Free Essays on Alcoholism

One evening a group of friends and I were sitting at my house watching movies. As we were all sitting there we suddenly heard someone banging on my door, I couldn’t think of who it would be at that time of night. As I looked through the window, I saw my Uncle Jim standing there. All I was able to notice when I opened the door was his bloodshot eyes and the strong odor of alcohol coming from his breath. As he was walking up my hallway stairs, I can only remember him stumbling, and stating â€Å"There’s no way I can go home†. Even though having been around alcoholics in my life, I have never truly understood what makes some people so attached to the alcohol. Many people today feel that alcoholism is an addiction which is a settled habit, but I feel that alcoholism is considered a progressive disease where a person consumes excessive amounts of alcohol and is unable to control his/her need to drink (Encyclopedia of Psychology 111-115). This is because alcoholism has been classified as a disease by the American Medical Society as well as by the National Council of Alcoholism because of the four factors such as it has symptoms and signs, it is diagnosable, it is progressive, and it can be treated (Facts about alcohol and Alcoholism 8). Drinking alcohol is an individual choice. People may drink for many different reasons. A few examples of why people drink are to be more sociable, be relaxed, and to feel bigger or stronger (Kinney & Leaton 8). It does, however become a problem when a person has an overwhelming compulsion to drink. This is when they are considered to be an alcoholic. Alcoholism has many early warning signs and symptoms, any one of which a person can signal a developing problem. Some of the symptoms consist of gulping the alcohol beverage in large amounts, or hiding the amount of alcohol they consumed from others. For example, keeping bottles stashed in the trunk of a car, or the m... Free Essays on Alcoholism Free Essays on Alcoholism Introduction When examining societies ‘normal’ families today we see them striving for values of love, loyalty and trust. Television shows and movies most likely illustrate teenagers drinking at ‘fun’ parties, or the parents at a social occasion, never getting trapped in the evils of drinking. Many people do not realize in the real world that these social ways of interacting can lead to much more serious and deeper issues in ones life. The causes and development of drinking are unbelievable, and it’s amazing that we don’t hear enough of this information in the media. This is the subject which I wish to discuss in this paper, and to define the true meaning of alcoholism: It refers to the drinking of alcoholic beverages to such a degree that it seriously and repeatedly interferes with major aspects of an individual’s life-such as work, school, family relations, or personal safety and health. Alcoholism is considered to be a disease, meaning that if it follows a characteristic course with known physical, psychological, and social symptoms. The alcoholic continues to consume alcohol despite the destructive consequences. (Acoholism-Encyclopedia; 427) How families deal with the stresses of a loved ones drinking habits are crucial to the way the child will learn to deal with drinking in the future. The effects of alcohol on the human body vary from person to person, as do the symptoms, and causes. The social effects of alcoholism will be reflected in this essay. Alcoholism in the family can cause many problems for each individual with in it. Causes and Symptoms â€Å"It has been said that there are as many causes for alcoholism as there are alcoholics.† (Ogilvie; 3) some of these are as follows alcoholics usually resort to drinking to ease anxiety; to heighten their excitement, to get them in a more upbeat mood; to enhance the feeling of power- so they feel they are in charge and they also may get aggressiv... Free Essays on Alcoholism Alcoholism refers to the abuse of alcohol by individuals who are unable to control their binge drinking behavior over a prolonged period of time. Alcoholics are not simply people who consume alcohol; instead, their entire lives revolve around alcohol. While many people usually dismiss the effects of heavy drinking to a hangover that will not last beyond the day, the effects of alcoholism are infinitely more enduring and devastating not only for the alcoholics, but also for their families and friends. Excessive consumption of alcohol can exert a severe impact on the brain, both on the short-term and long-term basis. The reason why alcoholics exhibit aggressive behavior can be attributed to the effects of alcohol on various parts of the brain. First, alcohol can affect the gamma-aminobutyoric acid receptor (GABA-A) complex in the brain that inhibits aggressive behavior by creating anxiety over socially inappropriate behavior. Second, the effect of alcohol on the dopaminergic system that controls the psychomotor stimulation can lead to an increase in the intensity and level of aggression. The lower blood sugar in the brain can also contribute to a heightened level of aggression (Graham, Wells, & West, 1997, p. 626). Consequently, alcoholics tend to overreact to unpleasant situations by using aggression. Furthermore, with excessive alcohol consumption, alcoholics lose their capacity to exercise self-control over their emotions and feelings. Very often, alcohol consumption becomes a means for them to unleash pent-up negative feelings. For other alcoholics, alcohol is a way for them to bury their negative feelings of anger, guilt and depression. Therefore, their general state of mind is moody and hostile, leading to increased chances of aggressive behavior at the slightest provocation (Graham, Wells, & West, 1997, p. 627). Alcohol also has debilitating effects on the individuals’ ability to function effectively in a cognitive way. Al... Free