Introduction

What is alcoholism? Alcoholism is an illness characterized by significant impairment that is directly associated with persistent and excessive use of alcohol. Impairment may involve physiological, psychological or social dysfunction. Psychologically speaking, alcoholism has less to do with how much someone is drinking, and more to do with what happens when they drink. If you have problems when you drink, you have a drinking problem. The word alcohol comes from the Arabic Al Kohl, which means the essence. Alcohol has always been associated with rites of passages such as weddings and graduations, social occasions, sporting events and parties. The media has often glamorized drinking. Television viewers happily recount the Budweiser frog, the beach parties and general good time feeling of commercials selling beer. Magazine ads show beautiful couples sipping alcohol. Love, sex and romance are just around the corner as long as you drink the alcohol product being advertised. The reality is that alcohol is often abused because it initially offers a very tantalizing promise. With mild intoxication, many people become more relaxed. They feel more carefree. Any preexisting problems tend to fade into the background. Alcohol can be used to enhance a good mood or change a bad mood. At first, alcohol allows the drinker to feel quite pleasant, with no emotional costs. As an individuals drinking progresses, however, it takes more and more alcohol to achieve the same high. Eventually the high is hardly present. Alcoholism is a complex disease, which has been misunderstood and stigmatized. According to the American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), Alcohol Dependence and Alcohol Abuse are among the most common mental disorders in the general population, with about eight percent of the adult population suffering from Alcohol Dependence and five percent from Alcohol Abuse. It is widely accepted that there is a genetic predisposition toward alcoholism. According to DSM-IV, the risk for Alcohol Dependence is three to four times higher in close relative of people with Alcohol Dependence.

Chapter 1

The Problem and its Background

Alcohol is widely used in our society. Most individuals drink alcohol in ways that do not increase risk for alcohol use problems and may also derive a health benefit. For others, use of alcohol will increase their risk for alcohol problems. Defining precisely who is at risk for alcohol problems and assessing the risks versus the benefits of alcohol use are important to designing effective interventions to reduce alcohol problems and providing accurate public health information. Alcohol consumption is associated with a wide range of adverse health and social consequences, both acute (e.g., traffic deaths, other injuries) and chronic (e.g., alcohol dependence, liver damage, stroke, cancers of the mouth and esophagus). The scope and variety of these problems are attributable to differences in the amount, duration, and patterns of alcohol consumption; differences in genetic vulnerability to particular alcohol-related on sequences; and differences in economic, social, and other environmental factors. Alcoholism is a chronic disease that may strike at any age. Research to date has suggested that alcoholism may or may not be progressive in nature. Some people develop the symptoms of alcoholism after only months of heavy drinking, whereas other alcoholics may drink heavily for years before developing the disease. Ethnic and cultural disparities in alcohol-related problems are of pressing public health concern. Alcohol-related death rates (for all categories of alcoholrelated mortality combined) are higher among Blacks than whites. Recent research indicates that cirrhosis death rates are higher among white men and women of Hispanic origin than among non-Hispanic black and white Americans. In the U.S., the rates of alcohol-related traffic deaths are highest among American Indians or Alaska Natives. Alcohol problems, both those of individuals and those that affect society at large, continue to impose staggering social and economic burdens. In addition to negatively affecting health, a wide range of social ills including domestic violence, child abuse, fires and other accidents, and other crimes against individuals such as rape, robbery, and assault have all been linked to alcohol misuse. An estimated 20 to 40 percent of patients in large urban hospitals are there because of illnesses that have been caused or made worse by their drinking. This means that out of every 100 patients in such hospitals, almost half may be there because of their alcohol use. In spite of the severity of the alcohol-related problems, many people do not yet understand that alcohol problems can yield to scientifically-based medical.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

What is alcoholism? Is alcoholism a disease? Is alcoholism inherited? Can alcoholism be cured? Can alcoholism be treated? Do you have to be an alcoholic to experience problems? Are specific groups of people more likely to have problems? Can a problem drinker simply cut down? Does alcohol affect older people differently? Does alcohol affect women differently? What is the safe level of drinking?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Alcoholism refers the drinking of alcohol to such a degree that major aspects of one's life are seriously and repeatedly interfered with. These aspects include work, school, family relationships, personal safety and health. Alcoholism is considered a disease. It has known physical, psychological and social symptoms. An alcoholic continues to drink even despite the destructive consequences. Alcoholism is serious and progressive. It can be fatal if not treated. Alcoholism is a very complex disorder. An alcoholic who stops drinking for a while is considered recovering, not cured. A person does not have to drink every day in order to be considered an alcoholic. Likewise, someone who drinks frequently or gets drunk every once and a while is not necessarily and alcoholic. It is possible to abuse alcohol for a short period of time without developing alcoholism. For example, some people may drink abusively during a personal crisis and then resume normal drinking. College students tend to drink more heavily than other age groups. It is often difficult to distinguish such heavy and abusive drinking from the early stages of alcoholism. How well the person can tolerate giving up alcohol for an extended time and the effects of drinking on the family, friends, work, and health, may indicate the extent of the alcohol problem. Alcoholism is found in all ages, cultures and economic groups. It is estimated that 75 percent of alcoholics are male and 25 percent are female. Alcoholism is a worldwide problem, but is most widespread in France, Ireland, Poland, Scandinavia, Russia and the United States. Some common symptoms of alcoholism in the early stages are constant drinking for relief of personal problems, an increase in one's tolerance for alcohol, memory lapses or blackouts while drinking, and an urgent craving for alcohol. In the middle and late phases, dependence on alcohol causes.

