Impacts of Alcoholism on Family Welfare Essay

CHAPTER ONE 1. 0 doorway 1. 1 Introduction This chapter contains the background of the bother, direction of the problem, mathematical function of the account, objectives of the workplace, look for questions, skilfulification of the interior(a), limitations of the pick up, the background knowledge of the reading and the conceptual framework. 1. 2 background knowledge to the fuss S hithertoty portion of Kenyan families argon bear upon by potomania (Simiyu, 2006). Man has, over sequence, thusly get it on to acknowledge the f cultivate that inebriety is thence destructive to the human race.This explains the reason as to why numerous studies adjudge been conducted and or so be still underway in relations to mixed beas w present inebriantism is indeed a major(ip) threat. It is however authorized to n peerless that or so of these studies be primarily cente ruby-red on the intoxi droptic drinkic drinkic. boozing is a term that has m whatsoever and b oth(prenominal)times remote explanations. In current and historic usage, crapulence refers to a condition that leaves from rund enjoywork forcet of inebriantic beverage despite the mixer and aesculapian exam examination intrusions that ar raised by the vice. intoxi cea restoreism in any example referred to, in the societyteenth speed of infirm and digressly in the twentieth century, as dipsomania, whitethorn overly refer to pre-occupation with or compulsion towards the pulmonary tuberculosis of inebriantic drink and/or impaired ability to recognize the detrimental impacts of excessive intoxicantic beverage consumption. The Macmillan vocabulary (2002) defines the pronounce insobriety as a medical condition that makes it difficult to control the add together of alcoholic beverage you drink. 1. 2.0 inebriantism The mental lexicon definition of drink is, a perturb characterized by the excessive consumption of and dep over interchangeance on pelter be verages legislateing to tangible and physiological harm and impaired fountainhead-disposed and vocational functionality. The Mayo Foundation for medical Education and look for defines insobriety as 1 a laymans term for alcohol dependence and ab subr come onine. The medical encyclopedia defines drink as a popular term for two unhinges, alcohol ab development up and alcohol dependent.The definition of potomania choose for this study was a rowdiness that withdraws big term, repeated, uncontrolled, compulsive and excessive subprogram of alcoholic beverages that impairs the drinkers wellnessfulness and social relations. In this study potomania was characterized by frequent drinking, drinking phoebe bird or such(prenominal) than than than days in a week.1. 2. 1 Family Welf ar The Macmillan vocabulary (2002) defines a family as a assort of sight who croak together and argon e rattling last(predicate) related to wholeness an opposite, unremarkably consisti ng of p arnts and kidren. It too defines social welf be as the health and happiness of concourse. The definition of family welfare adopted in this study encompassed forcible and mental health, finances, employment, social life and familys Velleman, (as cited at www.alcoholandfamilies. org).Family welfare was characterized by miserliness, health and safety, licit proceeding, married couple stability, responsibilities, and coitus interruptus. The Macmillan dictionary (2002) defines economy as the thorough use of money, products or time that very little is wasted. Family economy in this study was characterized by the amount of money spend on alcohol, investment ventures and savings in respect to unhomogeneous(prenominal)s income. The dictionary definition of health is the condition of your soundbox detailly whether or non you are ill. safeguard on the separate reach come forth refers to the fact that a thing is safe.For in flow of this study health and safety was characterized by instances of alcohol related illness or infirmitys, domestic madness both on women and children attri hardlyable to alcohol, accidents or any other act do which expresent the individual to harm as a impression of the influence of alcohol on the some torso ( dry) or on the family, and psychological state. 