Alcoholism: Victims Of Addiction

Many people believe the misconception that an addiction is a moral problem and not a disease. To better understand the reasons why an additicition is in fact a disease; I will identify several types of addictions, and the problems associated with them. I will examine reasons why certain people are more susceptible for developing an addiction. Also, I will determine why many addicts deny their problems and many recovery methods addicts use to fight their illness. Researching these issues, will help aid my claim that addiction is a disease.

In the past, addiction was often considered a sign of personal weakness or a social disease, rather than an actual health problem. However, in the 1950's the American Medical Association started to change the way addiction is perceived by declaring alcoholism a disease.

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.

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

Bruffee was unsuccessful in grabbing my attention because his persuasive ways were weak and ineffective. I find his persuasiveness to be imprecise with no correlation between binge drinking and loneliness. For instance, his claims are supported based on personal experiences and personal observations such as students having difficulty making a new group of friends, being desperate to belong and creating an academic background. Unlike Weschler, Bruffee does not use scientific studies, real examples and realistic solutions to adequately connect binge drinkers and introverts; therefore, Bruffee is less successful because he failed to support many of his claims, and his conclusion is incomplete.

The alcohol abuse definition is similar to alcoholism in that in both cases alcohol is causing harm to the drinker 's life and those around them. The difference is that those who abuse alcohol, but are not yet alcoholics, typically can put some limitations on their drinking and they have not yet become physically addicted to alcohol. The key to the alcohol abuse definition is not in the amount of alcohol consumed but on how it affects an individual. Alcohol abuse is a psychiatric diagnosis in which there is recurring harmful use of ethanol despite its negative consequence. In 2013 it was reclassified as alcohol use disorder along with alcohol dependence. There are two types of alcohol abuse, those who have anti-social and pleasure

Addiction is a disease known to have many affects on both a individuals body and life. Alcoholism often leads to destructive behavior that often leads to ruined lives. Thousands of jobs, homes, marriages, and lives are lost every year. Just like Rachael in the novel The Girl on the Train, many become so dependent on alcohol that they forget to take a moment and think about the after math of their addiction.

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.

Substance abuse disorders is easily defined when an “individual continues to use the substance despite experiencing negative consequences from their use. These negative consequences can include health problems; difficulties in their family, work, and social life; and financial and legal problems. They are said to be dependent on the substance when,” in addition to theses negative consequences, they build tolerance and experience withdrawal if they stop using the drug” (Martin, 2007, p. 265). Substance abuse dates back to the early Americans colonies with beer that was brought over by the pilgrims and more popularly the ratification of the Constitution to prohibit the use of alcohol

Mr. Byrne is living under the Barlow Rickets Bridge, Glen Park where he was outreached. When interviewing him personal questions about his childhood and his family system. Mr. Byrne’s stated that his mother and father was well respected in the community, thus no one knew about their alcohol abuse. The family system was his Parents, Mr. Byrne’s and three sisters. He discussed how his parents would drink and then fight, and how closes he was to his sister Catherine Daniels were. She would try to intervene in the altercation between their parents when they would drink. However, the father would start on the sister, Catherine and Michael would try to stop the father, and the father would end up beating him with the belt. These beating went on every

Substance abuse in the United States has become an immense complication that affects much of the population. In an article for Psychology Today, “Is Addiction Really a Disease?”, the author, Lance Dodes M.D., argues that addiction should not be seen as a disease, rather as a compulsive behavior. The author, substantially justifies the term “disease” as being explicitly used to label addictions, but rather complicates the reality of addiction for the ones affected and bystanders on looking this current event.

The Abuse and Risk of Children of Alcoholics Many children have falling victim of alcohol abuse parents. Children are not the same when being a victim of this kind of situation. Alcoholics are the reason for some of the children’s behavior. Scrolling through the internet, there have been 27.8 million children have been exposed to family alcohol. Children of alcoholics live in unstable and uncontrolled environments, which leads to suicide thoughts or deep depression.

The disease model of addiction and the moral model of addiction provide completely different explanation for the tendency of substance abuse. The disease model of addiction predates to 1784 when the American physician Benjamin Rush published a pamphlet which discussed alcoholism in medical terms and outlined treatments for what he considered was a “disease” (Atkins, 2014, p. 52). This model of addiction generally argues that it is not the individuals fault for their addiction to drugs and that not all, but some people, will inevitably become addicts in the future (p. 52). Inversely, the moral model of addiction does not view addiction as something that an individual “cannot control,” rather this model looks at addiction as something that an individual can certainly control but that the individual does not chose to because of “weak moral character” (p.52). Although both of these models have been, and still are, widely applied to other substances, the most common substance that it was used was for alcohol.

In conclusion, I went in this interview thinking I knew everything. I had 20 plus question on something that really didn’t matter. I learned that just by looking at a person you can’t tell their disability. When you already know what wrong with them now you never know where the problem really started. I learned that alcoholism is a disability that really does affect people and their everyday life. Sometimes we just got to sit back and listen because when people start talking your learn things you never knew.

Alcohol is the number one drug problem among America’s youth. More senior high school students use alcohol than any other psychoactive drug. Family doctors, pediatricians, schoolteachers, and parents know that alcohol is overwhelmingly the drug of choice among today’s youth, although trendier substances such as cocaine are often given more attention in the headlines (Carla Felsted, p. vii). Furthermore, it is widely acknowledged that drinking alcohol is a part of the youth culture in America; it may also be understood as a culturally conditioned and socially controlled behavior.