Repeat alcohol discharge, more than half of them are in their 50s and 60s...Why Middle-Aged Drinking Is More Dangerous
Jun 02, 2025
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Experts warned that the drinking problem of middle-aged people should be alert in that it has a great impact on their families and society as well as their lives and health.
Dasarang Central Hospital analyzed a total of 3,716 patients hospitalized with symptoms of alcohol use disorder for four years from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2024.
As a result, it was confirmed that about 33% of all patients had been hospitalized more than three times. In particular, more than half of the readmitted patients were in their 50s and 60s, and by birth year, ▲ 974 people born in the 1960s, ▲ 882 people born in the 1970s, and ▲ 672 people born in the 1950s.
This, coupled with faster retirement, is exposed to complex stressors such as economic instability, weakened family relationships, and social isolation, and it is interpreted that it is leading to alcohol use disorders as it tries to easily solve these difficult situations with alcohol.
Ha Woon-sik, director of the Department of Psychiatry at Dasarang Central Hospital, said, "Alcohol use disorder is not just a problem of will weakness, but a medical condition caused by chronic and repetitive neurophysiological changes in the brain. Even though recurrence occurs frequently, early intervention by family members and treatment staff is delayed, and I feel sorry whenever I encounter patients who are repeatedly discharged from the hospital at the clinic." he said.
In fact, the success or failure of treating alcohol use disorders does not depend solely on the individual patient's will. As the risk of recurrence is high, family support and intervention play a decisive role in the continuation of treatment. Experts stress that participation in 'family education' conducted by alcohol-specialized treatment institutions is an important starting point for overcoming alcohol use disorders.
Why is middle-aged drinking more dangerous to health?
The middle-aged group has increased body fat percentage and decreased moisture content, making it difficult to break down alcohol even if they drink the same amount of alcohol as the younger generation. As a result, there is a high risk of various diseases such as cirrhosis, esophageal cancer, laryngeal cancer, and liver cancer.
In addition, drinking inhibits the function of the central nervous system by increasing the alcohol concentration of cerebrovascular vessels. As cerebral activity decreases, judgment and discernment decrease, emotional ups and downs worsen, and memory is seriously damaged.
It can lead to alcoholic dementia when it reaches the end of alcohol use disorder. Alcoholic dementia refers to a condition in which brain cell function is severely deteriorated due to excessive drinking for a long period of time, and cognitive functions such as intelligence, learning, and language are generally deteriorated due to abnormalities in brain nerve circuits. Unlike senile dementia, it is also accompanied by a decrease in frontal lobe function, making it difficult to control impulses, and revealing the violence of not being able to tolerate it well, being easily angry.
Director Haun-sik said, `Alcoholic dementia can occur sufficiently even at a young age"If you're in a profession that frequently encounters alcohol, take a close look at your drinking habits, and if you think it's difficult to overcome your own drinking problems, hurry to consult a nearby alcohol addiction treatment hospital or addiction management support center."
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This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
