Alcoholism

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Alcoholism

Alcoholism is the use of alcoholic beverages compulsively without control. Alcoholism can be caused by genetic predisposition, which can be treated. It can also be caused by environmental and psychosocial factors. A person is said to be an alcoholic when the drinking causes problems and the person continues to drink anyway. A person should be careful when consuming alcohol if it starts to affect them emotionally. Alcohol affects a person’s mood. It can either reduce tension or enhance a person’s mood (Gifford 13). Some people drink in order to be approved by their friends. A person decides to drink because of emotional and rational reasons. A person who knows that drinking may make them lose their jobs or bring problems at home, the thought of being fired or getting a divorce may drive them to take alcohol. Alcohol brings pleasure and relief for a while, which outweighs the negative emotional results. A person is motivated to drink as they expect the positive results of drinking will outweigh those of staying without drinking (Leonard 50).

Symptoms of alcoholism include violent behavior after consuming alcohol, frequent drinking of alcohol which causes someone to miss work, driving while drunk, unable to perform normal duties like household chores especially for women and sometimes getting arrested. A person who is addicted to alcohol usually causes damage, which might be physical or mental. Other signs and symptoms of alcoholism include unstable posture while walking; loss of memory after drinking alcohol and becoming very angry and violent (Plotnik and Haig 185). A person who drinks alone heavily on a daily basis can be said to be alcoholic and sometimes keeps alcohol in hidden places. A person can know if they are addicted to alcohol if they get irritated when unable to consume alcohol or they take alcohol to enable them get drunk.

Alcoholism is seen as a disease and patients who are addicted to alcohol have to be treated. The first step to treating alcoholism is by first diagnosing the patient’s alcohol abuse disorder (Prkinson 67). Members of the family can provide a history of the person affected by alcoholism including the pattern, amount consumed on a daily basis, if the person drives while under the influence of alcohol, what type of alcohol they consume, when the person started drinking, and the last time they had a drink. Friends and family can also provide diagnostic information that include whether the person has ever been arrested or if they have ever been rushed to hospital for injuries, which have been caused by alcohol related issues. Most patients addicted to alcohol, tend to deny they have a problem with alcohol addiction.

Alcohol can be treated using ways to reduce alcohol intake and avoid use of alcohol. The patient is provided with effective advice and support (Perkinson 70). Such treatment include rehabilitation to assist the person detoxify. The doctor helps the patient to accept that they are alcoholic, encourage them to seek treatment and continue until they get better. The goals of rehabilitating a person to assist them prevent withdrawal symptoms, encourage them to stop drinking and attend counseling sessions at alcoholic anonymous meetings (Jacoby and Youngson 2418). The counseling session can involve family members and the community. An alcoholic is advised to seek early treatment. The long-term effect of treating alcoholism is to restore the patient’s self-esteem, improve their health and assist them to stop drinking. In conclusion, a person who has received treatment from alcohol abuse becomes productive and improves the quality of life they live. This benefits both the person and the community they live in.

Works Cited:

Gifford, Maria. Alcoholism. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2009

Jacoby, B. David and Youngson, R. M. Encyclopedia of Family Health. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish, 2004. Print

Leonard, E. Kenneth. Psychological Theories of Drinking and Alcoholism. New York, NY: Guilford Press, 1999. Print

Perkinson, R. Robert. Treating Alcoholism: Helping your Clients find the Road to Recovery. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons, 2004. Print

Plotnik, Rod and Haig Kouyoumdjian. Introduction to Psychology. New York, NY: Cengage Learning, 2010. Print