Alcohol Addiction Is The High Risk Of Relapse

At the beginning of the 21st century, it was estimated that the annual number of deaths related to excessive drinking exceeded 100,000 in the United States alone (“Alcoholism”). In fact, in 1995, 140 million Americans were using alcohol is an abusing way (Ammerman, Ott, and Tarter). “It is a chronic and progressive illness that involves the excessive inappropriate ingestion of ethyl alcohol” (“Alcoholism”). Equally, it can be characterized as an emotional and many times, physical dependence on alcohol. It is thought to come from a combination of a wide range of physiological, social, and genetic factors (“Alcoholism”). Even

The term “alcoholism” describes a drinker who is mentally and physically dependent on alcohol, and who would most likely have withdrawal symptoms upon trying to quit. This dependence prevents most alcoholics from being able to control when they drink and how much they drink. For that reason, alcoholics usually drink to excess despite the consequences. Alcoholism, like any addiction, is a chronic disorder which involves continued use despite negative consequences and requires ongoing treatment and management. This research paper will cover many aspects of alcoholism including the causes and effects of drinking and different treatment approaches.

There are few reliable predictors of relapse in alcoholic patients, whether or not they undergo liver transplantation. As stated throughout this paper, most transplant programs require patients with ALD to demonstrate a long-term commitment to alcohol abstinence prior to consideration for liver transplantation, typically for six months or more. This provides physicians further opportunity to assess the patient's ability to maintain sobriety and comply with the rigorous demands of a transplant protocol, and it permits some patients to recover from acute alcoholic hepatitis with medical management and obviate the need for liver transplantation. Many other centers will additionally ask patients with ALD to sign a binding contract to enter formal

Alcohol abuse is something that has affected countless lives, both mentally and physically. There are numerous disorders linked to this abuse, from Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorders to Alcohol-Induced Psychotic Disorder. These disorders have varying affects on the body and the person’s lives, and can cause serious injury and/or have serious side effects. A US Department of Justice study found that as many as 40% of violent crimes occur under the influence of alcohol. Of the 3.9 million Americans who received treatment for a substance abuse problem in 2005, 2.5 million of them were treated for alcohol use. Drinking alcohol to the point of dependence poses a severe health

Alcoholism is a very complex disorder. It is believed that genetics and several other biological factors are likely involved in the materialization of alcohol dependence, along with cognitive behavior, temperament, psychological and sociocultural factors. Alcohol use patterns including alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence are “familial” in nature (cf. Heath et al., Kendlerm Heath, heath Neale, Kessler & Eaves, 1992; Hesselbrock, 1995) Alcohol abuse is a drinking pattern that results In significant and recurrent adverse consequences. People suffering from alcoholism (technically known as alcohol dependence) have lost reliable control of their alcohol use. Neither the amount or kind of alcohol that an alcohol dependent person consumes

There is significant evidence that proves how damaging binge drinking can be to the development of an adolescent’s brain. The prefrontal cortex often continues to develop into a person’s mid 20’s which makes the brain more susceptible to damage from alcohol. The main problem with previous studies is that they only focused on adolescents who had already developed Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Up until now, researchers have been unable to identify the cause of AUD or determine how early a brain disorder can be detected in a teenage brain.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD), otherwise known as alcoholism, is the continual use of alcohol that eventually leads to becoming both physically and psychologically dependent. It is a chronic brain disease that occurs due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors (Delis et al., 2013). It has been proven that early exposure to alcohol increases the risk of alcohol dependence: those who started drinking before the age of fifteen are 1.4 times more likely to become dependent on alcohol than their counterparts who began drinking at a later age (Dawson, Goldstein, Chou, Ruan, & Grant, 2008). Exposure to alcoholics in the family also contributes to the likelihood of being dependent on alcohol. Nearly 1 in 4 adolescents are exposed

Alcoholism is classified as a chronic illness, an addiction that affects the physical condition of a person as well as the mental. With one in every twelve adults living with alcohol abuse, it is a possibility that the children of these people will grow up and follow their parents. In this pattern there is a never ending cycle of alcohol abuse and dependence that has resulted in alcohol being ranked as the third leading cause of behavior related deaths in America (Facts About Alcohol. 2015, July). There is a higher risk for teenagers who consume alcohol because their brains are not fully developed. The alcohol that they drink suppresses the brain and causes deterioration in memory and learning (Impact of alcohol on the developing brain. 2014). In this paper I will examine the source and reason behind teenage alcoholism and determine the effects the destructive drug of alcohol has on teenagers in different aspects of their lives.

