As a communications employee for a large corporation in Hanoi, Thuy Linh's week is filled with late-night gatherings and client entertainment. "If I don't go, I'm afraid of losing my job, but if I go, I have to drink," Linh confessed. What starts as a few social drinks often escalates to forced consumption, sometimes even drinking on behalf of her boss or colleagues. Her daily routine has become distorted: skipping breakfast, rushing lunch, and spending evenings drinking. She noted that at the drinking table, refusal is often seen as "lacking finesse" or "not knowing how to behave." For Linh, this "culture" helps her maintain relationships and ensures her work runs smoothly.

Recently, Linh began experiencing persistent stomach pain, heartburn, nausea, and fatigue. During a year-end party, she suddenly vomited yellow fluid mixed with dark blood, requiring emergency hospitalization. Doctors diagnosed her with stomach ulcers and an H. pylori infection, warning of a risk of hemorrhage. She was advised to rest and abstain from alcohol completely.

The prescription for Linh after each bout of stomach pain. Photo: Provided by subject

Similarly, Thao, 28, an accountant, earned the nicknames "alcohol god" and "tireless person." Since joining her company, she has never refused an office gathering, fearing she would be labeled "unsociable." Despite three consecutive years of alarming health check results, including elevated liver enzymes and declining kidney function, Thao brushed them aside, continuing to sacrifice her health for recognition in the workplace.

In many companies, drinking has evolved into a "survival culture." Individuals who can drink heavily, finish their glasses, and appear "unaffected by a thousand drinks" are often perceived as sociable, adaptable, and effective. Alcohol consumption gradually shifts from voluntary participation to a social obligation, especially during year-end celebrations, holidays, and birthdays. The drinking table often becomes a display of power, making it difficult for employees to refuse, even when aware of the health risks.

According to the World Health Organization, alcohol is a direct cause of over 30 infectious diseases and 200 other health conditions. Vietnam currently ranks second in Southeast Asia and third in Asia for average per capita alcohol consumption. Approximately 44% of adult males in Vietnam consume alcohol at harmful levels. This abuse costs Vietnamese citizens about 3,4 billion USD annually. During festive periods like Tet, this situation escalates, leading to a surge in poisoning cases and placing significant pressure on hospitals and medical staff.

The impact of alcohol on the body is often silent but devastating. Associate Professor Doctor Nguyen Quang Dung, Deputy Head of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at Hanoi Medical University, warns that prolonged alcohol abuse is the quickest path to chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular issues, and various cancers, including those of the pharynx, esophagus, liver, and colorectum.

Alcohol's destructive mechanism is complex. A 2019 study from Harvard University indicated that ethanol initially causes vasodilation, leading to a temporary drop in blood pressure for about 12 hours after consumption. When systolic and diastolic blood pressure fall below 90/60 mmHg, the brain experiences a lack of oxygen and nutrients, resulting in symptoms ranging from dizziness and loss of concentration to sudden fainting.

Beyond chronic illnesses, the "forced drinking culture" also pushes many individuals towards death due to acute poisoning, particularly methanol poisoning (industrial alcohol). Doctor Nguyen Duy Toan from the Emergency Department at Duc Giang Hospital stated that treating these cases is challenging because multi-organ damage occurs rapidly. When blood alcohol concentration reaches 310-400 mg/ml, patients begin to lose consciousness and experience hypothermia; exceeding 410 mg/ml marks the threshold for deep coma and respiratory failure; and above 500 mg/ml, the risk of death is very high.

More alarmingly, the initial symptoms of methanol poisoning closely resemble regular drunkenness, leading victims to complacency. Patients only seek medical attention when vision blurs, seizures occur, and severe metabolic disorders set in, by which time the brain and circulatory system have sustained irreversible damage.

Almost every week, Thao goes out for beer and wine with colleagues at work, fearing she would be labeled "unsociable." Photo: Provided by subject

To avoid becoming victims of such social gatherings, health experts recommend that men should not consume more than 720 ml of beer (or 60 ml of spirits) and women no more than 360 ml of beer (or 30 ml of spirits) daily. Mixing alcohol with soft drinks or stimulants should be completely avoided, as these accelerate alcohol absorption into the bloodstream, increasing the risk of acute poisoning. Crucially, if the body sends signals such as severe headaches, blurred vision, or hypothermia after drinking, individuals should immediately go to the nearest medical facility.

Doctor Dung advises that in a context where the "forced drinking culture" cannot change overnight, self-awareness of one's own limits and a firm refusal when those limits are reached is the last line of defense to protect one's life from the "whirlwind of intoxication" in the workplace.

Thuy An