THE AGING SENIOR AND ALCOHOL

A study has reported that the elder population is more prone to the consumption of alcohol than the younger generation. With the increase in age, people consume more alcohol.

The drink which used to be more common among people in their twenties is not just common among them any more. The elders have joined the line.

 

Alcohol causes a significant amount of risks. There are many cases of accidents among the senior citizens due to the consumption of too much alcohol. It is said that drinking alcohol provides certain benefit to one’s health but the danger that it causes outweighs any advantages that alcohol may have. Alcohol may cause diseases or disorders such as depression, cirrhosis of the liver, addiction to alcohol and high blood pressure. Moreover, consumption of alcohol affects the proper functioning of a person’s behavior and thinking. The effect of alcohol may lead to early aging of a person or it may cause the brain to grow old sooner. MRI or Magnetic Resonance Imaging has reported that those who consume large amounts of alcohol lose more brain tissues than those who have other disorders. Moreover, studies have also reported that with the increased consumption of alcohol, the frontal lobe tends to shrink.

 

Now what can the elders do about their drinking habits?

 

Given below are few tips, which you can follow:

 

1. Do not start drinking if you do not drink. Alcohol causes risks, which prevail over the benefits that it has.

    

2. Do not consume more than a drink per day if you have the habit of drinking. In a week, your alcohol consumption should not be more than 4 to 5 drinks.

    

3. Binge drinking is not good for your health. Never indulge yourself in it as it can bring a rise in the blood pressure, increase the danger of heart strokes and ailments and cause uneven heartbeat.

    

4. Do not even think of touching alcohol if you are on any kind of medication. Taking alcohol with medications, including over the counter drugs, can cause liver problems and can harm the stomach lining. If you take alcohol along with antihistamines then it can make you feel sleepy which can lead to accidents or cause impaired driving.

    

5. Seek advice from a doctor if you feel that you may have a drinking problem. Be practical about the different alternatives in hand to treat your problem. You can always ask your local chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous or Rational Recovery for assistance.