The Different Characteristics Of Drinking Essay

Alcoholism is one of the most intractable and pervasive psychological disorders known. Though the negative health consequences of alcohol are widely understood, and, if anything, the social consequences of alcoholism are even more widely acknowledged, it seems that no matter what steps are taken by public health officials or private organizations, no strategy can ever be fully developed for eradicating alcoholism. There are a number of reasons why this is true. This paper will explore some of the social and medical problems created by alcohol, but in it I will also consider the role of alcohol in my personal life and the way I have seen the disease play out in the lives of people around me. The paper will also examine the social and political responses to the problem of alcoholism and attempt to determine where productive approaches have been taken and areas where mistakes have been made. Before discussing such wide-ranging questions, it is important to understand what alcoholism is and how it is manifested.

Alcohol is the most abused licit psychoactive drugs that affect one 's ability to think rationally and distorts their judgement if consumed excessively. Alcohol addiction is an illness arising from prolonged and excessive intake of alcoholic drinks. An alcoholic is a person suffering from alcohol addiction. Prolonged excessive use of large quantities can eventually lead to chronic health diseases like cirrhosis of the liver, anaemia, cardiovascular disease, dementia, depression seizures, gout and alcohol related accidents and crime. Statistics show that 9 million people in England drink more than the recommended daily intake while an estimated 8.697 died of alcohol-related deaths in 2014. According to the WHO worldwide alcohol causes 1.8 million deaths (3.2% of total) and 58.3 million (4% of total) of Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). Alcohol beverages with varied percentage content are consumed globally during religious, social, cultural events, festivals and other occasions. The use of alcoholic beverages has been an integral part of many cultures for thousands of years (McGovern, 2009). Over the centuries, there have been ongoing measures, research, interventions and policies which are aimed at promoting the moderate use of alcohol with a particular emphasis on preventing or reducing undesired outcomes. This essay will outline the key components of brief interventions in alcohol, the difference in approach with traditional methods of treatment and in conclusion, the

“80 percent of teen-agers have tried alcohol, and that alcohol was a contributing factor in the top three causes of death among teens: accidents, homicide and suicide” (Underage, CNN.com pg 3). Students may use drinking as a form of socializing, but is it really as good as it seems? The tradition of drinking has developed into a kind of “culture” fixed in every level of the college student environment. Customs handed down through generations of college drinkers reinforce students' expectation that alcohol is a necessary ingredient for social success. These perceptions of drinking are the going to ruin the lives of the students because it will lead to the development alcoholism. College students who drink a lot, while in a college

Alcohol use has spanned history. In fact, there is speculation that alcohol use actually preceded the formation of societies (Doweiko, 2015, p. 30). Thus, alcohol has long been a part of mankind’s life. The function of alcohol has unarguably changed throughout the course of history, as it was first used for nutritional purposes and then later on for religious purposes (Doweiko, 2015, p. 32). Today, alcohol serves a social purpose. In the United States, the prevalence of use is quite high, with just over 50% of the population partaking monthly (Doweiko, 2015, p. 34). This statistic is somewhat alarming considering alcohol use comes with a number of potential adverse consequences. Case in point, even

Pharmakon: An ancient Greek Word meaning “drug” as both a remedy and a poison1. A paradoxical statement that is true in life hundred years ago, and true in life now. It is an obvious fact that drugs such as alcohol, marijuana and tobacco cause adverse effects that can ultimately cause death either by body trauma or social interaction such as crashing of cars or abusive fights that is seen as common in society2. However, even though drugs are blamed for the destruction that they cause, they have a significant effect on curing life as well. The purpose of this essay is to explain to the audience that drugs are only detrimental to the body and society, if it allowed to be, as these certain drugs can also bring us life and prolongment.

In 2013, the cost for treating alcohol dependent cases not only rose but also doubled from 1.51 million to 3.13 million. Of these, 6,490 resulted in death. On a minute scale, excluding those who depended on alcohol; 1,008,850 adults here who are categorised between the age of 16 and over were administered into hospitals for alcohol related illnesses. It was estimated that in 2008, the total harm that alcohol caused to society was 21 billion a year, (National statistics, 2014). The issue of alcohol has and still is one of a political importance, given that the taxpayer funded this. Tackling the issue by raising prices to dismay the population from drinking has failed. In fact, it has increased; in 1992, 527 millilitres (ml) were consumed per person per week, it then peaked to 700 (ml) per week in 2012, (National statistics, 2014).

