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Sociological perspectives on alcohol
Alcoholism effects and causes
Alcoholism effects and causes
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Recommended: Sociological perspectives on alcohol
When society thinks about people drinking alcohol, the first assumption is that there is a drinking disorder occurring. There are thousands of ways to get help and for one to learn the correct way to drink alcohol. Society, however, doesn’t realize that there are steps and reasons alcoholism occurs within society. Alcoholism is an illness that is directly associated with persistent and excessive use of alcoholism (Mascott). According to Cunha, there is not a well-established cause for alcoholism but however there is a growing evidence for it being genetic. Recent research, believe that a gene (D2 dopamine receptor gene) that, when inherited in a specific form, might increase a person's chance of developing alcoholism. There are also a variety of elements that may trigger to the problem of alcoholism such as the environment around there such as family members, peers and availability of alcohol. Alcoholism is the physical and mental addiction to alcohol (Right Diagnosis). Alcoholism affects the cerebral cortex, the thalamus (communication within the brain), the hypothalamus (releases hormones in response to stress and other stimuli), and hippocampus (the lower area of the front part of the brain, involved in learning and memory). Another brain structure is the cerebellum the base of the brain, which plays a huge role in posture and coordination and learning simple tasks ("Alcoholism and the Brain: An Overview"). As "Alcoholism and the Brain: An Overview" states that there are thousands of neurotransmitters, four neurotransmitters that are affected by alcohol, one of them is serotonin it increases in the body. A high level of serotonin affects the brain by making the body addictive to alcohol. People later become active to alcohol ... ... middle of paper ... ...dentification and Intervention. NIAAA, June 2003. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. "Alcoholism and the Brain: An Overview." Alcoholism and the Brain: An Overview. NIAAA, July 2004. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. Coon, Dennis, and John O. Mitterer. Psychology: A Journey. 5th ed. Toronto: Thomson/Nelson, 2011. Print. Cunha, John P. "Read What Your Physician Is Reading on Medscape." EMedicineHealth. Ed. Roxanne Dryden-Edwards. WebMD Inc, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. Gold, Mark S. "Treatment of Alcoholism | Psych Central." Psych Central.com. Psych Central, n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2014. Lane, Hannah. "Alcohol's Effects on the Senses." EHow. Demand Media, 14 Apr. 2011. Web. 01 Mar. 2014. Mascott, Cynthia. "An Introduction to Alcoholism | Psych Central." Psych Central.com. Psych Central, n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2014. "Symptoms of Alcoholism." RightDiagnosis. Health Grades Inc, 07 May 2013. Web. 22 Feb. 2014.
Staying Sober: A Guide for Relapse Prevention. New Providence, NJ: Independence Press. Inaba, D. S., & Cohen, W. E. (2011). Uppers, downers, all arounders. (7th ed.).
Numerous experiments have been conducted to analyze the influence of ethanol on different sections of the human brain and how different concentration levels affect behavior. For example, it has been observed that excessive amounts of ethanol affect the cerebellum. As we know, the cerebellum controls balance and coordination, but when exposed to excessive amounts of ethanol, an individual is more prone to lose balance. Furthermore, the hippocampus, a part of the brain associated with memory, is also impaired by the consumption of ethanol. As the consumption of ethanol increases, long memory retainment decreases. While human beings consume this substance for pleasure despite side effects, there are other species that need
WebMD.com - WebMD.com WebMD, 2009. Web. The Web. The Web. 25 Mar. 2014. The 'Standard' of the Roleff, Tamara L. Alcoholism.
When someone drinks an alcoholic beverage, it is absorbed through the stomach or small intestine. Once absorbed, the alcohol merges into the bloodstream and travels its way through the body. Although the liver does help to eliminate as much alcohol as possible, not all is filtered. This alcohol filled blood will flow through the body in a circuit and eventually go through the brain (Watson 4). Since the brain is still in the process of developing mature lobes, alcohol can revise the way cells are working. A healthy brain has an increase in myelination which is essential for gaining and obtaining knowledge and also allows for beneficial communication between lobes. The key operational method to the brain is that all the lobes work together (Squeglia 1). Alcohol increases the effects of the inhibitory neurotransmitter, GABA, which means chemical messengers decrease electrical brain activity (Watson 5).
"Alcohol Dependence (Alcoholism)." Guide: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Options. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Apr. 2014.
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant causing dependence and can become a chronic disorder for the patient. This addiction is influenced by a variety of psychosocial, genetic, and environmental factors (Swift). Alcohol abuse usually follows a predictable course, has recognizable symptoms, and lasts a person's lifetime. Numerous serious health problems are a consequence of alcoholism.
Kowalski, Kathiann M. "Alcohol: a real threat: alcohol can harm anyone--even teens who don't see themselves as problem drinkers." Current Health 2, a Weekly Reader publication Dec. 2003: 6+. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 31 Dec. 2013.
Many do not clearly understand how serious alcohol abuse really is. According to CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention), “Excessive alcohol use is responsible for approximately 88,000 deaths in the United States each year”. In addition to that, the NIH (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) claims that alcohol is a risk factor for cancers like liver, breast, mouth, esophagus, and many more. According to Steven Reinbersg’s article titled as “Third of Americans Have Alcohol Problems at Some Point”, more than “30 percent of Americans say they have had problems with alcohol”, proven by studies. Numerous Americans take advantage of alcohol frequently, but do not realize what kind of side affects it can bring for themselves. Though, alcoholism is often brought to awareness, one may feel like they are not educated enough about it.
Stewart, Kay, Biggs, Richards, Ann Boulware. Recognizing and dealing with your patient’s alcohol abuse. Nursing, 0360-4039, February 1, 2000, Vol. 30, Issue 2
Wechsler, H., Nelson T., & Weitzman, E. (February 2000). From Knowledge to Action. Change [On-line], Available: www2.gasou.edu/library/ (Galileo)(EBSCOhost)(Search=Alcohol Abuse).
Over time, alcoholism has been viewed in a multitude of distinct ways. Alcoholism is known as the physical dependence on alcohol, which may start to negatively change the addict’s life. Most people believe that alcoholism is a chronic disease and there are also some whom believe that it is simply an addiction that has gone way too far. Alcohol is a common substance that has been linked to numerous addictions, whether it’s binge drinking, alcohol abuse or the dependence on alcohol. Due to the immense amount of alcohol dependency, it is highly possible that it may in fact be a disease. For this complex disease to be known, it is important that others don’t suffer the harsh effects of alcoholism. The negative effects of alcoholism may lead to
First hypotheses: Alcohol conquers pyramidal cells in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, which is an important part of the cell for developing memories of events. Second hypotheses: Interruption of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus. Hippocampal cells signal other hippocampal cells, this signaling produces a large response. Alcohol prevents this cell signaling to one another, locking the activation of NMDA receptor. This process impairs LTP. Third hypotheses: alcohol might stimuli hippocampal functioning, affected by impairing the messages. All three of these hypotheses effects the PNS (Peripheral Nervous
Alcoholism is known to be one of the largest illnesses that affect individuals in the world today with nearly 32 million Americans who have struggled with it in one year alone. It is becoming a much larger problem that is reoccurring and wiping out a large portion of the population. Some individuals might think that excessive drinking isn’t a problem, but others find that it is completely
Christians in Recovery. "The Impact of Alcohol Abuse on American Society." Official Alcoholics Victorious Headquarters Website. Alcoholics Virtutious, n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 2014.
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...