Essays on Alcoholism Alcoholism is a terrible disease, which has the possibility of affecting one’s health, family or work. College students often times turn to alcohol to solve their problems as a release from mounting school pressure. But does drinking while attending school really affect a student’s behavior pattern and performance in school? Studies indicate that as many as 30% of youth engage in frequent drinking behaviors (Sullivan & Risler, 2002). Believe it or not, this happens to be a more than a quarter of our student population! Granted learning can be tedious at times, but this probably could be the last stop of acquiring raw knowledge before heading out into the real world. I have assembled a set of factors that might explain student’s alcohol abuse and how it affects their behaviors respectively. Too bad it could be as easy as telling them to just stop drinking. A substantial amount of empirical research is available demonstrating a connection between alcohol consumption and impaired academic performance (Perkins, 2002). How surprising is this though? This whole statement reminds me of a chain reaction down the line. Play with fire and you die by fire. Drinking all night causes a student to lose interest in school. Their grades start to falter and laziness turns into major procrastination. A survey was taken from a pool of about 40,000 students stating that 22% had performed poorly on a test or project and 28% had missed a class due to alcohol use (Presley et al., 1996). One of the effects of student drinking is the increase of risky sexual behavior. In a study relating alcohol and sexual behavior (Desiderato & Crawford), 59% of students surveyed responded saying alcohol consumption usually preceded a sexually activity. This is surprisingly scary since sexual situations can lead to altered lives down the road. People tend to become less careless which leads to either unwanted pregnancy or even worse by contracting... Free Essays on Alcoholism The Psychosocial Effects of Alcoholism Alcoholism refers to the abuse of alcohol by individuals who are unable to control their binge drinking behavior over a prolonged period of time. Alcoholics are not simply people who consume alcohol; instead, their entire lives revolve around alcohol. While many people usually dismiss the effects of heavy drinking to a hangover that will not last beyond the day, the effects of alcoholism are infinitely more enduring and devastating not only for the alcoholics, but also for their families and friends. Excessive consumption of alcohol can exert a severe impact on the brain, both on the short-term and long-term basis. The reason why alcoholics exhibit aggressive behavior can be attributed to the effects of alcohol on various parts of the brain. First, alcohol can affect the gamma-aminobutyoric acid receptor (GABA-A) complex in the brain that inhibits aggressive behavior by creating anxiety over socially inappropriate behavior. Second, the effect of alcohol on the dopaminergic system that controls the psychomotor stimulation can lead to an increase in the intensity and level of aggression. The lower blood sugar in the brain can also contribute to a heightened level of aggression (Graham, Wells, & West, 1997, p. 626). Consequently, alcoholics tend to overreact to unpleasant situations by using aggression. Furthermore, with excessive alcohol consumption, alcoholics lose their capacity to exercise self-control over their emotions and feelings. Very often, alcohol consumption becomes a means for them to unleash pent-up negative feelings. For other alcoholics, alcohol is a way for them to bury their negative feelings of anger, guilt and depression. Therefore, their general state of mind is moody and hostile, leading to increased chances of aggressive behavior at the slightest provocation (Graham, Wells, & West, 1997, p. 627). Alcohol also has debilitating effects on the individuals’ ability to... Free Essays on Alcoholism One evening a group of friends and I were sitting at my house watching movies. As we were all sitting there we suddenly heard someone banging on my door, I couldn’t think of who it would be at that time of night. As I looked through the window, I saw my Uncle Jim standing there. All I was able to notice when I opened the door was his bloodshot eyes and the strong odor of alcohol coming from his breath. As he was walking up my hallway stairs, I can only remember him stumbling, and stating â€Å"There’s no way I can go home†. Even though having been around alcoholics in my life, I have never truly understood what makes some people so attached to the alcohol. Many people today feel that alcoholism is an addiction which is a settled habit, but I feel that alcoholism is considered a progressive disease where a person consumes excessive amounts of alcohol and is unable to control his/her need to drink (Encyclopedia of Psychology 111-115). This is because alcoholism has been classified as a disease by the American Medical Society as well as by the National Council of Alcoholism because of the four factors such as it has symptoms and signs, it is diagnosable, it is progressive, and it can be treated (Facts about alcohol and Alcoholism 8). Drinking alcohol is an individual choice. People may drink for many different reasons. A few examples of why people drink are to be more sociable, be relaxed, and to feel bigger or stronger (Kinney & Leaton 8). It does, however become a problem when a person has an overwhelming compulsion to drink. This is when they are considered to be an alcoholic. Alcoholism has many early warning signs and symptoms, any one of which a person can signal a developing problem. Some of the symptoms consist of gulping the alcohol beverage in large amounts, or hiding the amount of alcohol they consumed from others. For example, keeping bottles stashed in the trunk of a car, or the m... Free Essays on