The other day I was thinking of Jimmy Buffett’s iconic Wasting Away Again in Margaritaville, and it made me ponder the many ways that alcohol abuse can lead us to waste so much of our lives. Some areas are more striking than others, of course, but it’s truly amazing at how much damage alcohol can cause. Let’s take just a brief look at some of the waste and destruction caused by alcoholism:
MONEY: Perhaps the most obvious waste related to alcohol is how much money we have spent on it. This really strikes home when you think of how this money could have been better spent on food, new clothes, buying a present for a loved one, or simply saving for a rainy day. If you have been a heavy drinker for a several years, then the money you’ve wasted on alcohol could have easily bought a new car, a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, or been a substantial down payment on a beautiful home. Think about it: how much money have you wasted on alcohol this year? Or over your lifetime? Wouldn’t you rather have that right now sitting in a savings account, or available to pay off your bills?
TIME: A more insidious waste caused by alcohol is our time. Hours and hours, if not days and days, are wasted drinking instead of improving our lives. Alcohol abuse becomes very amotivational as well. That is, instead of being motivated to do things in your life your time is instead spent either drinking or thinking about drinking. Remember, you BECOME what you spend your time on, and spending time drinking or thinking about drinking is akin to planning to be an alcoholic.
ENERGY: A direct by-product of alcohol abuse is how is saps our energy … morning, noon and night. The catch-22 of this situation is that alcohol itself often gives a short-term burst of energy as it is initially converted to sugar in the body. It is only when one begins to sober up again that he or she can appreciate what natural energy feels like.
YOUTH: Alcohol is literally robbing you of your youth, whether you realize it or not. It causes premature graying, bone loss, skin problems (including wrinkles and discoloration), and much more. It is perhaps the singularly WORST thing you can do to your physical appearance other than smoking. Just look around at those in your life who have drinking problems. Don’t they look years older than they truly are? Unfortunately, if you have more than one or two drinks a day, so do you. (article continues below)