Alcoholism : A Complex Disorder

I grew up being told that addiction runs in the family and that it is inherited. The Etiology and Natural History of Alcoholism article (n.d.) does, in fact, mention that genetics play a role but other factors such as social, psychological, and environmental are also reasons to contribute to addiction. In turn, genes are not solely supported as the only cause for susceptibility. In fact, “[m]ost offspring of an alcoholic parent DO NOT develop alcohol use problems or disorders in their lifetime.” (Module 2: Etiology and Natural History of Alcoholism, n.d.)

“The statistical associations between genetic factors and alcohol abuse are very strong” (McNeece & DiNitto, 2012). However, there is still much debate over the validity of genetics as a definite cause for addiction. Perhaps, the reason for this is because the number of children of alcoholics that go on to become alcoholics is still small. Additionally, genetic predisposition cannot explain the number of cases of alcoholics that did not come from alcoholic parents or families. In fact, addiction can be so prominent, that it remains even after the drug use has ended (McNeece & DiNitto, 2012). Therefore, the biological theory should not be ruled as it is based on what takes place in the body. There is no other theory that can explain how a person could still have addiction symptoms when the substance is absent from their system. Predisposition implies that there is a mutation or malfunction in the body that appears to cause a craving or susceptibility to becoming addicted to a substance.

Many adults can enjoy a drink or two from time to time without any issues, but just one drink can cause over seventeen million Americans’ lives to spiral out of control. Though most people do not have issues with drinking alcoholic beverages, many have a condition which causes their brain to function differently when they consume alcohol. This disease can be deadly for both the alcoholic and those around them. Alcoholism can control someone’s life, and even though it is a societal issue that is still being addressed, more people are seeking treatment to better themselves. Alcoholism, excessive consumption of alcohol that results in dependence, is caused by genetics and environmental factors that result in harmful effects on the body of the drinker and the safety of society; however, therapy and support groups are helping alcoholics recover today, and medications undergoing trial could allow them to live normal lives in the future.

Why some people become alcoholics remains a mystery, although most scientists now agree that a combination of genetic and environmental factors increases a person's vulnerability.

Alcoholism has raised many debates over the truth of its nature. Many scholars argue that alcoholism can be treated as a disease. Such approach to defining alcoholism means denying that alcohol abusers own a choice. In consequence, the treatment related differs and may or may not actually help alcoholics recover. A wrong diagnostic of this addiction can lead to serious health issues; therefore, it is vital to answer the following question: Is alcoholism a disease? Most experts in this field criticises this view of alcoholism as a disease due to the fact that this theory simply lacks a cure. It also victimises alcohol abuser, hence, completely negating the power of will. Finally, the disease theory comes from a history of misinformation that has now resulted in the very source of confusion within our society. Alcoholism is extremely complex and affects all part of the abuser, the brain, the body, the genes, and the psychic; hence, it is hard to classify alcoholism as a whole Instead, it should be regarded in a case-by-case fashion.

While rising a glass every now and then may be okay, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to extreme alcohol abuse and even alcoholism. The society we live in is strongly prejudiced by alcohol, and affects people of all ages, gender, and background. It has been uncovered to millionaires to the homeless. Alcohol abuse has been a problem throughout the history of humanity; it is a disease which has caused many people to be overcome with trouble, problems, and debts also pattern of drinking that interferes with day-to-day activities. Alcoholism is a term that is widely recognized throughout the United States and the World. Alcoholism is a chronic disease, progressive and often turn fatal; it is a disorder and not due to other diseases or emotional problems. Many scientists have tried to pinpoint what Alcoholism is, and what this disease may be stemming from. Some people would dispute that alcoholism is only the over-consumption of alcohol; this statement is only somewhat true. An alcoholic is a person who relies on alcohol as a medium to help him or her deal with physical, emotional, or spiritual needs. It’s not always easy to see when drinking has crossed the line from moderate or social use to problem drinking. When dealing with Alcoholism a person over comes a lot of problems. Alcohol Abuse is high in the United States, “In the USA, 15% of Americans are problem drinkers, while between 5% to 10% of male and 3% to 5% of female drinkers could be diagnosed as alcohol

