Consequences Of Excessive Consumption Of Alcohol In The Mental Health Of Chilean Young People

Consequences of excessive consumption of alcohol in the mental health of Chilean young people

Alcohol is a depressing substance of the central nervous system (SNC), which can cause dependence. Its harmful consumption implies a great social and economic burden for countries, and is associated with more than 200 diseases and disorders, including behavioral and mentally. The risk factors associated with the harmful consumption of alcohol are economic development, substance availability, and culture, among others. There is a direct relationship and the probability that it develops alcohol -related problems. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), a 5.1% of the world burden of morbidity and injuries are caused by alcohol .

Chile is among the first five countries with the highest alcohol consumption in the region of the Americas. According to the most recent version of the National Health Survey (Ease) carried out in 2016-17, the prevalence of risky alcohol consumption according to age groups is 12.2% for adolescents between 15-19 years, while in thecase of young adults this consumption amounts to the 18.8% figure. The general prevalence of alcohol in Chile is 11.7%, that is, a percentage point decreased with respect to the 2009-10 Ens. In 2012, the prevalence of alcohol consumption in Chile among young people aged 13-18 was 36.5%, which is comparable to the data obtained in the US with 24.3% and the results obtained in Europe of 57%, all the results for the same year.

On the other hand, the ESC considered risky consumption of alcohol according to the disorders identification test due to alcohol consumption (Audit C), which through a survey assigns a score that classifies into 3 categories: low risk consumption,risk or possible problem or dependence. Another fact to consider the 2009-2010 TES is the number of days of weekly average alcohol consumption in the group of 15 to 24 years which corresponds to 1.47 days, without relevant differences between men and women within this rangeage (men: 1.54/ women: 1.34). In addition, it is revealed that the prevalence of problem drinkers (EBBA greater than or equal to 2) is 30.8 in men and 10.8 in women between 15-24 years.

Mental health disorders combine alterations of thought, behavior, emotions and relationships with others. Its prevalence is increasing, with repercussions on the health of the individual and at the socioeconomic and human rights level in all countries. Some examples of them are: Bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, dementia, developmental disorders (autism), psychosis and depression. The latter affects more than 300 million people in the world, and only in Chile, 6.2% of the population suffers from this disorder.

The report of the World Health Survey Chile 2013 reflects that in the Chilean school population surveyed (13 to 18 years) observes an early start of alcohol consumption, where younger students declare consumption at increasingly lower ages, although notsignificant differences were observed by sex, the percentage was higher in men. Which indicates that even preteens are exposed to ingesting alcohol, an action that may be influenced by their peers, in their classrooms, in their own school, in basic education.

It is known that excessive alcohol consumption is associated with low academic performance. It is important to know if this relationship exists regarding negative consequences in cognitive and neurological development. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the possible effects produced by excessive alcohol intake in young health. The following narrative review aims to determine the consequences of mental health in young people who consume excess alcohol in Chile. For this, studies carried out with young Chileans and studies carried out abroad, which reaffirm our goal, at the end of this review will be carried out, conclusions will be analyzed that synthesize the exposed topic, and stands will also be given for new opportunities and research proposals to this relevantHealth theme.

A bibliographic search was performed using the pubmed data search engine available on the UC library online platform, which were defined different mesh terms, which were: drinking alcohol, adolescent, mental disorders, chili drinking alcohol/adverse effects, mental disorders,adolescent. The selection criteria of the articles were studies carried out in the last 15 years. In the search, 5 articles were finally selected.

These results are detached from the articles found that seek to identify the consequences on the mental health of young people who consume excess alcohol.

Risk factors associated with alcohol consumption in Chilean adolescents

When investigating the risk factors in Chile it was found that, at the individual level, there is association between the lack of school linkage, a higher level of dropout in the current academic year and background of bullying as risk factors for alcohol consumption. Other factors to highlight are in the development of the habit of drinking are: the greatest purchasing power, influence of friendships and/or parents with consumption history. In addition, a link between depression and harmful substances (drugs) is reported, which is higher in female adolescents. In this research it is evident that an important level of school dropout and bullying is a risk factor for alcohol consumption. Also, school teenagers with greater monetary resources, they are also related to the consumption of alcoholic beverages. So it follows that young Chileans with different conditions are facing an important risk of alcohol consumption.

In the study of Bousoño, it seeks to investigate the association between consumption of potentially addictive substances with suicidal ideation. People between 14 and 16 were studied, the main causes of suicidal ideation are due to mental health disorders and the main risk factor was alcohol. The results show that both adolescents and young adults in Chile report excessive consumption of alcohol and significant mental problems;as well as a relationship between both factors. The results reported by Mason-Jones and Cabieses, suggest association between excessive alcohol consumption and mental health problems, understand anxiety, self-informed depression and depression with medical diagnosis. This study shows that both adolescents and Chilean young adults report high levels of excessive alcohol consumption and significant mental problems;as well as an interdependence relationship between both factors. Both Bousoño and Mason – Jones emphasize that excessive alcohol consumption is related to significant mental problems, both mention that in Chile alcohol intake in adolescents is important. So mental health problems could be present in our young people because of alcohol.

