ALCOHOLIC AND RELEVANCE DISEASES

ALCOHOLIC AND RELEVANCE DISEASES

Drinking  alcohol has been a widely accepted part of western culture for generations. Nevertheless, misuse of alcohol in their country exacts a heavy toll on society. It has been estimated that one out of every eight adults who drink will develop the disease of alcoholism. Until very recently, this number was estimated to be one in ten. What is becoming even clearer is that there is a very large number of individuals who abuse alcohol on a regular basis who do not meet the traditional criteria for alcoholism but are clearly problem drinkers. Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing. It is medically considered a disease, specifically a neurological disorder, and in medicine several other terms are used, specifically “alcohol abuse”. People suffering from alcoholism are often called "alcoholics". Many other terms, some of them insulting or informal, have been used throughout history. The World Health Organization estimates that there are 140 million people with alcoholism worldwide . Identifying alcoholism is difficult because of the social stigma associated with the disease that causes people with alcoholism to avoid diagnosis and treatment for fear of shame or social consequences. The evaluation response to a group of standardized questioning is a common method for diagnosing alcoholism. These can be used to identify harmful drinking patterns, including alcoholism. In general, problem in drinking, is considered alcoholism when the person continues to drink. Alcoholism can have adverse effects on mental health, causing psychiatric disorders and increasing the risk of suicide. The onset of depression is a common symptom.

Hukum  of drinking alcohol in Islam is Haram. All forms of water are permissible (Halal) and can be taken except if they are poisonous, intoxicating, and harmful to human health. Islam forbids the intake of alcoholic and intoxicating drinks such as wines and alcoholic beers. Water mixed with filthy water or food laced with wine and alcohol are also not permissible. Alcohol has been interpreted as substances that cause intoxication and is harmful to our body. The intake of alcohol and wine is considered as intentional intake of intoxicant. Alcohol can be produced through various processes such as fermentation or chemical processes. Their uses as an ingredient or processing aids in many products such as medicine, soft drink and cosmetics are not intentionally meant to be as an intoxicating drink or substance. But it acts as stabilizing agent in soft drinks and its special characteristic that is good organic solvents to make alcohol. All liquor contains alcohol but not all alcohol is liquor. Alcohol which was derived from the liquor production processes is Haram and considered as filth but alcohol which are derived from non-liquor production processes is not filth but Haram to drink it because it is poisonous and harmful. Soft drinks which are made with the same way as the liquor production process either contained a little alcohol or its alcohol has been distilled are haram to be drink. Soft drinks which are not made for liquor or any intoxicating drinks and are not produced in the same way as the liquor processes are Halal. Halal in general term means permitted, allowed, authorized, approved, sanctioned, lawful, legal, legitimate or licit. Foods that can be certified as Halal must free of and not made of or containing any part or substance taken or extracted from animal which are forbidden (Haram) to be consumed by Muslims. It also must not contained any substances, not prepared, processed, produced or manufactured using utensils, equipment or machinery that is considered as filth. All of the definition of Halal is according to the Islamic Law.

The prohibition of alcohol is verified from the following verses of the Holy Quran.  

Surah An-Nisa' (4:43) 

Translation : O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying or in a state of janabah, except those passing through [a place of prayer], until you have washed [your whole body].

Surah Al Ma’idah (5:90 – 5:91) 

Translation : O you who believe! Intoxicants and games of chance and (sacrificing to) stones set up and (dividing by) arrows are only an uncleanness, the Shaitan’s work; shun it therefore that you may be successful. The Shaitan only desires to cause enmity and hatred to spring in your midst by means of intoxicants and games of chance, and to keep you off from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you then desist?

Surah An-Nisa’ declared that alcohol is prohibited in clear-cut terms but the consumption was for the duration of prayer times, and at other periods, it was still permissible. With this second warning many more of the companions of the Prophet refrained completely from drinking alcohol, reasoning that what good can there be in something that deprives one from Prayer. However one day, when Uthman Ibn Malik invited a few companions for a meal, liquor was served. During this gathering, Saad Ibn Waqqas has inflicted a severe wound on the head because of a bone was thrown at him by an Ansari youth who became enraged after hearing he  recited a few lines of poetry in which he criticized and belittled the Ansars of Madinah. Saad Ibn Waqqas then complained against the youngster to Prophet Muhammad after which he made dua’ to Allah : “O Allah! Grant us a clear cut for regarding alcohol”. In response to this the dua’ concerning the complete prohibition of alcohol, Surah Ma’idah (5:90 – 5:91) was revealed. 

