Escape from Reality – The Binge Goes On

Aussies love to be known internationally for our sporting prowess, for giving everyone a fair go, and the occasional coup at the Oscars or Grammys. Then of course there’s our celebrated capacity for drinking.

We pride ourselves on being able to drink more alcohol more often than any other nation. The morning after any social occasion, the night before is usually related to friends or colleagues with: "I was sooooooo pissed last night, rather than "I had a really good time". A typical post-party post mortem tends to focus on how big the drink, how outrageous the behaviour, how massive the resulting hangover, and how little of it one can actually remember.

Society's acceptance of drunkenness is largely responsible for alarming new statistics that show binge drinking has become normal among Australian teenagers. The influence of adults, whether positive or negative, plays a significant role in the degree to which children become involved with alcohol. At least 451,000 children live in a household where they are at risk of exposure to binge drinking by one adult.

As a consequence of marketing, drinking alcohol in western societies is commonly associated with feel-good emotions and we are constantly bombarded with messages that drinking different forms of alcohol is a positive social signifier.

A major new report commissioned by the Australian National Council on Drugs,1 released in February 2008, highlights the need for greater support for families coping with young people who are either binge drinking or have issues with drugs. Figures now show that in any given week, approximately 1 in 10 (or 168,000) 12 to 17 year olds reported binge drinking or drinking at harmful levels (of these, males consume at least 7 drinks on a given day and females at least 5). The figures also show 1 in 10 (or 31,325) 15 year olds, 1 in 5 (or 54,116) 16 year olds and 1 in 5 (or 59,176) 17 year olds reported binge drinking or drinking at harmful levels.

Binge drinking among teenage girls has reached extremely dangerous levels. As a result, the number of teenagers and women under 21 seeking the aid of Alcoholics Anonymous is at an all-time high. Over the past four years the number of female drinkers in Australia aged 15 to 17 consuming ready-to-drink beverages has escalated from 14% to 60%, and, disturbingly, those who drank RTDs (ready-to-drink spirits) were most at risk of alcohol-related harm.

Of particular concern is the finding that around 13% of young drinkers also drink-drive and 16% go to work or school under the influence of alcohol. The report clearly shows that drug and alcohol use by young people has now been normalised and is even seen as a rite of passage to adulthood. It is clear from the report that parents have an important role in influencing the attitudes of their children in this area. Adolescents are less likely to drink and engage in binge drinking if parents actively disapprove. Enhanced parental monitoring is the most effective strategy to minimise the risk of adolescents moving from experimental to dangerous levels of drinking.

Far from reducing the volume of alcohol consumed by teenagers, anecdotal evidence suggests the 70% tax increase on pre-mixed drinks (alcopops) has actually contributed to an increase in sales.

The Liquor Merchants Association of Australia (LMAA) compared sales of ready-to-drink spirits and full-strength spirits between April and June in 2008 and found that an extra 266,000 litres of alcohol had been sold since the Federal Government's 70% tax hike on pre-mixed drinks. The LMAA says sales of pre-mixed drinks have fallen by 30%, but crucially, sales of full-strength bottles of spirits have risen by 46%. Steve Riden from the Distilled Spirits Industry Council says this is equivalent to an extra 21 million standard drinks being consumed. These findings demonstrate the tax has not helped to reduce binge drinking.

Why is it that many Australians are still unaware that alcohol is far and away our most dangerous drug?

Australia spends $15.3 billion each year mopping up after alcohol abuse and combating the violence and mayhem unleashed on to our streets. Currently, each year there are more than 3,500 deaths and 100,000 hospitalisations directly attributable to alcohol use and abuse. Hospital staff spend their nights treating drunks and victims of drunken violence, while police forces are inadequately staffed to provide a preventative role. Sadly, alcohol is involved in more than 50% of all domestic violence and sex abuse cases.

 

Comment

In seeking a solution to the problem of binge drinking, the initial emphasis appears to have been focussed on political expediency – prevention through taxation – as though we could find the panacea for our deep-rooted addictions in our hip pocket. In the midst of ever increasing family disfunctionalism, and its impact on the emotional wellbeing of children, the cause of the problem is far deeper.

    “Alcohol is a drug of illusion, which fundamentally changes self-image, and the sense of ‘relating’ to others. People of all ages are affected this way. But because their personalities are still forming, teenagers are especially vulnerable to the way alcohol changes personality functioning. The self-images of teenagers can be easily affected, and they are less able to distinguish reality from illusion.”2

The temporary euphoric gain from alcohol may be distracting and numbing enough to provide temporary relief from the ongoing pain caused by circumstances beyond their control - quite often family breakdown. However, the symptom of disillusionment, loneliness, bitterness, anger, loss of self-worth and the sense of meaninglessness will continue to provide ongoing stimulus to repeat the behavioural pattern unless treated.

It would appear the roles of inner wellbeing and personal responsibility hold the keys to unlock the ever increasing dependency of this destructive escape mechanism. The question remains, are we willing to pay the personal price in both family and individual participation?

Note - the above article includes material from the following sources:

“Adults attitudes lead to binge drinking”, by Jane Holroyd, 25 February ’08, The Age;
“Rites’n wrongs of Aussie drinking”, by Kathy McCabe, 20 March ’08, Daily Telegraph;
“Teenage alcoholism and alcohol abuse is a huge problem in Australia”, by Ross Fitzgerald, Opinion, www.crikey.com;
“Spirit sales up 46% since alcopop tax”, 28 July ’08, ABC News
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2 “Teenage alcoholism and alcohol abuse is a huge problem in Australia”, by Ross Fitzgerald, Opinion, www.crikey.com.