Schuckit & Smith (1997) and Read, et al. (2003) reported that alcohol expectancies and alcohol motives have an impact on the emergence of alcohol dependence and drinking outcomes. There are four motives that were observed to influence alcohol drinking behaviours: social motives, conformity motives, coping motives and enhancement motives. • Social Motives represent the decisions to drink alcohol because of the anticipations of social rewards, especially among social drinkers rather than heavy drinkers. • Conformity Motives refer to the tendency to drink so as to escape social disapproval and to conform to peer - pressure, especially among the adolescents and young adults. However, with growth and maturity the conformity motives are weakened as the person has gained enough insight and reflection …show more content…
• Enhancement Motives represent the anticipated positive reinforcement such as enhanced mood or well-being after the effects of alcohol drinking, especially among heavy alcohol drinkers. There is a consistent relationship observed with certain key cognitive parameters that influences drinking behaviour such as Drinking Refusal Self - Efficacy (DRSE) or the situational confidence to resist alcohol. When drink refusal skills are enhanced there is likelihood of increasing the ability to abstain or reduce consumption following treatment (Young, et al. 1990 and Skutle, 1999). Therefore, changing alcohol expectancies are essential when planning the various intervention strategies to reduce alcohol drinking. Connor, et al. (2000) has put forward the importance of drinking restraints among problem and non-problem alcohol drinkers. The researchers proposed that drinking refusal self-efficacy are important skills that promote drinking restraint, especially among young people. Relapse or failure to maintain abstinence was more likely to increase among those who believed that
During the late 19th century and early 20th century the United States saw many political reforms that would bring the nation back into a positive and moral state after a bloody civil war tore the country apart. It is said that the average American over the age of 15 during the time prior Prohibition drank almost seven gallons of pure alcohol a year. Prohibition was a period of time in which the average citizen broke the law because alcohol was a major part of citizens’ lives and the restrictions on the sale, transportation, and manufacturing of alcoholic beverages illegal. The urbanized North and Midwest were against Prohibition and the rural West and South supported the ban of alcohol. Even though that the issue of Prohibition was a regional issue across the nation, there were supporters and anti-Prohibitionists in each state.
Frey and Schonbeck explain that it is estimated that over 76 million people worldwide are affected by alcohol abuse or dependence. The chance of having an alcoholic in one’s life is very high. Children that grow up in an environment with an alcoholic may increase that child’s chance of becoming an alcoholic themselves. In the United States, the most commonly abused drug among youth is alcohol. Even though the legal drinking age is 21, nearly 20% of all alcohol consumed in the United States is by people under the legal age (83). In fact, when youth start drinking at social events in their teenage years, they are greatly increasing their risk of developing alcohol problems (85). Alcoholism can affect people of all ages. Furthermore, some experts try to differentiate between alcoholics and social drinkers. Typically, they base this off of five categories. Social drinkers do not drink alone. They consume minimal amounts of alcohol during social functions. Situational drinkers may not ever drink unless they are stressed out. These drinkers are more likely to drink by themselves. Problem drinkers can be described as a drinker that alcohol has caused problems in their life. However, they usually respond to advice given by others. Binge drinkers are out of control in their alcohol consumption. They may drink until they pass out or worse. Alcoholic drinkers have found that their lives have become unmanageable and that they are completely powerless over alcohol (84). Alcoholics should be cautious of their surroundings to prevent
...ing statistics tell us that the following interventions help to reduce the incidence of binge drinking:
Many of us, especially during those days in college have woken up with a pounding headache, dry throat and bleary eyes wondering how we got to this point. However, very few of us wonder why we drank so much when most of us are smart enough to know the consequences of heavy drinking. In the book “Getting wasted: why college students drink too much and party so hard”, the sociologist professor from Ohio University examined college drinking culture.
Insecurity is another incentive to why students binge drink. Drinking alcohol has been a large part of society for many years. People find that it is easier to meet people when they have been drinking. Drinking has also been used as a way to get close to some one. There are also many social events drinking has created. There are cozy bars “where every body knows your name,” cocktail parties, and the high school favorite, house party.
Today, one out of every thirteen adults abuse alcohol or are alcoholics. That means nearly thirteen million Americans have a drinking problem. (www.niaaa.nih.gov) This topic offers a broad range of ideas to be researched within the psychological field. For this particular project, the topic of alcoholism and the psychological effects on people best fit the criteria. Alcoholism is defined as a disorder characterized by the excessive consumption of and dependence on alcoholic beverages, leading to physical and psychological harm and impaired social and vocational functioning. (www.dictionary.com) Through this project, the most important information regarding personal experiences dealing with alcoholism will be revealed. Not only are statistics, like the facts mentioned before, important when dealing with an issue such as alcoholism, but personal accounts and information are often more powerful and influential evidence. Non-alcoholics should be allowed to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings for research purposes.
