Varenicline Research Paper

Risk factors such as sex, race, and grades are also discussed and linked with increased drinking. The social aspects of drinking, such as peer pressure and ones perceived image of themselves are discussed as well, along with student opinions on why they think other students drink.

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.

First, biological predisposition. SR grew up in a family where drinking alcohol was a past time, not only did his uncle drink, but his father was a heavy drinker as well. Addictions are moderately to highly heritable (Bevilacqua, & Goldman, 2009). SR’s childhood expriences and environment also played a part in the development of his alcohol addiction as well. He witnessed his family members drinking, and was often given alcohol at a young age, which more than likely led to the adoption of modeled behaviors. According to the learning model addiction is simply a learned behavior. The importance of environment has been theorized to reflect the important influence of social and familial structure that characterizes development across adolescence (Meyers & Dick, 2010). While his addiction probably didn’t develop during this time it seemed to be the catalyst for his later

Does the environment that one grows up in contribute to alcoholism or is alcoholism determined by genetics? It wasn’t until 1991 that alcoholism was considered both a medical and psychiatric disease by the American Medical Association. Alcoholism is defined in the dictionary as a chronic disorder characterized by dependence on alcohol, repeated excessive use of alcoholic beverages, the development of withdrawal symptoms on reducing or ceasing intake, morbidity that may include cirrhosis of the liver, and decreased ability to function socially and vocationally. (dictionary.com). It is also defined as an addiction to the consumption of alcoholic liquor or the mental illness

There are two different kinds of drinking problems that people may struggle with at some point in their life. The first is alcoholism, which is the illness that alcoholics suffer from. An alcoholic is an individual who has a physical or mental desire to consume alcohol beyond his or her capacity to control it (O’Connor, 2011). As an alcoholic drinks more, his or her tolerance increases. This means he or she will need more alcohol in order to feel drunk. He or she may also experience a physical dependence; if they do not consume alcohol they will begin to experience withdrawal symptoms. The other type of drinking problem that someone may have to deal with is alcohol abuse. Alcohol abuse is when an individual’s drinking leads to problems, but they are not physically dependent on alcohol. These problems may occur at work, school, home or in their personal relationships. It can also lead to problems with the law when using alcohol in dangerous situations, such as drinking and driving (O’Connor, 2011). Despite the difference, both alcoholism and alcohol abuse are classified as a mental illness according to the DSM-5. Interestingly, there has been an increase in the amount of women who are suffering from these mental illnesses, but their difficulties can be mitigated with the help of group therapy.

A brief but descriptive overview of Alcohol use disorder can be obtained from this website. First, information is presented about what alcohol use disorder is, and what the disorder includes. Alcohol use disorder is a condition in which a person has a problem controlling their intake of alcohol. A person will continue to use alcohol even when it causes problems. This disorder includes a level of severity called alcoholism. Next, symptoms are briefly explained, including not being able to control the alcohol intake, strong cravings, and experiencing withdrawal symptoms. This site considers both genetic, social, and environmental causes for this disorder. Risk factors are also introduced, including age, social and cultural factors, family history,

There are many factors that can fit into this section, but the most prominent are the effect of an alcoholic parent or family member. If they are an alcoholic or has a heavy drinking problem, the younger members may have conflicted feelings on their own consumption of alcohol when they become of age for fear of becoming like said family member.

A stressful workload or workplace environment can lead to the likeliness of a person to drink heavily. Stressful relationships with people one encounters regularly such as family members like one’s spouse, siblings, parents, or children may be the cause of a need for substance use. An abusive person in one’s life can cause high stress levels, perhaps only remediated by a drink of alcohol. For example, having the occupation of a doctor or perhaps a nurse. Those jobs take a lot of time and energy and return the person with an unimaginable load of stress. The person may feel they deserve to drink or need to drink. This can therefore lead to uncontrolled use of a

With licensed establishments that sell alcohol, the more in the area of alcoholics, the more likely they are to drink. There is an 11% increase in alcohol consumption, which is contributed from licensed alcohol establishments in alcoholic individual’s neighbourhoods. Also, drinking is widely accepted by society, whether it’s in a dangerous manner or not. It’s encouraged through mass media, peer pressure, and society as a whole in terms to criminal justice and social settings. Where people live and work affect their attitudes and behaviours when it comes to drinking.

The most significant influencing factor is peer pressure. People only drink because of the people around them. Either they are at a party or a small gathering there is most likely alcohol. The 2009 Victorian Youth Alcohol and Drug Survey indicated that 16 -17 year olds tend to drink alcohol at private parties (58%).

Social influences include low socio-economic status of the individual, low levels of parental guidance and education, family or domestic issues at home, presence of a history of alcoholism in the family, lack of rules on alcohol use in the family setting and peer pressure.

Plenty of people always seem to ask “what are the causes of alcohol abuse?” As a matter of fact, there are many origins that come to mind when actually thinking of why people drink alcohol excessively. Alcohol abuse can run in a person’s family, or sometimes it may be caused by the environment a person is in or if someone is taking on stress (WebMD). When people are frazzled or feel as though they are facing a serious issue within their life, they tend to feel the need to turn towards drinking alcohol so that they can get rid of all the pain they are feeling. Some people treat alcohol as an escape from the grief they are

Social and cultural factors play roles in to establishing drinking patterns and the development of alcoholism. In some cultures, there is conflict between abstaining and accepting the use of alcohol as a way to change moods or to be social, thus making it difficult for some people to develop stable attitudes about and moderate patterns of drinking. Society tends to aid in the development of alcoholism by making alcohol seem glamorous, showing that by drinking, you will become more popular, more glamorous and more worthy of respects from others.

In the United States alone the drinking patterns throughout history have changed dramatically to reflect the times. Starting out in colonial times the usage of alcohol use was seen as a blessing, and harmless to society. It was acceptable to drink while at work, and during social events, however drinking alone was highly frowned upon. Many early religions believed that alcohol was a gift from God, “man should partake of God’s gift with out wasting or abusing it”#. To enhance and encourage the social

There are a multitude of aspects to consider as to why an individual would be dependent on the consumption of alcohol. One being the living environment of an individual has an effect on alcohol abuse according to the studies found, McCaul et al (2009) talks about this theme and goes on to say that the more licensed alcohol establishment’s in one particular area means it’s more likely for someone to drink on a regular basis as it’s not out of their way. Another reason may be the individual’s emotional state can have an impact on how much they drink, according to Callanan et al. (2009) people consume alcohol as a way of coping with emotional factors such as stress and depression. Economic factors may be an underlying cause of alcohol abuse. Callanan et al (2009) found that the monotony of unemployment presents its self as an opportunity to consume alcohol which may become habitual.