Alcoholism as a Disability

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.

Ever since I was a little girl I have always aspired to follow in my grandfather’s footsteps and become a prosperous attorney like him. He exerted himself strenuously, graduated from Northeastern Law School and was one of the founding partners of the Morrison, Mahoney and Miller Law firm currently located in Boston. It has been an arduous journey for me to verbally express the least endeavoring to follow my grandfather’s legacy. Shortly after graduating high school, my life consummately spiraled out of control and I was faced with adversity that seemed insurmountable. It is paramount to take a moment and apportion some brief history considering that I my past has molded me into the strenuously exertive, goal oriented student I have always aspired to be.

In this paper, I will explore the case of 10th Circuit: Employee Fresh out of Drug Rehab Not Protected by ADA Safe Harbor (Harrison & Wager, 2011) and discuss the following questions; The longer an individual refrains from drug use, is it more likely he or she will qualify for ADA protection? In close cases, an employee would be well-advises to consult with and obtain opinions from qualified professionals. Who are some of these professionals? Did the court follow the definition of the ADAA when it stated, “an individual is currently engaging in the illegal use of drugs” if the drug use was sufficiently recent to justify the employer’s reasonable belief that the drug abuse remained an ongoing problem”? Why or why not? And based upon you

Thesis: Although some see alcoholism as a disease others argue that it is a deviant addiction.

Alcoholism is a disease that not only affects the user’s behavior, but strains financial standing and social interaction (“Alcohol Problems vs. Alcohol Dependency”). Jeanette’s father in The Glass Castle, an undiagnosed alcoholic, would be the poster child for alcoholism in America with his many blatantly obvious symptoms. His relationships with the people around him, his finances, and his control over his actions and emotions deteriorate as the memoir develops. With this, Walls paints a very accurate account of alcoholism and its effect in America.

High Functioning Alcoholics' (HFAs') differ from regular alcoholics because they are responsible and can maintain healthy romantic and family relationships (Addiction Intervention). They live a double life, where one moment they may be drunk and partying, and the next be a mother and wife. Statistically most HFA's are white with a professional job such as a, healthcare provider, manager/administration, professional technicians, teachers, and sales people. 89% of HFA's are White, 20% Managers/Admin, 20% Professional Technicians, 6% Healthcare Providers, 5% Sales, and 3% Teachers (Alcoholics Anonymous). A majority of HFA's are also married with children, they take up 38% while the others sit at, 29% single, 24% divorced, 5% separated, and

In Bates v. Dura Automotive Systems, Inc. (Case # 1:08-0028 US District Court for Middle District, Tennessee) seven former employees filed suit claiming Dura Automotive Systems, Inc. (DAS) violated their rights under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) when they were suspended or terminated based on a positive drug test for prescription medication (DFWP&P, 2010). DAS implemented a new workplace drug testing policy and tested all employees for 12 different kinds of drugs both prescription and illegal that the company believes would impair the employee’s ability to perform his or her job. Those that tested positive for a prescription drug were given the opportunity to provide proof of prescription and to seek and alternative medication that would not

Alcoholics Anonymous is a community of men and women who put across their experiences with alcohol and who support each-other in recovering from the critical conditions that the substance brought them in. In order to become a member, a person only needs to stop drinking, as there are no fees associated with the institution: it is a self-supporting group using its own contributions to function. A.A. is not related to any religious or political ideology, organization, or institution and its sole purpose is to focus on the problems caused by drinking alcohol and on how it can effectively help people recover.

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.

Since the ADA’s enactment in 1991, courts have lowered the bar for employers who seek to avoid an ADA violation through the direct threat defense. Often times, there are competing medical evaluations between the employer’s chosen health care professional and the employee’s treating physician in analyzing whether the employee is a significant risk of harm to themself or others. Courts are highly deferential to an employers’ judgment in assessing the direct threat standard. The direct threat defense only requires that the employer’s judgment was objectively reasonable. This is an inadequate and insufficient burden for employers and does not achieve the ADA’s

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.

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

Alcoholism, the 3rd health related drug problem in the United States. A research on alcohol concluded that “Seven in ten adults or one hundred million Americans, ages eighteen and up are estimated to be drinkers” (Raby). In addition, approximately “10 million of the one hundred million Americans” have developed alcoholism (Raby). Around the late 18th century temperance movements to abolish alcohol were created, eventually abolishing alcohol through the 18th amendment, also known as the Volstead Act which stated “… beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.” (Raby). Unfortunately, it did not last very long, instead of solving problems, it created more. Crime organization, increase growth in bootlegging and consumptions erupted due to the inability

More than one counselor worked the case; the previous counselor is no longer with the agency.