A Brief Study on Alcoholism

Alcoholism (sometimes called Alcohol Use Disorder in the technical literature) is, essentially, defined as a dependency on alcohol for an individual to function in his/her daily life. The condition is related to but distinct from "alcohol abuse". In the latter case, an individual may be said to have a drinking problem, but s/he is not dependent on alcohol, i.e. alcohol is not a required part of that person 's life. This is an important distinction to make as often

The behaviour regarding alcohol consumption which leads to alcoholism varies wildly. It is impossible to predict the probability of becoming an alcoholic

Since the consumption of alcohol is necessary to develop alcoholism, the availability of and attitudes towards alcohol in an individual's environment affect their likelihood of developing the disease.

Alcoholism is a major social issue around the world today. The ProQuest Staff of SIRS Researcher defines alcoholism as excessive use of alcohol that eventually results in dependence, or addiction where the body craves a drug. There are roughly 140 million alcoholics currently in the world, which results in higher rates of crime, abuse, illness, car crashes, and lower productivity in work (ProQuest Staff). According to Dr. Mark Willenbring, most

To begin, research of genetics has shown some information on how genes support alcoholism being a disease. Genetics and the brain are connected as other organs, such as the heart and genetics are connected (Nurnberger). People can inherit heart diseases from their parents through their genes. There is no difference with alcohol. Alcohol damages the brain cells and can increase the chances of a child to become more dependent on alcohol. According to Nurnberger, “For alcohol dependence, about 50 percent is related to genetic factors and the other half to environmental factors, such as availability of alcohol and cultural factors” (Nurnberger). Although environmental factors play a high role in alcohol consumption, genetics, as shown, have played half the role. People become dependent on alcohol, and not only can it be hereditary to pass the gene to increase the chances of becoming an alcoholic, but alcoholism can even cause a change to other genes to possibly cause depression and anxiety problems (Nurnberger). Saying that alcoholism is not a disease when it can be passed through genes and alter other genes would be like saying autism is not a disease or disorder. The reason is because the brain is genetically altered, like alcoholism, and it can change other

Based on the results of Swedish adoption studies, some researchers divide alcoholism into two types. Type I, the most common, occurs in both men and women and is associated with adult-onset alcohol dependence. This form, also known as "milieu-limited" alcoholism, appears to be the result of "genetic predisposition and environmental provocation," according to NIAAA's 1991 publication Alcohol Research: Promise for the Decade--that is, the development of alcoholism in these cases is an interaction between inherited predisposition and the person's life situations.

On June 26, 2015, we visited an Alcoholic Anonymous Hispanic group called “Poco a Poco”. The group was composed of eleven males and two females. Their ages were thirty years old to fifty five years old, which puts them in the middle adulthood stage. The group that were participating in the AA meeting was composed of different levels of education and socioeconomic status. One participant that was from a high income background and the rest were from a low and middle income background. Next to the group’s room, was another group waiting. We did not know its name, but the members' ethnicity was non-Hispanic. We reached the location fifteen minutes early which gave us the opportunity to observe the two different

Alcoholism, also known as alcohol use disorder (AUD), is a broad term for any drinking of alcohol that results in problems.[1] It was previously divided into two types: alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence.[2][3] In a medical context, alcoholism is said to exist when two or more of the following conditions is present: a person drinks large amounts over a long time period, has difficulty cutting down, acquiring and drinking alcohol takes up a great deal of time, alcohol is strongly desired, usage results in not fulfilling responsibilities, usage results in social problems, usage results in health problems, usage results in risky situations, withdrawal occurs when stopping, and alcohol tolerance has occurred with use.[3] Risky situations include

Ellis and Zucker believe genetic risk factors play a role in the acquisition of alcoholism, such as physiological responses to alcohol, and the process of metabolization. They feel inherited biology is a significant area where familial influence can influence a child in developing alcoholism. However, Ellis and Zucker go on to say that the child¡¦s psychosocial environment cannot be ignored, since there is much familial influence in this realm as well (Ellis & Zucker, 1997).

Alcoholism is a pattern of alcohol use that is when people continue to use alcohol even though it may cause you to have different problems. Alcohol causes many health issues and can cause you to harm other people. Some people start to binge drink a pattern of drinking where a male consumes five or more drinks within two hours or a female downs at least four drinks within two hours(“Alcohol”1). If you start having problems with your everyday life you may have alcohol use disorder. Alcohol can be deadly causing car crashes and death to many who drink. Alcohol is a dangerous and unhealthy that is why you should know any treatments, causes and effects.

Alcoholism is defined as a disorder characterized by the excessive consumption of and dependence on alcoholic beverages, leading to physical and psychological harm, impaired social, and vocational functioning (dictionary.com). Alcohol is the number one drug problem in the

What is alcoholism? Alcoholism is a chronic disease where a person becomes dependent on liquor. One in every twelve adults suffer from Alcoholism. Alcohol is one of the most abused substance in the United States. There are over 80,000 death in the United States due to excessive drinking. Alcoholism has many names two of the most common are Alcohol Use Disorder, and Alcohol Dependence Syndrome. A person who is dependent on alcohol is usually called an alcoholic.

Alcoholism, or alcohol dependence, is a disease that includes strong cravings for alcohol and continuing to drink, despite repeated alcohol-related problems. Although alcoholism can be developed due to excessive consumption, a user is at higher risk when the disease runs in the family. The four main symptoms of alcoholism are craving, impaired control, tolerance, and physical dependence. 3,4 For most adults, moderate alcohol use is up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women and older people. Obivously, the safest way to avoid alcoholism is to not drink at all. But if one must intake alcohol they should try to stay around the moderate alcohol intake.

Dean (2010) notes there are a number of factors that contribute to, or put one at risk for, developing alcoholism. Cultural factors include society's acceptance of the consumption of alcohol and the role media plays in sending a message that drinking is glamorous. Genetics may also play a role in increased tolerance, a continuous craving and an overall increase in risk for alcoholism. Psychological factors such as low self-esteem, having a low tolerance for frustration and high expectations of oneself; gender, men are five times more likely to abuse alcohol than woman; and psychiatric

Genetic factors play a major and very pertinent role in alcoholism. In actuality, genetic factors may account for half of the total risk for alcoholism. Alcoholism is such a complex disorder that a single gene is not likely to be the main culprit. However, researchers are investigating a number of inherited traits that make some individuals more susceptible to alcoholism than others. Some of the examples are listed below: