It seems to have become widespread and acceptable that young men and women drink a lot of alcohol. I read an article in the newspaper the other day, and the writer said that since becoming pregnant she had stopped drinking, but that binge drinking was the ‘norm’ amongst her companions and friends, and that this was now not just the behaviour of a foolish few.

As a psychiatrist and doctor and as someone who once worked in a unit for those having alcohol related problems, I can only say that I am not only shocked but very saddened at the present trends. I see a generation, or even more, gradually wiped out of normal life in the future.

The young men and women in the unit at that time – over thirty years ago, had an addiction to alcohol and many had short term memory damage to different degrees. One young woman, within a few minutes of her daughter going home from visiting, didn’t even know she had a daughter. This woman was in her early thirties, with her whole future life ruined by brain damage due to alcohol.

But, even their alcohol intake was not at the level of today’s ‘norm’, even for those with problems requiring admission to the unit. People differ in their tolerance to alcohol, but few brains and livers will withstand the present onslaught for very long, and women are and always have been more vulnerable to alcohol damage.

The most worrying aspect of this for me as a psychiatrist is not only the damage which is gradually but irrevocably being caused, but that these young people disregard or show contempt about any medical advice about alcohol. Not only that, but they are also unconcerned about the dangers which they often put themselves in as a result of being drunk – in particular, of women being raped or having sexual relations with lack of total awareness .

What has happened to self-respect, self control or to moral standards? I am not talking about religion. It seems that the focus of behaviour has descended from the brain, with its knowledge, common sense and sense of values, to the genital areas and the stomach. But, it is the brain which ultimately takes everyone through life and by acting on beliefs and values will determine not only our lives on earth but our destiny after death.

Every adult has a right to decide what pattern of behaviour they choose, and if they choose a path that leads ultimately to illhealth or worse, that is up to them. Sadly, however, many of the drinkers are not adult, and parents have reneged on supervision. Damage to the brain cannot be reversed and there are no brain transplants likely in the future.

A future of love, marriage, friendship, parenthood, responsibility and career is over once the brain is damaged. Short term memory damage leaves few options. 

The downward slippery slope has become wider and steeper and is collecting more and more into its path of destruction. Knowledge is being ignored at the young drinker’s peril.

What has to happen for change to take place in the attitude and behaviours of these young drinkers and how can change take place when hedonism is the law of the day, purchase of alcohol is both cheap and without time limits, supervision and advice for of many teenagers is nil, and profit is the God for those who produce and market the alcohol. 

Unless something changes dramatically, there is a generation (or two) who haven’t got a chance! The government should be preparing for the brain damaged young as well as for the demented or needy old.

Several years ago I wrote this poem. It is now a song, the music written by Toby Huelin and can be heard on Soundcloud/Toby Huelin.  The poem puts this problem in a different, metaphorical way, in an attempt to get the message across, somehow.

Flowers in the Rain

A grey sky, stormy clouds

Rain batters fragile flowers

After months of slow perfecting

They are weak against its powers

Petals fall as live confetti

To the path, their beauty gone

All that effort washed away

A heavy shower, it wasn't long

They cannot now return

Their time is lost forever

Another season, another crop

Old stems a knife will sever

The plant cannot feel sadness

Fortune relieves it of regrets

Because it has no memory

It neither remembers, nor forgets

But, we are different, we do both

We can withstand mere rain

We can tend the fallen plant

And help new growth to gain

But should we inflict damage

And destroy our healthy brain

Our time of beauty will be gone

Like the flowers in the rain

This poem is copyright©A Coatesworth 2009

Sometimes I wish that I had never trained or worked as a doctor or psychiatrist – then, maybe in ignorance, I wouldn’t care. As it is I did and I do care while acknowledging the freedom to choose – but  that freedom should be guided by knowledge.

The only thing I can do now that I am retired from clinical work is to write , using my ability and knowledge, in the hope that one day the poems may be read and their messages realised - see my books on www.plppublishings.com

 Audrey Coatesworth. MB ChB. MRCsych