The social acceptance of alcohol consumption makes it very difficult to fight against its excessive consumption, despite the serious consequences it entails. Alcohol is already the cause of death for 7% of men and 13% of women in Europe, either from alcohol abuse or from occupational or traffic accidents. These are some of the figures that have been released today during the World Alcohol Free Day.
Socidrogalcohol -which has been helping people addicted to alcohol for more than 40 years- has also made it known that the effects are more harmful in women (despite the fact that there are more men with alcoholism) and that 40% of patients suffering from alcoholism have another added mental disorder.
The average age of onset of alcohol consumption, which is now 13 years old, is of great concern, which means that there are children as young as 11 years old who are already drinking. One of the consequences of this very early alcoholism is that in the consultations we are already finding young people with serious liver problems at 19 and 20 years of age. In addition, experts have recalled that the brain develops until the age of 25, so that excess alcohol harms neurological development, i.e., the toxic substance of alcohol is damaging their neurons.
6 billion euros a year due to alcoholism
Between the loss of work productivity, accidents and health expenses, among other issues, that derive from alcoholism, the annual cost for Spain is 6,000 million euros. This amount is 1.23% of the Spanish Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The numbers speak for themselves, alcohol continues to take a toll on our pocketbook and, more importantly, our health.