Alcoholism in the 21st Century - 1743 Words

Alcoholism in the 21st Century The dictionary describes alcoholism as continued excessive or compulsive use of alcoholic drinks. However, this disease is much more complex. Alcohol abuse is a growing problem in the United States today, causing more and more deaths each year. It affects nearly everyone in the U.S. today, either directly or indirectly. Over half of Americans have at least one close relative that has a drinking problem. About 20 million people in the United States abuse alcohol. It is the third leading cause of preventable deaths, and about 100,000 people die each year from alcohol related incidents (Peacock 11). Alcohol is not a new invention of modern societies. It has been around through many different ancient†¦show more content†¦Along with causing the people around them problems, alcoholics also bring down society. The economy wastes billions of dollars each year on costs of alcoholism. In 1992, about $103.6 billion was in lost productivity of alc ohol-related illness or premature death. Another $18.8 billion was used for treatment and medical costs of alcohol abuse. The cost spent on alcohol related automobile crashes was $13.6 billion, and $12.7 billion went towards alcohol related crimes (Peacock 56-57). Underage drinking is becoming a threatening problem among teens today. The media, especially, is not helping in the process to stop underage drinking. A new joke being told is that a mother was asking her young child what sounds different animals make. The child was answering correctly, until the mother asked, What does a frog say? to which the child answered, Bud. Though this may seem amusing to some, it shows the reality of what we are exposing the future leaders of our country to. Children in the U.S. will be exposed to alcohol consumption through the media as well as real-life observations about 75,000 times before they reach the legal drinking age (Peacock 66). Another problem with underage drinking is that many teens do not know the true facts about what they are drinking. Students in grades 7-12 consume 1.1 billion cans of beer and 35% of all wine coolers sold in one year. However, one out of three of students doesn t know that all wine coolers containShow MoreRelatedEssay on Alcoholism In The 21st Century1687 Words   |  7 Pages Alcoholism in the 21st Century nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The dictionary describes alcoholism as continued excessive or compulsive use of alcoholic drinks. However, this disease is much more complex. Alcohol abuse is a growing problem in the United States today, causing more and more deaths each year. It affects nearly everyone in the U.S. today, either directly or indirectly. Over half of Americans have at least one close relative that has a drinking problem. About 20 million people in the UnitedRead MoreDepiction of Abuse and Mental Health in A Streetcar Named Desire852 Words   |  3 Pagesand Mental Health in A Streetcar Named Desire Abuse and Mental Health in A Streetcar Named Desire A Streetcar Named Desire is one of the most renowned 20th century American plays and films. The playwright is Tennessee Williams, a respected author whose works artistic and structural merit warrants their study into the 21st century. There are numerous aspects and points Williams makes with his works, including A Streetcar Named Desire. Out of the richness this text offers, this paper will focusRead MoreBarriers And Lack Of Knowledge Regarding Substance Use And Its Effects809 Words   |  4 Pagesutilized to inform the intervention like the Kansas Communities that Care survey among school students. Many indicators concerning students can be retrieved from this survey. Considering that substance abuse is an addictive disorder that co-occurs with alcoholism, problem gambling and drug abuse, any intervention that targets one of these issues can be modified to address multiple addictive risk behaviors. In terms of existing literature and theoretical support, substance abuse and drug a ddiction are issuesRead MoreDuring the late 19th century and early 20th century the United States saw many political reforms1100 Words   |  5 Pages During the late 19th century and early 20th century the United States saw many political reforms that would bring the nation back into a positive and moral state after a bloody civil war tore the country apart. It is said that the average American over the age of 15 during the time prior Prohibition drank almost seven gallons of pure alcohol a year. Prohibition was a period of time in which the average citizen broke the law because alcohol was a major part of citizens’ lives and the restrictionsRead MoreAlcohol And Addiction By Hamish Todd1640 Words   |  7 Pagesthe first decade of the 20th century, Prohibition was difficult to enforce, despite the passage of companion legislation known as the Volstead Act. The increase of the illegal production and sale of liquor (known as â€Å"bootlegging†), the proliferation of speakeasies (illegal drinking spots) and the accompanying rise in gang violence and other crimes led to waning support for Prohibition by the end of the 1920s. In early 1933, Congress adopted a resolution proposing a 21st Amendment to the ConstitutionRead MoreAn Example Of How Society Changed Change1198 Words   |  5 PagesAmericans to protect individuals, families, and society at large from the effects of alcohol abuse. Reversely, prohibition did exactly the opposite. I chose prohibition because I believe it had a huge effect on America and alcohol in the early 19th century and is still changing to this day. In our society today the drinking age is at 21 years old, there tends to be a lot of underage drinking in our society although it does not consume the population’s lives like it did in colonial times. Legal historyRead More Alcohol Abuse: Alcoholism as a Disease Essay2176 Words   |  9 Pagesalcohol addiction as a treatable disorder. According to the Classical Dise ase Model of `Alcoholism, habitual use of alcohol can be identified as a disease. Websters Dictionary defines the concept of `disease as follows: Any departure from health presenting marked symptoms; malady; illness; disorder. Therefore, as many occurrences of alcohol excess provoke such symptoms, it is somewhat understandable that `alcoholism is classified as a disease. The Classical Disease Model appears to offer a hopefulRead MoreBiopsychosocial Model Essay1381 Words   |  6 Pagescontributes to the formation of addiction. Alcoholism causes changes to the brain in at least four fundamental ways: 1. Alcoholism causes changes to the brain s natural balance (homeostasis). 2. Alcoholism alters brain chemistry. 3. Alcoholism changes the brain s communication patterns. 4. Alcoholism causes changes to brain structures and their functioning (http://www.amhc.org/1410-alcoholism/article/49099-the-biological-causes-of-alcoholism) Genetics Genetic makeup is a biologicalRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of The Desperate Housewife981 Words   |  4 PagesThe hugely popular television series Desperate Housewives acts as the perfect analogy for the glossy suburban vernacular. Created by Marc Cherry and ABC studios in 2004 it has become one of the most popular television series of the 21st century. The drama series follows the lives of four women living on the fictional street of Wisteria Lane. The first season of the series begins with the shocking suicide of a housewife and the subsequent explorations for the reasonings behind her untimely death.Read MoreAddiction And Addiction Recovery Program Essay1331 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction This book report will discuss addiction and the effects of alcohol on the brain according to Dr. Harold Urschel’s Science Based Alcoholism and Addiction Recovery Program as described in his book, â€Å"Healing the Addicted Brain†. Discussion The primary theme of this book is the Revolutionary Science Based Alcoholism and Addiction Recovery Program, its overwhelming and substantiated effect on the process and success of recovery based on the evidence that describes how alcohol and other drugs