Alcohol

Introduction

Alcohol is perhaps the most common form of drug abuse in America today. In the United States 67% of all the population over the age of 12 reported drinking alcohol with in the previous year. Even more astounding, is the fact that nearly 50% reported drinking some type of alcoholic beverage with in the past month. Scientist report that the reason alcohol is so popular to drinkers is because it is pleasant, relaxing, and is considered a "social beverage." But what the drinkers often do not take in to consideration are the facts that alcohol dulls the brain and confuses physical reactions. (Ferraro et al, 373)

Discussion

There is a constant dispute amongst the medical and psychological community as to whether Alcohol is, in fact, a disease or just a state of mind. Many of the researchers have classified Alcohol as a disease (Alcohol as a Disease). Disease can be defined as an "involuntary choice made by the individual". This definition does not comply with alcoholics at all; because they can easily like any other human being determine that drinking has many unwanted consequences behind it. The Alcohol is defined as a primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial and environment factors influencing its development and manifestation. (Jellinek, 137)

But an alcoholic just simply doesn't care. They cause many of their own troubles by their behavior and the decisions they make, so why should they be looked upon as powerless victims of a falsely concluded disease? Alcohol should not be viewed as a disease, but as a habit brought about by the alcoholic's individual choices. (Ferraro et al, 377)

Alcohol, also known as alcohol dependence, is a disease that is made up of the following four main symptoms that are common with people with the disease. They tend to have a craving, or the urge to drink. The desire for satisfaction is not a sign of a disease, but a sign of humanity. Ill people don't tend to want to engage in enjoyment; they want to feel better. But this is not the case with alcoholics; they tend to have "fun" being drunk and have no concern of getting better. (Madden & Grube, 217)

A second symptom of Alcohol is the no strength of mind or will to stop the consumption of alcohol once it has started. This is a totally ridiculous way of looking at this that any intelligent fifth grader would fall down laughing. How would anyone know if one is able to do something until he/she does it? The needless amount of drinking, even to the point of blacking out, doesn't show the inability to say no next time. Numerous amounts of people who came close to death while drinking unexpectedly stop drinking overall and regain their lives from their bad habit with in a blink of an eye. A third symptom of an alcoholic is their Physical dependence. After alcoholic cuts off their consumption of alcohol they may start to vomit, sweat, or shake. This "symptom" has absolutely ...