Allison Butigian 1/15/14
American Social Issues Period: 4
Alcohol
How does a person change from an innocent, pure child to a wild trouble-maker? One popular icon that has struggled with alcohol is Lindsay Lohan. We all remember her as the young kid from parent trap that has had a pretty successful acting career, but everything changed when she became addicted to alcohol and drugs. Her life seemed to turn for the worst when she was arrested twice for a DUI in 2007 and she confessed that alcohol abuse is what led her to more serious drugs. This is often the case with many individuals that become alcoholics. Within The United States’ society, alcohol is extremely underrated about the drug’s toxicity and danger. Although it is overlooked as a common substance, research has stated that alcohol is the most commonly abused drug in America.
Alcohol abuse is defined as the most destructive use of alcohol while Alcoholism is characterized by the repeated, obsessive and uncontrollable use of alcohol, despite the extremely negative consequences. (Harvey). In the United States along there are approximately 14 million alcohol abusers and slightly less than 7 million alcoholics (Harvey). For some people, based on genetics, they are more likely to develop alcoholism than others (Harvey). Although this is true in many circumstances an addiction correlates with life obstacles. Developing addictions of any kind tends to be a mix of nature and nurture. This means that an individual’s DNA can make them likely to develop alcoholism, but lifestyle of that individual can also push them to become dependent on the drug. Alcoholism, as well as any type of addiction is classified as a disease. It is a chronic and often progressive d...
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...precaution the government can take is raising the tax on alcohol. If it becomes more expensive it will be less appealing, especially towards younger audiences. This could prevent many unintended accidents that would not have happened if the individual did not consume as many drinks (Friedman).
Alcohol has the ability to consume someone’s entire life. It becomes a larger issue each year and when alcoholism takes over an individual they are no longer the same person. Alcohol has so many negative effects on a person’s health it is not worth it to abuse the drug. There are many precautions that could be taken by the community and the government that could slow the growth of alcohol abuse. By educating people at a young age hopefully they can grow into responsible drinkers. We need to create a society that understands how to drink responsibly and not put others at risk.
Brendan Behan, an Irish poet and writer, stated, “One drink is too many for me and a thousand not enough.” For alcoholics, it is hard to consume one alcoholic beverage and after drinking ten beverages, they feel as though it is not enough and should continue drinking. This is a situation that occurs too often and is a real struggle to overcome. In fact, variations of Behan’s quote have been used in alcohol recovery programs worldwide. But why must some alcoholics use his quote to understand the power that alcohol has over them? There are three contributing factors that lead to alcoholism - mental health, genetic structure, and social environment.
To make the lower drinking age work, we will need the help of the parents, the teachers and every role model possible. We need to teach the younger generations the disadvantages of drinking regularly, but we must not prohibit it. We should not embrace it, but not take it away. We must teach the young adult/teen how to deal with the “forbidden fruit”. Teach them how to take a sufficient amount that will not hurt them or others. It is time to approach this situation in a different manner, not to prohibit it, and not to pretend that it is not happening. But by making the safest environment possible for this to be taken care of appropriately, will help significantly. It’s time to try to improve our life quality by equally being able to enjoy what life has to offer.
Genetics predispose an individual to having an increased chance of becoming codependent upon drugs or alcohol. Studies of twins and of families that are prone to addiction suggest that about 50% of the risk for drug addiction is genetically based (EBSCOhost). One well-characterized relationship between genes and alcoholism is the result of variation in the liver enzymes that metabolize alcohol (NIH). The result of the liver breaking down the alcohol faster is a higher tolerance. Individuals with a higher tolerance to alcohol, need to drink more than the average person in order to seek the same biological effect. When heavy drinkers suddenly stop or significantly reduce their alcohol consumption, the neurotransmitters prev...
Today, on the other hand, Americans perceive addiction as an illness - an infection that can be dealt with. Alcohol abuse and drug reliance can influence all parts of a person’s life. The long term effects of alcohol and drug usage, both licit and illegal, can cause serious health complications affecting every organ in the body, including the brain. It can also damage emotional and mental stability, finances, careers, and impact family, friends and the entire community in which an alcoholic or drug abuser lives. This type of dysfunctional cycle is passed down from prior generations and the cycle is never
Primarily, the drinking age should be lowered to teach responsibility and safety in young adults. The idea seems paradoxical; however, the high drinking age that is present in the U.S. today has only pushed underage drinking underground (Balko 458). In fact, America has the highest minimum drinking age in the world (Balko 459). Even though the American drinking age remains high, America still remains with an astonishingly large number of alcohol-related accidents and deaths. Is this statement a coincidence? Throughout the years alcohol has become more and more of an issue in young adults, but the correct actions are not taking place. If alcohol were to legally be put in the hands of Americans eighteen and above, these individuals would likely be forced to learn a sense of safety and responsibility. As stated by Caryn Sul...
