Over Consuming Alcohol Research Paper

Alcoholism is known to destroy many lives and cause a lot of suffering. There has to be a point of realization where one figures out that it is a choice. Many people do not realize that they can become dependent on alcohol until it is too late. People with alcohol addiction often do not notice that they are relying on alcohol to get them through the day. To them, it may seem like a coping mechanism when it actually is anything but that. When the word alcohol is mentioned, many take it as a word that helps cope with stress or personal problems. In reality, alcohol is a depressant that does more harm than good. The effects of alcohol addiction are intoxication, withdrawal, and harm to self/others.

The use of alcohol has been dated back thousands of years past the Egyptians and Greeks, drinking wine or beer was not an uncommon sight to see thousands of years ago and although times have changed its still not uncommon to see someone drinking today. Fermenting grains or fruits simplifies the processes of making the substance we call “booze”. Drug-Free World’s “The Truth about Alcohol” provides information to anyone free on the Internet about alcohol, the drug, we commonly consume today. It not only tells us that alcohol is a depressant but explains to us a depressant is a drug that slows down our bodily function systems. Drug-Free World also explains why people drink, the reactions that happens to these people, and tells us that

One of the growing epidemics of young adults in the United States is the dependence and/or abuse of alcohol, which is commonly referred to as alcoholism. The condition is described by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-V, as an alcohol use disorder (AUD), a type of substance abuse disorder, which encompasses both alcohol abuse and dependence. More specifically AUD is defined as, “medical conditions that doctors can diagnose when a patient’s drinking causes distress or harm (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2007).” When the reliance or use of alcohol interferes with daily functioning, or causes greater harm to the one’s self, it can then be looked at as a disorder. According to the DSM-V, patients

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.

A prominent topic that is being discussed through research done and surveys taken from students all over the United States is the topic of binge drinking. Binge drinking is a pattern of drinking, five or more drinks for men and four or more drinks for women, that raises the blood alcohol content (BAC) to 0.08 percent or higher (Nguyen, 2013). People that participate in this type of drinking are far more susceptible to drug use, drunk driving, suicide, alcohol poisoning, and sexually transmitted diseases (Nguyen, 2013). Studies also show that those who start drinking in their early teen years have a greater risk of worse outcomes as adults, such as problems with health and trouble attaining new information (Norström & Pape, 2012). Among college

Humans have been abusing alcohol almost as long as we have been drinking fermented beverages. Why do people become Alcoholics? What does Alcohol do to the body after prolonged exposure? Is alcoholism a recent phenomenon? Is there anything we can do about it? Alcohol's prolonged impact on the human body is rarely positive. Defining Alcoholism can vary due to the fact that each person's opinion on "how much is too much" differs. However there inevitably comes a point where all people can agree that something is wrong and a person is addicted. For some people, one traumatizing event can cause alcoholism to emerge. From a medical perspective Alcohol does a great amount of damage if one is addicted to the drug. For an unfortunate few the addiction can end in a hideous death. Yet Alcohol is not harmful if it is ingested in moderation, however some people do not have the ability to monitor their drinks. Thus resulting in Alcoholism.

Relaxation, celebrating, and socializing are often reasons people engage in alcohol. However, the enjoyment of alcohol in moderation may become difficult for some individuals to manage when using alcohol as coping mechanisms or scapegoat, for other underlining issues: personal, social and work-related concerns. Unfortunately, lack of proper management may or can result into alcoholism. According to the DSM-V alcoholism is diagnosed as alcohol use disorder or alcohol addiction, in which a person becomes physically and psychologically dependent on alcohol to the point that he or she cannot function without it (American Psychiatric Association,2013).

Alcohol dependence is powerful and takes hold of all aspects of the patient’s life from their physiological health to their mental well-being. Furthermore, matters of finance and personal relationships also suffer from the crippling effects of the user’s drinking problem.