Miller, P. M., Smith, G.T., & Goldman, M. S. (1990). Emergence of alcohol expectancies in childhood. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 51, 343-349.
... norms and perceived social benefits of drinking. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 69, 397 – 405
Drinking alcohol is associated with many adverse health problems in the short and long-term. These include cancer, stroke, heart disease, miscarriage, premature birth and unintentional injuries. Despite the fact that alcohol brings many negative impacts, many people still choose to drink and do not overcome their drinking habit. They have been successfully seduced by alcohol until drinking has become their addiction. However, some of them try to quit drinking, but they still cannot break the addiction. Basically, quitting alcohol is difficult and almost impossible for them because of brain-craving, lack of belief and support, and weak willpower.
One article that covers the results of a national survey states that ¡§Adolescents¡¦ levels of alcohol and drug use have been found to be strongly associated with peers¡¦ use. However, other studies have shown that a student¡¦s drinking was more strongly influenced by how much he or she thought close friends drank than by perceptions of the extent of use by students in general¡¨(Results 2). This is a statement that I can agree with because growing up I have watched many young people become greatly influenced by their friends. Now a days the phrase ¡§peer pressure¡¨ concentrates on pressure from a direct group of friends rather than a students peers as a whole. Another reason the article gives for the cause of Binge Drinking is that ¡§Students who perceive that more drinking occurs than actually does provide themselves with an excuse for drinking more because ¡¥everyone is doing it¡¦¡¨ (Results 2). Everyone knows that most youngsters want what every other kid has, this idea relates in the...
There are a number of reasons why teenagers feel the urge to drink. Social environment, peer influence, stresses, and even factors such as media influence contribute to underage drinking. Peer pressure is as well known use among teens. Americans have a burning desire to be accepted and liked by their peers. Everyone wants to feel a sense of belonging. Many adolescents feel that they need to drink alcohol to gain this acceptance by the others around them. Stress is also another reason why teens may feel apt to drink alcohol. Stress causes teenagers to look for a quick escape from the problems, which they face, in their day-to-day lives. This quick escape can be found in the shape of a bottle. In the eyes of an underage drinker, alcohol is the cure to all problems, a way to forget all of stress and pressures that are facing them. They feel that it will numb their pain and continuing to use alcohol will result in maybe another problem, substance abuse.
Families in society today encounter a number of factors that make it difficult to have the “traditional American family”. Many families have grandparents acting as parents, single mother homes, and adolescents that are struggling with addiction and behavioral issues. Families are extremely affected by addiction and alcoholism and family therapy can play a major role in assisting the affected family members. Many marriages end in divorce and children inherit the disease of addiction. Alcoholism is a silent killer of the American family dream. Some of the issues linked with alcoholism in the family arebehavioral issues with family members,mental health issues within the family, and effects of alcoholism on the children.
Coming to terms with the reality of alcohol addiction, enables the individual to begin taking action. Although peers may have already highlighted the problem to the user, he or she is more likely to commit to quitting if they themselves recognize that there is a problem stemming from their alcohol use. Initially, the alcohol user needs to assess his or her situation regarding alcohol abuse. Next, the individual will need to take steps to ensure that he or she can commit to making a change. Furthermore, this step can be hard to accomplish without making your decision clear to family and friends that the individual drinks with. Now that the alcohol user has acknowledged the reality that a substance abuse problem exists, it’s time for the alcohol user to speak with his or her physician for assistance on maintaining a sober
Let’s ask a question: why do people start using alcohol at the first place? And why they start doing it at such young age? Well, just “like other adult drinkers, college students expect alcohol to produce a series of positive effects – relaxation, socialization, sexuality – and the strength of these positive expectancies is related to drinking” (Walters & Baer, 2006). And who wouldn’t take a couple drinks to gain a group of friends? It lowers social inhibitions, so it is very well known among shy individuals as well. However, this activity can be also pressurized by peers. In this case, pressure wouldn’t be effective on people who do not accept or see positive aspects of occasional drinking. That means, everyone starts by saying ‘yes’ to a glass.
Decisions always have a consequence no matter who the person is that made the decision, decisions affect people’s lives. These decisions normally affect their lives in a negative way, and can cause more harm than good. For example, drinking alcohol has many negative effects on people, whether it be in their lives or their neighbor’s life. Alcohol has many negative effects on people like their health, family life, and safety of others.