Alcoholism Is Not Only A Disease

In the article, “Alcoholism is a disease”, it says that U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) explains that alcoholism is a disease. They say this is a disease just like diabetes or high blood pressure. They say you can also inherit alcoholism. It says that alcoholism can be “treated with and various medications, alcoholism cannot be cured.” it also says that “In the organization's opinion, the best treatment for alcoholism is to stop drinking completely.” NIAAA is the leading U.S. agency for research on alcohol abuse, alcoholism, and other health effects of alcohol. They say that the disease is so strong that an alcoholic needs alcohol just like a person needs food or water. It has also been proven that an alcoholic will continue to drink even if they have health problems or if their family does not

Alcoholism is one of our nation’s largest social issues to date, and carries with it many negative aspects, the most dire being death at the hands of this disease. Alcohol and alcoholism have been part of societies for centuries. This habit was brought over to the new world when the first settlers landed on the shores of what was to become America. Furthermore, in bringing alcohol to this new land an entire nation of Native American Indians were introduced to a product that has affected them more negatively than any other to date, and continues to suffer from today and probably well into the future.

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

Alcoholism has become one of the most prevalent diseases in our society today. The everyday pressures of life and the burden of worries that we face every day have served as a catalyst for this growing affliction.

It’s no secret that alcoholism is an epidemic. Anyone can fall prisoner to its call. Alcoholism knows no gender, no age, and no race. Alcoholism is an addiction to alcohol. This addiction is not a joke, or a reason to shame others. Its effects on people can be fatal.

Alcohol abuse can be considered a risk factor for injuries and a health problem that has its own risk factors, as well as, control strategies. Alcohol abuse, therefore, is analogous to diabetes, obesity, and hypertension, all of which are diseases and are risk factors for heart disease. According to Lamarine (1998), the Native Americans have experienced significant problems with alcohol, and this started since it was introduced by early European settlers in the culture of Native Americans. This paper addresses the way alcohol use and alcoholism is approached by Native Americans and analyzes the influence of alcohol use on the health of the users. Additionally, the paper offers recommendations to healthcare providers on how to approach alcoholism in the community.

What is Alcohol? Alcohol is a drug, it is a depressant that slows down functions of the body that are vital and when this is done, results can be unsteady movements, slurred speech, inability to react quickly, and disturbed perceptions. “Throughout every racial or ethnic group, there are some exact health concerns which are caused by a mixture of genetic, cultural, and environmental factors (AddictionBlog, 2011)”. For many years, Native American bystanders have recognized the disrupting effects of alcohol use in American Indian communities. The Native Americans have a higher rate of alcohol use compared to other ethnic groups, they are also at high risk of having fetal alcohol syndrome.

According to the Dual Diagnosis website, “In 2012, as many as 87.6 percent of American adults over age 18 were reported in a SAHMSA…study to have consumed alcohol at some point in their lives…The National Institutes of Health…estimated that 17 million adults in the United States in 2012 had an alcohol use disorder” (“Disease…”). Approximately one in every 12 people either are abusing alcohol, or they are becoming, if not are, victims of alcoholism (National…). Alcohol consumption is especially known in our society’s culture. There are numerous people who like to drink every now and again in moderation; however, there are far too many people who abuse the alcohol and may even be completely dependent on it. Several

Webster’s New World Dictionary defines alcoholism as a chronic condition which is mainly characterized by excessive and compulsive consumption of and dependence on alcohol as well as nutritional and mental disorders. This definition depicts alcoholism as a disease that is beyond one’s control. It has however been argued in some circles that alcoholism is a choice and the idea of alcoholism as a disease is a myth. Since it is an individual choice to take alcohol, alcoholism is a consequence of free will. Both sides of the debate are discussed in this paper and it is my conclusion that there is strong evidence that suggests that alcoholism is a disease that needs treatment.

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

Many articles have been written which ask the question: Is alcoholism a disease or not? We will look at both sides of this issue, see what the experts have to say and come to realize that alcoholism should be considered a disease.

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.

Alcohol abuse among Native Nations can be attributed to a number of factors, including the introduction of distilled alcohol and fortified wines from the European colonists, as well as current social and cultural factors. Prior to colonization, the Native population may have used alcohol in rituals and ceremonies but drinking to excess became an ‘acceptable’ pastime while they were waiting for annuity payments for ancestral lands sold to the United States.1 Extreme intoxication was common among many European emigrants and their behavior provided a strong role model for the social use of alcohol. Trappers, miners, soldiers, lumbermen and those who traded with the Natives were known for drinking and there are numerous historical accounts of

In the United States, 17.6 million people – about one in every 12 adults, abuse alcohol or are alcohol dependent. (NIH: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2012) The Mayo Clinic defines alcoholism as a chronic disease in which your body becomes dependent on alcohol (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2010), and indicates that more than 100,000 Americans die annually from alcohol related causes (Johnson) . Aside from the physical problems that alcohol addiction can create, there are frequently emotional and social complications. Alcoholism is a disease that harms not only the alcoholic, but also the co-workers and family of the alcoholic.

Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive and potentially fatal disorder which leads to physical and psychological harm, and impaired social and vocational functioning. It is characterized by tolerance, physical dependence and/or pathological organ changes, all of which are the direct/indirect consequence of the alcohol ingested (Light 5). Alcoholism, also known as "alcohol dependence," can be recognized by four obvious symptoms.