Alcoholism and Human Development - Research Paper Example

?Alcoholism and Human Development By nature different occurrences, processes, phenomena and living creatures on the planet have an ability and aspiration for growth. Human being is not an exception. On the contrary, representing the highest form of development in entire world, Homo sapiens have been endowed with unlimited potential, which can be used by each of us in a different way. A need for development is a typical physiological and spiritual requirement of any human organism. Hence, a tendency for personal growth can be seen on every stage of human’s life: in a childhood when a baby learns to walk, talk, eat, read and write, in adolescence when a youngster makes a route from a beginner in a high school to a holder of a master’s degree in university, in adult life, for example, when employee moves on career ladder, and finally in social sphere when a man broadens circle of communication, obtains new acquaintances, and develops private relationships with opposite sex. Regrettably, each of us accepts the necessity for development differently, despite the fact that such need stimulates our activity and encourages making progress. Development provides choices, concerning which everybody makes up own mind accordingly. The process self-growth must ensure favorable conditions for a person to have an opportunity to form dignifies vital activities and use own potential due to initial needs and requirements. Consequently, human development is a constant process of relevant implementing of own potential, which is aimed at increase of intellectual, social, economic level of personality and normal functioning of organism as biological element. It is well-known that except merely desire to use own potential the right stipulations should take place for providing open possibilities. However, frequently there may be some impediments, such as obstacles in economic sphere connected with level of income, for instance, that are hard to overcome due to existence of external influential factors. Sometimes these hindrances may lead to serious psychological problems and formation of new impediments for development. Moreover off and don some individuals are prone to create such barriers by own strengths because of inner weaknesses and lack of beliefs. One of such disastrous phenomenon, which may damage person’s life dramatically, is alcohol abuse that is widely spaced issue all over the world. Nowadays alcoholism is quite common diagnosis among all layers of country’s populations and also one of the most problematic aspects due to its destructive consequences and complexity of treatment. According to National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiological Survey, during a period with an approximate duration of ten years a lifetime rate of alcohol use disorders rose by more than fifty per cent (Verges, Littlefield, and Sher 874). Alcoholism is one of the most serious problems of our generation. A lot of specialists compare urgency of this addiction with a scale of cancer or tuberculosis. The highest rate of alcohol consumption can be noticed in such states as Luxembourg, France and Ireland, meanwhile, the most shocking alcohol death rate totals in countries of the Third World. Statistical data shows that exactly alcohol abuse becomes a frequent reason for human’s premature death which is a result of heat attacks or car accidents. It is fair to say that alcoholism is psychological disease that causes degradation of personality and devaluation of moral principles. In spite of universally recognized negative influence of alcohol dependence, today alcohol occupies significant part of people’s social life and time-spending. Production of alcohol beverages continues to extend its output because such business brings wide popularity of proposed products, great demand and high profitability which is the key factor for modern entrepreneurs. Today people drink alcohol not only on special occasions and holidays, but more often in day-to-day life, working out a habit and real addiction. Burnam, Benjamin and Wells define several common reasons which people often falsely use to explain their addiction to alcohol (157). According to them, alcohol helps: to feel relaxation and get rid of undesired tension; to overcome stress in difficult times and unpleasant situations; to create high spirit, cheer up and brighten up the surrounding atmosphere; to erase some moments from memory and ease the pain; to simplify communicational process and contribute to formation of new acquaintances; to instill energy and cheerfulness into tired person; to conquer insomnia; to indulge yourself after hard working day; to clear mind from unwanted thoughts and make right decisions. Nevertheless for some people mentioned options can be implemented while drinking alcohol, however, medicals state that in general the influence of alcohol on human body is exceptionally negative. According to the research of Carpenter and Hasin, the most powerful motive for consumption of alcohol is considered a factor of drinking for enjoyment (178). This means that in most cases alcohol abuse is psychological aspect that creates an illusion of relief, joy and happiness. People mistakenly believe that alcohol is able to solve their problems and make life better, while in a reality it leads to worsening of standard of life. There are several main factors that influence on person’s