Alcoholic's Continual Craving For Alcohol example essay topic

Even though thousands of reasons have been listed to justify drinking alcohol, none of them is strongly and evidently convincing. We say, let us have a drink. I drink only occasionally. What is one drink going to do? Every body was drinking, so I had to join the crowd.

I guess we say all that, just because we do not know. We do not know what? We do not know that one of the latest studies in Washington University had shown some indications, but not proved yet that one drink could impair thinking. Having a small amounts of alcohol shown to affect brain processes.

Even with all that, People have been brewing and fermenting alcoholic drinks since the dawn of civilization. Consumed in moderate amounts, alcoholic beverages are relaxing and in some cases may even have beneficial effects on health. Consumed in excess, alcohol is poisonous to human systems and is considered a drug. Nearly 100,000 Americans die each year as a result of alcohol abuse, and alcohol is a factor in more than half of the country's homicides, suicides, and traffic accidents.

Alcohol abuse also plays a role in many social and domestic problems, from job absenteeism and crimes against property to spousal and child abuse. The immediate physical effects of drinking alcohol range from mild mood changes to complete loss of coordination, vision, balance, and speech -- any of which can be signals of the temporary systemic poisoning known as acute alcohol intoxication, or drunkenness. These effects usually wear off in a matter of hours after a person stops drinking. Many law-enforcement agencies regard a. 08 percentage of alcohol in the bloodstream as evidence of intoxication. Larger amounts of blood alcohol can impair brain function and eventually cause unconsciousness; an extreme overdose can be fatal.

Alcoholism can also lead to impotence in men, damage to the fetus in pregnant women, and an elevated risk of cancer of the larynx, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, and upper gastrointestinal tract. Because alcoholics seldom have adequate diets, they are likely to have nutritional deficiencies. Heavy drinkers typically have impaired liver function, and at least one in five develops cirrhosis. The alcoholic's continual craving for alcohol makes abstinence -- an important goal of treatment -- extremely difficult.

The condition is also complicated by denial: Alcoholics employ a range of psychological maneuvers to blame their problems on something other than drink, creating significant barriers to recovery. Historically, alcoholic behavior was blamed on a character flaw or weakness of will; many authorities now consider chronic alcoholism a disease that can afflict anyone. What Causes It? The cause of alcoholism seems to be a blend of genetic, physical, psychological, environmental, and social factors that vary among individuals.

Genetic factors are considered crucial: A given person's risk of becoming an alcoholic is four to five times greater if a parent is alcoholic. Some children of alcohol abusers, however, overcome the hereditary pattern by becoming teetotalers. What are the treatments? The goal of treatment is abstinence. Among alcoholics with otherwise good health, social support, and motivation, the likelihood of recovery is good: 50% to 60% remain abstinent at the end of a year's treatment, and a majority of those stay dry permanently. Those with poor social support, poor motivation, or psychiatric disorders tend to relapse within a few years of treatment.

For these people, success is measured by longer periods of abstinence, reduced use of alcohol, better health, and improved social functioning. Treatment can begin only when the alcoholic accepts that the problem exists and agrees to stop drinking. He or she must understand that alcoholism is curable and must be motivated to change. Treatment has two stages: discontinuing alcohol use -- sometimes called detoxification -- and recovery. Because detoxification does not stop the craving for alcohol, recovery is often difficult to maintain.

Because an alcoholic remains susceptible to becoming dependent again, the key to recovery is total abstinence. Recovery typically takes a broad-based approach, which may include education programs, group therapy, family involvement, and participation in self-help groups How can I prevent Alcohol abuse? Returning to drink is a major problem for recovering alcoholics; preventing this may be difficult, but it can be supported by continued therapy, positive motivation, and strong social support. Other ways to prevent relapse include changing routines, accepting a new sense of values, and avoiding activities or people associated with the drinking habit. For example, 90% of alcoholics smoke; alcoholics who stop smoking as well as drinking are more likely to achieve long-term abstinence -- to say nothing of the other health benefits.

A Self-Screening Test No single symptom defines alcoholism, but honest answers to the following questions will help you decide if you are at risk... Has a friend or relative ever suggested that you drink too much? Is it hard to stop drinking after you have had one or two drinks? Have you ever been unable to remember what you did during a drinking episode? Do you ever feel bad about how much you drink? Do you get into arguments or physical fights when you " ve been drinking?

Have you ever been arrested or hospitalized because of drinking? Have you ever thought about getting help to control or stop your drinking? If you answered yes to one or more questions, you may have a serious alcohol problem. For your own good, it's time to discuss the situation openly with a physician or mental health Virtually every culture has warned against overuse of alcohol, and some have prohibited it completely, like Islam, rarely with lasting success. While laws and educational programs in the United States are designed to prevent alcohol abuse, commercial and social pressure continues to put people at risk. Alcoholism is particularly insidious among young people and the elderly, in part because the symptoms are not easily recognized until the affected person becomes truly alcohol dependent..