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Causes and effects of alcoholism
Negative impacts of drinking alcohol
Negative impacts of drinking alcohol
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While a functioning alcoholic may feel like their addiction is not a problem, they often are unaware of how alcohol affects their life. From long-term health problems to issues at home, alcoholism can cause severe repercussions in the individual's life. The only way to prevent these problems from happening is to get treatment and stay sober.
The Kinds of Alcoholics
In a 2007 study by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), researchers found that there were several types of alcoholics. Functional alcoholics represented 31.5 percent of the total. The other types include young antisocial, intermediate familial, chronic severe and young adult.
Some researchers estimate that the majority of people with alcoholism classify themselves as a functioning alcoholic. These individuals are often able to succeed in their lives and may be in denial about their addiction.
The Signs of a
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Functioning Alcoholic Unfortunately, society does not always believe that a high functioning alcoholic has a problem because they are so successful.
The individual, their co-workers and their loved ones may be in denial. The individual cannot view their drinking as an addiction because they do not fit the stereotype. Because of this, they may avoid getting help.
Other than being in denial, this type of individual may be respected in their field. They have a kind of double life where they seem to manage their professional life well, but drink secretly at home. They compartmentalize different parts of their life. When this type of person hits rock bottom, they may be unable to recognize it.
They may try to rationalize their drinking by saying that they only drink at the bar or at a specific time. This helps the individual feel like they have control over their drinking. They may ask friends to cover for them or isolate themselves for drinking. In addition, they may break personal or professional commitments because of hangovers or drinking sessions.
Why Is Treatment
Necessary? Like any addiction, a functioning alcoholic may deal with isolation, binge drinking and increased tolerance. Sooner or later, their body will suffer from the physical effects of drinking. They may use drinking as a coping mechanism instead of learning constructive ways to handle stress. Over time, they will deal with personal, health, workplace and family problems caused by their drinking. Getting Treatment Once someone realizes that they need help, there are options available. Treatment centers are available that offer inpatient and outpatient programs. After starting treatment, patients can learn how to become and stay sober. At the treatment center, patients can get help through programs including: - Group and individual therapy - Drug and alcohol detox - Residential drug rehab programs - Art, music and equine therapy - Anger management - Medical supervision and support Conquering an addiction is not easy, but help is available. With the right treatment program, individuals can learn how to live healthier, happier lives. If you or a loved one suffers from alcoholism, rehab options are available. To learn more about different treatment options, call Beaches Recovery today at 866-605-0532.
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.
Some people only drink on the weekend, or just not at work. Some people attempt to hide their alcohol abuse while others demand company, or anything in between these various elements. Alcohol abuse or addiction is defined as an individual who a) needs to use alcohol every day to function, b) makes attempts to limit use to specific time with periods of sobriety between incidents of heavy drinking, c) have “binges” of continuous use for long periods of time interspersed with the aforementioned periods of abstinence, d) use in excess of the medical and social norms (Doweiko, 2015). To be diagnosed with an AUD requires the individual to meet 2 of eleven criteria laid out by the DSM-5 within a year, then severity is assessed on the basis of how many criteria are met (NIMH, n.d.). Severity is assessed as mild meeting 2-3 criteria, moderate meeting 4 to 5, and severe meaning meeting 6 or more criteria. These eleven criteria include factors such as having drank longer than intended, reduced interest in activities, increased risk behavior, and other factors that look at how drinking has affected you socially (NIAA,
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. As an observation addition to this assignment, I sat in on an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in Kerrville, TX. The meeting was on Thanksgiving Day at noon. I took detailed notes of the meeting, while keeping a watchful eye for any gendered interactions during the flow of the meeting.
...nding what is "normal" and what is not because of the unpredictable environment they were raised in. Often times alcoholic have a tendency to abuse their children and their spouse. Many times, alcoholics come from an abusive home and they have a history of alcoholism in the family already. In conclusion, alcohol affects every part of your life. It has irreversible affects on the body, including the liver and the brain. Alcohol also has detrimental affects on the mind, which leads to feeling inferior and unstoppable. Alcohol and alcoholism also affects family as well. There are many treatment programs and support groups that can help. However, most of the time the alcoholics refuse to admit they have a problem with their drinking, so it goes untreated. It is best to seek help, as living with an alcoholic parent is not only traumatizing, but taxing on the body and mind.
Generally speaking, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) references substance dependence (in this case, alcohol) as a cluster of cognitive, behavioral, and physiological symptoms that shows that the person is continuing use of the substance even with adverse effects on the individual’s life. Specifically, for a person to be diagnosed with substance dependence they must show at least three of the following symptoms; tolerance, withdrawal, substance being taken in larger amounts of over a longer period of time than intended, an unsuccessful desire or effort to control the use of the substance, there is a great deal of time devoted to the drug, important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced due to the substance, and the individual continues use of the substance even with the knowledge that the substance is causing physical or psychological problems (APA, 2000).
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.
