Alcoholism is one of our nation’s largest social issues to date, and carries with it many negative aspects, the most dire being death at the hands of this disease. Alcohol and alcoholism have been part of societies for centuries. This habit was brought over to the new world when the first settlers landed on the shores of what was to become America. Furthermore, in bringing alcohol to this new land an entire nation of Native American Indians were introduced to a product that has affected them more negatively than any other to date, and continues to suffer from today and probably well into the future.
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is located in the southwest corner of South Dakota bordering Nebraska. Pine Ridge is home to the Oglala Sioux Native Indians, and is the second largest reservation in the United States. Pine Ridge was established in 1889, but not by the residents that would become the members of the community; instead, this community was established by our government and today it suffers from one of our nation's biggest social issues, alcoholism. This community shows evidence of the negative aspects of alcohol and alcoholism, and how they affect their community. (Schwartz, 2006)
When looking at alcoholism as a social issue we need to recognize that alcoholism tends to follow certain economic and ethnic groups, and furthermore it tends to run in families. There are genetic factors tied into who is more susceptible to becoming an alcoholic. As stated by Bethany Winkel in her article Alcoholism among Native Americans (2010) "Certain ethic groups experience alcoholism on a wider level. Native Americans are one such group. Their rate of alcoholism is much higher than the rest of the population." Alcoholism affects eight o...
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... Retrieved September 7, 2011, from http://addiction.lovetoknow.com
Kibbey, H. (n.d.). Genetic influences on alcohol drinking and alcoholism. In Indian Education. Retrieved September 7, 2011, from http://www.indiana.edu/~rcapub/v17n3/p18.html
Winkel, B. (2010). Alcholism among native americans. In Treatment Solutions Network. Retrieved September 7, 2011, from http://www.treatmentsolutionsnetwork.com
Miller, Y. (2011). Alcoholism: The physical and social effects
Jones-Saumty, D., Hochhaus, L.,Dru, R., & Zeiner, A. (1983). Psychological factors of familial alcoholism in american Indians and caucasions. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 39(5), 783-790. Retrieved October 15, 2011, from Academic Search Complete database.
Schwartz, S. (2006) The arrogance of ignorance:Hidden away, out of sight and out of mind. Retrieved November 18, 2011, from http://nativevillage.org
Every family has been afflicted by alcohol or alcoholism in some way, whether rich or poor, according to statistics. In fact, alcoholism is considered the “family disease”, because of its negative effects on the roles of family members, and the family’s image/reputation. Alcoholism has badly affected my family as well. My aunt, who is extremely caring, loving, humble, and generous, has suffered from this chronic disorder for years. After her husband’s death in 2003, she became an alcoholic. I honestly believe that she turns to alcohol to stop her from thinking/grieving about her husband, yet it destroys her beautiful personality that she has when she is sober. My aunt depends on alcohol the most during holidays, when there is a death in the family, and during general family gatherings.
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.
Slutske, W. S., D’Onofrio, B. M., Turkheimer, E., Emery, R. E., Harden, K. P., Heath, A. C., et al. (2008). Searching for an environmental effect of parental alcoholism on offspring alcohol use disorder: A genetically informed study of children of alcoholics. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 117, 534-551.
The effect alcohol has on people is overwhelming. It can change your life in an instant. Drunk drivers kill loved ones right and left. This is the kind of life the Native Americans face every day because of alcohol and no self-control. They feel shame for what others do with alcohol and receive shame from families who lost loved ones because of
Often used as a coping mechanism to deal with PTSD, alcohol abuse throughout modern Aboriginal culture proves to be a major cause for concern. According to a report by Health Canada (2003), 79 percent of individuals in First Nations communities suffered from alcohol abuse, and 59 percent from drug abuse. Additionally, a study conducted by the National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation (2002) found deaths due to alcohol consumption among Aboriginal population to be 43.7 per 100,000, twice the rate of the general population (23.6 per 100,000). Staggering figures when compared to the overall population of Canada, the statistics indicated portray the extensive damage caused by residential schools. The phenomena of historical trauma and Residential School Syndrome are large contributors to the social and cultural epidemic of alcohol abuse in Native communities. With a strong correlation to PTSD, alcohol is also used also to cope with issues beyond that of mental illness, including economic and social hardships, which are not directly related to residential schools. Yet, even when not related to mental illness, alcohol abuse is still the result of interaction with European culture. Prior to the arrival of European colonists in North Ameri...
