Alcoholism Outline

Alcoholism is known to destroy many lives and cause a lot of suffering. There has to be a point of realization where one figures out that it is a choice. Many people do not realize that they can become dependent on alcohol until it is too late. People with alcohol addiction often do not notice that they are relying on alcohol to get them through the day. To them, it may seem like a coping mechanism when it actually is anything but that. When the word alcohol is mentioned, many take it as a word that helps cope with stress or personal problems. In reality, alcohol is a depressant that does more harm than good. The effects of alcohol addiction are intoxication, withdrawal, and harm to self/others.

The physical benefits of sobriety are impressive, but the emotional benefits are equally noteworthy. Addiction has been shown to alter the brain’s circuitry and, even more frighteningly, gene expression. These changes impact human behavior and interfere with your ability to make voluntary decisions, which causes you to focus all of your time and energy on seeking out and using drugs or alcohol. Needless to say, individuals who struggle with addiction also suffer from low self-esteem and low mood.

The main reason for substance and alcohol relapse is the craving even after successfully completing the treatment program. The brain-body relationship and the need to consume alcohol and substance causes craving to increase. Ok. What makes a person crave for something? Studies show that external motivation and individual needs determine the craving level. The environment the patient returning to, family members or friends who are still addicted, smell, painful memories are some of the factors increases the craving level. The craving is the bio-behavioral Phenomenon that is related to physiological and psychological processes which happen inside and outside of conscious

Alcoholism has raised many debates over the truth of its nature. Many scholars argue that alcoholism can be treated as a disease. Such approach to defining alcoholism means denying that alcohol abusers own a choice. In consequence, the treatment related differs and may or may not actually help alcoholics recover. A wrong diagnostic of this addiction can lead to serious health issues; therefore, it is vital to answer the following question: Is alcoholism a disease? Most experts in this field criticises this view of alcoholism as a disease due to the fact that this theory simply lacks a cure. It also victimises alcohol abuser, hence, completely negating the power of will. Finally, the disease theory comes from a history of misinformation that has now resulted in the very source of confusion within our society. Alcoholism is extremely complex and affects all part of the abuser, the brain, the body, the genes, and the psychic; hence, it is hard to classify alcoholism as a whole Instead, it should be regarded in a case-by-case fashion.

Alcohol affects the brain for a short-term– but repeated drinking may have an impact down the road, especially as a person’s brains grow and develop (NIDA, 2016). When a person is under the influence, he or she may feel their bodies having less aware of their surroundings. A person also may feel very relaxed and perform risky behavior, without even realizing. Long- term effects of alcoholism can cause a person to have trouble processing, learning, or a dependence on

However, if an individual was a regular binge drinker, they might continue to have that desire of pleasure that alcohol gives them. This desire is due to the Endorphin levels being elevated so often."It is further believed that the basal ganglia, which are involved in compulsive behaviors, may lead to a greater demand of alcohol, regardless of the reason and consequence." (pg 148). This in itself can adversely affect the person's life overall. It can create bad relationships with family, friends, co-workers, and ultimately send someone spiraling down the wrong path. In regards to brain chemistry, the adverse affects of sudden disuse is a level of depression and mood swings, anxiety, tremor, insomnia even profuse sweating. Since the brain then needs that constant feeling of pleasure, the unbalanced brain chemistries tell the user to continue drinking, or they cannot feel well again.

Alcohol use disorder can be caused by a number of factors, such as biological and environmental. People who drink alcohol often are at risk to alcohol dependence as the brain becomes reliant on the chemicals in alcoholic beverages. This makes it difficult for them to stop or quit the habit, a symptom of withdrawal.

Alcohol is very damaging when taken, it can effect the processes of the brain and all of its neurotransmitters around it. When taking alcohol the brain loses its key things needed to get around daily life. Things like memory loss, nausea, danger with judgement, sleep patterns change, and much more can occur when taking alcohol. There are two common operating systems in our brain one that

Alcoholic beverages are served in many restaurants, sold in many stores, and acceptably consumed in many populations. Although alcohol can become a drug of abuse, not many view it that way. According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (2014), about 7.2% of adults in the United States ages 18 and over have an alcohol use disorder. A variety of environmental and genetic factors contribute to the development of alcohol addiction. The variability in the causes of alcohol addiction generates variability in the response to treatment. However, what is common among all alcohol addictions is the high risk of relapse. This risk is potentially caused by the lasting changes in the brain that occur when voluntary alcohol use becomes an addiction. The neural changes that are a result of an alcohol addiction potentially put a recovered alcoholic at high risk of relapse until these circuits can be erased and replaced with healthier circuits.

People may think that alcohol may be hard only on the liver, but when someone abuses alcohol it can affect much more. For example, alcohol has a major effect on the brain. Alcohol has been known to be a major cause of many suicides, homicides, car accidents, and other death related topics (Chakraburtty). Many people are naïve into thinking that alcohol can and is harmless, but while they are having that drink to just have a good time, they are unaware of the toll it is taking on their body. Chronic alcohol use is very hard on your health and can lead to many long lasting health problems (Chakraburtty). Alcohol is very harmful to other organs as well as the body’s tissue. According to Alcohol’s Damaging Effects on the Brain, “moderate drinking leads to short- term impairment,” but it can also lead to long term impairment as well (Parsons).

1. What is alcoholism? 2. How do people become alcoholics? 3. What are the effects of alcoholism, on both the alcoholic and their family? 4. How do you diagnose alcoholism? 5. Is there a cure for alcoholics? 6. What is the treatment? What is Alcoholism? Alcoholism can be defined as the dependency on alcohol; addiction to alcohol. It is a chronic disease, this disease called alcoholism is progressive and potentially fatal. “ In 1966 the American Medical Association (AMA) declared Alcoholism a disease, but it is still judged morally by society” said Father Martin. There are different types of alcoholics, the first type of alcoholic is the everyday drinker. These alcoholics drink on a daily basis with a high dependency on alcohol. A

As a result of these and other changes, brain mass shrinks and the brain’s inner cavity grows bigger.” This means that if a person creates an addiction for alcoholic beverages it will have a major impact on the brain cells, as it slows down neurotransmitters. Also, the continuation of consumption of this drug makes the brain not to work in an adequate way, which will later bring changes in attitude such as depression and anxiety. There can be permanent damages in the brain if the consumption is not moderate, since it affects directly parts of the brain that are essential for reasoning. Comparatively to the effect that alcohol can have on the brain, it also develops liver problems that in several cases end up bringing lethal effects.

There has been numerous studies conducted on the productiveness of treatments for alcoholics. The first effective anti-alcoholism medication was found in 1994 and has become more known today. Currently the diseases of alcoholism are more treatable and in some cases curable thanks to the creation and efficacy of specific medications geared for recovering alcoholics.

Intoxication is a destructive physical condition brought on when you drink more alcohol than your body can deal with. It is additionally called ethanol poisoning, or being intoxicated.

Did you see a signboard said (do not drink and drive)? Did you hear of crimes caused by an alcoholic person? Did you see a man holding a bottle and waving around? All these troubles caused by something we call Alcoholism. {1}Alcoholism is a continuous way of using alcohol, and trouble controlling the person’s desire for alcohol, and it depend on person’s durability because maybe from one shot the person will get drunk. On the other hand, other person has ten shots, and nothing happens. {2} The number of people whom drink alcohol is around two billion around the world, and the number of people who have Alcoholism is 76 million. Alcohol can affect one person’s life in many ways such as in working life, in normal life, and most important