Alcoholism and Drug Abuse: Roots, Effects, and Prevention

Alcoholism is one of the most intractable and pervasive psychological disorders known. Though the negative health consequences of alcohol are widely understood, and, if anything, the social consequences of alcoholism are even more widely acknowledged, it seems that no matter what steps are taken by public health officials or private organizations, no strategy can ever be fully developed for eradicating alcoholism. There are a number of reasons why this is true. This paper will explore some of the social and medical problems created by alcohol, but in it I will also consider the role of alcohol in my personal life and the way I have seen the disease play out in the lives of people around me. The paper will also examine the social and political responses to the problem of alcoholism and attempt to determine where productive approaches have been taken and areas where mistakes have been made. Before discussing such wide-ranging questions, it is important to understand what alcoholism is and how it is manifested.

As of January 2015 alcohol related deaths were represented as accountable for approximately 6% of deaths worldwide. That is 3.3 million deaths from alcohol related car accidents to alcohol poisoning. The consumption of alcohol can be tied with being a factor in a variety of diseases, disabilities, tragedies, and crimes. An estimate of over 76 million people suffer from alcohol dependence and abuse. Consumption of alcohol can become a serious threat to personal and public health when an individual engages in activities such as binge drinking or drinking while driving. In other words, harmful drinking is anytime an individual becomes unable to have full perception and control of his/her surroundings because of alcohol. Harmful drinking can also be defined as a pattern of alcohol consumption causing health problems that are directly connected to alcohol.

For years people have been abusing drugs and alcohol. “People take drugs because they want to change something about their lives”(www.drugfreeworld.org).

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

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.

If a foreigner were to come into America one of the most startling facts they would would be our liberal attitude towards alcohol. Alcohol is literally everywhere in America and we are not shameful of our love of it. Our televisions are filled with ads for alcohol beverages portraying happiness, our sport teams and stadiums are sponsored by alcohol companies and not only that but alcohol in America is cheaper and better than ever with thousands of options and varieties. A prime example of our affinity to alcohol would be the Super bowl which had over a 111 million viewers in 2016 and averages over a 100 million viewers every year (Pallotta and Stelter). If one were to tune into the super bowl and view the ads, it is not hard to notice that

Ms. A is a 24-year-old, Caucasian female. She was referred for a psychological evaluation by her therapist for her excessive use of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Disorder. Additionally, Ms. A stated she has been experiencing a loss of interest, low self-esteem and feeling anxious. She complains that her struggle with substance abuse has negatively impacted her interpersonal relationships, behavioral, emotional as well as her health. The purpose of the current evaluation is to (1) evaluate her level of functioning, (2) determine diagnostic impression and (3) recommend relevant treatment and service needs.

The purpose of this paper is about two substance abuse preventing program in the United States. Team Awareness is a preventing program that deals with behavioral risk that is associate with substance abuse among employees and their families. The purpose of this preventing program is to help individuals with social health and communication to improve the attitude towards alcohol. The program is about six to eight months to help employees and prepare them for the program. According to NREPP “Team Awareness is a customizable wellness program that also incorporates substance abuse prevention; it has been adapted for many different contexts.” Therefore, programs like team awareness help organizations that have employees that are having a hard time with substance abuse. The goal of this substance abuse program is to help with community resources and if they need to be refer to a program 12 step program. According to NREPP “ To achieve these objectives, the training focuses on six components: the importance of substance abuse prevention; team ownership of policy (embracing policy as a useful tool for enhancing safety and well-being for the whole workgroup); stress, including stressors, individual coping styles, and other methods for coping; tolerance and how it can become a risk factor for groups; the importance of appropriate help-seeking and help-giving behavior; and access to resources for preventive counseling or treatment. Team awareness is funded by the Peer Assistance

23.1% of all Americans have some alcohol use disorder, also known as AUDs, and 5% of those are children. Alcohol abuse is defined by the repeated drinking of alcohol to the point that it interferes with day to day activities, such as work. Also if you drink more than 7 drinks per week, for women, or 14 per week, for men, then you are considered to have a drinking problem. Alcoholism has dastardly effects on the people themselves and around them. We need to put an end to the emotional, physical, and economic problems caused by the abuse of alcohol.

The biggest problem is money, its money that defines all Americans life style. The world wouldn’t make sense if you don’t make a dime. People getting paid less doesn’t bother to care about their performance in the work force. With outdated equipment the job can’t be done correctly and budget cuts less hands on the project will have. This is causing a lot of pain as there are less cop forces on the streets and people getting hurt. It’s also causing a lot of distress as well because nothing is getting solved and people are starting to get angry. It’s the main reason why families break apart, individual misery and the root of alcoholism is money problems.

One out of every thirteen adults is affected by this. Fourteen million Americans alone suffer this disease, caused by a combination of physiological, psychological, social, and genetic factors. It destroys lives, tears apart families, and can even defeat the toughest of people. And now, nearly half of all teenage kids use it. I am speaking of course, of alcohol. Alcohol can only be defeated through proper funding, reform, and cooperation.

First off, alcohol addiction and abuse among teenagers today is a bigger problem than ever before. The root of the problem lies in the fact that the teens are so exposed to the culture of this day and age, leading them to where they have easy access to alcohol. For example, their parents may already be alcoholics, and it's merely a few bad decisions later which could cause the child to have a few drinks and cloud their judgement. This is a big problem because their young bodies have never encountered anything like alcohol before, so in turn, the body does not know how to process it, and therefore leads to their downfall. A publication released by the National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAA) suggests that by age 18, an astounding 60% of US teens would have had at least one drink. Moreover, according to the NIAA, youth between the ages of 12 and 20 will often binge drink as well.

This can sometimes be a confusing topic because alcoholism can be both a habitual (psychological) and a chemical (physical) addiction. Some people become dependent on drinking and need the alcohol every night (physical). Psychological dependence is drinking in order to function normally and feel good. The release of endorphins in the brain and the compulsion to drink more to recreate that feeling is even more pronounced in those who drink heavily. The more they drink, the more endorphins are released, the happier they feel, and the more likely they are to crave alcohol.

The negative effect of alcohol have been well documented and scientifically proven. The United States National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that “1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries.” furthermore “599,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 receive unintentional injuries while under the influence of alcohol.” These statistics show just how easy it is for young drinkers to abuse alcohol. Many young drinkers are aware of such statistics. Despite that they continue to consume alcohol. Perhaps we’ll never be able to completely eliminate drinking from our society, historically there have been attempts to ban alcohol in many countries, none of them

Everyday around the world alcoholics attempt to quit drinking, with many succumbing to addiction once more. Alcohol can be highly addictive and plaguing the lives of alcohol abusers. When alcoholics do attempt to quit drinking alcohol, they go through various withdrawal symptoms that complicates the road to sobriety. Quitting alcohol is far from a simple process and will require initiative and perseverance. Although many attempt to quit alcohol by simply by going “cold turkey,” there are various steps people can follow to successfully quit drinking alcohol. For those struggling with alcohol abuse, sobriety can revitalize and save the life of the addict.