It's a subject that's never far from the news headlines. The 'epidemic' that is alcohol abuse, particularly here in Scotland. Latest figures show that one in four men and one in ten women are putting their health at risk through drinking. If you'll excuse the pun, that is quite staggering.
Like, it seems, the vast majority of my countrymen and women, I enjoy a couple of pints, particularly on a Friday evening. Life is tough most of the time and the stress of a job that can sometimes be overwhelming and the seemingly interminable problems of family life can be temporarily relieved by a few drinks after work on a Friday or after the football on a Saturday (and we Hearts fans have more reason than most to head to the pub after a game!) But the danger is when enjoying a drink can so easily lead to depending on alcohol for relief. And it seems a good too many of us are doing just that.
I was out for a meal on Friday night and went for a couple of drinks after. As usual in Edinburgh on a Friday every pub we visited was packed. A cacophony of noise, loud conversations and even louder behaviour was fuelled by the need for people not just out for a drink but out to get blind drunk. It seems to me that an ever increasing number of people are unable to realise when they've had enough. Perhaps it's a sign of my advancing years but come ten o'clock I was ready to head home, tired and weary after a hard week at work. The effect of a large Italian meal and some rather strong cider triggered a bell in my head which said 'Time, Michael, please'. On the bus journey home I saw two people throwing up by the side of the road. I asked myself what enjoyment they got out of it.
Scotland has always been associated with alcohol. Indeed much of its reputation was gained through its thriving whisky industry. When I was a child in the 1960s, I seem to recall that Hogmanay and family occasions such as weddings, birthdays and funerals were the only times when people consumed too much alcohol than was good for them. Now, it seems every weekend is an excuse for some people to get stocious. Perhaps I had a sheltered childhood.
Not only do people seem to be drinking more, they seem to be younger and younger. I read recently that 750 children between the age of 11 and 16 were admitted to hospitals in Scotland with alcohol-related problems. That is truly a frightening statistic. Just as frightening is that this now seems to be embedded in our culture.
I was sent the picture at the top of this blog as a humourous aside of men starting early in some aspects of life. And, of course, it's funny in context.
But alcohol abuse, particularly in Scotland, is no laughing matter...
3 comments:
True enough when I was younger my brother in law made sure I drank within reason at Hogmany. He and other folks drank 'carefully,' if you see what I mean. Of course when past 18 I attempted to become a drunk also.
Too many today have no-one to urge careful drinking. A bad sign but fits in with a self absorbed rich society with nothing to live for but hedonism.
Only one end there.
You're so right. I'm always shocked at the children I see in bus stops obviously blind drunk. Maybe there needs to be a youths AA introduced. I never drank away from my parents when I was a teen for a few reasons, firstly, the wrath of my father, secondly disappointing my mother, and thirdly fearing God.
My mom was very religious and thought drinking was evil (actually my dad was an alcoholic so I can see why she felt so strongly against it). I drank a lot in highschool and I don't think my mom ever suspected it, I was pretty good at covering it up but when I look back now I think how lucky I was that something bad didn't happen to me - of course college it got really bad when I was away from my mom...I think it's even worse for todays youth to show your friends how cool and rebelious you are and it just starts younger and younger all the time.
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