Alcohol consumption and abuse as it relates to ‘social drinking’, or drinking copious amounts of alcohol at social gatherings, was the topic of this article. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Laboratory (NIAAA) 43.1 percent of men and 28.8 percent of women 18 and older in the study considered binge drinkers, meaning they consumed four or more drinks in the time span of two hours, within last year. This indicates that many young adults believe they are simply drinking socially, but could over-drinking which can have many adverse short term, and potentially long term, affects. Having immense headaches days after drinking that reduce productivity, and law violations while intoxicated are some examples of how alcohol abuse negatively affects us.

Growing up the concept of alcohol was mysterious and intriguing. Consumption of alcohol is shown through movies, television, advertisements, and even by watching parents or other people drink it. As a kid, I knew that drinking is obviously an important part of the American culture, but that it was also only for “adults.” For many years, I was very naive of campus culture and did not realize people drank it for purposes other than along with a meal, or at a cookout. Naturally, I got older and my views and opinions changed. In high school, they tell you not to drink, and in college they tell you if you are going to drink, drink safely. Before this experience I thought I knew everything that I needed to know, or that I understood everything regarding

Alcohol is a substance that has numerous diverse affects on the body-both positive and negative. Alcohol not only kills brain cells, but when taken in profusion it has almost no constructive affects. Sure it can make one overlook his/her problems, but the consequences of drinking in excess far outweigh the benefits. It is not a crime to get drunk, however alcohol will almost always cause one to conduct them self in a way he or she would not normally behave. For instance, a sober man will not usually drive ninety-five mph down I-95, however, after consuming a good amount of alcohol, his eyesight, judgement, reflexes and abilities are hindered to the point that he feels

Young people are considered to constitute the largest number of alcohol consumers and they account for a large portion of alcohol sales. This is despite the strict drinking laws that govern many countries as regards alcohol purchase and consumption. Underage drinking, which has been on the increase, is allegedly the major cause of alcohol-related problems facing the modern

The research article that I chose, titled “The role of personality dispositions to risky behavior in predicting first-year college drinking” studied the impact that personality has on drinking behavior. For this specific study, the drinking behavior examined and compared the roles that "sensation seeking, lack of planning, lack of perseverance, negative urgency and positive urgency" played in the increase of drinking frequency, drinking quantity and negative outcomes from the consumption of alcohol (Cyders, Flory, Rainer, & Smith, 2009). The participants that were involved with this study were 418 students, who were first-year college students located in the United States (Cyders et al., 2009). Out of those 418 students, only 293 completed

Young men and women can legally buy and consume alcohol, on their twenty first birthday. However, that does not mean that the only people drinking alcohol will be 21 and over. Drinking is widely viewed as a social norm and is a staple of the party scene. Many teenagers and young adults experiment how much alcohol they can take, leading them to abuse alcohol. It is consumed excessively at parties with complete disregard of the numerous consequences. And although there is a law that defines at what age it is legal to drink, there is no laws or restrictions on how much alcohol it is legal to consume. The ingestion of this simple substance has negative effects on the brain, and our functions, particularly when consumed in large quantities.

On college campuses across America, the use of alcohol has been an topic in need of explanation for many years. The concept will be explaned with emphise on the negative effects of hooch. Alcohol in cardio-sport athletes is especially harmful. But at any rate the negative concepts apply to all student. Besides the fact that a large number of students are underage when they drink, alcohol can put students in dangerous situations and give them a headache long after the hangover is gone. The short and long term effects alcohol has can impair students physically and mentally, impacting their education and health.

Alcohol dependence is known to be the most severe form of alcohol abuse. A person becomes so dependent on alcohol consumption that he/she loses sight of all the other important things going on around him/her. Family matters and social responsibilities become secondary worries to his/her primary concern for existence, which is drinking (Stephens, 2007). Nearly fourteen million Americans are somewhat dependent on alcohol. Alcohol dependence is more prominent in men, and young adults ages 18-29 (Stephens, 2007). According to a study done by Saitz “85,000 deaths, along with substantial disability from medical and psychiatric consequences, injuries and “secondhand” effects (ex: motor vehicle crashes) are attributed to the use of alcohol” (Saitz, 2005).

On college campuses across America, the use of alcohol has been an topic in need of explanation for many years. The concept will be explaned with emphise on the negative effects of hooch. Alcohol in cardio-sport athletes is especially harmful. But at any rate the negative concepts apply to all student. Besides the fact that a large number of students are underage when they drink, alcohol can put students in dangerous situations and give them a headache long after the hangover is gone. The short and long term effects alcohol has can impair students physically and mentally, impacting their education and health.