The best way to keep people away from alcohol is to make it hard enough for people to get alcohol; make them suffer to get the alcohol they need. Some of the ways a government could limit the use of alcohol is to increase its price dramatically by adding additional taxes and fees on those who sell alcohol so that its price will increase and wont be affordable for most of the people. The income of this increment should be spent on national awareness through media which would spread out the word about alcohol to people and warn them about the use of this evil product. Another restriction would be increasing the legal age of alcohol buyers from 21 to a higher age at which people would be responsible and think twice about the consumption of alcohol; a reasonable age would be around 25 I believe. Increasing the requirements of issuing alcohol licenses would limit the number of stores that sell alcohol so that people will need a bit more of time to get alcohol from a far place. In addition, limiting the quantity of alcohol sold to one individual would make him waste lots of time each time he wants to buy alcohol.
A majority of American citizens can honestly say that they, or a loved one, have been personally victimized by the dangerous side effects of alcohol. Yet alcohol is still considered a recreational beverage, that too many people take for granted. The addiction to alcohol is officially labelled as “Alcoholism.” Alcoholism can affect one’s life in a numerous amount of ways. It is an overlooked danger in the U.S. which can negatively affect the youth of America and the economy, which is why it is an enormous danger to the U.S.
Many people who experience these effects avoid alcohol, which helps protect them from developing AUD”( “Genetics of Alcohol”). Environmental factors are another risk for AUD as mentioned by the NIAAA. Genetic research related to alcoholism is still developing and it is still not confirmed if genetics have a role in alcoholism. It is also suspected that genes have an impact on the effectiveness of treatment for this disorder since treatment is only found to be effective in certain individuals. The substance abuse and mental health services administration reported in 2010 for people of age 12 and older in the United States that an estimated 131 million drink alcohol, 58.6 million participate in binge drinking, and 16.9 million participate in heavy drinking (“Addiction Statistics”). There are many resources and treatments available for individuals to deal with their alcohol addiction such as support groups, medication, or counseling. Genetic research will continue to develop through the NIAAA in hope of recovery for individuals suffering from alcohol
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...
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 ...
Alcohol Dependence also known as alcoholism, is a condition where an individual drinks too much, too often and in ways that harm their health, happiness and even relationships. Alcohol abuse refers to a pattern of behavior where a person drinks excessively despite the negative consequences and interference with life’s normal activities. It becomes a problem when the pattern happens on a regular basis. In the United States, nearly 14 million adults, or every one in 13 adults, abuse alcohol or have an alcoholism problem (Maldonado). The number of people who undergo treatment for alcoholism and other alcohol-related problems is not nearly as high as the number of those facing these issues. In 1997, for example, only 3.1 million
Alcoholism is the intentional abuse of any form of alcohol. The practice of alcoholism is not only dangerous but also very unhealthy for the user. The guide lines that state alcohol abuse would be drinking every day or drinking too much at a time. If you are addicted to alcohol it can cause the breaking off in relationships, job loss, and legal issues. When you abuse alcohol, you continue to drink even though you know your drinking is the problem.
The cause of alcoholism is a combination of biological, psychological, and cultural factors that may contribute to the development of...
Alcohol has affected human lives in their own society every day since its dawning in the stone age, perhaps even earlier. Though alcohol is not illegal, it was when the eighteenth amendment was first ratified because of alcoholism. Alcoholism is entitled to those who abuse alcohol by over consumption to the brink of mental illness and compulsive behavior which then ultimately results in alcohol dependency. It affects many different groups of people, but it is affecting students in high school and college. They should not be affected considering the legal age to consume alcohol is twenty-one, but they are in fact being deterred from their innocence. Society depends on those of us that do not consume alcohol to bring the social, economical, and health related problems throughout society to decrease. When government officials governing alcohol realize that alcohol needs to be more monitored and cautioned, then and only then can this steep slope finally begin to depreciate.
Alcohol and drug abuse is one of biggest problems in United States today. It is not only a personal problem that dramatically affects individuals' lives, but is a major social problem that affects society as whole. "Drug and alcohol abuse", these phrases we hear daily on the radio, television or in discussions of social problem. But what do they mean or what do we think and understand by it? Most of us don't really view drug or alcohol use as a problem, if that includes your grandmother taking two aspirins when she has a headache or your friends having few beers or drinks on Saturday night. What we really mean is that some drugs or alcohol are being used by some people or in some situations constitute problem with which our society must deal. It becomes a real problem when using or I should say abusing drugs cause accidents, antisocial behavior, broken relationships, family instability, crime and violence, poverty, unsafe streets and highways, worker absenteeism and nonproductivity, and the most tragic one death. The situation in which the drug or alcohol uses accurse often makes all the difference. The clearest example is the drinking of alcohol, when individual begins to drink during the job, at school, or in the morning, we have evidence that indicates a potential drinking problem. If a person takes narcotic drug because he just wrecked his knee while his physician prescribed playing football and the drug, most of us would be not concerned. If, on the other hand, he took the same drug on his own just because he likes the way it makes him feel, then we should begin to worry about him developing dependence. Even use of illegal drugs are sometimes acceptable, but it also depends on situation, for example in some countries smoking marijuana is legal just like drinking alcohol in United States. Some subcultures even in United States that accept the use of illegal drugs may distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable situation, some college age groups might accept marijuana smoking at a party on weekends, but not just before going to a calculus class. Most of people would accept a fact that a bartender or a waiter who is working at a night club is having a beer or a drink on his break or that a landscape worker is having a cold beer with his lunch on a hot summer day. I'm not saying that it is "OK" but we wouldn't complain a...