Our brains are influenced and sometime driven by a variety of things in our life. Which one affects us the most?

Alcohol
Alcohol is blamed for its effect on people. Car accidents resulting from driving under the influence are the best examples that show the dangers of excessive consumption of the substance. Laws have prohibited operating vehicles when alcohol levels in the body are beyond a specific limit. Some countries are stricter than others enforcing these laws. Some religions have banned it all together.

The question remains: is alcohol the worst thing that affects people minds?

There is no doubt that alcohol drinking has been and still is cause of death and/or injury of millions of people across the world. When alcohol content in the blood is beyond a certain limit, the person could lose control of his/her judgment and capacity to drive. Sadly the repercussions fall on others.

Narcotics and drugs:
Have a bigger effect than alcohol on the body. The loss of control over one sense is very noticeable. The user of such substance is quickly addicted and in order to get more of it, he can become violent. Furthermore consuming such substances is inherently dangerous and is a serious health hazard; many die of overdose!

What about other passions that could prove to be more dangerous than alcohol and drugs!

Love
Yes love could kill. Without going into many details, many crimes of passionate nature are committed because of love.

Sports
Sports are noble games one may say. So how could they be dangerous?
Game spectators are bound to take sides. They tend to support and hail their favorite team or player and would feel defeated when they lose. Their excitement leads them to avenge themselves by aggressing the supporters of the opponent and or simply spilling their anger on city streets. We have heard horror stories following soccer competitions in Egypt and England.

Music, poetry/words and dance:
Once the audience of a musical concert/event reaches its peak excitement, violence becomes imminent. Such conditions could erupt even during peaceful events.
We must admit that some songs are meant to influence people’s mind. The organizers of such events become the puppeteers of the souls and emotions of the attendance once carried away by music. Some of the bloodiest battles in history were readied by anthem chants.

Politics
The influence of politics on crowds is beyond description. When a leader succeeds in implanting an idea in the brains of his followers, they become obsessed to the point of scarifying their lives in defense of that idea. History narrates so many stories of charismatic leaders (mostly men) who took full control of their subjects and leading them into battles where large numbers of them would lose their lives. Those who die are honored by being called “martyrs”. Politics has turned brothers into enemies.

Greed
The voracity to become richer and to accumulate wealth is blamed for causing millions of deaths throughout the centuries across the world. From corrupt systems, to crooks, to thieves, to bandits, to pirates, to barbaric invaders, to the mafia, the camorra and to so many other organized crime groups: It is all about illegitimately robbing others to become richer.

Race
It is a fact that without any control, every person is born in a different race. No one can change his racial origins/roots. People were judged and dealt with across the ages according to the color of their skin and other ethnic features such as the texture or color of their hair, their anatomical shapes… Some distinct ethnic features brought benefits to certain peoples whereas different features brought nothing more than obstacles to others. Hatred between ethnic groups has been the norm throughout the centuries; Social hierarchies were set in favor of the lighter skin. Whites have dominated for many years; darker skinned peoples were less esteemed in many societies. Blacks endured more atrocities than any other people. Until today in some the most civilized countries a lot is yet to be done to overcome ethnic pre-judgment issues.

Gender
Born to the same entrails as their male counterparts, women were always considered on the lower end. Until today, they are underpaid and fulfill job duties that men decline to do. They are society’s underdogs. In many countries inherit half of their male sibling and in some courts two women are required to make a man equivalent testimony. In many parts of the world to date, women are at risk of being brutally executed based on just a rumor that might touch their family honor. Moreover, influenced by past history, a large number of women defend the fact that they are treated as second class citizens in their society!

Religion
Religions also influence people behavior beyond any description. Even though religions are meant to define and regulate the people’s relationships with their creator. From early on and onto this day, billions of people have been mistreated, tortured and killed because they did not share the same beliefs of more powerful others. For many centuries, individuals and groups were slaughtered by blood thirsty others that belief that their gods needed the sacrifice of human beings.
Life after death has always fascinated human beings. Many have been brainwashed with what God wants or needs them to do in this life in order to secure a way into paradise once their life ends on this planet. Some decided to live as a hermit and endure harsh conditions in order to purify their souls under the perception that they will get closer to the Creator. Others kill in the name of God under the pretext of fulfilling His will. Those who believe that their God is relying on them to do His job are probably bewildered. God, all mighty, does not need poor souls like us to help Him out.

Conclusion
A man does not need to consume a substance to lose his mind. There are many other factors that could be more influential, more dangerous and deadlier. Education is needed to help new generations from being deeply affected by what brings misfortune to society. In this world, there is a place for everybody.