Tuesday, October 31, 2006 Religion and alcohol abuse
ALCOHOL abuse is a common and disabling disorder that has an enormous impact on the quality of life of the abuser and his family. Use, abuse, and dependency on alcohol have the tendency to become a long-standing problem often associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality.
It is a costly disorder not only because of economic loss from decreased productivity of the abuser but also from the increased costs of education, treatment and prevention.
Alcohol abuse is difficult to prevent and manage medically. Investigators have long been searching other means to prevent and protect individuals from being tempted to use alcohol.
One of the means suggested and extensively examined was religion, based on the assumption that moral values and psychologic well-being has a direct effect on individuals who use alcohol. Many religions and religious groups strictly prohibit the use of alcohol beverages.
Christian teachings approve drinking of wine to be part of ordinary life. However, drunkenness or excessive use or abuse of alcohol is considered sinful.
The following discussions on religion and alcohol abuse are taken from The Handbook of Religion and Health by Drs. Harold Koenig, Michael McCullough and David Larson, Oxford University Press, 2001.
At present there are considerable data from numerous studies suggesting that religion may prevent or discourage alcohol abuse in children, adolescents and adults.
Early literatures have noted whenever religion was included in the study, decreased in the use of the substance (drugs, alcohol, etc.) was always observed whether the religious variables were specified or not.
In adolescents, studies on alcohol abuse and religion have shown that students who are religious were less likely to use alcohol than students who indicated that they were not particularly religious.
Adolescents who said that religion is extremely important to them are at lower risk to abuse alcohol. Similarly, adolescents who are church members and frequently attend religious services have a significantly low rate of alcohol abuse.
Investigators have noted that religious values and norms internalized by the students were the most powerful motivating factor for not abusing alcohol.
Students who are more religiously involved are less likely to associate themselves with peers who drink.
Students who believe that drinking alcohol is a sin are more likely than others to abstain from drinking. And finally, the father's belief in God proved to be the most influential factor why young girls choose not to drink alcohol.
In adults' research have shown that alcohol use maybe influenced by the degree of religious belief. Uses of alcohol were significantly lower among adults who are religious, who go to church every week and who considered themselves born again.
Adults who frequently read the Bible or prayed privately have less problems with alcohol. Adults who are members of religious groups that strongly prohibit alcohol have lower problems with alcoholism.
However, alcohol abuse was higher among those who frequently watched and listened to religious television or radio programs.
If religion is preventive against alcohol use and abuse can it be used as a method of treatment? To answer the question we quote part of the notes of Dr. George Valliant a Harvard Psychiatrist "... alcoholics and victims of other seemingly incurable habits feel defeated, bad and helpless. They invariably suffer from impaired morale. If they are to recover, powerful new sources of self-esteem and hope must be discovered. Religion is one such source. Religion provides impetus for both hope and enhances self care..."
In summary there is an inverse relationship between religion and alcohol use. Adolescents and adults who are religious (whether measured by frequent attendance in church activities or by the intensity of their religious commitments) are less likely to use abuse or become dependent on alcohol.
