According to recent research, alcohol use is greater among men and women in rural India compared to urban India. Alcohol's global consequences have been little documented in India compared to the West. There have been several individual and societal issues brought on by its widespread availability and usage over the last decade.
There has been a lack of cohesion and coordination in the response to the issue, which has hampered efforts to address it.
Due to inconsistencies in methodology, it is impossible to provide reliable figures for alcohol consumption in India. Alcoholism is more common among males than women, with estimates putting the percentage of men who drink at 30% and the percentage of women who drink at less than 3%, respectively.
Drinking Habits by State
Rural and urban regions have similar rates of increase in alcohol use. It's interesting to see the spiral of alcohol usage commencing in transitional towns.
Many urban residents and younger people choose IMFL (Indian-made foreign liquor) and beer, while those living in the countryside are more likely to drink home-distilled liquor or rum. There are still certain groups, particularly in the northeastern portions of India, Goa, etc., where homemade brews are widely consumed. There are more male and female alcoholics in Arunachal Pradesh than in any other state.
For the ladies, the next most popular state after Arunachal Pradesh is Sikkim (16%), while for the guys it's Telangana (43%). In addition to the states of Arunachal Pradesh and Telangana, the regions of upper Brahmaputra in Assam, the districts of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha all have significantly higher rates of male alcohol consumption. The Scheduled Tribes have the highest rates of alcohol intake of any caste or tribe, with 33% of men and 6% of women reporting regular alcohol use.
Causes of Rising Alcohol Use
Recent studies show that there is a correlation between educational attainment, socioeconomic status, and drinking habits. High rates of alcohol use in low-income areas lead to higher costs, both directly and indirectly.
However, there is a lack of data on the factors that lead to alcohol use. It is common for alcohol use to begin in the company of friends and family and then proceed to lonely, habitual drinking. Many people in low-income areas turn to alcohol as a means of relieving their physical and mental discomforts, including sleepiness, anxiety, and pain. Many different aspects of society, including masculinity, dominance, power dynamics, and business culture, have been connected to alcoholism as a social construct.
Here’s a reminder for you that anything done in extremes can get unhealthy for us. Everything in moderation is the way to go.
(Edited by : Priyanka Deshpande)
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