Many of us know that to be categorized as an alcoholic one is always drunk and acting out of character, but alcoholism is much more than that. Alcoholism is when an individual is dependent on alcohol, consumes large amounts of alcoholic drinks, cannot function socially or at work, and has symptoms of withdrawal while trying to quit drinking. (Dictionary.com) Heredity, conditioning, and environment can contribute to the use of alcohol. One beverage can affect parts of the brain and nervous system. Sensory input then comes into play when alcohol is consumed. Symptoms depend on many factors such as one’s body itself and the amount of alcohol intake. Not only does alcohol affect the person consuming it but others around them, impact relationships, and group behavior. Therefore, after the individual has taken beverage after beverage of alcohol the body will start showing signs of damage to the body both internally and externally. There are many causes of alcoholism, such as being depressed, peer pressure, and personal issues. Studies have shown that are more likely to come an alcoholic if it is on our genes. Environment is a big influence such as growing up and having alcohol around you. This comes into play when the individual’s environment has violence and tension as well. Most common thing is when parents are alcohol or drug abusers which lead they’re children to become alcoholics (Heredity and Alcoholism). The Brain tissue can be damaged easily by alcohol and it weakens the nervous system. Nerve cells are blocked when alcohol reaches the brain because it reacts with receptors on other cells. This is why many times people who are drunk can fall and will not feel the pain until the day after because the nerve cells are being blocke... ... middle of paper ... ...dom House, Inc. 22 May. 2013. Dennis Coon, John O. Mitterer. "Psychology A JOURNEY." Dennis Coon, John O. Mitterer. Psychology A JOURNEY. Belmont: Linda Schreiber, 2008-2011. 206,212-214. Heredity and Alcoholism. n.d. 30 May 2013. . How Alcohol Affects the Brain. 30 May 2013. <. Howard J. Edenberg, Ph.D. Genes Contributing to the Development of Alcoholism. 30 May 2013. Intervention, Alcohol Problems in Intimate Relationships: identification and. National Institue on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. 31 May 2013. Medical, WebMD. WebMD: Understanding Alcohol Abuse-Treatment. 31 May 2013. .
The World of Psychology. (2002). A Pearson Education Company. Boston, MA: Samuel Wood & Ellen Green Wood p. 593
When alcohol is consumed, an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase metabolizes the alcohol to acetaldehyde at a rate of one standard drink per hour (Schuckit, 2009). After repeat exposures, tolerance may develop as a result of adaptational changes in the cells of the central nervous system (Merck, 1999). The increased tolerance may cause the patient to consume alcohol in greater quantities than before to achieve the same intoxicating effects. Alcoholics suffer dramatic long-term health damage. The most common forms of specific organ damage in alcoholics are cirrhosis, peripheral neuropathy, brain damage, a...
and Mrs. Underhill was the leading cause of death. Alcohol has various effects on the brain including, the cerebellum, hypothalamus, pituitary gland, the medulla, and the cerebral cortex. When consuming a large amount of alcohol it affects the cerebral cortex, which is the main source of processing thoughts and voluntary movements causing that person to have poor judgement. The cerebellum causes uncoordinated movement when a person is under the influence of alcohol. The most dangerous part of drinking alcohol, is the fact that in can affect the medulla which controls the body temperature, heart rate and breathing, and when a person consumes a large amount, it can be fatal to that
Alcoholism has been a fixture in our society since the first introduction of alcohol. Despite it being an equal opportunity disease, a large majority of not only the treatment, but also the research, has been about men. This lack of consideration of the different needs for men and women has led to many women going through recovery systems that do not address their experiences, and therefore do not allow them to take full advantage of that recovery system. This paper will attempt to look at the different experiences that men and women have in their journey through a substance addiction (particularly alcohol), from addiction through recovery. The main recovery method that will be discussed here is Alcoholics Anonymous.
Alcohol is a dominant tool that controls the human’s body when it takes over its major systems. In addition, alcohol has a huge impact on people’s behaviors so that their behaviors go out of their control and could lead to things rather more serious.
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...
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.
The ingestion of alcoholic beverages for their enjoyable effects is a custom which has been around for thousands of years, and alcohol continues to be a popular drug because of its short-term effects (Coleman, Butcher & Carson, 1984). An enormous amount of damage can be attributed directly to alcohol abuse as a result of lost jobs, accidents caused by drunk drivers, and so forth (Maltzman, 2000). Alcohol also compounds other problems--an estimated 25% to 40% of hospital patients have problems caused by, or recovery delayed by alcohol abuse (Maltzman, 2000). Clinical psychologists spend about one-fourth of their time dealing with people who are suffering in part from alcohol or other substance problems (Vaillant, 1995). Although alcohol problems have been around for so long, it is only recently that these problems have begun to be associated with medical or psychological difficulties.
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.
Many scientists have tried to define what Alcoholism is, and what this disease may be rooted from. Some people would argue that alcoholism is simply the over-consumption of alcohol, this statement is only somewhat true. An alcoholic is a person who relies on alcohol as a medium to help him or her deal with physical, emotional, or spiritual needs.
Alcohol Dependence is a disease characterized by: a strong need or compulsion to drink, the frequent inability to stop drinking once a person has begun, the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms (nausea, sweating, shakiness) when alcohol use is stopped after a period of heavy drinking, and the need for increasing amounts of alcohol in order to feel an affect. Most experts agree that alcoholism is a disease just as high blood pressure, diabetes and arthritis are diseases. Like these other diseases, alcoholism tends to run in the family. Drinking alcohol is not the only factor that leads to alcoholism, it is a chronic disease that leaves an everlasting effect on the person's life and his family.
There are many causes that may lead to alcoholism. Psychological, social, and genetic factors have been linked to alcoholism. The psychological argument is that many alcoholics feel a feeling of inferiority and inadequacy. Alcohol is thought to give them false courage needed to face life. They are not capable of feeling self-assured to function in real life. Another cause may be a social factor. Many alcoholics start and begin moderately due to social or peer encouragement. They build up craving and demand leading to increasing consumption. Eventually, the drinking progresses beyond control. There is another factor: genetics. According to studies, children of alcoholics tend to abuse alcohol themselves. Physiologically alcoholics are though to be weak, and predisposed and more likely to become alcoholics themselves. Children of alcoholic parents tend to be more likely to be alcoholics.
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.