Alcoholism and Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

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Alcoholism is one of our nation’s largest social issues to date, and carries with it many negative aspects, the most dire being death at the hands of this disease. Alcohol and alcoholism have been part of societies for centuries. This habit was brought over to the new world when the first settlers landed on the shores of what was to become America. Furthermore, in bringing alcohol to this new land an entire nation of Native American Indians were introduced to a product that has affected them more negatively than any other to date, and continues to suffer from today and probably well into the future.

Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is located in the southwest corner of South Dakota bordering Nebraska. Pine Ridge is home to the Oglala Sioux Native Indians, and is the second largest reservation in the United States. Pine Ridge was established in 1889, but not by the residents that would become the members of the community; instead, this community was established by our government and today it suffers from one of our nation's biggest social issues, alcoholism. This community shows evidence of the negative aspects of alcohol and alcoholism, and how they affect their community. (Schwartz, 2006)

When looking at alcoholism as a social issue we need to recognize that alcoholism tends to follow certain economic and ethnic groups, and furthermore it tends to run in families. There are genetic factors tied into who is more susceptible to becoming an alcoholic. As stated by Bethany Winkel in her article Alcoholism among Native Americans (2010) "Certain ethic groups experience alcoholism on a wider level. Native Americans are one such group. Their rate of alcoholism is much higher than the rest of the population." Alcoholism affects eight o...

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... Retrieved September 7, 2011, from http://addiction.lovetoknow.com

Kibbey, H. (n.d.). Genetic influences on alcohol drinking and alcoholism. In Indian Education. Retrieved September 7, 2011, from http://www.indiana.edu/~rcapub/v17n3/p18.html

Winkel, B. (2010). Alcholism among native americans. In Treatment Solutions Network. Retrieved September 7, 2011, from http://www.treatmentsolutionsnetwork.com

Miller, Y. (2011). Alcoholism: The physical and social effects

Jones-Saumty, D., Hochhaus, L.,Dru, R., & Zeiner, A. (1983). Psychological factors of familial alcoholism in american Indians and caucasions. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 39(5), 783-790. Retrieved October 15, 2011, from Academic Search Complete database.

Schwartz, S. (2006) The arrogance of ignorance:Hidden away, out of sight and out of mind. Retrieved November 18, 2011, from http://nativevillage.org

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