HBO documentary Risky Drinking showcases four people’s struggles with alcohol dependence. In the beginning, it states that nearly 70% of all Americans drink alcohol and certain aspects of alcohol consumption, such as signs of withdrawal and addiction. Withdrawal is symptomized by nausea and shakiness, and addition manifests in needing to drink more to become drunk as well as in drinking despite feeling anxious and depressed. Giving people’s life stories as an example, this documentary teaches a lesson about how people fall into addiction and can justify it. For some people, alcohol becomes an integral part of socializing; for others, it is an escape from reality. Some people suffer from physical consequences of withdrawal, for example, Neal, who exhibits violent shakes when unable to drink (Rare TV Stuff, 2017). Despite these consequences, people continue to consume alcohol which showcases the dangers of dependency.
The main lesson that this documentary teaches is that alcohol does not give up its reigns over a person’s life easier. For the four participants cutting down on drinking or stopping completely is a seemingly unachievable task, but not for lack of want. Once alcohol addiction has borrowed its claws into a person, it is extremely difficult to remove them, even if its consequences harm the drinker and the people around them. The way alcohol consumption harm both the consumer and their loved ones is exemplified in the case of Mike, who expresses violent tendencies towards his wife, and Noel, whose actions affect the lives of his children. These people are not oblivious to these effects, but they are too consumed by dependency to be able to fix the situation. The documentary does not provide a conclusion to these people’s stories, showing that recovery is a lengthy process that continues even beyond one’s separation from addiction.
In conclusion, this documentary provides an insight into addiction and its justifications by people who fall victim to it. It also shows how strongly alcohol can affect one’s life to the point of destruction of personal connections. The documentary displays how excessive drinking can shadow one’s perception of life, and how the addiction can hinder people’s strive to act upon their need to better themselves.
Reference
Rare TV Stuff (2017). HBO documentary: Risky drinking [Video]. YouTube. Web.