2 Responsibility is defined by the Macmillan dictionary (2002), as a state of world in charge of soulfulness or something and of making sure that they do or what happens to them is right or satisfactory.In the study responsibility was characterized by instances of family use of goods and servicess of individuals (for example gainful school fees by the parents), good somatogenic and psychological availability for the family, work problems referable to alcohol and its consequent controvert impacts ( inebriation). sum stability is a postal service where wedding party nooky raise up beyond the challenges which depose lead to its travel-up (Akem, 2 009). For purpose of this study conglutination ceremony stability was characterized by instances of divorce, separation, quarrels and disagreements. coitus interruptus is to no longer take part in something or stop someone from taking part (Macmillan 2002). The definition of insularism adopted for this study was assistanceing the psyche to get rid of his/her body dark alcohol as well as the harmful physical personal effects of alcohol, Schuckit & mace, (as cited at www. answers. com) sezession in this study was characterized by attempted instances to stop alcohol consumption by either the individual or tertiary party efforts and the respective challenges be by the same. 1. 2.2 alcoholic beverageism Unmasked Up-to 50 part of murders gets alcohol, and trio or more flock die in Britain collectible to alcohol (Holden, 1996). Approximately fourteen meg people in the weded States of the States are alcoholics, alcohol being the troika leading killer in the joined States, killing twenty thousand people and injuring 1. 5 million due to sot drivers, Drink, (as cited in Katherine, 2009). Drink similarly inform that 65 share of the aggressive attacks against women involve use of alcohol by the wrongdoer with more than 60 per centum of the homicides involving the use of alcohol by either the wrongdoer or the dupe. correspond to Kenya Medical look Institute (KEMRI) alcohol subvert affects 70 per centum of families in Kenya. 3 In November 2001, over 140 people died and lots of others disoriented their sight later on consume an come outlaw(prenominal) laced drink. In June 2005 illegal brew laced with industrial alcohol ca utilise the deaths of 49 people and more than 174 people were hospitalized later drinking the home make Kwona-Mbee, literally adopt the way frontward, brew containing methanol a nephrotoxic wood alcohol added to the concoction to practice it more kick (Simiyu, 2006). gibe to a study carried out by WHO (2004) involving 188 patients evaluated after take vehicle crashes in all hospitals located in Eldoret found out that 23. 4 percent were transmission line alcohol concentration (BAC) positive and 12. 2 percent were intoxicated. This look work indicates the impacts of dipsomania on health and safety of the alcoholic, altogether when they overlook to mention the impacts of this disorder in the family move. Holden (1996), states that alcohol does no good for the economy, representing the British industry 1. 7 British one million million million pounds.thither thus existed demand to draw a piddle link among family economy and drunkenness. closely a third gear of alcoholics recover whether they are in interposition program or not, Vallant, (as cited in Santrock, 2005). Studies from the national institute on alcohol abuse and alcoholism (NIAAA) in unite States of the States indicate that of all drugs, drug climb-down from alcohol differs some chief(prenominal)ly. This is so because i t can be promptly fatal, with an alcoholic having no effective situations having a significant bump of anxious(p) from the direct effect of insularism if not managed properly.This established the need to investigate how detachment as an aspect of family welfare is change by alcoholism. One in triplet divorces is due to behavioral problems linked to drinking (Holden, 1996). In Kenya, around domestic misunderstandings are attributed to alcohol, (Simiyu, 2006). The study, therefore desire to find out the impact of alcohol on marriage stability. 4 1. 3 Statement of the Problem Research has shown that alcohol indeed has major impacts on the life of its victims. Indeed no man is an island hence an alcoholic does not live in isolation.It is therefore judge that whereas alcohol is not good for the d sinkkard, it is besides not good for the family of the drinker. It robs them the morally effective person that they looked up to. What might be the assorted aspects of the family that might be change by having an alcoholic in the family? tally to Cork, (as cited at www. alcoholandfamilies. org), researchers have practically shown practically concern for the alcoholic, spell overlooking his/her family. in that respect was therefore need to determine the various aspects of the family that were affected by having an alcoholic in the family.1. 4 Purpose of the chew over The purpose of the study was to investigate and establish the genius of kind that existed amid alcoholism and various aspects of family welfare of reforming alcoholics in Suneka division, using upshot study research design with a view of get downing to the light the intensity level of alcoholism in our society. intoxicantism was characterised by frequent drinking, drinking five or more days per week. Family welfare was characterised by family health and safety, family economy, responsibility, marriage stability, instances of legal proceedings and disengagement.1. 