The Horror of Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a baffling and powerful disease. It affects all people from all walks of life. It has been medically proven and recognized by most of society as a disease. However, for some people who either have not been affected or just do not have any knowledge of the disease, it is considered more as a weakness of character. Alcoholism has many effects, on the alcoholic them self, towards their family and friends, and on their health, on their spouse and children, mentally and physically, but the good thing is there is help out there for all of these people.
Alcohol is the most widely used and abused drug in the U.S. today. It is found in all beers, wines, and whiskeys. The alcohol in all these drinks is the same, only the percentage of alcohol and the flavor of the drinks are different. From a chemist point of view, alcohol would be seen as ethyl alcohol or ethanol (Berger 17).
Alcoholism is a condition in which individuals drink alcohol regularly and to excess. They continue to drink alcohol even thought this results in serious harm to their physical and mental health (Berger 11). Alcoholics are compulsive drinkers, individuals who cannot keep their drinking under control. Alcoholics intend to have only one or two drinks, but find it impossible to stop and end up drinking more. Once the start, alcoholics will almost always drink themselves to drunkenness (Berger 19).
"Alcoholism does not necessarily mean getting drunk every day" (Berger 11). The American Medical Association states:
Alcoholism is a disease that can be arrested but not
cured. One of the symptoms is an uncontrollable desire
to drink. Alcoholism is a progressive disease. As long
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Outline
Thesis Statement: Alcoholism has many effects, on the alcoholic them self, towards their family and friends, and on their health, on their spouse and children, mentally and physically, but the good thing is there is help out there for all of these people.
I. Introduction
A. Hook
B. Thesis
II. Alcoholic
A. Effects of the alcoholic
1. Towards family
2. Towards friends
B. Effects on health
III. Family
A. Effects on spouse
1. Mentally
2. Physically
B. Effects on children
1. Mentally
2. Physically
IV. Help
A. For the alcoholic
B. For the spouse
C. For the children
V. Conclusion
Robinson, David. From Drinking to Alcoholism: A Social Commentary. London: John Wiley and Sons, 1976.
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.
Causes of the war also included ideologies such as militarism, Imperialism and Nationalism along with the prominent alliance systems in Europe which all had a major affect on the outbreak of the war. All of...
The underlying cause of World War I was the build up of Nationalism, Imperialism, and Militarism in the 1800s. The “three isms” caused this great war due to the outcry in which they caused within the countries and their citizens including military build up, severe nationalism, patriotism, and extending a country 's power and influence through diplomacy or military force.
“Alcohol ruined me financially and morally, broke my heart and the hearts of too many others,” wrote comedian Craig Ferguson, in his book American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of An Unlikely Patriot. Alcohol consumption is a learned behavior - no one enjoys the taste of alcohol at first. People drink out of curiosity, out of custom (toasting the newlyweds), or to elude unpleasant feelings. However, out of constant drinking comes alcoholism: a term to describe the disease formed by the continuous misuse of alcohol. Although it is considered a disease, it is specifically an addictive illness (Benton). Those affected by alcoholism range wider than just the person who has developed it. Thus, persons with alcoholism are a detriment in today’s society by not only damaging their own bodies, but also martyring their families mentally and physically.
Alcohol has been around since ancient times, the original purpose was to treat water for bacteria. However as time went on people began to find other uses and side effects of alcohol. Human nature is of course is to either make money off of, or enjoy to the heart’s content and available substance. Today’s culture of social media, celebrity heroes, and pressure to fit in has driven many people, young and old, to drink. The effects of alcohol are what drive many over people to drink. Euphoria, forgetfulness, playfulness, social confidence, and courage are all some of the feelings many gain from consumption. Many people, especially new drinkers or teenagers do not understand the danger and adverse effects the alcohol has not only from long term but also short term consumption. Today’s drinkers are highly uneducated and do not understand key issues surrounding alcohol like:
About 1.3 million adults received treatment for an alcohol use disorder at a specialized facility just in 2013. According to the Proquest database, alcoholism is commonly referred to as the excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages. The world health organization estimates there are 140 million alcoholics worldwide. Alcoholism can lead to ca crashes, crimes, violence, abuse, reduced workplace activity and illness. Also according to centers for disease control and prevention, excessive alcohol use is the third leading lifestyle-related cause of death in America. This paper will examine the pro, con, and my viewpoint on whether or not alcoholism is caused by a lack of willpower or not.
Kishline (1994, p.105) challenges the disease theory of alcoholism. She states that other treatment professionals hold the view that some who use alcohol are only problem drinkers and that moderate drinking may be a treatment for the problem drinker. However, in all actuality, accumulated evidence indicates that physiology, not psychology, determines whether a drinker will become addicted to alcohol or not (Ketcham & Asbury, 2000). Those who consume alcohol on a regular basis, will, over time, develop a tolerance to alcohol, requiring the drinker to us more alcohol to achieve the same effects. This is how the disease of alcoholism is acquired and the only cure is complete abstinence.
A majority of American citizens can honestly say that they, or a loved one, have been personally victimized by the dangerous side effects of alcohol. Yet alcohol is still considered a recreational beverage, that too many people take for granted. The addiction to alcohol is officially labelled as “Alcoholism.” Alcoholism can affect one’s life in a numerous amount of ways. It is an overlooked danger in the U.S. which can negatively affect the youth of America and the economy, which is why it is an enormous danger to the U.S.
According to the American Heritage Dictionary, alcoholism is defined as "the compulsive consumption of and psychophysiological dependence on alcoholic beverages." It is a problem that can tear apart marriages and families, cause someone to lose his job, and many more negative results. In order to recover from this dependency a person must lose his desire for and dependence upon alcohol, continue to remain sober, and resolve all conflicts caused by the alcohol abuse. There are several alternatives an alcoholic has to rehabilitate himself. The best solution is a combination of individual therapy and a support group like Alcoholics Anonymous.
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.
Alcoholism is a major problem in today’s society it is considered a disease. The effects of this so called disease are a lot more serious than one might think, and can effect your life in a big way. Many of alcohols consumers drink frequently that they will eventually get used to it, and it becomes an everyday thing. That right there is where the problem starts. Some of the effects I found are economical, physiological, and physical, which are some of the negative effects alcohol, can have on someone’s life.
“For every family that is impacted by drugs, there are another 10 to 15 families impacted by alcohol abuse. It's a pretty big deal. We have a tendency to only look at part of the puzzle.” (Kevin Lewis). As a society we tend to categorize the severity of addiction in a way that drugs are the most dangerous and alcohol being just a problem. Because alcohol addiction can be a slow progressive disease many people don’t see it in the same light as drug addiction. An addiction to drugs is seen as being a more deadly and dangerous issue then that of alcohol because a drug addiction can happen more quickly and can kill more quickly. Alcohol is something that is easy to obtain, something that is found at almost every restaurant. People with an alcohol addiction can not hide from alcohol as easy as a drug addict. Approximately 7 million Americans suffer from alcohol abuse and another 7 million suffer from alcoholism. (Haisong 6) The dangers of alcohol affect everyone from children with alcoholic parents, to teenagers who abuse alcohol, then to citizens who are terrorized by drunk drivers.
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.
Alcoholism is a disease that affects many people in the United States today. It not only affects the alcoholic, but also their family, friends, co-workers, and eventually total strangers. The symptoms are many, as are the causes and the effects.