The Effects Of Drug Addiction And Alcoholism

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.

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

It’s no secret that alcoholism is an epidemic. Anyone can fall prisoner to its call. Alcoholism knows no gender, no age, and no race. Alcoholism is an addiction to alcohol. This addiction is not a joke, or a reason to shame others. Its effects on people can be fatal.

Alcoholism is a major social issue around the world today. The ProQuest Staff of SIRS Researcher defines alcoholism as excessive use of alcohol that eventually results in dependence, or addiction where the body craves a drug. There are roughly 140 million alcoholics currently in the world, which results in higher rates of crime, abuse, illness, car crashes, and lower productivity in work (ProQuest Staff). According to Dr. Mark Willenbring, most

Mark Willenburg, director of treatment and recovery research at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism stated, “People with mild to moderate alcohol disorders can be treated with medications or behavioral therapy with a primary care doctor, but many people can do this on their own without having a professional. This idea is teaching people how to reevaluate their drinking”(Roan 2). By saying this Dr. WIllenburg has changed the opinions of many speculators in the nation, but what he has failed to do throughout his investigations is to take a people who exceed the mark for moderate drinking into question. Alcoholism is defined a chronic disorder marked by excessive and usually compulsive drinking of alcohol leading to psychological and physical dependence or addiction (“Addiction” 1). The definition of alcoholism alone is enough to show that it is a serious problem, and it should be treated as such.

At the beginning of the 21st century, it was estimated that the annual number of deaths related to excessive drinking exceeded 100,000 in the United States alone (“Alcoholism”). In fact, in 1995, 140 million Americans were using alcohol is an abusing way (Ammerman, Ott, and Tarter). “It is a chronic and progressive illness that involves the excessive inappropriate ingestion of ethyl alcohol” (“Alcoholism”). Equally, it can be characterized as an emotional and many times, physical dependence on alcohol. It is thought to come from a combination of a wide range of physiological, social, and genetic factors (“Alcoholism”). Even

The alcohol abuse definition is similar to alcoholism in that in both cases alcohol is causing harm to the drinker 's life and those around them. The difference is that those who abuse alcohol, but are not yet alcoholics, typically can put some limitations on their drinking and they have not yet become physically addicted to alcohol. The key to the alcohol abuse definition is not in the amount of alcohol consumed but on how it affects an individual. Alcohol abuse is a psychiatric diagnosis in which there is recurring harmful use of ethanol despite its negative consequence. In 2013 it was reclassified as alcohol use disorder along with alcohol dependence. There are two types of alcohol abuse, those who have anti-social and pleasure

• Alcoholism is an addictive disease process characterized by: Craving and compulsions Loss of control Continued use despite adverse consequences

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

Addiction is a complex disease that is influenced by several factors including: genetic, developmental, experiential and environmental factors (Goldstein & Volkow, 2002). Alcohol dependence, otherwise referred to as alcoholism, is characterized by frequent use of alcohol resulting in intoxication, a preoccupation with alcohol, compulsion to seek and consume alcohol, the inability to limit alcohol intake and the emergence of negative emotional state when the drug is absent (Gilpin & Koob, 2008; Ernst et al., 2012; Kunce, & Newton, 1989; Crews, 2012). There is an estimated 85,000 deaths annually caused by unhealthy alcohol consumption. Medical issues such as liver disease, neurological problems and malignancies, in addition to behavioral and

Most people have a confused idea of alcoholism as a disease that invades or attacks your good health. Use of such a strong word such as "disease" shapes the values and attitudes of society towards alcoholics. A major implication of the disease concept is that what is labeled a "disease" is held to be justifiable because it is involuntary. This is not so. Problem drinking is a habit in which the so-called "alcoholic" simply has decided that the benefits of drinking outweigh the liabilities; it is all a matter of personal choice. An alcoholic participates in or causes many of their own problems by their behavior and the decisions they make, so why should they be viewed as helpless victims of a "disease"(Skipper 1)? Alcoholism should not be

Alcoholism is the most common drug abuse problem in the United States. Eleven million Americans suffer from it. This abuse occurs in several different ways: loss of control over drinking, getting drunk daily, or drinking every weekend. It is usually marked by withdrawal symptoms and by increasing tolerance for alcohol. It is a chronic, progressive, relapsing brain disease. Five percent of Americans die of alcoholism and ninety-five percent of alcoholics die of alcoholism. Its physical, social, and psychological effects tend to get progressively worse (High Cost, 2015).

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).

Alcoholism, also known as alcohol use disorder, is a chronic disease characterized by uncontrolled drinking and preoccupation with alcohol. Users show an inability to control their drinking due to both a physical and emotional dependence on alcohol- characterized by cravings, tolerance (needing more), physical dependence, and loss of control over consuming alcohol.  Alcohol intoxication may or may not be obvious to observers. Alcoholism is a major problem in American society as statistics show that alcohol abuse is responsible for approximately 79,000 deaths each year. More than 20 percent of Americans drink well above the recommended intake levels (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, September 2008). About 15 million American adults meet the criteria for alcohol abuse and dependence (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2011). The following sections will review research regarding alcoholism, examining the illness through a biopsychosocial lens.

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.