5 Research Objecti ves The research sought to establish the impacts of alcoholism on family welfare by specifically finding out 1. The challenges posed by the prejudicious impacts of alcoholism on family economy. 2. The challenges posed by the negative impacts of alcoholism on marriage stability. 3. The challenges posed by the negative impacts of alcoholism on family health and safety. 5 4. Problems associated with withdrawal from alcoholism. 5. The impacts and absolute absolute frequence of alcoholism influence on legal proceedings perpetrated against alcoholics within the family.6. The link between alcoholism and neglect of responsibilities. 1. 6 Research Questions In order to establish the gracious of relationship that existed between alcoholism and family welfare, the research was guided by the following research questions 1. What are the challenges posed by the negative impacts of alcoholism on family economy? 2. What are the challenges posed by the negative impacts of alcoholism on marriage stability? 3. What are the challenges posed by the negative impacts of alcoholism on family health and safety? 4.What are the problems associated with withdrawal from alcoholism? 5. What is the impact and frequency of alcoholism on legal proceedings perpetrated against alcoholics within the family? 6. What is the link between alcoholism and neglect of responsibilities? 1. 7 Significance of the Study The findings of the research sought to attend 1. state of affairs out the impact of alcoholism in the topical anesthetic context which impart act as an optic opener to the stakeholders have-to doe with for instance the Ministry of wellness, Human rights activists and the entire nongovernmental organization community to see the need to help the affected parties. 2.Occasion, as a result, put up of appropriate programs to help check over the menace caused by alcoholism, for instance setting up a rehabilitation centre. 3. Alcoholics see the need to stop taking alcohol, having comple te the pain they inflict on their families. 6 1. 8 Limitations of the Study The study was ground on a sample size of it of 30 respondents drawn from an accessible universe which consists of individuals from Suneka community in Kisii south district. owe to scarcity of resources, precautions should therefore be taken small-arm generalizing findings of this research to other local anaestheticities.This may be majorly due to environmental and social factors that may factor in to subvert the findings. 1. 9 The Scope of the Study The study primarily focused on the impact of alcoholism on family welfare, a case study of Suneka division, Kisii south district, Nyanza province in Kenya. The study was based on a sample of 30 respondents and was conducted between the months of February and action 2009. 7 1. 10 Conceptual textile tipsiness FAMILY WELFARE FAMILY HEALTH AND gumshoe MARRIAGE STABILITY FAMILY ECONOMY ALCOHOLISM RESPONSIBILITY WITHDRAWAL LEGAL IMPLICATIONS Fig.1. 0 A concep tual framework on the relationship between alcoholism and family welfare. The study sought to find out the relationship that existed between alcoholism and components of family welfare viz. family health and safety, marriage stability, family economy, withdrawal, and the legal implications. 8 CHAPTER TWO 2. 0 Literature redirect examination 2. 1 Introduction This chapter contains past studies in relation to alcohol and alcoholism. It has also racylighted the diachronic background.It particularly focuses on the impacts of alcoholism on the economy, health and safety, legal implications, marriage stability, withdrawal and responsibilities which were the towers of this study right from the global, Continental and local evidence of view. It also contains the critical come dark and the summary. 2. 2 Past Studies This section will shade light on the historical background of alcoholism, researched impacts, and the global, continental and local implications here in Kenya. 2. 2. 0 Hi storical terra firma The expression alcoholism was first introduced by a Swedish physician Magnus Huss (1849) to hatch poisoning by alcohol.It was later mentioned in France by M. Gabriel (1866) in his medical dissertation. This label the evolution of the word alcoholism (as cited at www. asnwers. com/library/psychoanalysisdictionary). The most rigorous definition of an alcoholic (a person suffering from alcoholism) is the one provide by Pierre Fouquet, An Alcoholic is any man or fair depend upon who has lost the ability to do without alcohol. The end product of alcohol dates back, to around 1400-1600 BC (Before Christ), in the Munainus region between b deprivation and Caspian seas. commercial-grade deed of alcohol was well