Alcoholism is an issue that a huge percentage of people in the world suffer from. Many people argue that alcoholism is an addiction but some may argue that it is a mental illness resulting from alcohol dependency. There is speculation about the cause of alcoholism but in truth it is still unknown to us. However, there are risk factors that can lead up to alcoholism. Many of these factors include: having a parent that struggles with alcoholism, stress, or if people live in a certain environment where alcohol is generally accepted. Regardless of what it might be, we can all agree that alcoholism can ruin a person's life and the people around them.

1. Biological Factors: Factors related to genetics and physiology of the person. Some people can control the amount of alcohol intake, while others enjoy drinking that urge them to repeat the behavior, turning it a habit. Alcohol dependence may be connected to up to 51 genes in several chromosome regions. These genes may be inherited by later generations, making them prone to drinking problems.

The primary goal of this paper is to challenge the belief that adult children of alcoholics tend to abuse alcohol as the result of bio-genetic composition, and to show instead the evidence that the unpredictable home environment in which alcoholics grow up may be responsible. I will also review the risk for alcohol abuse among and how growing up in a chaotic family environment affect adult children of alcoholics. Families with either one or two parents alcoholic they home life is in consist turmoil. They often have rules the children must follow and lack parental guidance. The children also to do not develop healthy coping skills and tend to be at risk of becoming alcoholic themselves due to their home environment. This kind of

It is a matter of debate among doctors and scientists over what the cause of alcoholism is, but it is classified as a disease. Steady drinking over time definitely plays a part, as well as the age of a person when they start drinking. A person who starts drinking at a younger age is markedly more likely to develop into an

Is alcoholism genetic or is it due to lack of self-control? Through research, Dr. Robert R. Perkinson attests that alcoholism is nothing to be ashamed of because it is genetic. There are different genetic types of alcoholism. Perkinson distinguished two forms of alcoholism. One type is an environmental related type of alcoholism, associated with recurrent alcohol abuse, but without criminality in the biological parents. The other type was found to be highly

For example, a person with anxiety or depression would be at a very dangerous risk of becoming an alcoholic because they would binge drink in order to get rid of the horrible feeling that they suffer on a daily basis depending on the intensity of their personal disorder. The percentage of alcohol abuser have risen since 2014. Overall, the main reason why people get so attached to alcohol is because they do not know how to balance and watch on how much they drink. The number one thing a person who drinks need to do is admit that they have a problem.

There are some long-term effects on the body due to the abuse of alcohol. You can end up with brain damage, and dementia. Common disease resulting from excessive alcohol consumption are pancreatitis, gastritis, hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, and heart disease. Alcoholics are also at risk for developing cancer in the mouth, throat, esophagus and even the liver. You can also develop psychiatric problems such as depression and anxiety which may lead to suicide. Woman who are pregnant shouldn’t drink alcohol because it will cause damage to the fetus.

People drink in many ways, for many different reasons. We drink socially, to gain acceptance into a group. We drink alone to ease stress, to cope with our problems, or we “drink because we like the taste or how it makes us feel”#. Often drinking is a learned behavior, starting out as a social drinker; you quickly become psychologically and physically dependent. When someone reaches this stage they are often classified as an alcoholic. To an alcoholic, drinking becomes a compulsion; they cannot stop themselves from having another drink, like a social drinker can. In many cases alcoholics don’t even have to drink continuously in order to be an alcoholic. One the problems of alcohol addiction is that it’s something that doesn’t just effect the individual but it effects, friends and family as well. Spouse abuse, child abuse and dysfunctional family relationships can all be influenced by alcohol abuse.

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.