predisposition to alcoholism. The first aspect is personality, breeding and behavior that form attitude to addictions and work out self-control and ability to overcome anxiety and depression. Secondly, family dynamics is responsible for underage alcohol use. Hence, creating irrelevant environment within family’s life may cause considerable risk of child’s drinking alcohol if case if parents show negative example to a kid. As Masten, Faden, Zucker, and Spear state the fact that the most popular age for alcohol abuse is 12-14 years (6), which defines a lack of proper breeding and education from parents’ side. The third factor that plays initial role in alcohol disposition is genes that can transmit propensity for alcoholism by heredity. Culture, environment, circle of friends are able to affect human’s views and decisions, even if genetically a person does not have a positive deposition to alcoholism. Also, forming gaps in maturity, brain development can affect aging boundaries of the first alcohol experience that influences on perception and future attitude to addiction. In addition, disparities in sensitivity to alcohol may cause acceptance or rejection of alcohol drinks in different people. And the final factor of predisposition to alcoholism can be considered personal preferences and attitude to alcohol. Hence, not all people like the state of intoxication. Many individuals prefer to control the situation where ever they are, however, alcohol impedes this, making a person relaxed and unable to concentrate and think sober. Therefore, frequently personal principles are able to taboo specific enjoyments. Alcoholism is a special variety of drug addiction that must not be disregarded due to its destructive and sometimes irremediable consequences. Hence, during pregnancy period drinking alcohol may cause physical abnormalities of fetus. In childhood and adolescence it usually impedes school attendance, disrupts concentration, and damages relationships with family and friends. In general, alcoholism may lead to degradation of personality, loss of values and principles, decrease of enthusiasm and purposes, depression and a lot of social problems such as divorce or unemployment. According to Clark, Oscar-Berman, Shagrin and Pencina, “Alcoholism-related changes impact emotional processes that may involve both the right and the left hemispheres, given abnormal ratings of both facial and word stimuli” (358). Moreover, alcohol dependence’s negative consequences may include sexual victimization, interpersonal violence, risky sexual behavior, suicide and any other antisocial behavior (Read, Kahler, and Stevenson 227). Taking into account all seriousness of mentioned constraint of human development there should be implemented effective methods of prevention. With this aim each state should provide proper social programs and active propaganda for healthy lifestyle in educational establishments, access to group therapy, qualified psychologists and financial help to the families with alcoholics. Consequently, analysis all the aspect of mentioned disease it can be concluded that alcohol abuse requires radical and urgent methods of treatment and preventions. This drug addiction is able to change the quality of interaction between the person and the environment (Tarter, and Vanyukov 1105), which may become a serious obstacle to provide normal vital activity. That is why the main task of each person is to decrease own passion to any drug addiction for ensuring own spiritual, social and economic development. Works Cited Burnam, Audrey, Bernadette Benjamin, and Kenneth Wells. “Reasons for Drinking, Alcohol Use, and Alcoholism Among Mexican Americans and Non-Hispanic Whites.” Psychology of Addictive Behavior 1992: 155-167. Print. Campanella, Salvatore, Xavier Noel, and Claude Tomberg. “Cognitive Event-Related Potentials and Alcoholism.” Journal of Psychophysiology 2010: 231–239. Print. Carpenter, Kenneth, and Deborah Hasin. “Reasons for Drinking Alcohol: Relationships With ASM-TV Alcohol Diagnoses and Alcohol Consumption in a Community Sample.” Psychology of Addictive Behaviors 1998: 168-184. Print. Clark, Uraina, Marlene Oscar-Berman, Barbara Shagrin, and Michael Pencina. “Alcoholism and Judgments of Affective Stimuli.” Neuropsychology 2007: 346–362. Print. Grunberg, Leon, Sarah Moore, and Richard Anderson-Connolly. “Work Stress and Self-Reported Alcohol Use: The Moderating Role of Escapist Reasons for Drinking.” Journal of Occupational Health Psychology 1999: 29-36. Print. Masten, Ann, Vivian Faden, Robert Zucker, and Linda Spear. “A Developmental Perspective on Underage Alcohol Use.” Alcohol Research & Health 2009: 3-15. Print. Noel, Xavier, Antoine Bechara, Damien Brevers, Paul Verbanck, and Salvatore Campanella. “Alcoholism and the Loss of Willpower.” Journal of Psychophysiology 2010: 240–248. Print. Read, Jennifer, Christopher Kahler, and John Stevenson. “Bridging the Gap Between Alcoholism Treatment Research and Practice: Identifying What Works and Why.” Professional Psychology: Research and Practice 2001: 227-238. Print. Tarter, Ralph, and Michael Vanyukov. “Alcoholism: A Developmental Disorder.” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 1994: 1096-1107. Print. Verges, Alvaro, Andrew Littlefield, and Kenneth Sher. “Did Lifetime Rates of Alcohol Use Disorders Increase by 67% Years? A Comparison of NLAES and NESARC. ” Journal of Abnormal Psychology 2011: 868–877. Print. Read More