Chapter 2

THE REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

The Progression of the Disease Alcoholism is a progressive disease and follows several phases: The Social Drinker: Social drinkers have few problems with alcohol. A social drinker can basically take or leave it. There is no preoccupation with drinking. A social drinker is able to control the amount of alcohol consumed and rarely drinks to the point of intoxication. For these individuals, drinking is a secondary activity. It is the party, the meal, the wedding that interests the social drinker, not the opportunity to drink. The Early Stage: An individual who is experiencing the early stages of alcoholism will begin to have an assortment of problems associated with drinking. In early stage alcoholism, a person may start to sneak drinks, begin to feel guilty about his or her drinking, and become preoccupied with alcohol. Blackouts, drinking to the point of drunkenness, and increased tolerance (needing more alcohol to achieve the same effect) are all signs of early alcoholism. An individual who is entering the early stage of alcoholism will seek out companions who are heavy drinkers and lose interest in activities not associated with drinking. Family and friends may begin to express concern about the persons consumption of alcohol. Work problems, such as missing work or tardiness, may also take place. Middle Stage: By the time someone has entered the middle stages of alcoholism, his or her life has become quite unmanageable, although the alcoholic still denies that he or she

has a problem. At this point, the alcoholic will often drink more than intended. He or she will drink in an attempt to erase feelings such as anger, depression and social discomfort. Drinking in the morning to relieve a bad hangover may also take place. The alcoholics health care provider may begin to suggest that the alcoholic stop drinking. The individual may try to stop drinking, but without success. Job loss, medical problems, and serious family conflicts occur during this phase. Late Stage: At this stage, the alcoholics life has become completely unmanageable. Medical complications are numerous and include liver diseases such as cirrhosis or hepatitis. Acute pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), high blood pressure, and bleeding of the esophageal lining can result from prolonged use. The heart and brain are compromised so that an alcoholic is at a higher risk for a heart attack or stroke. Depression and insomnia and even suicide are more prevalent at this stage. A condition known as Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome, which involves memory loss, indicates that the individual has sustained brain damage from drinking. A child born to a woman who drinks during her pregnancy may have a condition called fetal alcohol syndrome, causing a number of birth defects. An alcoholic at this stage has become physically addicted to alcohol and will experience seizures or delirium tremens (DTs) if he or she stops drinking. It is extremely important to seek out medical care at this point in the disease process. If an individual is dependent on alcohol, he or she should be supervised medically during a detoxification process. Further treatment may include individual or group counseling. Mental health professionals have been trained to treat substance abuse problems. You can seek out treatment with an individual counselor or by entering an inpatient or outpatient substance abuse treatment program.

Chapter 4

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION CONCLUSION

Therefore I conclude, alcoholism is a complex problem involving spiritual alienation, psychological addiction, physiological addiction, and social dysfunction. It is a disease superimposed on a sin problem. The alcoholic, if left alone, will probably die of alcoholism. There is hope for the alcoholic. He can be cured. He must accept Christ as his Lord and Savior. He needs to be nurtured in a New Testament type church. Some may need hospitalization and the support of groups like AntiAlcohol.

RECOMMENDATION
Reducing exposure is easy in concept but is usually more difficult in practice. Most importantly, women who are planning on becoming pregnant or who are pregnant should not consume alcohol. Men need to support and encourage women's avoidance of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. For many who consume alcohol, it is important to learn how to manage exposure. Food consumption slows alcohol absorption, so eat when drinking and do not to consume alcohol on an empty stomach. There is a great amount of variability in the percent of alcohol in drinks. It is a good practice to consume fewer drinks that have high alcohol content.

