Consequences Of Alcoholism In The United States

While consumption of alcohol is a socially acceptable practice in our society, issues arise when abuse occurs. Donatelle and Thompson (2011) define alcohol abuse as the "excessive consumption or a level of consumption that interferes with work, school, or social and family relationships" (256). As with other drug addictions, this abuse is disruptive to the alcohol abusers life as well as to those close to them. Moreover, alcohol abuse is accompanied by many devastating effects for all demographics. The harms associated with the misuse and abuse of alcohol includes: harm to oneself, negative effects on friendships and social life, and negative affects to physical

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

Alcoholism is still a huge social issue within the US, but steps are being taken to fight this behavior. The U.S. has cut DUI deaths by 50% in the last 2 decades and made alcohol rehabs and alcohol treatment programs more widely available; even to inmates in prisons. (The History of Alcoholism in America. 2011)

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.

The prominence of alcoholism in the American society dates back to before Puritan settlement. As a result, to prevent the social destruction of our nation, the government began regulating the substance. The efforts resulted in an amendment to the United States Constitution preventing the consumption of alcohol. After public backlash, bootlegging, and homemade toxins appeared more problematic, the amendment was overridden. During the period following the repeal of prohibition the states were each given the task to assign minimal drinking ages for their state; however, this was not the correct decision. While federalism is great, the inconsistency between varying states was not working. This was a catalyst for the federal government establishing 21 as the National minimum drinking age. While President Reagan and his administration saw the drastic effects alcohol has on society, some people disagree. Morris Chafetz, an appointed member of the Presidential Commission on Drunk Driving, was one of the members that voted for the raise in the legal drinking age. Since 1982, where he proposed recommendations for President Regan as chair of the Education and Prevention Committee, he has had an epiphany. An essay written by Morris Chafetz “The 21-Year-Old Drinking Age: I Voted for It’ It Doesn’t Work” presents a changed perceptive. He now believes the legal drinking age should be lowered. While the information provided demonstrates a strong ethos for lowering the age, the author fails

In the United States alone, 40 million adults are addicted to cigarettes (“Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults in the United States”), 14 million are dependent on alcohol (“Drug Addiction Statistics – Alcoholism Statistics and Data Sources”), and 219 million people are overweight or obese (“Overweight and Obesity Statistics”). Worldwide, these statistics triple, double, and nonuple respectively. However, at least in the United States, cigarettes and alcohol are both regulated by age, so the numbers of adolescent smokers and alcoholics are limited. Sugar, on the other hand, is not controlled nearly as strictly as cigarettes and alcohol. Consequently, there are far more overweight or obese adolescents than there are underage drinkers and smokers. The health risks that come with such early exposure to a substance as toxic as sugar include obesity, heart disease and heart failure, kidney disease and kidney failure, liver disease, high blood pressure, depression, social withdrawal, and anxiety, among other physical and mental disorders. These health problems take a toll on the government health care system, which in turn can cause irreparable damage to the rest of the economy. In addition to the negative effects it has on physical health, in terms of addiction, sugar is comparable to nicotine, alcohol, and cocaine. Sugar production, purchase, and consumption should be regulated the same way other addictive substances are regulated – for example, through taxes, age restriction,

Daily consumption of alcohol has changed over the years. In the past over use of alcohol was not known as a disorder, but, over time, society have entitled the misuse of alcohol as alcohol abuse, alcoholic, alcohol dependence and alcoholism. Additionally, society has categorized the misuse of alcohol as a human illness. Researches continue to define the causes and learn of preventative measure to stop alcoholism. But, how has alcoholism become an illness in the United States? Understanding how alcoholism developed into an illness in the United States, first step is to learn about the socially construction of illness.

Alcoholism is one of the most serious diseases affecting American society: alcohol use disorders affect nearly 17 million people in the country and is the third most common cause of preventable death every year. However, scientists at the Texas A & M Health Science Center College of Medicine recently made a discovery that could alter these statistics immeasurably.

Usually, when something meant for consumption is found to cause complications and even death in humans, people will steer clear of it. When such a product is come across, it becomes banned in many countries, the United States included. The FDA conducts many tests to determine what is and isn't safe for public consumption, and when the results show short-term or long-term negative effects in health, the product is banned. Alcohol has both long-term and short-term negative health effects, so why has it not been banned? Why do people not avoid something they know will destroy their bodies and adversely affect their health? People don't go around sipping on rat poison the last time I checked. The answer to these questions is I don't know; I don't

In the United States, alcohol abuse and addiction are increasing frequently because of people taking advantage of being able to drink or just because you are 21 or older. It is the most common addiction in the united states. The excessive use of alcohol leads to liver disease and sometimes kills people. According to Douglas Main, “the study also found that 36 percent of men and 43 percent of Native Americans had struggled with drinking problems in their lives”. (Main, D 1)

Alcohol dependence is known to be the most severe form of alcohol abuse. A person becomes so dependent on alcohol consumption that he/she loses sight of all the other important things going on around him/her. Family matters and social responsibilities become secondary worries to his/her primary concern for existence, which is drinking (Stephens, 2007). Nearly fourteen million Americans are somewhat dependent on alcohol. Alcohol dependence is more prominent in men, and young adults ages 18-29 (Stephens, 2007). According to a study done by Saitz “85,000 deaths, along with substantial disability from medical and psychiatric consequences, injuries and “secondhand” effects (ex: motor vehicle crashes) are attributed to the use of alcohol” (Saitz, 2005).

The alcoholic beverage has remained an established element to society’s social world and has grown into a way of living. As alcohol continues to flourish in its prevalence among citizens of the United States, so does the concept of alcohol addiction. A person becomes addicted to alcohol when they “drink excessively and develops a dependence that results in noticeable mental disturbance, or an interference with bodily and mental health, their interpersonal relations, and their smooth social and economic functioning” (Calahan, 1970, pp. 3). In 2009, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reported that about 52% of Americans used alcohol at least once within 30 days of their survey. As the percentage of Americans who consume alcohol

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.

The excessive intake of alcohol also referred to as alcoholism can cause diseases as well as negative connotation and lack of responsible social life particularly among the youth who should be the most productive age group in the American population.