How Does Alcohol Affect Human Behavior

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.

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.

Findings revealed seven distinct behaviors believed to be associated with responsible drinking with several other beliefs being stated during the study. The quantitative portion showed that the seven beliefs revealed were prevalent with some gender and ethnic differences noted. Females had a stricter view of how often responsible drinking behaviors should occur.

Dependance on alcohol has been around ever since its creation and records of writing existed. From Biblical commandments clearly restricting the drink due to its destructive and addictive nature to the celebrities on tv screens and music devices glorifying the substance, alcohol has always been part of various cultures. Being the number one drug problem in the U.S with over 12 million people reportedly being alcoholics and of those 7 million being binge drinkers between the ages 12-20, it comes as no surprise that beneath its shiny and glamorous exterior, this drink comes with its set of problems ("Alcohol Abuse Statistics."). In American society today many people think that being an alcoholic simply stems from laziness and the lack of will to “simply stop.” There is much more to this disorder than having one too many drinks at a bar that people are either ignorant to or just ignore for the sake of judging other individuals. Just like famous English philosopher,William Penn, said: “All excess is ill, but drunkenness is of the worst sort. It spoils health, dismounts the mind, and unmans men. It reveals secrets, is quarrelsome, lascivious, impudent, dangerous and mad.”( "Alcoholism Quotes."). So with all these consequences associated with alcohol, why do people drink? What is alcoholism? Who does it affect? Why does it happen? How can it be solved?

Alcohol continues to be the most commonly used drug in America. This is not surprising given our society's view of the drug and alcohol’s history in North America since colonial times.

Alcohol abuse is something that has affected countless lives, both mentally and physically. There are numerous disorders linked to this abuse, from Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorders to Alcohol-Induced Psychotic Disorder. These disorders have varying affects on the body and the person’s lives, and can cause serious injury and/or have serious side effects. A US Department of Justice study found that as many as 40% of violent crimes occur under the influence of alcohol. Of the 3.9 million Americans who received treatment for a substance abuse problem in 2005, 2.5 million of them were treated for alcohol use. Drinking alcohol to the point of dependence poses a severe health

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

The article of Terlecki and Buckner (2015) suggests that for undergraduate students there is a relationship between conformity and drinking. The researchers’ findings imply that undergraduates have a tendency of alleviating their social anxiety through means of coping and conforming to the values and practices of the group (Terlecki and Buckner, 2015). In addition, undergraduates who identifies with social anxiety tend to have higher possibilities of drinking problems. In university, drinking is a form of social gathering or get together. Alcohol beverages are present in almost all of the events. Inhibitions and Restraints are not present in university giving undergrads complete independence. As mentioned earlier, undergraduates

Alcoholic beverages can contain up to 40% ethanol and have been consumed by humans for thousands of years. Its relaxant and euphoric effects on the brain can lead to a change in consciousness, mood, and emotions.(1) Alcohol has long been known for its psychoactive effect, but it being so readily available in our modern world has lead to chronic use and abuse of the substance. Alcohol increases the risk of various terminal diseases and is the cause of many accidents and injuries. This substance is very disruptive to the human body and particularly to the human brain. Due to this, scientists have collectively studied its neurophysiological and long-term effects on the brain. Recent studies have shown many correlations between alcoholism and affected

Officers responded to the report of a subject passed out on the front porch of

Alcohol is a substance that has numerous diverse affects on the body-both positive and negative. Alcohol not only kills brain cells, but when taken in profusion it has almost no constructive affects. Sure it can make one overlook his/her problems, but the consequences of drinking in excess far outweigh the benefits. It is not a crime to get drunk, however alcohol will almost always cause one to conduct them self in a way he or she would not normally behave. For instance, a sober man will not usually drive ninety-five mph down I-95, however, after consuming a good amount of alcohol, his eyesight, judgement, reflexes and abilities are hindered to the point that he feels

Alcoholism is a prominent substance abuse issue in Western society. The treatment method of controlled drinking as opposed to abstinence is a continuing cause of controversy in alcohol research to this day. The US is different from Europe in its acceptance of controlled drinking as a goal of treatment: “in the US alcohol dependence is typically depicted as a ‘recurring disease’ and the ‘successful abstainer’ as a ‘recovering’ though never ‘recovered’ alcoholic” (Coldwell, 2005). Depending on the alcohol abuse patient’s individual characteristics, either controlled drinking or abstinence is chosen as a treatment.

When I step into a college party, the first thing I see around me is alcohol. I often notice underage adolescents drinking and I also distinguish how they become different people when intoxicated by alcohol. They begin to walk funny and they tend to slur their words, making it hard to comprehend anything they are saying. I have watched family members who were so inebriated that they could not even spell their own name or even pinpoint who they were. The questions I always ask myself when I see these drunk college kids is “Do these kids know the effects of alcoholism?”

Everyday around the world alcoholics attempt to quit drinking, with many succumbing to addiction once more. Alcohol can be highly addictive and plaguing the lives of alcohol abusers. When alcoholics do attempt to quit drinking alcohol, they go through various withdrawal symptoms that complicates the road to sobriety. Quitting alcohol is far from a simple process and will require initiative and perseverance. Although many attempt to quit alcohol by simply by going “cold turkey,” there are various steps people can follow to successfully quit drinking alcohol. For those struggling with alcohol abuse, sobriety can revitalize and save the life of the addict.

The audience will be asked to indicate weather they have been affected by alcoholism directly or indirectly. They will be asked to name the few effects they have experienced that they never liked about people engrossed in alcoholism and the extended effects that they have seen on the family.