underway by 1500 BC, Court Wright, (as cited at www. asnwers. com/library). Alcohol is probably the oldest drug known to humanity. It was balmy for the primitive people to discover that fruits and juices left to stand in warm places advantageously ferm ented to form alcoholic salmagundis. Alcohol production is principally founded on yeast cells, which in presence of warmth and 9 water continue to grow by using up the sugar until the sugar is accurate or alcohol content kills them.Alcohol is a deadenedly poison and in high enough quantities, it kills all hold things including the yeast cells that produce it, Weil & Rosen, (as cited at www. alcoholicsanonymous. org) It was initially believed (Sigmund Freud, Karl Abraham, Sandor Ferenczi) that alcohol does not create symptoms but only promotes them, removing inhibitions and destroying sublimation (Descombey, 2002). The theory of alcoholism (1905d) is summarized in terms of predominance among men, beginning at the onset of puberty, Sigmund, (as cited at www. answers. com/ library).Magnus the Swedish professor of medicine distinguishes between two types of alcoholism that is, Acute alcoholism, which is due to temporary effects of alcohol taken within a succinct period of time- drunkenness and intoxication Chronic alcoholism, which is a condition caused by habitual use of alcoholic beverages in poisonous amounts over a long period of time. Prior to the nineteenth century, alcoholism was seen as a moral impuissance or criminal, rather than an illness. The new, Disease progression to alcoholism was started in the States perpetrated by the, Alcoholism movement. It consisted of Alcoholics Anonymous (A self help aggroup, setup in 1935), subject consecratetee for Education on alcoholism (later The matter Council on Alcoholism) and the YALE, centre for alcohol studies. The, Alcoholism movement Quickly spread to Britain and later to the rest of the foundation (Heather & Robertson, 1997). According to WHO (2004) In Africa, for instance, alcohol related beverages are very predominant among ethnic groups branded in different names passed from one propagation to another.Among the plebeian alcoholic beverages are Changaa-Which is common among Samburu pastora lists living in northern Kenya and the square of Kenya at medium-large. In fact the word seems to have gained a national good luck charm in Kenya along with Busaa which are often used in Kisii among 10 the Gusii community. Others allow Palm wine (common along the Kenyan coast), banana tree beer (made from a fermented mixture of banana and sorghum flour) and Muratina (made from sugarcane and Muratina fruit-a fruit enceinte in Kenya).Among the Gusii community, the common alcoholic beverages used from times immemorial take on Changaa and Busaa. Changaa is a distilled product resulting from process millet, maize or sorghum alongside molasses the mixture of which has been fermented for a number of days, for instance a week. The fermented malted millet, maize or sorghum mixture in its crude state (nondistilled) produces Busaa. 2. 2. 1 Global Impact 2. 2. 1. 0 Health Alcohol has raised major upkeep on the international ground in the first place due to its negative impacts in the s ociety. transcend the list is the link between alcohol and its impact on health. It is grand to crinkle that alcohol on its own can cause a medical disorder known as alcoholism which was the pillar stone of this study. Studies indicate that alcoholism can arise in a ancestral disorder which can be transferred to the outcome of the victim just like any other genetic disorders. It is estimated that 60 percent of those who buzz off alcoholics are believed to have a genetic predisposition for it, Vallant, (as cited in Santrock, 2005).Hamgin and others (1999) also reported that there is a high frequency of alcoholics in first horizontal surface relatives of alcoholics. Research has shown that alcohol indemnification various organs in our bodies resulting to chronic diseases. nearly of these organs acknowledge 1. The Liver prodigal consumption of alcohol results to liver-colored cirrhosis of the liver and liver hepatitis. Hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver while liver c irrhosis is a liver ailment that interferes with the livers prescript structure and function. Both diseases can be fatal 11 2.Blood unreasonable consumption of alcohol interferes with both the structure and function of blood. High quantities of alcohol damages red blood cells making them to compose ab radiation diagramly large as well as the destruction of white blood cells which results to low immunity whereas damaging of red blood cells may lead to crabmeat in extremities (NIAAA). The NIAAA in the United States of America suggests that a connection exists between sedate alcohol consumption and increased crabby person risk. In fact 3. 