The many different factors contributing to health benefits related to alcohol consumption in moderation are also explained, “There are numerous studies indicating a positive influence of moderate alcohol intake on cardiovascular risk factors and incidence,” (Ferreira, 2008, p. 1670). Specifically, wine, beer, or spirits, “There is research to suggest that alcohol/wine can exert protective effects against other diseases such as cancer, diabetes, inflammatory liver disease, and lower extremity arterial disease,” (Ferreira, 2008, p. 1671). A U- or J-shaped relationship between alcohol intake and mortality exists implying that alcohol can be considered either a tonic or toxin in dose-dependent fashion, “Epidemiologic data from more than 100 studies across 25 countries consistently demonstrate a U- or J-shaped association between alcohol consumption and coronary heart disease,” (Ferreira, 2008, p. 1670). The major idea is that there will only be health benefits if alcohol is consumed in moderation, not anything more or else there could be health risks, “Despite these population-based associations, medical and health professionals should be mindful that among some individuals, the risks of moderate drinking outweigh the benefits,” (Ferreira, 2008, p.

Alcohol can change the part of the brain that concentrates, can impair speech and perception,and can slow reaction time (Harris). Consuming too much alcohol in their life can even cause a person’s brain to shrink from the brain cells wasting away (Harris). This leads to troubles with hand-eye coordination and spacial cognition, but speech usually remains intact (Harris). Many alcoholics decide to drive under the influence which can cause them and others around them harm. This is most likely because their judgement is impaired. The more alcohol someone has in their blood, the more that their judgement will be changed (Harris). Alcoholics have a higher chance for depression and anxiety (Adamec “Health”). Alcohol abusers over the age of 40 often have short term memory loss and women usually have it worse than men (Harris). Wernicke’s encephalopathy is a disease that is common in alcoholics because it is caused from lack of vitamin B1 and alcohol prevents the body from absorbing that vitamin (Gass). Gass, the writer of “Alcohol and Addiction” says it, “...consists of a near constant state of confusion, deficits in short-term memory, loss of coordination in muscle movements, and difficulty moving the eyes.” If treated properly or early enough the patient could start functioning by themselves, but the disease, if not treated, could end up in a coma or death (Harris)(Gass). If the patient does not pass, but Wernicke’s encephalopathy gets even worse it could lead to Korsakoff’s psychosis. This disorder can cause amnesia, false memories, tremors, or coordination issues (Gass)(Harris). The sufferers of this condition forget past memories, not just ones that they made recently, and have a hard time creating new ones (Gass). Most Korsakoff’s psychosis patients are institutionalized for life because of the long term damage (Harris). Once an alcoholic stops drinking, their brain starts growing and other skills start to come back,

While alcohol may be readily available to anyone over the age of 21, it still comes with risk both to your judgment and health. According to the CDC, excessive alcohol consumption leads to around 88,000 deaths annually. Alcohol consumption comes with both long-term and short-term effects on a person, such as:

Alcohol is a prevailing mater in modern day society. A vast amount of the population, if not all, have drank, seen people drink, or would like to consume alcoholic beverages at some point in life. While drinking alcohol is characterized as a milestone, the populous should take into consideration the increased propensity for alcoholism.

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).

Alcohol is one of many dangerous substances that effects our bodies. The effects of this drug can be very harmful. Alcohol is a potent non-prescription drug sold to anyone over the national legal drinking age, 21. Unlike other deadly drugs it is easy to access. This makes it easy to over-consume and create a tragic accident, even death. It can damage a person not only physically but also mentally and emotionally. Many people each year become more and more addicted to alcohol and soon experience all of it?s dangerous effects. Even if alcohol use is discontinued, some of these damages can not be cured, because the scars have been left on those that drink and those that surround them. The only hope

The speech is aimed at highlighting the negative effects that excessive intake of alcohol and habitual alcoholism can have on the social aspects of a person and the health repercussions of the aforementioned behavior. The content of the speech is largely informative and in very small part persuasive for people to reconsider their drinking habits.