Many people believe that Native Americans are a disadvantaged group of individuals in many ways. Culturally, in that many of the cultures of the various tribes across the Americas were taken from them by Europeans and their descendants. Socially, in that they are unlike other minorities in the United States because of their extra-constitutional status; and even medically, stemming from the general belief that Natives are at a higher risk for disease than other ethnicities due to tobacco and alcohol use, especially when used together (Falk, Hiller-Sturmhöfel, & Yi, 2006).
Although there are plenty of populations stagnated with the disease of alcoholism and drug abuse, one that stands out is the epidemic amongst Native Americans. A trivial topic at best when cast in the media and the steady stream of alcoholic advertisement, but this is definitely a topic worth being researched and pulled to the forefront. The onslaught of this issue stems from varying factors of history and circumstance.
As a result, living up to worthy expectations also can be difficult for anyone, especially in the modern world, where most people in American society have experimented with alcohol and drugs. Many Native Americans, however, face additional perils that increase their risk for alcohol and substance abuse; for example; cultural conflict, post-traumatic stres...
The impact of various kinds of substances to cultural groups has historically been precipitated by the significance of particular substances on different cultural groups (Moore, 2010).This is mainly because the long term usage of these substances leads to the integration of the consumption of the substance into the cultural patterns of the given group. One such group that has been affected by the extensive usage of a particular substance is the Native American community. According to the Associated Press (2014, August 28), as noted on the MSNBC website, out of ten deaths among the Native American population, one is Alcohol related. Additionally, the prevalence of Alcohol consumption among the Native American population relates to the fact that it’s associated with the various cultural events that define the way of life of Native Americans. Therefore, the focus of this paper shall be on the cultural aspects, effects and prevalence of Alcohol among Native Americans. Particularly, the paper shall outline a brief introduction of the Native American culture and the prevalence of Alcohol in this culture; compare the aspects of alcohol abuse between the Native Americans and the African Americans; analyze the particular effects of alcohol in the body; and demonstrate the cultural impact of Alcohol abuse among the Native Americans.
Beauvais, Fred. “Spotlight on Special Populations. American Indians and Alcohol.” Alcohol Health & Research World 22.4 (1998): 253-259. CINAHL Plus with Full Text. Web. 23 July 2014.
Ghosh, R. P. (2012, February 11). Native Americans: The Tragedy of Alcoholism. Retrieved May 21, 2014, from International Business Times: http://www.ibtimes.com/native-americans-tragedy-alcoholism-214046
In the novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, he conveys numerous different examples of how alcohol controls many of the Indians lives who reside on the reservation. In the book, it illustrates how a multitude of Indians who live on the Spokane Indian Reservation are impoverished; they live a life that to many of the readers are vastly different. For example, the Indians barely have enough money to eat on a regular basis. Now, the people who live on the reservation need a way to relieve stress from their daily life, and they end up alleviating stress by drinking an abundance of alcohol. The problem is when a number of the adults on the reservation drink too, much they end up hurting not only themselves but
The political, economic, and welfare systems have all but destroyed traditional culture, family dynamics, and work ethics on the majority of reservations. These combined factors have created, in many, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness that eventually lead to drug and alcohol abuse. This in turn leads to few successful role models for the next generation who will have even fewer incentives to break the cycle.
Latham, P.K., & Napier, T.L. (1992). Psychosocial consequences of alcohol misuse in the family of origin. The International Journal of the Addictions, 27, 1137-1158.
... Alcoholism is a serious problem in today's society. It is extremely important that the public, including the large groups of users and abusers of alcohol, gain as much knowledge as possible about the symptoms and effects of alcoholism if we ever want to see the reduction of statics involving fatalities, injuries, diseases caused from the use and abuse of alcohol. Education and realization of the effects alcoholism can have on the different aspects of a person's life are the best ways that we can help control the number of alcoholics in the United States.