While the heady bouquet of a glass of wine or scotch seems like the way forward, “to relax and take a break” as most Gen-Y would like to think, it aggravates stress levels and health issues. You might want to take a step back and give alcohol a break. Dr Ashok Rau, founder of Freedom Foundation which deals with substance addicts believes that there is an increase in youngsters looking to “chill-out” with drinks or drugs. “There is a direct correlation to stress and most youth feel that it is a form of release. We are seeing more and more youngsters looking to relax.”
Fact not fiction
WHO estimates there are 140 million alcoholics worldwide. In fact, alcohol abuse exacts a toll on world health that is on par with unsafe sex, measles and malaria, and even greater than tobacco.
While moderate consumption of alcohol increases HDL (the good cholesterol) and decreases LDL (the bad cholesterol), sadly there is no word called “moderation” in some vocabularies. The aim is to get high.
A recent study also documents that one to two drinks per day helps cardiovascular health, beyond which the increased risk of stroke and higher blood pressure is significant. “We have a weekly ritual on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. A group of us meet up at a club or bar. Sadly, I have not seen anyone restrict themselves to just a glass or two. The normal intake is four drinks,” reveals Suresh Padmanabhan, a market analyst.
What can they do?
Dr Rau explains, “Most youngsters feel that a couple of drinks is good to de-stress. They think that relaxation is all about drinking or taking other mood enhancing substances. And since socialising has become a part and parcel of drinking, it is a problem.” Psychotherapist, emotional healing consultant Christina Franklin Vijay also agrees, “Humans tend to take refuge in something the moment they are stressed. They depend on an external trigger to deal with the situation which is not a solution in the long run. We need to realise that everybody is struggling and it is ok to have a problem. There is nothing to be ashamed and embarrassed about.”