Robert Paravalos

3/12/19

Research Paper

Prof. Stubee

Alcoholics Anonymous for All

The excessive consumption of alcohol is an epidemic that consumes the lives the lives of

people every day. According to the WHO, approximately 2.5 million people die each year from

the harmful consumption of alcohol (2009, Frey, R. J., Schonbeck, J., & Atkins (2013)). Alcohol

has been around for centuries now, and it has been in use for means of entertainment, stress

relief, depression relief, and for the most part in social places as a gateway to a more enjoyable

experience. However, many people become quickly dependent on the use of alcohol because of

the effects that come with it. Alcoholism can be defined as a “chronic physical, psychological,

and behavioral disorder characterized by the excessive, compulsive, and uncontrolled

consumption of alcohol” (Frey, R. J., Schonbeck, J., & Atkins (2013). It has taken the lives of

loved ones, changed the course of people’s careers, and devasted the lives of even those who

don’t abuse alcohol. Family members of alcohol users suffer as well, where in many situations

they sit back and knowingly watch the abuser tamper their wellbeing. Alcohol has become a

staple in our society, and every day people are still being harmed by the effects of it.

Alcoholism not only affects the user of alcohol, but also dramatically affects the situation

for those around the abuser. I grew up with an alcoholic parent, and at times it was very difficult

to deal with. My brothers and I experienced an assortment of mood swings, stories of disaster,
and endless nights filled with sadness. Over the years of living with an alcoholic parent, it

became apparent to me that my own personality had shifted from a carefree individual to one

who takes life with a grain of salt. In my personal example, I can confidently say that living with

an alcoholic parent has changed the content of my character. Besides my story, studies from

“Stress and coping among children of alcoholic parents through the young adult transition” have

shown that children with alcoholic parents have a much harder time transitioning safely into an

adult life. They state that young adults may experience situations such as lower work status, job

problems, lower degree attainment, unemployment, and even divorce. All stemming from

parents who have abused alcohol. Furthermore, increased stress in the homes caused by alcoholic

parents influences the child’s mental health, and they can adapt issues themselves such as stress

and depression. Along with the effects of stress, as the children begin to age, they are at a higher

risk of also abusing drugs or alcohol as coping mechanisms. This issue is none to scoff at, and

millions of people who don’t even abuse alcohol are at risk every day.

The disorder of alcoholism comes in many forms. Alcohol users can be classified as

social drinkers, situational drinkers, binge drinkers, problem drinkers, and alcoholic drinkers. For

the sake of this argument, we will be focusing solely on the effects of alcoholic drinkers, because

that section of alcoholism is the most dangerous and the most common type of abuse that leads

to death. Alcoholism can stem from many different sources, such as age, ethnicity, religion,

personal experiences, family history, gender, and even mental health. It is not uncommon for

alcoholics to find themselves in situations that are harmful and contradict the social standards of

a normal life. It’s easy to assume that all alcoholic people have a dependency on drinking

because of the circumstances that they are in. In recent studies, it has been found that all the

users dependent on alcohol had a situation that had caused them in the direction of drinking.
There are four main causes for one to turn to alcohol, which are “fateful/catastrophic events,

child maltreatment, common adult stressful life events in interpersonal, occupational, financial

and legal domains, and minority stress” (Keyes, 2011). At times, it is difficult to know if a

person is abusing alcohol or not. I’ve met people who have been closet alcoholics for years, and

members if the family don’t even know about it. Symptoms that someone may be abusing

alcohol are tolerance to alcohol, withdrawals when not intoxicated, neglect of an individual's

normal social, occupational, or recreational tasks, or continued use of alcohol despite physical

and psychological problems of the user (Esther Gwinnel, Christine Adamec 2016). Those who

abuse alcohol sometimes have a difficult time coming to terms with their situation, and even

more trouble trying to get out of it. And with that struggle to face their inner selves, it transpires

into their personal lives and begins spilling over into the live of members of the family. It is not

uncommon for a child of an alcoholic parent to actually become alcohol dependent themselves,

along with numerous other side effects from living with an alcoholic parent.

The excessive use of that drinking behavior can lead a person to many different things.

For starters, it brings stress relief, enjoyment, and the ability to express yourself without any

social barriers. But it can also lead to hair loss, tooth decay, irreversible damage to several the

body's organ systems, as well as psychiatric, occupational, financial, legal, or interpersonal

problems (Frey, R. J., Schonbeck, J., & Atkins, W. A. (2013). Alcohol dependency over a

considerable amount of time has severe effects on the functionality of the brain, such as memory

loss, stress, and slowness to react. The excessive use of alcohol basically disrupts every part of

your body in at least one way or another. This includes infectious diseases, cancer, diabetes,

neuropsychiatric diseases (including alcohol use disorders), cardiovascular disease, liver and

pancreas disease, and unintentional and intentional injury (Rehm, Jürgen, PHD 2011). Each of
these possible issues all yield the same thing – pain. Whether it may take the life of an alcoholic

or not, these people suffer every day in the lifestyle that they’ve grown accustomed to.

The effects of alcoholism go beyond that of the abuser, but also affects the wellbeing of

those around. Family members especially are at high risk of abuse and potentially adapting a

dependence on drugs in the future. Furthermore, as previously mentioned alcoholics face a long

list of different health issues such as liver disease, tooth decay, heart failure, and the list never

run short of problems. The more a person depends on alcohol, the more likely they are to inherit

diseases and life-threatening illnesses. However, society doesn’t see alcohol as a major issue, and

it’s safe to say that people use it carelessly without understanding the consequences of it. As sad

as it may be, the lack of knowledge for the common person is below average. People continue to

abuse this drug, and it eventually will reap consequences if we don’t take a stand now.

Alcoholism is a major problem that our world still faces to this day, and hopefully in the future

that problem will diminish.

Citations:

-Rehm, J. (2011). The Risks Associated With Alcohol Use and Alcoholism. Alcohol Research &

Health, 34(2), 135–143. Retrieved from

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=70561483&site=ehost-live

-Hussong, Andrea M; Chassin, Laurie. Development and Psychopathology; Cambridge Vol. 16,

Iss. 4, (Fall 2004): 985-1006.

-Gwinnell, E., & Adamec, C. (2016). alcoholism. In E. Gwinnel, & C. Adamec, Facts on File

library of health and living: The encyclopedia of addictions and addictive behaviors (2nd ed.).

New , NY: Facts on File. Retrieved from

http://ezproxy.rowan.edu/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/fofaaab/alco

holism/0?institutionId=1125

Keyes, K. M., Hatzenbuehler, M. L., & Hasin, D. S. (2011). Stressful life experiences, alcohol

consumption, and alcohol use disorders: The epidemiologic evidence for four main types of

stressors. Psychopharmacology, 218(1), 1-17. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00213-011-2236-1