The pandemic has increased consumption and the most affected are minors. The NHS offers a network of structures, which, however, suffers from a chronic lack of space and personnel
The glass of wine is linked to moments of conviviality and social pleasure. “But there is no minimum amount of alcohol that is not without health risks“, points out Emanuele Scafato, director of the National Alcohol Observatory of the Higher Institute of Health (Iss). And in times of aperitifs and aperitifs “it is all the more necessary to build a critical and responsible awareness in the community of the negative consequences of alcoholHe warns. Taking into account, moreover, that the pandemic has caused consumption to rise.
The investigation
The latest ISS report records over 8.6 million drinkers at risk in 2020 (those who exceed the standard daily dose of alcohol, 10 grams for women and 20 for men), mainly men, against almost 8.2 in 2019. The other worrying figure is the share of minors (750 thousand) and over 65s (2.6 million), that is the most vulnerable categories of the population by far, due to their poor ability to metabolize alcohol effectively. Also “harmful” drinkers (over 40 grams of alcohol per day for adult women and over 60 for adult men), with alcohol use disorders, increased: 830 thousand, up from 670 thousand the previous year. In a context that discounts one historical inadequacy of care services. «90% of these people are not intercepted for an appropriate taking charge»Highlights Scafato.
Local services
The Alcoholic Centers belong to the Serd (the territorial services for addictions). “It is urgent to strengthen staff and intercept the youngest offering dedicated spaces that are less stigmatizing »he claims Roberta Balestravice president of FederSerd, the federation of Italian SERDs. There are 487 services for the treatment of alcohol addiction. Access is free and takes place directly without referral from the doctor. The team is multidisciplinary (doctor, psychologist, educator, nurse). «The degree of dependence of the user and his clinical condition are evaluated. Psychological support is proposed, including for the family, and if necessary, a medical-pharmacological path is activated and integrated care with the hospital – explains the president of Federserd -. To maintain abstinence, the patient is invited to attend a self-help group ».
Self-help groups
The Association of Alcoholics Anonymous has 452 groups throughout the national territory. The Italian Association of Territorial Alcohol Clubs (Aicat) coordinates the activities of 2,000 clubs for the drinker and members of his family. “Al-Anon” is another association of family members and friends of problem drinkers, which also includes groups targeting children and adolescents experiencing alcoholism in the family (“Alateen”).
The damage to health
Ethanol (or ethyl alcohol) is the substance behind alcoholic beverages (wine, beer, spirits), toxic and potentially carcinogenic. «The greater the consumption, the greater the risk of developing cancer, particularly of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, larynx, colon and breast. With two drinks a day – underlines Scafato – the risk of breast cancer increases between 7 and 27%. Other alcohol-related diseases are esophagitis, gastritis, diabetes, arrhythmia, hypertension, cardiomyopathy, stroke, pancreatitis, liver cirrhosis and mental disorders, such as cognitive dysfunction, depression, anxiety, impulsivity, self-harm, suicidal tendency ». The probability of getting sick varies from person to person and depends on several variables: age, sex, weight (a thin person, having less fluids in the body, will have a higher blood alcohol concentration), consumption on a full or empty stomach (a fasting absorption is more rapid and in half an hour the blood peak of alcohol is reached), predisposing factors. “Alcohol is not a problem only for alcohol addicts but for all consumers, of all levels”, he remarks Gianni Testinopresident of the Italian Society of Alcohol.
Young people and binge drinking
Have five or more drinks in a short time (about 2 hours) to get drunk (the “binge drinking”) is a dangerous habit that characterizes the weekends and it mainly involves young people in the 18-25 age group (810,000). The total audience of intoxicated people is 4.1 million Italians (300,000 more than in 2019), of which 120,000 are minors. With devastating effects on health. “Under the age of 20, brain development is not yet complete and the liver is not mature enough to adequately eliminate ethanol which, regardless of the amount taken, circulates less diluted in the blood. If an adult takes 90 minutes to dispose of a glass, a 16-year-old takes 4 hours. Just one drink leads to inflammation of the organs, from the brain to the liver, stomach, heart, breasts, testicles – explains Testino -. The consumption of alcohol in this phase exposes to higher risks, causing cell damage, aggression, memory loss, greater chances of road accidents, which are the leading cause of death among young people, impotence and infertility ».
For this reason, the law prohibits the administration and sale of alcoholic beverages to under 18. «But the controls on the premises are lacking without considering that the ban is easily circumvented through online purchases and home delivery apps », Scafato complains.
give it
«Women, having a lower body mass than men, have less water in their circulation and half the absorption capacity of alcohol. It therefore means that for the same consumption they have a higher level of alcohol in the blood and are more vulnerable to its effects – Resumes Testino -. To protect themselves, they must learn not to drink more than one glass a day and to abstain completely when planning a child, during pregnancy and breastfeeding. In fact, alcohol crosses the placenta and reaches the embryo or fetus directlywhich, not having the enzymes to digest it, can suffer damage in neurological and physical development, more or less serious depending on consumption ».
Seniors
As we age the liver progressively loses its function of metabolizing alcohol, making chronic diseases worse already present or favoring its onset. “If you take drugs, their interaction with alcohol can reduce their effectiveness or enhance their effects, giving even serious reactions” underlines Testino.
August 16, 2022 (change August 16, 2022 | 07:52)
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