Alcohol Essay Example

Alcoholism is not a Genetically Inherent Disease

Alcoholism is a state of mind where an individual is obsessed and he feels pressured to take alcohol in spite of the substance’s negative effects on the person’s life (Blume, Nielson, and Riggs 862). Also referred to as alcohol dependence, alcoholism which is an addictive disorder ends to advances with time. An alcoholic in most cases has no power to manage his/her drinking habits. Many researchers have found out that this disorder begins with an individual taking one, two, or three quantities of drink at one sitting or in one day and gradually progressing to more and more quantities. Alcoholism has been widely described by doctors as a serious, dangerous and deadly illness (Miller para 33).  The symptoms of alcoholic individual are normally similar to those ones of other sickness, with most of them finding it very hard to accept their problem.

Many psychologists admit that alcoholism may be influenced by environmental, social and genetic factors (Blume, Nielson, and Riggs 864). Ecological factors are seen as the main cause of the problem that is alcoholism. If a teenager stays with an alcoholic person he/she is prone to be alcoholic compared to a teenager who stays with an individual who takes not alcohol according to Hermann (94). This is statement holds true even if someone stays with individuals who are not his/her close relatives.

When an individual grows up watching his/her close relatives taking alcohol, he or she will probably end up adopting the behavior as well. In this respect, the individual becomes a victim of ecological factors as noted Hermann (95).  Similarly, in case someone grows up with the notion that the panacea to handling trauma is drinking then they will find themselves becoming a drinker. This however does not mean that when a teenage spends some time with an alcoholic relative that he/she will definitely become an alcoholic. It only means that the person is more exposed to the hazard (Miller para 35). Some of the causes of alcohol dependence disorder are known to be social in nature. For example, it has been established that severe childhood trauma and lack of family and friends increase the risks of a person being dependent on drugs such as alcohol.

Genes that are known to influence the breakdown of alcohol in the body may be indicated by people who come from families with histories of being alcoholic.  Past research also indicates that when an individual starts consuming alcohol at an early age, the genes that increase the risk of alcoholism may be influenced to start expressing themselves (Tracy 35). It has also been shown by research that people who are predisposed to alcoholism are more likely to start consuming the substance at less-than-average age. These and other past studies with similar sentiments have however been criticized by some experts who claim the there is no clear indication of the association between genetics and alcoholism.

Conclusion

Psychologists feel generally view alcoholism as a dependence syndrome. There ids general agreement as to the effects of social, environmental and genetic factors on the occurrence of alcoholism. However, it may not conclusively be stated that alcoholism is hereditary going by the critics posted by different professionals. Many psychologists have in fact reasoned that since it cannot be passed from one individual to another, alcoholism it is not hereditarily inborn.

Work Cited

Blume, Laura, Nielson, Nancy, and Riggs Joseph “Alcoholism and alcohol abuse among women: report of the council on scientific affairs”. Journal of women’s health 7 (7): 861–870. 1998.

Hermann, Mann. “One hundred years of alcoholism: the Twentieth Century”. Alcohol and alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire). 2000.

Miller, Caddy (1977) “Abstinence and controlled drinking in the treatment of problem drinkers“. Viewed 6th December, 2010 http://www.disabled-world.com.piblish/alcoholic.shtml

Tracy, Sarah. Alcoholism in America: from reconstruction to prohibition. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 31–52. 2005.

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