Gaete and Araya, manage to determine the factors associated with alcohol consumption in Chile, finding the following: the consumption of adolescents is significantly correlated with the school context, especially in the case of drinking. As for personal factors, we find that students and older students, students who had more money to spend every month, those who began using cigarettes and cannabis at an early age, those who perceived alcohol consumption as less riskyIf you spend more time with friends (without parental supervision), especially if these friends drank alcohol and students with parents who had a drug use history, currently consumed alcohol, and they didn’t care if students used alcohol or cannabisIt is associated with a greater probability of drinking. In addition, an epidemiological change found in other places is confirmed: girls consume cigarettes at an equal or greater pace than boys and drink alcohol more frequently than children, there is a relational link between depression and substance consumption that is greaterIn girls who in boys. Therefore, we can identify that alcohol consumption is one of the main problems among adolescents and mainly Chilean schoolchildren, since it is a drug of wide availability and easily accessible, especially if students have the resources to acquire it. In addition, it is concluded that alcohol consumption is an entrance door to other harmful substances, that is, drugs in its different forms and types of presentation. Therefore, this is an urgent problem that must be solved.

Consequences on mental health in young people who consume excess alcohol

In order to reaffirm that excessive alcohol consumption causes mental health problems, studies from other countries that confirm our objective are added to this review.

In a quantitative cross -sectional study, only Australian university students were included between 18 and 24 years, students were invited to participate in the study via mail. The data were collected via online survey by trained personnel. It is reported that 44% of the young people surveyed had a risky consumption of alcohol. This group had 1.2 times more likely to inform psychological problems than those students with lower consumption levels. Media/high psychological anguish is significantly associated with dangerous or harmful consumption levels. Finally, the association between moderate or dangerous alcohol consumption and academic performance is detailed, including being late for classes, number of missing classes, inability to concentrate on class and inability to complete assignments. The association in this study is important, since university students are exposed to the academic stress of the upper student life, stress that affects mental health through anxiety and other psychological disorders. This should be added the psychological problems associated with high alcohol consumption. Therefore, it is understood that young university students are significantly more exposed to mental and psychological problems due to alcohol and their student load.

Through a study carried out in adolescents from Principality of Asturias (Spain) the association between potentially addictive substance consumption, inappropriate use of the Internet, psychopathology and suicidal ideation in adolescents was investigated. It was found that among the main variables that predict suicidal ideation are: previous suicide attempts, the presence of depressive symptoms, maladaptive or pathological use of the Internet, alcohol consumption and problems with their school classmates. Alcohol, being an addictive substance, can cause serious psychological and even psychiatric problems. Since, those who have severe dependence on alcohol can have important depressive symptoms, being able to attempt against their own life.

Results indicate that excessive alcohol consumption is related to the decrease in memory and verbal learning. In addition, there is a poor visuosopacial functioning with alterations in psychomotor speed, work memory, decrease in gray matter and increased white substance. It is believed that this increase is due to the greater myelination of axons, which allows more efficient communication between brain regions. These changes are related to improved information processing, which is required for complex cognitive abilities, so the adolescence period is crucial for development and brain can be more vulnerable to the effects of excessive use of alcohol and drugs. Therefore, from this article it follows that excessive use of alcohol during adolescence is worrying because this is a stage characterized by significant neuronal development.

All the literature analyzed in this review converge in its conclusions, pointing out that the excessive consumption of alcohol in adolescents in no way is harmless, since it harms not only in neurological development, but also has adverse consequences on the mental health of childrenand adolescents for unbalance in the development of behavior and implications at the psychological level, such as impulsivity, anxious or depressive disorders, suicidal thoughts, lack of motivation and/or concentration and decreases in self – esteem.

It is necessary that health efforts focus on the education of the population in early stages, focusing not only on children and adolescents, but also their community and family nucleus, teaching what are the desired behaviors and habits, establishing clear limits and promotingself-care of health in all its parameters. The reduction of tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs has been included as part of the Strategic Health Plan of Chile for the 2011-2020 decade promoting school and community interventions since many of the risk factors associated with early and excessive alcohol consumption are modifiable. In addition, there is already evidence that bullying prevention programs reduce smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and cannabis consumption, probably promoting a positive interest and the participation of school personnel and establishing firm limits between acceptable and unacceptable behaviors.

Alcohol is a public health problem due to its high prevalence and its harmful consequences in the lives of people and societies, therefore, we emphasize the need to apply public policies with greater impact to reduce alcohol consumption inThe population, which recognizes inequities and focuses on the social determinants of health for its construction. The need to guide the approach of these preventive policies in early stages of life, with the aim of delaying the beginning of alcohol use, educating in responsible consumption and avoiding abuse of this substance in adult ages and with special emphasis on childrenand adolescents due to the deterioration of the main spheres of their life. It is also essential for the good development and care of the mental health of the young people that the spaces of healthy coexistence are promoted within the educational and environmental establishments of this.

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