Alcoholism Alcoholism refers to the abuse of alcohol by individuals who are unable to control their binge drinking behavior over a prolonged period of time. Alcoholics are not simply people who consume alcohol; instead, their entire lives revolve around alcohol. While many people usually dismiss the effects of heavy drinking to a hangover that will not last beyond the day, the effects of alcoholism are infinitely more enduring and devastating not only for the alcoholics, but also for their families and friends. Excessive consumption of alcohol can exert a severe impact on the brain, both on the short-term and long-term basis. The reason why alcoholics exhibit aggressive behavior can be attributed to the effects of alcohol on various parts of the brain. First, alcohol can affect the gamma-aminobutyoric acid receptor (GABA-A) complex in the brain that inhibits aggressive behavior by creating anxiety over socially inappropriate behavior. Second, the effect of alcohol on the dopaminergic system that controls the psychomotor stimulation can lead to an increase in the intensity and level of aggression. The lower blood sugar in the brain can also contribute to a heightened level of aggression (Graham, Wells, & West, 1997, p. 626). Consequently, alcoholics tend to overreact to unpleasant situations by using aggression. Furthermore, with excessive alcohol consumption, alcoholics lose their capacity to exercise self-control over their emotions and feelings. Very often, alcohol consumption becomes a means for them to unleash pent-up negative feelings. For other alcoholics, alcohol is a way for them to bury their negative feelings of anger, guilt and depression. Therefore, their general state of mind is moody and hostile, leading to increased chances of aggressive behavior at the slightest provocation (Graham, Wells, & West, 1997, p. 627). Alcohol also has debilitating effects on the individuals’ ability to function effectively in a cognitive way. Al... Free Essays on Alcoholism Alternative names alcohol dependence; habitual alchohol use Definition A illness marked by uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages that interferes with physical or mental health, and social, family, or occupational responsibilities. Causes, incidence, and risk factors Alcoholism is a type of drug dependence. There is both physical and psychological dependence with this addiction. Physical dependence reveals itself in withdrawal symptoms when alcohol intake is interrupted, tolerance to the effects of alcohol, and evidence of alcohol-associated illnesses. Alcohol affects the central nervous system as a depressant resulting in a decrease of activity, , , and inhibitions. Even a low level of alcohol within the body slows reactions. Concentration and judgment become impaired. In excessive amounts, intoxication, or poisoning results. Alcohol also affects other body systems. Irritation of the gastrointestinal tract can occur with of the lining of the stomach causing . are not absorbed properly, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies with the long-term use of alcohol. , called , may also develop. The system may be affected by . Sexual dysfunction can also occur, causing erectile dysfunction in men and in women. during can cause problems in the developing fetus known as fetal alcohol syndrome. The development of dependence upon alcohol may occur over 5 to 25 years, following a relatively consistent pattern of progression. At first, a tolerance of alcohol develops. This results in a person being able to consume a greater quantity of alcohol before its adverse effects are noticed. Memory lapses relating to drinking episodes may follow tolerance. Then a lack of control over drinking occurs, and the affected person can no longer discontinue drinking whenever desired. The most severe drinking behavior includes prolonged binges of drinking with associated mental or physical complications. Some peo... Free Essays on Alcoholism Alcoholism Alcohol is a liquid distilled product of fermented fruits, grains and vegetables used as a solvent, antiseptic and sedative for potential abuse (Webster’s New Word Dictionary). Many people drink for the effects of sensory alteration and anxiety reduction. Drinking too much of this substance can cause staggering, loss of coordination, slurred speech, nerve damage, liver damage, and dilated pupils. An alcoholic has problems admitting that alcoholism is a disease, and that they are addicted to this substance. Alcoholism has been called the most serious drug problem in terms of the number of victims and costs to society. Alcohol is a depressant that will release feelings of guilt, anxiety and remorse if taken in heavy quantities. It will impair your motor skills by slowing your alertness and awareness, which leads to many accidents. Recent studies have shown that 50 to 80% of all alcoholics have close relatives that are alcoholics as well. In 1990 scientists found what they believe to be responsible for the inheritance of alcoholism in family lines. The defective gene is located on chromosome 11 and is called Dopamine. Dopamine is a receptor located in the brain. People with fewer Dopamine receptors are very likely to develop alcoholism. This helps to develop the theory that alcoholism is not a disease of choice, as believed by many. An estimated ten million Americans suffer from this horrible disease. There are many signs that may lead to the development of an alcoholic. Most alcoholics feel the need to take a drink just as a smoker has a craving for cigarettes. In the later stages, people have been known to suffer from frequent blackouts, which have led to many accidents. It is estimated that there are three million alcoholics between the ages of fourteen and seventeen today. Drinking does not only affect the alcoholic, it affects the family and society as well. An estimated forty billion dollars is spe...