HYPOTHESIS
Alcoholism, also known as alcohol dependence, is a disease that includes the following four symptoms: - Craving--A strong need, or urge, to drink. - Loss of control--Not being able to stop drinking once drinking has begun. - Physical dependence--Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety after stopping drinking. - Tolerance--The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol to get "high." Yes, alcoholism is a disease. The craving that an alcoholic feels for alcohol can be as strong as the need for food or water. An alcoholic will continue to drink despite serious family, health, or legal problems. Like many other diseases, alcoholism is chronic, meaning that it lasts a person's lifetime; it usually follows a predictable course; and it has symptoms. The risk for developing alcoholism is influenced both by a person's genes and by his or her lifestyle. Research shows that the risk for developing alcoholism does indeed run in families. The genes a person inherits partially explain this pattern, but lifestyle is also a factor. Currently, researchers are working to discover the actual genes that put people at risk for alcoholism. Your friends, the amount of stress in your life, and how readily available alcohol is also are factors that may increase your risk for alcoholism. But remember: Risk is not destiny. Just because alcoholism tends to run in families doesn't mean that a child of an alcoholic parent will automatically become an alcoholic too. Some people develop alcoholism even though no one in their family has a drinking problem. By the same token, not all children of alcoholic families get into trouble with alcohol. Knowing you are at risk is important, though, because then you can take steps to protect yourself from developing problems with alcohol.

No, alcoholism cannot be cured at this time. Even if an alcoholic hasn't been drinking for a long time, he or she can still suffer a relapse. To guard against a relapse, an alcoholic must continue to avoid all alcoholic beverages.

No. Alcoholism is only one type of an alcohol problem. Alcohol abuse can be just as harmful. A person can abuse alcohol without actually being an alcoholic--that is, he or she may drink too much and too often but still not be dependent on alcohol. Some of the problems linked to alcohol abuse include not being able to meet work, school, or family responsibilities; drunk-driving arrests and car crashes; and drinking-related medical conditions. Under some circumstances, even social or moderate drinking is dangerous--for example, when driving, during pregnancy, or when taking certain medications. Alcohol abuse and alcoholism cut across gender, race, and nationality. Nearly 14 million people in the United States --1 in every 13 adults--abuse alcohol or are alcoholic. In general, though, more men than women are alcohol dependent or have alcohol problems. And alcohol problems are highest among young adults ages 18-29 and lowest among adults ages 65 and older. We also know that people who start drinking at an early age--for example, at age 14 or younger--greatly increase the chance that they will develop alcohol problems at some point in their lives. It depends. If that person has been diagnosed as an alcoholic, the answer is "no." Alcoholics who try to cut down on drinking rarely succeed. Cutting out alcohol--that is, abstaining--is usually the best course for recovery. People who are not alcohol dependent but who have experienced alcohol-related problems may be able to limit the amount they drink. If they can't stay within those limits, they need to stop drinking altogether. Alcohol's effects do vary with age. Slower reaction times, problems with hearing and seeing, and a lower tolerance to alcohol's effects put older people at higher risk for falls, car crashes, and other types of injuries that may result from drinking. Older people also tend to take more medicines than younger people. Mixing alcohol with over-the-counter or prescription medications can be very dangerous, even fatal. More than 150 medications interact harmfully with alcohol. In addition, alcohol can make many of the medical conditions common in older people, including high blood pressure and ulcers, more serious. Physical changes associated with aging can make older people feel "high" even after drinking only small amounts of alcohol. So even if there is no medical reason to avoid alcohol, older men and women should limit themselves to one drink per day. Yes, alcohol affects women differently than men. Women become more impaired than men do after drinking the same amount of alcohol, even when differences in body weight are taken into account. This is because women's

bodies have less water than men's bodies. Because alcohol mixes with body water, a given amount of alcohol becomes more highly concentrated in a woman's body than in a man's. In other words, it would be like dropping the same amount of alcohol into a much smaller pail of water. That is why the recommended drinking limit for women is lower than for men. In addition, chronic alcohol abuse takes a heavier physical toll on women than on men. Alcohol dependence and related medical problems, such as brain, heart, and liver damage, progress more rapidly in women than in men. For most adults, moderate alcohol use--up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women and older people--causes few if any problems. (One drink equals one 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.) Certain people should not drink at all, however: Women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant People who plan to drive or engage in other activities that require alertness and skill (such as using high-speed machinery) People taking certain over-thecounter or prescription medications People with medical conditions that can be made worse by drinking, Recovering alcoholics, People younger than age 21.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/2563.asp http://www.aresearchguide.com/12biblio.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol http://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/alcohol http://www.howstuffworks.com/alcohol.htm http://www.drugfree.org/drug-guide/alcohol http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/ The Alcoholic Republic: An American Tradition W. J. Rorabaugh (Nov 1, 1979) High Bottom Drunk Author: Charles N. Roper, PhD .

DEFINITION OF TERMS
1. Chronic constant; habitual; inveterate: a chronic liar. 2. Desperate reckless or dangerous because of despair or urgency: adesperate killer. -

Alcoholism
An Undergraduate Thesis
Presented to: Mr. Edgar Villanueva In Partial Fulfillment for the requirements of 4th Year High School Presented by: Anielyn Domincel February , 2012