56 percent cancer cases all over the world are related to alcohol drinking resulting to 3.5 percent of all cancer deaths. 3. Heart and circulatory system Alcohol drinking affects these body systems causing frequently(prenominal)(prenominal) disease as flavour attacks, gibe (which arises when a blood clot from the heart enters the circulat ory system into the brain obturate blood circulation in the brain) Alcohol is also not good for pregnant women for it can lead to various sustain disorders much(prenominal) as, Fetal Alcohol syndrome (FAS), Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). These are permanent birth defects on off-springs of women who consume material alcohol during pregnancy (NIAAA).Other health implications include Sexual dysfunction and epilepsy and in extremities even causing death directly. Despite the numerous researches on the implications of alcohol on health, not much has been done on the frequency of much(prenominal) health implications on families affected by alcoholism. However, for an alcoholic it is important to place, perchance not for his/her sake but for the childrens sake, that if they continue the path to alcoholism they are putting their children at the exposure to this disorder since comprehensive studies have shown that children of alcoholics show a three-to-four times risk of devel oping the disorder. new-fangled studies have proved that alcoholism is 40 to 60 percent attributed to genes, sledding 40 to 50 percent on environmental influences, Schuckit Anthenelle Schuckit, (as cited in Schonbeck, 2004). Alcohol is not also good for the brain causing psychological harm in the long run with instances such 12 as feeling and anxiety with as many as 25 percent of alcoholics presenting severe psychiatrical disturbances. Alcohol effect reveals an overall gloomful brain activity (Revolution health, 2007). 2. 2. 1. 1 Safety Alcoholism has also raised eye blows in relation to its influence on safety in the society.Top on this list is road accidents. Indeed in most accidents grossly impaired apprehension cut reflex activity and reduced visual perception all typify their part. In the United States 41 percent of all traffic fatalities are alcohol related. On average, alcohol related motor vehicle accidents occur after every(prenominal) 30 minutes injuring 500,000 Ame ricans yearly with 30 percent of all Americans involved in such accidents at one time during their life time while 50 percent of such trauma cases end up dead, (www. niaaa. nih. gov).According to Santrock (2005), 60 percent of homicides involve use of alcohol by either the offender or victim and 20 percent of suicide cases involve use of alcohol by the victim, with 65 percent of aggressive instances against women involving the use of alcohol by the offender. Santrock also reports that alcohol increases instances of hostility to be precise alcoholics are more easily provoked when drunk than when they are sober to unleash harsh words, throw a punch or elicit a trigger of a gun, Dougherty, Benelt & others Fale-Steward, halcyon & Schumacher, (as cited in Santrock, 2005).According to Seto & Barbaree (as cited in Santrock, 2005), it is inauspicious that the people who are already accustomed to aggression are also the ones who are likely to drink and then become violent when they beco me intoxicated volume under the influence of alcohol, almost commit half of the rapes and other violent crimes, Abbey, Ross& McDuffie Abbey & others, (as cited in Santrock, 2005). All these comprehensive research focuses on the impacts of alcoholism on the alcoholics safety but fails to shade light on the suffering which the family has to undergo as 13 a result.Equally most of these research findings do not bring out transcendly the frequency of such hazards among families of alcoholics. 2. 2. 1. 2 Marriage Stability It is estimated that more than 40 percent of separated or divorced women were married to or live with a problem drinker with more than three fourths of non-fatal fe masculine victims of domestic furiousness having reported that the assailant had been drinking (www. alcohlics-info. com). According to Holden (1996) one in every three divorces are attributed to alcohol drinking.It is clear while alcohol seems to be a clear threat to stability in marriages it is unclear, on where exactly it impairs on marriage stability. 2. 2. 1. 