Alcoholism : Is Alcoholism A Disease?

From the website, Patient Info, recently presented a discussion in whether alcoholism is a disease or a lifestyle choice. One blogger expressed her opinion about how alcoholism is genetic and that parents, about how it is genetic that anxiety and depression is inherited from parents leading, to becoming an addict. But the blogger by the name of andrew69055 stated, “People would do well to work more on resolving anxiety and depression rather than using alcohol disease as an excuse…People need hope and motivation and the handed out excuse that it’s a disease is destructive….It removes all sense of guilt and responsibility. Cancer is a disease which the patient, apart from a positive attitude relies completely on the medical profession for their recovery. To put alcoholism and addiction in the same context is an insult to the cancer patient.” Like this blogger stated alcoholism should not be categorized in the same defense as cancer. Alcoholism is a life choice that people make in life. People are at free will to choose how they live and every move that they make.

The main components of treatment include confrontation, detoxification, and rehabilitation (Friedlander & Norman, 2006). Confrontation involves overcoming patients’ denial, convincing them of the consequences of continued drinking, and motivating them to receive treatment (Friedlander & Norman, 2006). Detoxification consists of removing alcohol from the body and protecting the patient from the effects of withdrawal (Friedlander & Norman, 2006). Rehabilitation consists of continued efforts to increase and maintain high

A broad range of medical and psychological therapies is currently available for people who struggle with substance addictions. The scientific community is working on evaluation of various treatments to determine which strategies offer the best chances of successful outcome. People who need treatment for alcoholism and drug use are very diverse group. Addiction is a disorder that requires an individual case approach; therefore, different ways to

Alcoholism is a chronic and progressive disorder (“Alcoholism”) affecting more than twenty-two million Americans in the United States today (Wholey 18). Alcoholics are prone to dramatic and

This means that there is no way one could be arrested for an illness, thus disqualifying alcoholism as a disease. The law puts in place sanctions against alcoholism in order to control behavior that is caused by the wrong choice, not because of a disease. Schaler (1991) contends that one should argue that alcoholics need support and education about the effects of alcoholism and how to curb the habit. It is suggested that the notion of treatment for alcoholism is misinformed.

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.

Alcoholism is a primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. The disease is often progressive and fatal. Alcoholism is a complex disease with physical, social and psychological consequences, but it can be treated through detoxification and anti-anxiety drugs. What will be explained in this essay is basically the history of alcohol, signs of one possibly being an alcoholic, possibilities to why one becomes an alcoholic, and treatments for it.

Defining alcohol use disorder as a disease has consequences for alcoholics. Former Canadian Mayor Rob Ford, who faced public scrutiny for alcohol and drug use, described is alcoholism as a disease, comparing it to being born with blond hair. Many hold that this argument was used as an excuse by Ford; an effort to distance himself from his inappropriate behavior (Fulford, 2014). Calling alcoholism a disease, argued by American health psychologist and expert on addiction James Prochaskca, implies that alcoholism is “something that happens to you…depict[ing] the alcoholic as a victim” (Fulford, 2014). Seeing the alcoholic as a victim of a disease somewhat negates the fact that their behavior sometimes causes the victimization of others. It is important to remember also that the alcoholic plays a role in their addiction by not deliberately avoiding the consumption of alcohol. “There can be no alcoholism without the presence or availability of alcohol” (Doran, 2014).

Relaxation, celebrating, and socializing are often reasons people engage in alcohol. However, the enjoyment of alcohol in moderation may become difficult for some individuals to manage when using alcohol as coping mechanisms or scapegoat, for other underlining issues: personal, social and work-related concerns. Unfortunately, lack of proper management may or can result into alcoholism. According to the DSM-V alcoholism is diagnosed as alcohol use disorder or alcohol addiction, in which a person becomes physically and psychologically dependent on alcohol to the point that he or she cannot function without it (American Psychiatric Association,2013).

Our culture promotes the belief that citizens should be able to consume mind-altering substance(s) of choice and not suffer problems as a result. The percentage that do suffer problems are convinced that, like all other drinkers, they have control over the substance. When alcohol makes their behaviour increasingly unpredictable and disturbing, the 'alcoholic' ego inflates and, with denial, assures the self and others that no problem results; it creates a grandiose delusion. "Alcoholics have to self-absorbed to make sure they are still alive. There sense of self is so tenuous that they live constantly on the edge of annihilation. Their barely cohesive selves may fragment at any time. Thus, alcoholics suffer from at least four kinds of self-pathology:

Drug use has been a part of human history since the beginning of time, with an especially steep incline in the 20th century. Amongst these drugs, the most commonly abused is alcohol. The National On Alcohol and Drug Dependence states that, 17.6 million people suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence. If this substance is so frequently abused, one must question what it is about alcohol that makes a person become dependent? Is it a choice or is it a side effect of the drug itself? In other words, is it a disease? In order to come to a conclusion on the topic, we must first define the nature of disease itself. According to Webster’s dictionary, it is “a condition that prevents the body or mind from working normally”. Based on this definition, alcoholism is a disease.

In counseling one frequently encounters individuals and families suffering from Alcoholism. Whether Alcoholism is a moral issue or a disease, it is complex to define. As a License Professional Counselor Intern, one relies on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) when assessing symptoms and behaviors. The DSM 5 is based on criteria and it notes alcohol use disorder as “a problematic pattern of using alcohol or another substance that results in impairment in daily life or noticeable distress.” Thus as a counselor one can define Alcoholism as a disease due to its invasive characteristics.

Alcoholism is a condition in which a person has irresistible urge to consume alcohol. When a person consumes more alcohol than his body limits is often termed as alcohol abuse. This behavior soon takes a shape of a painful disease that kills both his physical as well as the mental health. If he continues drinking for long, he will not be able to resist alcohol and will become totally addicted to it. This situation is called as alcoholism.

Alcoholism is a chronic brain disease of addiction. Diseases such as Cancer, Diabetes, HIV Aids, affect some type of cell in the human body. Every organ is made up of multiple cells that work together to allow proper functioning of the organ. These diseases may affect one or multiple organs in the body. There is a concern amongst researchers that alcoholism has a particular affect on brain cells. The disease of Alcoholism impairs a human being’s brain functioning, similarly to how other diseases cause impairment in organ functioning within the body. In order to fully understand this disease, one must be familiar with the brain and how the body processes alcohol. Alcohol stays in the body and waits to become metabolized, suppressing normal brain functioning when settled for an extended period of time after extreme consumption. To personal belief, alcoholism is a disease of the brain caused by excessive drinking. If

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.