There are also many Hadith that prohibit us from drinking alcohol.  In terms of selling and buying alcohol, Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #2776, narrated by Anas Ibn Malik, it is said that Allah's Messenger cursed ten people in connection with wine : the wine-presser, the one who has it pressed, the one who drinks it, the one who conveys it, the one to whom it is conveyed, the one who serves it, the one who sells it, the one who benefits from the price paid for it, the one who buys it, and the one for whom it is bought. But when someone died because of addicted in alcohol, in Hadith - Muslim #4963,  narrated by Abdullah Ibn Umar, it is said that Allah's Messenger said : Every intoxicant is Khamr  and every intoxicant is forbidden. He who drinks wine in this world and dies while he is addicted to it, not having repented, will not be given a drink in the Hereafter (akhirat). In terms of medicine, people said that alcohol can be used as medicine. However, in Hadith - Abu Dawood, narrated by Tariq ibn Suwayd or Suwayd ibn Tariq, Wa'il said: Tariq Ibn Suwayd asked the Prophet about wine, but he forbade it. He again asked him, but he forbade him. He said to him: “Prophet of Allah, it is a medicine.” The Prophet said: “No it is a disease.”

Histories in Islam  that are mainly about alcohol. During the early days of Islam, consumption of liquor, just like other ills and evils of society, was also prevalent. When Rasulullah migrated from Makkah to Madinah he found that the Madinites were also indulging in drinking. The masses were so attracted by the superficial and deceptive benefits offered by drinking that their minds became oblivious of the harmful effects and the evils lurking within these addictions. Besides Rasulullah, other Sahabats also refrained from consuming alcoholic beverages even when these were Halal. On Reaching Madinah some of Sahabats realised the evil in liquor. So, Hazrat Umar Farooq, Maaz Ibn Jabal and some of the other Sahabats approached Rasulullah and questioned him regarding the alcohol and gambling, which they thought were ruining not only man’s intelligent but also his wealth. In response to this query, The Holy Quraan states: "They ask Thee concerning Wine and Gambling, Say: In them is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit." (Surah Al-Baqarah: 219) was revealed. Some of the Sahabats, after hearing this verse immediately stopped consuming alcohol and accepted this mashwarah. On the other hand some of the other Sahabats resumed that this verse did not declare the alcohol as Haram, so they declared that it overtakes full precaution and law, that a mediate consumption of alcohol would not be harmful. 

However, shortly an incident occurred which brought about a sudden change in the situation. One day, Hazrat Abdur-Rahman Ibn Auf had invited some of his companions, and as was the custom of the Arabs they had consumed alcohol after their needs. Thereafter, while still in a state of intoxication, the Maghrib prayer was performed. The Imâm who was also drunk made an error in his recitation of Surah Kafiroon. Upon this, the second step was taken to prevent the consumption of alcohol, by the revelation of Surah An-Nisa' 4:43. There were others however, who drank liquor during the intervening periods of prayer until the following incident took place: Uthman Ibn Malik invited a few Sahabats for a meal. After the meal, liquor was served. Thereafter, they became involved in another Arab custom, reciting poetry praising oneself, family and clan and simultaneously teasing and belittling others who didn’t belong to that group. During this gathering, Hazrat Saad Ibn Abi Waqqas recited a few lines of poetry in which he criticized and belittled the Ansars of Madinah. Hearing this, an Ansari youth became very angry and threw a bone at him, which inflicted a severe wound on the head of Saad Ibn Waqqas. He then complained to Rasulullah, after which he made dua’a to Allah. In response to the dua’a, concerning the complete prohibition of alcohol, Surah Al Ma’idah (5:90 – 5:91) were revealed. Allah in his wisdom, firstly disclosed the evils in alcohol, then prohibited it at prayer times and finally declared it absolutely Haram.