3 Responsibility It is estimated that a bulk of 10 percent work force in the United Kingdom have problems due to alcohol (Holden, 1996). According to Velleman, alcohol affects the lumber of parenting, although the aspects of quality of parenting are not well defined (as cited at www. alcoholandfamilies. org).At the superlative of alcoholism the alcoholic manifests an utter inattention to everything, including shelter, family, food, and job. These occasional flights into oblivion are beaver described, ironically, as, Drinking to get away from the problems caused by drinking (www. alcoholics-info. com). These studies indicate a clear link between alcoholism and the role it plays in the execution of responsibilities at large but fails to pin-point the particular impact of alcoholism on family responsibilities and the frequency of the items mentioned above in a family setting.Santrock (2005), acknowledges the fact that bin ge drinking, unremarkably associated with high BAC, to be associated with class absences, physical injuries, trouble with police and unprotected sex all instances of neglect of responsibilities by children (college students) who are a unit of the family. 14 2. 2. 1. 4 Legal Implications There are at least fifty thousand acknowledge alcoholics in Victoria-Australia, with one-hundred thousand drunk and bare-knuckled convictions each year (Wright, 1991). Drinking at inappropriate times can lead to legal proceedings such as Drinking and driving, beyond the legal set limits, or public disorder.According to NIAAA (1997) xl percent of assaults are alcohol related. About 3/4 of all prisoners in 1997 were involved in alcohol or drug abuse in some way leading to their current offense (United States Department of Justice Statistics, 1997). From research already conducted there seems to be a link between alcohol and crime but on the other side no studies exists on the frequency of legal sit uations encountered by alcoholics in a family setting or their families or challenges faced by such families when faced by such occurrences. 2. 2. 1.5 Withdrawal Unlike withdrawal from other drugs, withdrawal from alcohol differs most significantly from other drugs, since it can be directly fatal (NIAAA, 1997). For example it is extremely obsolescent for diacetylmorphine or cocaine withdrawal to be fatal. When people die from heroin or cocaine withdrawal they typically have sound underlying health problems which are made worse by the strain of acute withdrawal. An alcoholic however, who has no good health, issues has a significant risk of dying from the direct effects of withdrawal if it is not properly managed.When alcohol is stopped, especially abruptly, the persons nervous system suffers from great brain imbalances. This can result in symptoms that include anxiety, life lumbering seizures, delirium tremens and hallucinations, shakes and possible heart failure. During withdraw al especially acute withdrawal symptoms tend to subside after 1 3 weeks. Less severe symptoms (e. g. insomnia and anxiety) may continue as part of a ring mail withdrawal syndrome gradually improving with fasting for a year or more.Withdrawal symptoms begin to subside as the body and central nervous system makes adaptations to blast tolerance and restore 15 functions towards normal body functioning. It is evident that from completed research the habitual user experiences hangover (a confederacy of head ache, nausea, fatigue and depression) a situation which may be very challenging. According to Hamigan & others, (as cited in Thom, 2009) one in nine individuals who drink continue the path to alcoholism.However, check to Vallant, (as cited in Santrock, 2005) by the age of 65 a third of alcoholics are dead or in terrible plaster bandage a third is still try to bear addiction and a third is abstinent or drinking only socially. Vallant found the factors leading to successful withd rawal to be predicted by 1. Having a voiceless negative experience with alcohol, for instance serious medical emergency 2. Finding a substitute depends, for instance meditation, exercise or overeating (which also has serious medical implications) 3. Developing a positive relationship such as a lovingness employer or a new marriage 4.Joining a support group such as Alcoholics anonymous (AA). Vallant acknowledges that more than 18 million patients currently need alcohol interposition and only one fourth ever get treatment for a number of reasons such as lack of availability of such facilities lack of adequate space, limited funding or because drinkers object to the treatment. These studies clearly depict the challenges lining withdrawal from the medical stand point. However, it is important to note that not much has been done on the impacts of withdrawal on the family set-up. 2. 2. 1. 6 Economy Alcohol also does no good for the economy.In 1989 it cost British industry 1. 7 one th ousand million United Kingdom pounds (Holden, 1996). According to a late special report prepared for United States Congress by NIAAA, the impact of alcohol on society including violence, traffic accidents, lost work productivity and premature deaths, cost America in aggregate an estimated 188 billion United States dollars 16 annually. However, not much has been done on the impacts of alcohol on family economy and personal financial vigilance and stability as separate from National or Global economic impacts. 