A Look at Alcoholism in the Biblical Tradition

Alcohol has been a constant companion of man throughout human history on Earth; this comprises its negative side, the severe consequences of excessive drinking and alcohol addiction. The holy books of different religions contain more than 3000 year old written guidelines to turn humans from the negative effects of alcohol. We can thus find warnings against alcohol abuse in the Old and New Testament of the Bible, as well as descriptions of the destructive impact and often fatal consequences of alcohol abuse on individuals and their immediate surroundings and beyond. Europe, including Slovenia, is facing severe difficulties caused by the syndrome of alcohol dependence. Experts characterize Slovenia as a "wet society" as it statistically ranks fifth among the Member States of the European Union in terms of per capita consumption of alcohol. In recent years registered alcohol consumption in our country has ranged on average between 10 and 13 liters of pure alcohol per adult per year. Consequences of alcohol dependence can be observed in all aspects of human life, personal, social, health and economic.