Alcoholism Essay, Research Paper

Warren Kutcher Alcoholism and it s affects Alcoholism is a dangerous and deadly disease that affects not only the alcoholic, but everyone associated with them. Most people don t believe alcoholism is a disease. Alcoholism is a disease characterized by uncontrolled drinking of alcoholic beverages. A person suffering from alcoholism can t stop drinking because he or she depends on alcohol to function physically and mentally. A person s happiness, health and safety are affected by alcoholism. Alcoholism often results in the loss of jobs, friends and families. Most people would think that alcoholism only affects people who deal with alcoholics every day. Wrong, the economy and society are also setback by alcoholism. Billions of dollars are lost every year in crimes, motor crashes and health costs. Every American is paying for alcoholism every time they pay taxes. One main concern with alcoholism is the increasing crime rate due to it. John J. DiIulio Jr. states Various studies have shown that between 30 and 90 percent of convicted rapists are drunk at the time they committed the crime. In most cases crimes are not a result of drinking, and drinking usually doesn t result in crime. But a lot of people are more aggressive and violent when under the influence of alcohol, and may be more prone to committing the crimes than when they are sober. Sixty percent of murder convicts drank prior to the crime. It is very obvious that there is a connection with alcohol and crime. Alcoholism is not usually noticed until it is full blown and the person depends on the alcohol. But most Doctors and researchers believe that alcoholics are born with the disease. Alcoholism is thought to be inherited, and the symptoms may not develop until the alcoholic experiments with alcohol. Robert Zucker, Deborah Ellis, Raymond Bingham and Hiram Fitzgerald report that through studying and observation, children of alcoholics, even as young as preschool, show indications of child risk, including risky temperament, externalizing behavior problems, and hyperactivity. Children are almost always affected by alcoholism if it exists in their family. Male children of alcoholic fathers are 1.5 times more at risk of developing alcoholism than offspring of non-alcoholics. Alcoholism is genetically inherited and therefore many families are plagued by more than one generation of drinkers. Sufferers need professional help to overcome the many trying obstacles that recovering alcoholics face. Alcoholics have many mood changes and problems controlling their temper. Many times children are fearful of the alcoholic s behavior and the fact that the family may break up. This often results in low self- esteem or emotional problems in the children. Alcoholism is a major threat to a person s health. There are numerous illnesses and heath risks caused by alcohol abuse. Alcohol can harm the liver, kidneys, heart and many other functions and organs. Alcoholism also has major affects on the brain and memory functions. Terry L. Jernigan and Arne Ostergaard state One of the most common forms of severe amnesia associated with alcohol abuse is Wernicke-Karsakoff syndrome. The acute phase of the syndrome is characterized by mental confusion, eye movement abnormalities, and poor muscular coordination . Depression is another result of alcoholism. Depression and Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) co-occur with alcoholism. Studies have found that depression is associated with increased alcohol assumption. If an alcoholic is depressed or suffers from ASPD, then it is likely that he/she searches for help. Some alcoholics feel that alcohol relieves their stress and raises their spirits. These people are sadly mistaken. Alcohol is a drug categorized as a depressant. This is why many suicides are related to alcohol. Alcohol and an unsteady life or outlook on life can be deadly. It can be concluded that alcoholism is a disease that shows nothing but negative effects on people. Too often, people overlook alcoholism because it is the consumption of a legal substance, if you are of age. Their main focus is on the problems of stronger narcotics. There are many rehabilitation centers throughout the country that focus on the treatment of alcoholics. In all reality though, alcohol affects more people in our nation than any other drug and the problem is only getting worse.