It is unfortunate that many people within our society and worldwide suffers from the affects of alcohol addiction. There are many issues associated with this addiction and many times it’s not only the victim that deals with the addiction but also the people in close association with the individual. Alcohol addiction can afflict anyone and knows no limits of its damage that it can do to a person’s life or the people in their lives. Most importantly are the ones whom seek help for their addiction as it becomes a lifelong healing period for them. It has become clear that constant consumption of alcohol leads to addiction. It has also become clearer with the laws and policies that have been drawn up to combat drunk drivers that it is not a normal thing to do anymore as was thought to be normal in the late 60’s and early 70’s. This is not normal behaviour and it becomes clearer as the laws for drinking and driving is enforced by law enforcement officers. It is a duty for addiction workers to help in the aid of these problems and its laws and policies that help in putting a stop to some of the problems that arise from this addiction.
This book is mostly about a war that is occurring at the time and friends who apart from that are going through their own problems. There is several themes I found in this book. Alcohol use, fake friendships, false communication and etc. These themes relate to real life events that at least one of use go through. I searched up many current events that relate to the themes of this novel and I found many articles. I chose one specifically because I felt it was relatable to teens, which is basically who I associate with and hang around.
The problem of alcohol abuse has been recognized for thousands of years, but only more recently have we begun to see alcohol addiction as a treatable disorder. According to the Classical Disease Model of `Alcoholism,' habitual use of alcohol can be identified as a disease. Webster's Dictionary defines the concept of `disease' as follows: "Any departure from health presenting marked symptoms; malady; illness; disorder." Therefore, as many occurrences of alcohol excess provoke such symptoms, it is somewhat understandable that `alcoholism' is classified as a disease. The Classical Disease Model appears to offer a hopeful option. Treatment and sobriety can allow people to lead fulfilling lives. Adjacent to the notion of alcoholism as personal failure or moral deterioration, the Classical Disease Model appears to be a more desirable concept as it provides a motive for the alcoholic to seek treatment and gain sympathy, minimizing personal guilt. As alcoholism is seen as a progressive and, to an extent, hereditary illness for which those afflicted are not accountable, victims avoid being ostracized from society (Jellinek, 1960). Labeling the problem as a `disease' allows the medical profession to take responsibility for the treatment of alcoholism, which puts the problem in a more favourable light than if it were in the hands of psychologists or social workers, thus detaching the stigma connected with the problem while it is put on a par with other diseases such as diabetes or cancer. However, critics of the Classical Disease Model believe stigma helps reduce alcohol problems and aids the alcoholic. Any effort to reduce the stigma which is faced by the alcoholic will reduce pressures to moderate consumption and could have the additional ...
Alcoholism has been a problem throughout the history of humanity, a disease which has caused many people to be overcome with burdens, problems, and debts. Alcoholism is a term that is widely recognized throughout the United States and the World. Alcoholism is a chronic disease, progressive and often fatal; it is a disorder and not due to other diseases or emotional problems.
Alcoholism is a road often traveled yet there is no light at the end. The road only leads to a life of depression, anxiety, anger, stress, and much more. These are all common unwanted personality traits that we experience at one time or another. However, alcoholics exhibit these traits day in and day our as the likelihood that they act in these types of manners is nearly doubled when alcohol is involved. Alcohol inhibits not only our daily bodily functions but our mind as well. Alcoholism leads to times of withdrawal, low self-esteem, and an overall unwillingness to be part of society. It can turn the gentlest person into a raving psychopath without them even knowing it or if they do know, they refuse to admit it. Alcoholism manipulates the way we think and the way we react in common everyday situations. Minor problems are blown out of proportion while major problems are faced with anger, resentment, and often physical force. Alcoholism does nothing positive for an individual. It has many harmful effects and its effects on one's personality is one of the most harmful of all.
Just like fish swimming in the water they cannot see, the alcoholic cannot see their addiction neither because they are also living in it engulfing their bodies. They are completely engrossed in an altered state of reality deemed to be normal. It feels comfortable and content having a warped worldview in a happy place, and only when they sober up, because they have no money to buy drugs or alcohol, is when they start thinking deeply about their addiction problem. Sometimes they get so desperate they start doing nefarious things for money just to feel ‘normal’ again. And this hurts them more than anything. So, saying, “Hey, I have a problem” is first major step to showing they want to
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.
It doesn't make them bad people if they are trying to quit drinking in moderation. It seems that in our society, a person is either a "social" drinker or an "alcoholic." Sometimes people drink to relieve anxiety over relationships, work, and money. There are a lot of risk factors that go with drinking alcohol such as anxiety, tension, stress, vomiting, liver disease, and cessation of menses in women, but that is why there is such a thing as drinking in moderation. Drinking in moderation consists of no more than one drink a day for women and no more than two drinks a day for men.
An alcoholic suffers from the illness alcoholism. Alcoholism is a long term disease that can be described as a physical compulsion combining with a mental obsession. An alcoholic usually gives in to cravings at the worst times. They don’t know when or how to stop drinking.