Alcoholism in America

1498 Words3 Pages

Abstract

Alcoholism today is viewed by some as a disease and by others as “willful misconduct”. Alcoholism is indeed a medical disease living in abnormalities in the brain. This disease not only affects the alcoholic, it also affects the people around the alcoholic. It directly affects the ones that love the alcoholic the most including spouses, children, and parents. There is treatment for this disease. The first step to recovering from this disease is admitting that there is a problem. The next step is getting help. There are treatment options that do work.

Alcoholism is a disease that causes your body to become dependent on alcohol. Alcoholism has a great deal to do with a person’s uncontrollable need for alcohol. This disease causes most to lose control of their drinking. The alcoholic may not be able to control the amount of liquor he or she consumes or when it is consumed. One may no longer care about the most important things in their life. Relationships with family and friends, careers, finances, and health almost always suffer from this disease (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2010). It is possible to have a problem with alcohol, but lack the symptoms of alcoholism. This is considered alcohol abuse. If you have either alcoholism or alcohol abuse you may not be able to quit or to slow down without help. Alcoholism was once viewed as a moral weakness or character flaw. People often thought that a person could stop drinking if he or she really wanted to. After years of research, many people now believe that this is a true disease. In 1970 NIAAA was established and a national public education effort was introduced. People of all cultures and lifestyles started realizing and accepting alcoholism as a lif...

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...1. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. 12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2002).

After an intense program patients are strongly encourage to continue treatment for at least one year. This could include attending regular AA meetings, attending individual or group psychotherapy or a program that offers activities offered during treatment only on a smaller scale.

To maintain sobriety a person must stay active in their recovery. A person must take time to care for themselves and set aside time for healing. Recovering from this disease requires is a lifetime commitment.

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