Effects of drinking in health . In the western life, moderate  drinkers tend to have better health and live longer than those who are either abstainers or heavy drinkers. In addition to having fewer heart attacks and strokes, moderate consumers of alcoholic beverages are generally less likely to suffer strokes, diabetes, arthritis, enlarged prostate, dementia (including Alzheimer's disease), and several major cancers. Medical research has demonstrated a strong relationship between moderate alcohol consumption and reduction in cardiovascular disease in general and coronary artery disease in particular. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that moderate drinking is beneficial to heart health, resulting in a sharp decrease in heart disease risk (40%-60%). This is important because cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the world and heart disease kills about one million people each and every year. A study of over 5,000 women with 2 type of diabetes mellitus found that coronary heart disease rates were significantly lower in women who reported moderate alcohol intake than in those who reported drinking no alcohol. It is also said that the moderate consumption of alcohol increases the survivability of heart attacks. Men who consume two to four drinks of alcohol after a heart attack are less likely to experience a second heart attack than the abstainers, according to a study of 353 male heart attack survivors. Researchers found that men who consumed an average of two drinks of alcohol per day were 59% less likely than non-drinkers to have another heart attack. The moderate consumption of alcohol appears to be more effective than most other lifestyle changes that are used to lower the risk of heart and other diseases. However, only cessation of smoking is more effective. 

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 26 research studies (cohort or case-control) found that consuming two drinks per day is associated with a reduced risk of ischemic stroke. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that consuming one or two drinks a day can reduce the risk of ischemic stroke by about half. Its findings support the National Stroke Association Stroke Prevention Guidelines regarding the beneficial effects of moderate alcohol consumption. Alcohol contains calories, but drinking alcohol doesn't lead to weight gain according to extensive medical research, and many studies report a small reduction in weight for women who drink. For those who suffered Alzheimer’s disease and other Dementia, older people who drink in moderation generally suffer less mental decline than do abstainers, another study finds. Over one thousand persons age 65 and older were studied over a period of seven years. Overall, light and moderate drinkers experienced less mental decline than did non-drinkers.

Alcoholic Liver Disease . Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) encompasses a spectrum of injury, ranging from simple steatosis to frank cirrhosis. It may well represent the oldest form of liver injury known to mankind. Alcohol remains a major cause of liver disease worldwide. It is common for patients with ALD to share the risk factors for simultaneous injury from other liver insults. The possible factors that can affect the development of liver injury include the dose, duration, and type of alcohol consumption, drinking patterns, gender, ethnicity, and associated risk factors, including obesity, iron overload, concomitant infection with viral hepatitis, and genetic factors. The spectrum of alcohol-related liver injury varies from simple steatosis to cirrhosis. These are not necessarily distinct stages of evolution of the disease, but rather, multiple stages that may be present simultaneously in a given individual. These are often grouped into three histological stages of ALD, including fatty liver or simple steatosis, alcoholic hepatitis (AH), and chronic hepatitis with hepatic fibrosis or cirrhosis. Fatty liver develops in about 90% of individuals who drink more than 60 g /day of alcohol, but may also occur in individuals who drink less. In one study, continued alcohol use (> 40 g/day) increased the risk of progression to cirrhosis to 30%, and fibrosis or cirrhosis to 37%. Fibrosis is believed to start in the perivenular area and is influenced by the amount of alcohol ingested. The amount of alcohol ingested is the most important risk factor for the development of ALD. The type of alcohol consumed may influence the risk of developing liver disease. Another factor that has been identified is the pattern of drinking. Drinking outside of meal times has been reported to increase the risk of ALD compared with those who consumed alcohol only at mealtimes. In addition to environmental factors, genetic factors predispose to both alcoholism and ALD. Children of alcoholics raised in adopted families had a significantly higher rate of alcohol dependence than adopted children of non-alcoholics, who served as controls. All patients with AH or advanced ALD should be assessed for nutritional deficiencies (protein-calorie malnutrition), as well as vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Those with severe disease should be treated aggressively with enteral nutritional therapy.