To demonstrate an understanding of alcohol dependence, the reward system, a proponent of addiction, is briefly discussed in the news article. Although the article outlines the basic mechanisms underlying the reward pathway, it fails to encompass the complexities associated with neural reward, consequently highlighting the fallacies that exist within the article. Alcohol addiction possesses the capacity to induce changes in the reward and motivational systems, introducing deficiencies in inhibitory control (Koob and Volkow, 2010). Alcohol dependence may be characterized as a reward deficit disorder, highlighted by both impulsive and compulsive substance intake. Essentially, alcohol induces a state of

The world’s most popular drug, alcohol has both an acute and chronic effect on memory. Memory is the process in which information is encoded, stored, and retrieved. While an individual is intoxicated, their subsequent episodic memory of information or an even is reduced. Everyone suffers from a loss of memory at some stage, but drinkers are likely to make bigger mistakes and on a regular basis. “Alcohol is associated with a host of familiar cognitive changes, such as a loss of inhibitions, confused or abnormal thinking, and poor decision-making. Recreational alcohol users generally recover from its effects without any long-term problems. However, even short-term loss of control over normal

In today’s society alcoholism is seen as a deviant behavior that constitutes as a disease because of the addicted qualities. Some people are more susceptible to alcoholism, “Today, the disease narrative which dominates in the West casts individual biology (e.g., brain chemistry or the alcoholism gene) as the cause” (Young, 2011). A child of an alcoholic parent is more likely to be addictive to the substance themselves, because of the addictive gene. Another factor that would contribute to the child holding addictive qualities would be they failed to learn the normal drinking behavior, because they have only observed excessive drinking. Alcohol is a mind altering substance that impairs judgment and behaviors. It often causes the individual to act outside their usual behaviors; some individuals begin to exhibit aggressive behavior. The aggressive behavior is a result of the

Alcohol dependence is known to be the most severe form of alcohol abuse. A person becomes so dependent on alcohol consumption that he/she loses sight of all the other important things going on around him/her. Family matters and social responsibilities become secondary worries to his/her primary concern for existence, which is drinking (Stephens, 2007). Nearly fourteen million Americans are somewhat dependent on alcohol. Alcohol dependence is more prominent in men, and young adults ages 18-29 (Stephens, 2007). According to a study done by Saitz “85,000 deaths, along with substantial disability from medical and psychiatric consequences, injuries and “secondhand” effects (ex: motor vehicle crashes) are attributed to the use of alcohol” (Saitz, 2005).

Alcohol, marijuana, and methamphetamine have their own ways of affecting on the human body. However, all three of this powerful substances manipulate in one way or another the function of the brain (Levinthal, 2014). Alcohol, which is the number one substance being abuse in the United States, works as a depressant in a specific area of the brain. Levinthal (2014) states that “the depressant impediments in judgment and thinking of the persons” (p.204). This is the classic feature when someone is drunk. When a person losses its judgment and thinking, usually

Alcoholism is a very serious disease, which can cause illness, death, injuries, schooling problems, family breakups, and crime. It is a proven fact the alcohol kills more people than any other illegal drugs combined. However, alcohol courses freely through American society, from college bars to corporate lunches. In a recent journal article by The Scientist, it is stated, "Technology shows alcohol abuse changes brain's molecular programming and circuitry? (Scientist). Thus revealing that alcohol is a quick fix that will hurt us all in the long run.

Alcoholism has been a major problem in society for a number of years. In fact, alcoholism should be compared to a virus. This is because a person can never be completely cured from alcoholism; they can only fight the battle, day to day, hoping not to relapse. When it comes to the etiologies, or causes, of alcoholism, there seems to be three distinct origins of alcoholism. These causes are genetic factors, dependency caused by brain chemical imbalances after long-term use, and social and emotional factors.