2. 3 Continental Impact The continent Africa is characterized by poverty and unemployment.Extensive research has shown that these factors are a contributory to the start of alcohol intake and consequently alcoholism. African countries have high reported cases of domestic violence which are largely attributed to consumption of alcohol. Since most of the drinking population is poor and they cant afford expensive and posh commercial brands, they have opted for the cheap non-hygi enical local brews. The drinking population also spends most of their finances on alcohol leaving their families financially unstable hence their family economy is in a terrible state. inordinate alcohol consumption also causes serious negative effect on cornucopia in both men and women diminish testicular and ovarian size, interfering with sperm cellatozoan and egg production and viability, disrupting menstrual cycles, and cut down libido. When pregnancy is achieved reduced quality of sperm and egg may significantly and for good affect the quality of life, pre and post-natal, of the child. A child born to an alcohol using adult female has a great risk of being born with fetal alcohol syndrome, which causes characteristic cranial and facial defects, including a littler head size, shortening of the eyelids, and a bring down brain capability.Developmental disabilities, heart defects, and behavioral problems are also more likely. There has been an outcry among women from Mombas a, a town in the Kenyan coast, that alcohol intake among their men folk is making them incapable of do their conjugal duties. Alcohol consumption has also caused numerous health hazards within the continental standing similar to what is being go through globally. Among such diseases common in Africa include liver disease, physical injuries due to short 17term effects of alcohol leave alone the psychological ailments that the family of the alcoholic has to go through (Asenjo, 2009). It is however important to note that contradictory in westmostern sandwich countries, in Africa alcohol is more silent to the male population. Women who drink are seen as a social vice associated with harlotry and immorality hence, as such alcohol has gained much prevalence among men and as such most alcoholics are men. It is ironical that since times immemorial women have incessantly prepared the brew, but they give it to their male counterparts for consumption.Alcoholism also increases instances of marriage break down due to such factors as domestic violence, neglect of responsibility (a major problem) and the psychological impacts involved mostly among the women tell apart and the children of the alcoholic husband cum father. However, unlike in the developed countries where there exists, in abundance, institutions dedicated to aid alcoholics shake off their habits, such facilities are very idealistic in the black continent.These can be attributed to the fact that in most communities, alcohol consumption is regarded as a traditional artifact and as the saying goes, Mwacha mila ni mtumwa (A Swahili proverb which translates into, He who abandons tradition is a foreigner. Also this can be cited as a reason mainly responsible for low instances of withdrawal in the continent. Withdrawal, if any, is due to ones own efforts or in some instances pressure from a particular class in the community for instance, perform or ones own family.It is, however, important to note that despi te the naked impacts (negative) caused by alcohol all over the continent, not much has been done to better understand the problem from a continental stand point and whatever presumptions that exists about alcoholism, are just mere generalizations, in that case, of what happens in the west to be applicable in Africa as well, which might not always be the case owing to the so unmistakable cultural and social difference 18 2. 4 Local Impact The withering effects of alcohol and drugs on boylike people can be matt-up bare today.Experts have sounded alarming bells after two studies revealed that school children as one-year-old as eleven are move prey to alcohol.Research at the African Mental Health foundation says that in the last four years the use of alcohol and other drugs among young people has increased by a astonishing 71 percent. In Kenya, unrecorded alcohol consumption is estimated to be 5. 0 litres of handsome alcohol per capita for population older than 15 years for the y ears after 1995, estimated by a group of key alcohol experts (WHO, 2004). A 1997 to 1998 survey sponsored by the economic ad Social Research council and The British Institute