Alcoholism: Genetic or a Learned Behavior Essay examples

Alcoholism has many differing meanings. If often means continuing to drink heavily in the face of significant social and health issues. Some view alcoholism as a social problem, others as a medical disease. The term can refer to feeling compelled to drink alcohol, and also an inability to see the negative influence heavy drinking has. Most indicate that current alcohol consumption is necessary for alcoholism, and others mention the long-term issues of heavy drinking such as dependence on alcohol resulting in symptoms of withdrawal.

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.

Having a father-in-law that is an alcoholic, my son may have through genetics, inherited some of the genes of addiction to becoming an alcoholic. Being extremely active in high school, he chose to participate

First, biological predisposition. SR grew up in a family where drinking alcohol was a past time, not only did his uncle drink, but his father was a heavy drinker as well. Addictions are moderately to highly heritable (Bevilacqua, & Goldman, 2009). SR’s childhood expriences and environment also played a part in the development of his alcohol addiction as well. He witnessed his family members drinking, and was often given alcohol at a young age, which more than likely led to the adoption of modeled behaviors. According to the learning model addiction is simply a learned behavior. The importance of environment has been theorized to reflect the important influence of social and familial structure that characterizes development across adolescence (Meyers & Dick, 2010). While his addiction probably didn’t develop during this time it seemed to be the catalyst for his later

Does the environment that one grows up in contribute to alcoholism or is alcoholism determined by genetics? It wasn’t until 1991 that alcoholism was considered both a medical and psychiatric disease by the American Medical Association. Alcoholism is defined in the dictionary as a chronic disorder characterized by dependence on alcohol, repeated excessive use of alcoholic beverages, the development of withdrawal symptoms on reducing or ceasing intake, morbidity that may include cirrhosis of the liver, and decreased ability to function socially and vocationally. (dictionary.com). It is also defined as an addiction to the consumption of alcoholic liquor or the mental illness

It is estimated that the number of adults, in the United States, who abuse alcohol or are alcohol dependent is approximates 17.6 million, or 8.46 percent of adults (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2015). These statistics present a primary health concern (Hart & Kisr, 2013). Still yet, an additional concern is warranted because of the family influences on the development of problems with alcohol and the risk for family members developing alcoholism—and other mental or behavioral issues (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2005). Evidence points to problems with alcohol that are associated with various family factors, such as spousal and parental use, use by children, family principles and attitudes about alcohol consumption, dynamics of family and patterns of relationship, and interplay of alcohol with biological and genetic factors (NIAAA, 2005).

Behavioral genetic research conducted on major health related behaviors such as alcohol consumption and other substance abuse disorders has shown that these disorders are an amalgamation of different components. According to Kimura and Higuchi (2011), “alcohol dependence is a common disorder that causes physical, psychological, and social problems” (p. 213). Plomin and Defries and Knopik and Neiderhiser (2013) stated that the path to alcohol dependence, depends on a multitude of factors, such as in the development of tolerance and dependence, the amount of drinks one has and whether one decides to drink or not (p. 297). The critiqued article The Genetics of Alcohol Dependence by Marcella Rietschel and Jens Treutlein uses association, linkage and genome-wide association studies to show that specific genetic variants are involved in creating alcohol dependence.

Contrary to popular belief, genetics account for about 50% of the likelihood that someone will develop an alcohol addiction. (Horvath, T.)

Alcohol like many other drugs can be addictive; the question is how our genetic makeup and environment play a role in this does? Alcoholism is a difficult condition that encompasses both the genetic and environmental factors. Like other addictive drugs, youths who consume alcohol are more likely to become addicted and remain addicted throughout their adult lives. Alcoholism has a very high impact on our society. The Center for Disease Control informs us that there are over 100,000 alcohol related deaths every year due to drunk drivers and other alcohol related injuries and diseases. Each day 65 drivers die in drunk driving accidents according to the California Capitol Report. In 1988, 25,000 Americans were killed in auto accidents involving

In most cultures, youth drinking does not lead to alcoholism. In contemporary Europe where children are frequently introduced to drinking at an early age and where rates of dependency tend to be quite low. “Given a setting where it is deviant (or even illegal) to drink at an early

Alcohol use disorders is one of the most prevalent mental disorders worldwide and rank high as a cause of dis- ability burden in most regions of the world. In 2003, the prevalence of alcohol use disorders was estimated at 1.7% globally, and these disorders accounted for 1.4% of the total world disease burden. (Grant et al., 2004, p. 223) “Children of alcoholics, or “COAs” as they are called—are more likely than children from homes without such problems to develop serious problems of their own” such as, children of alcoholics (COAs) are four times more likely than non-COAs to develop

Alcoholism which is known as the family disease has been affecting families for decades. This disease is not just affecting the one suffering from it, but the family in its entirety. A child growing up an in alcoholic family is four times more likely to abuse alcohol in the future. (“Children Of Alcoholics”). It begins with children seeing drinking as an everyday phenomenon, and beginning to perceive this as the norm (“Children of Alcoholics”). It starts to increase their expectation and reality of drinking at an early age and begins the process of accumulating an obsessive behavior, but that does not come from just anywhere. There are two components that go along with becoming an alcoholic and they are a physiological aspect and

The genetic markers can increase a persons addiction and make them susceptible to substance addiction, which will display through generation as an abusive behavior. Alcoholism has a dependency that effects the decision making and character of the individual, who is inflicted with the disorder. People dealing with substance abuse disorder generally have a dependency on drugs or substances and is unable to function properly without it. Since alcoholism can be hereditary, it can impact generations. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information it is proven to be hereditary, e.g., identical twins that are born to parents who are alcohol dependent are separated at birth and raise in a completely different environment will grow-up

Alcoholism starts as an addiction and then starts to become a habit; most alcoholics do not even realize they have a lot of tolerance towards the substance. Alcohol is a depressant that, like other drugs, may offer its reward by activating dopamine receptors (Grison 108). By observing my uncle and aunt’s behavior, I did notice

Long-term alcohol abuse produces physiological changes in the brain such as tolerance and physical dependence. Such brain chemistry changes maintain the alcoholic's compulsive inability to stop drinking and result in alcohol withdrawal syndrome upon discontinuation of alcohol consumption. Alcohol damages almost every organ in the body, including the brain; because of the cumulative toxic effects of chronic alcohol abuse, the alcoholic risks suffering a range of medical and psychiatric disorders. Alcoholism has profound social consequences for alcoholics and the people of their lives. Becoming addicted to alcohol is a gradual process that happens as alcohol changes the level of chemicals in your brain, especially gamma-amino butyric acid or GABA (which stops you from being impulsive) and dopamine (which is linked with pleasurable feelings). As the levels of these chemicals change, you crave alcohol to make yourself feel good again.