Alcohol and Alcoholism - Binge Drinking and Gender

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Binge Drinking and Gender

See Jane and John. Jane and John are both college students. Jane and John decide to attend a party with their friends. On this particular night, Jane drinks 4 drinks in the first hour and continues to consume alcohol. John drinks 5 or more in that same hour and continues to drink. After 3 hours at this party, Jane and John are both very drunk. Jane believes the alcohol makes her more comfortable with the atmosphere of the party and therefore more socially accepted. The girls at the party seem to take more of a liking to Jane as the night wears on. The guys seem more sexually interested in her, too. John is hanging out with all the rowdy guys at the party doing multiple shots and chugging several beers for show. He behaves this way because he believes drinking is what men do. The alcohol begins to take its various tolls and have its numerous effects on Jane and John.

John remembers nothing of the night’s activities, but wakes up in his own bed believing he had a good time. John was the unsuspecting victim of a “blackout.” John may continue drinking because of the enjoyment he had experienced when he was consuming alcohol, creating mental conditioning that associates alcohol with fun. What are the problems John may encounter? John could be your fraternity brother or that guy you always talk to in your history class.

Jane attended the party with preconceived ideas of how alcohol will make people interact. Jane possibly has become more attracted to alcohol because of the social connection and benefit it brings to her. She too came home associating alcohol with a good time, making friends, and attracting men. But what will happen in regards to long-term effects on her body? How would you know if...

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...effects psychologically by getting at the root of the problems. The effects on males were not heavily presented or discussed due to the research and debate that was spotlighted on women. It is also interesting to note that the approaches supporting the female suffering came from female authors.

Works Cited

Cohen, Monique Counseling Addicted Women (2000).

D’Amico, Elizabeth and Kim Fromme “Neurobiological Bases of Alcohol’s Psychological Effects” Psychological Theories of Drinking and Alcoholism (1999): 422-45.

Higher Education Center. Harvard School of Public Health. October 11, 2001 November 21, 2002 <http://www.edc.org/hec/pubs/binge.htm/>

Plant, Moira Women and Alcohol (1997).

Roth, Paula Cycle of Classes for Participants, Alcohol and Drugs are Women’s Issues (1991): 63-81

Waterson, Jan. Women and Alcohol in Social Context (2000).

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