The Dangers Of Alcoholism And Addiction

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.

Alcoholism has become one of the most prevalent diseases in our society today. The everyday pressures of life and the burden of worries that we face every day have served as a catalyst for this growing affliction.

Alcoholism is a chronic and progressive disorder (“Alcoholism”) affecting more than twenty-two million Americans in the United States today (Wholey 18). Alcoholics are prone to dramatic and

Recent studies show that approximately fifty-three percent of adults in the United States have one or more close relatives that have drinking problems. Alcohol Abuse has cost the United States more than 220 billion dollars in 2005 alone. Problem drinkers are most often found in young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 years old, and the fewest in adults who are 65 years of age or older. Alcohol Abuse is one of the major risk factors for violence, and research shows that fifty percent of all homicides and forty percent of all assaults in the United States are alcohol related. In the United States, more than forty percent of the people who start drinking when they are fourteen years old or younger are more likely to become alcoholics than those who don’t. One in ten Americans, currently have alcohol problems.

Alcoholism is considered a major health issue by many resources. It is seen as an illness by the American Medical Association and the British Medical Association. Alcoholics are unable to control their drinking habits because they are ill within their minds and bodies. Within the United States, it is recognized as the third greatest substance use killer, following heart disease and cancer as noted by various sources. It not only hurts substance users, but can have significant effects on their families and their jobs. There is a multitude of knowledge on how to identify and arrest alcoholism, but there is no known prevention for it. Therefore, Alcohol Anonymous (A.A) was developed to help sufferers of alcohol abstain from drinking and learn positive ways to live life without the use of alcohol. Each individual is different; therefore, not all will have the same symptoms. Some symptoms include but are not limited to drinking at school or at work, sneaking drinks, drinking early in the mornings and over drinking at events. The goal of A.A at Another Chance is to encourage their members to avoid drinking or causes that can lead to drinking, which is by taking one day at a time. As mentioned, for members to stay sober they need to maintain healthy thoughts and emotions, of which they can attain by following the twelve steps to recovery.

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.

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.

A very good afternoon to everyone and thank you for being here today. You might be thinking: “Oh, it’s just another long and boring talk about not getting drunk and not doing dumb stuff.” Well, it may seem unimportant to you, but let me tell you something: everyone who abuses alcohol will die.

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.

What is alcoholism? Alcoholism is a chronic disease where a person becomes dependent on liquor. One in every twelve adults suffer from Alcoholism. Alcohol is one of the most abused substance in the United States. There are over 80,000 death in the United States due to excessive drinking. Alcoholism has many names two of the most common are Alcohol Use Disorder, and Alcohol Dependence Syndrome. A person who is dependent on alcohol is usually called an alcoholic.

My topic that I research is Alcoholism. This is the number one addiction for people is the US. Most people start drinking because of peer pressure from friends and family. When your drink alcohol there’s a lot of long term effects to your body. You will get liver diseases, Cardiovascular diseases. Your brain cells will die and you will have reproductive problems. You have risk of getting different type of cancers such as mouth,throat and esophageal. If you get esophageal cancer it will make it very difficult to eat because this cancer affect your tube that allows food to go to stomach.

Alcoholism is a very serious disease, which can cause illness, death, injuries, schooling problems, family breakups, and crime. It is a proven fact the alcohol kills more people than any other illegal drugs combined. However, alcohol courses freely through American society, from college bars to corporate lunches. In a recent journal article by The Scientist, it is stated, "Technology shows alcohol abuse changes brain's molecular programming and circuitry? (Scientist). Thus revealing that alcohol is a quick fix that will hurt us all in the long run.

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.

Alcoholism has been a major problem in society for a number of years. In fact, alcoholism should be compared to a virus. This is because a person can never be completely cured from alcoholism; they can only fight the battle, day to day, hoping not to relapse. When it comes to the etiologies, or causes, of alcoholism, there seems to be three distinct origins of alcoholism. These causes are genetic factors, dependency caused by brain chemical imbalances after long-term use, and social and emotional factors.