Osteoporosis . It is a disease of bones that leads to an increased risk of fracture . Calcium is an essential nutrient for healthy bones, and alcohol is its enemy. This is because alcohol has multiple effects on calcium. When you take too much alcohol as in 2 to 3 ounces of alcohol every day, the stomach does not absorb calcium adequately. Researches proved that alcohol interferes with the pancreas and its absorption of calcium and vitamin D. Alcohol also affects the liver, which is important for activating vitamin D and also important for calcium absorption. The hormones important to bone health also go awry. Some studies suggest that alcohol decreases oestrogen and can lead to irregular periods. As oestrogen declines, bone remodelling slows and leads to bone loss. If someone is in the menopausal years, this adds to the bone loss that's naturally occurring. There's an increase in two potentially bone-damaging hormones, cortisol and parathyroid hormone. High levels of cortisol seen in people with alcoholism can decrease bone formation and increase bone breakdown. Chronic alcohol consumption also increases parathyroid hormone, which leaches calcium from the bone. Also, excess alcohol kills osteoblasts . Nutritional deficiencies from heavy drinking can lead to peripheral neuropath which causes nerve damage to hands and feet. And chronic alcohol abuse can affect balance which can lead to falls. Heavy drinkers are more likely to suffer frequent fractures due to brittle bones and nerve damage. Those fractures will likely heal slowly. When you quit drinking, your bones may recover fairly rapidly. Some studies have found that lost bone can be partially restored when alcohol abuse ends.

Ways on how to stop drinking . Some people with alcohol dependence can cut back or stop drinking without help, but most are only able to do so temporarily unless they get treatment. For the western people, there is a safe level of drinking. Given that, it is fair to say that low intake, along the lines of 4-8 ounces of wine per day, is likely safe. Alcoholism can be prevented in teens by clear communication by parents about the negative effects of alcohol, as well as about their expectations regarding drug use. Teen participation in extracurricular activities has therefore been revealed to be an important prevention measure for the use of alcohol in this age group. It can also be revented by limiting the availability of alcohol and enforcing rules that address issues like drinking while driving. Specific examples of limiting the accessibility of alcohol might involve raising the cost of alcohol and restricting when and where alcohol can be consumed. With treatment, about 70% of people with alcoholism are able to decrease the number of days they consume alcohol and improve their overall health status within six months. There are numerous individual treatments for alcoholism. Relapse prevention uses methods for recognizing and amending problem behaviours. Individualized drug counselling specifically emphasizes short-term behavioural goals in an attempt to help the individual reduce or stop the use of alcohol altogether. Some treatment programs include drug testing. Twelve-step recovery programs like Alcoholics Anonymous are individualized drug-counselling methods. Motivational enhancement therapy encourages the person suffering from alcoholism to increase their desire to participate in therapy. Urge control is an approach to changing patterns that lead to drug or alcohol use.

In conclusion , most people don't think of alcohol as a drug but it is. Alcohol abuse has destroyed more lives, broken apart more families, caused more diseases and contributed to more auto fatalities than any other drug. It is the major contributing factor in the growing epidemic of domestic violence. More than half of all adults drink, but not everyone who drinks is an alcoholic. Alcoholism is a complex psychosocial disease. Those who drink risk becoming an alcoholic. It impairs your judgement and affects the way you think, feel and communicate. The cause of alcoholism is still unknown but like heart disease, there are both controllable and uncontrollable risk factors. Those who are poor or under great stress will also be at risk for alcoholism. Satisfying the urge to drink becomes the top priority in the alcoholic's life. This urge can become stronger than sexual needs, stronger than the need to satisfy hunger, stronger even than the need for survival. The urge to get high with alcohol becomes linked to all other aspects of life. Tension, depression, anger and excitement can all trigger the desire to take a drink. However, no matter how long an alcoholic has been sober, he or she will always be at risk for alcohol abuse. As time passes with sobriety, the urge to drink weakens and occurs less often, but it can return with ferocious and overpowering strength at any time. Alcoholism is treatable but only if the person who is drinking is willing to admit she / he has a problem and is willing to accept help. Alcoholism is a disease that is characterized by denial, so while you may not be able to change the behaviour of someone you love, you still need to get help for yourself because alcoholism becomes a family illness.