Decreasing Company Dinners: Has Adult Drinking Rate Also Declined?

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[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hwang Du-yeol] Although the culture of forced drinking at company gatherings is gradually disappearing, a survey has revealed that there is little change in the drinking rate among the adult population in South Korea.

The year-end and New Year’s company gathering culture, which was once unavoidable, is changing. The drinking culture, where employees reluctantly drink alcohol they do not want to while watching their department heads, or continue drinking into second and third rounds, is on the decline.

However, despite changes in company gatherings and drinking culture, the drinking rate among South Korean adults has shown little change.

According to the 2022 Alcohol Statistics Report by the Korea Health Promotion Institute, the annual drinking rate of adults aged 19 and over was 78.1% in 2020, showing little change from 79.1% in 2010, ten years earlier.

Alcohol refers to beverages containing more than 1% alcohol, which are absorbed through the digestive system and broken down in the liver. During this process, a toxic substance called acetaldehyde is produced. If a person lacks the enzymes to break it down due to their constitution or excessive drinking, toxic reactions such as flushing, headaches, and dizziness occur in the body.

Excessive drinking causes various diseases affecting the brain, heart, digestive system, kidneys, and respiratory system, and also negatively impacts mental health, causing depression, memory loss, and learning disabilities.

Moreover, excessive drinking causes social problems ranging from disruption of daily life the next day to alcohol-related violence and drunk driving.

Dr. Kim Joo-hoon, a gastroenterologist at Daedong Hospital, said, “Excessive drinking can cause various diseases such as alcoholic liver disease, fatty liver, and acute pancreatitis, so caution is necessary.”

When drinking alone, some people fail to control their drinking and tend to overconsume. Frequent inability to control excessive drinking can lead to alcohol addiction.

Recent research has shown that people who have experience with ‘honsul’ (drinking alone) have a higher prevalence of alcohol addiction than those who do not.

Alcohol use disorder, commonly known as alcohol addiction, refers to mental, physical, and social dysfunction caused by drinking.

Like most substance addictions, alcohol use disorder is characterized by withdrawal symptoms or cravings when not drinking, or drinking more to relieve stress and seek pleasure.

According to data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the number of alcohol addicts in South Korea has steadily increased, recording 1,505,390 in 2018, 1,517,679 in 2019, and 1,526,841 in 2020.

On the other hand, the number of patients who actually received treatment among alcohol addicts decreased from 71,719 in 2018 to 71,326 in 2019, and 64,765 in 2020.

Dr. Yoo Young-sun, a psychiatrist at Daedong Hospital, said, “Since it is difficult to control drinking and treat alcohol use disorder on one’s own, it is important not to hide it and miss the treatment period, but to consult a mental health specialist and receive appropriate treatment.”

Dr. Yoo added, “Depending on the severity, counseling therapy, medication, and family therapy can be applied, but above all, the patient’s will and family cooperation are necessary. Since it is not a disease that can be cured in a short time, persistence in treatment is required.”

To reduce alcohol-related harm, the standard amount of alcohol intake per session for healthy adults is 40g for men and 20g for women. While these standard guidelines are important, it is crucial to know one’s own drinking capacity and not exceed it. If facial flushing or physical reactions occur, one should refrain from drinking.

When drinking, it is recommended to drink after meals, choose beverages with low alcohol content, drink slowly and in moderation, and frequently drink water in between. Avoid mixing drinks or forcing others to drink, and learn to refuse unnecessary drinking occasions or drinks you cannot consume for your own well-being.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.