I believe alcohol dependency is a very interesting topic especially around this University. I want to do more research and try to understand why people get dependent on alcohol and what they do to try to get out of it. What kind of medical treatment they seek and how their behavior changes because of alcohol. While being dependent, as well as during and after their treatment of not being dependent on alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant; which decrease central nervous system activity. The main thing alcohol does is to reduce levels of physiological arousal and it helps to relax. It slows down the functioning of nerves and communication from the inhibitory centers. It also messes with the neurotransmitter systems like Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) and Glutamate. Alcohol makes GABA to inhibit the likelihood of the next neuron firing as well as some behavioral dis-inhibition. Where as in glutamate alcohol interferes with the process of learning and memory; hence, the memory loss and blackout associated with alcohol. While drinking alcohol, “we generally experience a feeling of well-being, our inhibitions are reduced, and we become more outgoing… With continued drinking, however, alcohol depresses more areas of the brain, which impedes the ability to function properly” (Barlow & Durand). The book goes on to explain that motor coordination is impaired, which includes staggering, slurred speech, slow reaction time, confusion occurs, reduced ability to make judgments, blurred vision, negative effect on hearing. This explains why drinking and driving is clearly dangerous (Barlow & Durand). The deficiency of being alcohol dependent is a lot more complex then it seems. Some of the major long-term consequences include but not limited to liv... ... middle of paper ... ...nce to help alleviate the symptoms of withdrawal from other substances. However, they do not provide outpatient medication prescriptions. I also found out that they do not provide home visit check-ups. Works Cited 1. Carmen, B., Angeles, M., Ana, M., & María, A. J. (2004). Efficacy and safety of naltrexone and acamprosate in the treatment of alcohol dependence: a systematic review. Addiction, 99(7), 811-828. 2. David H. Barlow, & V. Mark Durand (01/01/2014). Chapter 11: Substance-Related, Addictive, and Impulse-Control Disorders. In Abnormal Psychology: An Integrative Approach. Retrieved from http://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/index.html?nbId=43844&nbNodeId=7804498#!&parentId=7804510 3. Garbutt, J. C., West, S. L., Carey, T. S., Lohr, K. N., & Crews, F. T. (1999). Pharmacological treatment of alcohol dependence: a review of the evidence.Jama, 281(14), 1318-1325.
Most alcoholics proceed to a stage where their brains or their bodies have been so harmed by alcohol that the effects persist even when they are not drinking. This stage may be reached...
To understand alcoholism, it must first be understood what this affliction is dependent on. Alcohol is a substance that is made by the fermentation of fruits, grains, or miscellaneous other organic materials. The chemical, alcohol, is a depressant and acts on every cell in the human body. Due to this, the central nervous system, along with the pleasure centers of the brain, are affected resulting in a feeling of euphoria and a sense of well being. After repeated exposure, the brain becomes dependent on this drug to unburden itself whenever it feels the compulsion. Several factors that contribute to alcoholism are the individual’s psychology, genetics, culture, and the individual’s response to physical pain.
"NIH Study Finds Chronic Alcohol Use Shifts Brain's Control of Behavior." NIH News Release. 22 Aug. 2013: n.p. SIRS Government Reporter. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.
Colker, A. C. (2004). Pharmacotherapy treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction: Overview and bibliography. Retrieved from http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=14417
As illustrated the model of drug abuse and the theories behind addiction are varied. There is no concrete reason for one person who drinks to become alcohol dependent versus the person who does not. Several factors contribute to why a person begins drinking and why they continue to do so despite reasons to stop. The case history exhibits a client with many risk factors associated with alcohol use and dependence.
Liehr, P, Marcus, M, Carroll, D, Granmayeh, K L, Cron, S, Pennebaker, J ;( Apr-Jun 2010). Substance Abuse; Vol. 31 (2); 79-85. Doi: 10.1080/08897071003641271
Alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the US. One in every 12 adults suffers from alcohol abuse. Alcohol addiction is very common in modern ...
Binge Drinking is an intriguing phenomenon that many college students take part in all across the country. The issue of binge drinking has been a problem on college campuses for decades. Binge drinking has many horrible effects, but the problem starts with the causes for it. If the causes could be controlled then the issue would not get out of hand. Many college students give different causes for their drinking problems, and experts on the subject have their explanations as well. The problem is, while growing through adolescence anything can become an excuse for drinking, such as ¡§its Thursday the day before Friday, we need to drink¡¨ or, ¡§it¡¦s the last Wednesday of the semester, lets get some beer.¡¨
The Brain tissue can be damaged easily by alcohol and it weakens the nervous system. Nerve cells are blocked when alcohol reaches the brain because it reacts with receptors on other cells. This is why many times people who are drunk can fall and will not feel the pain until the day after because the nerve cells are being blocke...
The ingestion of alcoholic beverages for their enjoyable effects is a custom which has been around for thousands of years, and alcohol continues to be a popular drug because of its short-term effects (Coleman, Butcher & Carson, 1984). An enormous amount of damage can be attributed directly to alcohol abuse as a result of lost jobs, accidents caused by drunk drivers, and so forth (Maltzman, 2000). Alcohol also compounds other problems--an estimated 25% to 40% of hospital patients have problems caused by, or recovery delayed by alcohol abuse (Maltzman, 2000). Clinical psychologists spend about one-fourth of their time dealing with people who are suffering in part from alcohol or other substance problems (Vaillant, 1995). Although alcohol problems have been around for so long, it is only recently that these problems have begun to be associated with medical or psychological difficulties.
Alcoholism is a disease in which the drinking of alcohol becomes uncontrollable. Compulsion and craving of alcohol rules the life of the alcoholic. Many of us drink alcohol to socialize which is not alcoholism. An alcoholic is a frequent habitual user. Alcohol, a central nervous system depressant, dulls the senses especially vision and hearing. Signs of alcoholism are tremors, delirium, inability to concentrate and many others. “According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, more than 13 million Americans abuse alcohol”(Mayo Clinic Health Information 1). There are many causes leading an individual to alcoholism. Alcohol damaging effects are physically, psychologically, and socially devastating.
""Drugs, Brains, and Behavior - The Science of Addiction" - Drug Abuse and Addiction." Web. 14 Dec. 2010.
Neurotransmitters are chemicals that help transmit signals from one nerve in the brain to another (Drinkaware). Drinking decreases our mental sharpness and judgment. According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, “1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor-vehicle crashes” (NIAAA,). Another problem that affects us mentally is addiction. Alcohol is very addictive and people go through withdrawal. (Brittanica, Mark Keller). Alcohol affects human’s bodies and causes them to die at a young age. Alcohol harms your organs such as the heart, liver, pancreas, and the brain. (NIAAA). Also, there is an increase of developing cancer around the mouth, esophagus, throat, liver, and breast (NIAA). Consuming alcohol came lead to people taking actions they might not have taken when sober. Regular drinking lowers the levels of serotonin in your brain. This leads to depression and
Alcoholism is of interest to many people in the world today. This paper examines what has recently been learned about alcoholism, especially how serious of a disorder it actually is. Some of the aspects that are explained are what exactly alcohol abuse involves, the negative effects alcohol has on the human body, and options for treatment.
Alcohol damages the pathways that connect different parts of the brain and can affect the way the brain looks and works. These pathways, when affected, can change a person’s mood and behavior, and not only make them an entirely different person, but also make it harder for them to think clearly an...