The Dangers of Alcohol and Alcoholism

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“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 defined as a destructive addiction to alcohol while alcohol abuse is defined as a destructive abuse of alcohol. Alcoholism is the most severe form of alcohol abuse but there are many different factors that contribute to a person becoming an alcoholic. Alcoholism is genetic but usually influenced by someone’s environment growing up and their present environment. Having a abusive childhood or a hard life in general can trigger feelings that turn into a need to drink. An alcoholic can not control his/her intake of alcohol because he/she does not have control over it. There are many signs and symptoms to determine if someone is in fact an al... ... middle of paper ... ...out God. Web. 11 April. 2010. . Unknown. “Alcohol.” KidsHealth- the Web’s Most Visited Site About Children’s Health. Nemours Foundation, 2010. Web. 22 April. 2010. . Unknown. “ALCOHOL’S DAMAGING EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN.” NIAAA Publications. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, June 2006. Web. 12 April. 2010. . Unknown. “Alcoholism Facts.” Drug Addiction--Moving Into Recovery. Drug Addiction Support, 2010. . Unknown. “Alcoholism Facts: Includes Signs of Alcohol Abuse Treatments.” Alcoholism Facts. Median Net, 3 Aug. 2006. Web. 30 Apr. 2010. .

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