its absorption and our supply can run out in a month or two.
"Some drinkers can run out of it and end up with a form of dementia. You have people in their 20s, 30s, or 40s, and overnight, they can become someone who needs care. This is thankfully rare as we boost their levels."
Social occasions such as music festivals, racing events, and student celebrations all tend to have one thing in common, he said - huge exposure to alcohol. However, the vast majority of people who attend these events go there and enjoy themselves.
He described Race Week in Galway as the busiest week of the year for alcohol-related presentations at University Hospital Galway's ED department. But again, he clarified that the vast majority of people attending this famous seven-day event behave sensibly.
Orla Walshe of the Western Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force (WRDATF ) said alcohol-related harm touches the lives of people and families throughout Ireland. Community groups or organisations can play a vital role in reducing its impact and creating healthier and safer environments, she believed.
"Whether you're involved in education, youth work, health, sports, or community development, there are meaningful actions - big and small - that you can take to shift attitudes, raise public awareness, and support recovery."
Attending information awareness events to learn more about alcohol-related harm and available support services, is one way of doing this, she said.
Sharing reliable information about alcohol's impact on health in your workplace, community space, or organisation, and supporting local and national campaigns by highlighting alcohol-related harm and safety issues with your local politicians will also help heighten awareness.
Other actions people can take include promoting alcohol-free get-togethers, and alcohol-free spaces at events, such as festivals. Also, not including alcohol at work, community, and school events/raffles or seeking alcohol donations/sponsorship for such events are other meaningful actions that can be taken to help reduce alcohol-related harm.
Where to go for help
If you are concerned about your own or a loved one’s drinking, there are dedicated information and support services available to help you.
• Contact your GP for advice and information.
• Freephone the HSE Drugs and Alcohol helpline on 1800 459 459 Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 5.3opm for confidential information and support. Or email [email protected]
• Contact Alcoholics Anonymous Monday to Sunday from 10am to 10pm. Telephone (085 ) 7537100.
• Find out more about addiction counselling at addictioncounsellors.ie • Telephone 999 (or 112 ) if someone is seriously ill, injured, or their life is at risk.
• Pieta provides support services for people in suicidal distress or engaging in self-harm. Its helpline is open 24 hours a day. Freephone: 1800 247 247 or text HELP to 51444.
• Galway Samaritans, which is based at 14, Nuns' Island, provides free emotional support. Freephone: 116 123 or email: [email protected]
• Galway Drug and Alcohol Family Support Project. This service supports families with alcohol/drug misuse issues in a confidential one-to-one setting. It provides information on drugs, alcohol, and the effects substance misuse has on individuals and families. It also provides signposting to further services based on needs. Telephone (087 ) 1465956.
