Services That Are Available to People With Alcohol Related Issues - Research Proposal Example

Services that are available to both males and females with alcohol related issues and the affect it has on their mental Introduction The multifaceted nature of the problem of alcoholism is manifested in a number of ways in our society and its adverse effects may be seen in the form of social, economical, moral and health related issues. The history of alcohol use dates back to thousands of year, and there is considerable evidence that its use has increased in today’s society likely due to increased promotional campaigns as well as the fact that it is accepted as a form of entertainment for the grownups. The belief that it is helpful in relieving stress makes it an important consumable in the life of modern day stressed humans. Apart from the spiritual and moral damage that is encountered by alcohol users, the health related detrimental effects are a major concern in alcoholics. There is considerable evidence to support that alcohol has more health damaging effects than health benefits. The organs most commonly affected by the use of alcohol include liver, blood, gastrointestinal system and nervous system. Various, alcoholism related mental disorders differ widely from each other and the final manifestation of disease is the result of variations in personality and perhaps genetic makeup of individuals. The amount of alcohol consumed relates directly to the severity of the problem. The need to understand the nature and extent of the problem of alcoholism and the effect it has on the population of modern day humans cannot be overstressed. Since alcohol is considered and accepted as a form of recreational drug which is in common use in modern society, there is a dire need to understand and quantify the acute and long term effects of it use on the health and society of human beings. Moreover, the adequacy of facilities available to combat the detrimental effects of alcoholism needs to be evaluated and tested for validity and successful outcomes in terms of alcohol withdrawal and successful prevention of alcohol related mental problems. Problem Statement Alcoholism is one of the major problems which humanity faces today. It not only causes physical damage to the health of humans, but also disturbs the life of individuals on social and moral grounds. According to World Health Organization, an estimated 76 million people around the world suffer from alcohol related issues. In addition to this, the cost of dealing with alcohol related issues in United States alone amounts to $220 billion in the year 2005. Moreover, among the twenty countries where consumption of alcohol is the highest in the world, eighteen are European (WHO, 2009). Keeping in view these alarming figures, the need to estimate and quantify the extent of damage done to mental conditions of humans appears to be justified. Adding to the importance of this study is the question of adequacy of available facilities to combat alcoholism and its detrimental effects. Literature Review As far as the health services available for alcoholics are concerned, it should be realized that the problem of alcoholism is very different from a large number of other health problems. Although, regarded as a disease, this is the only disease which is sold in bottles and individuals spend money to buy this disease. Alcoholism is life disrupting because it affects someone’s everyday world. The vast majority of services available for the help of alcoholics are based on self-helping strategy. These help groups work in crucially different ways as compared to conventional help. The purpose of involvement in such groups is to attain a re-orientation in relation to the way in which problems of daily life are handled. Help services for alcoholics are available in the form of programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, Alcoholism clinics etc. After affiliation with such programs, most of the affected individuals realize that they are not alone in this world and there are many others who are suffering from the same problem, and many have found ways to overcome this addiction or at least minimize its harmful effects. There is a growing consensus among members of the medical community as well as general public, regarding the success of such programs. Many hospitals, prisons, clinics and industrial firms welcome and encourage the formation of such groups and programs (Robinson, 1979). Another problem which is commonly encountered and needs management is the problem of cross-addiction and it is very rare that an alcoholic is not cross-addicted. Commonly used drugs which become the cause of cross-addiction include barbiturates, cocaine, marijuana, amphetamines. Less commonly used drugs include heroin or morphine. In such cases, the health service provider’s first goal is to detoxify alcoholics and later on provide educational and psychological assistance. The purpose is to build ego strength and help the patient deal with personal emotions and feeling without resorting to drugs of any kind. Ultimately, self-help groups may come to rescue such individuals (Levin, 1995). A number of measures can be taken to minimize damage to the lives of alcoholics. These measures are referred to as harm reduction approaches. ‘Harm reduction’ refers to the policies, programs and projects which aim primarily to reduce the health, social and economic harms associated with the use of psychoactive substances like alcohol (Ries, 2009). Alcohol affects the mental condition of alcoholics in a number of ways. The memory starts getting affected after consumption of only a few drinks. A blackout can occur if large amount of alcohol is consumed on empty stomach. The craving for alcohol felt by most of the alcoholics is mediated by dopaminergic pathways which are found in the brain. Dopamine transmission is facilitated by the use of alcohol. The normal activity of brain is therefore affected. Sleep is affected in terms of decrease in the amount of Rapid Eye Movement sleep. Other effects may include poor judgment, euphoria, loss of inhibition, somnolence, respiratory suppression and stupor. Coma may be the ultimate symptom prior to death in cases of alcohol intoxication. Mental functions are also affected due to deficient or abnormal absorption of food nutrients as a result of damage to digestive system caused by alcohol use. Falls and accidents may occur due to altered mental status of alcoholics (Bernstein & Luggen, 2010). Abuse, occasional use, recreational use and even therapeutic abuse of a number of drugs may lead to development of tolerance as well as dependence. Similar is the case with alcohol. Such tolerance paves way for increasing intake of increasing amounts of the drug, thereby increasing the damaging effects manifolds. The effects of alcohol in brain are profound, and it affects by altering the physiological properties of neuron cell membranes and as a result affects the chemical system and balance that is responsible for smooth transmission of information. As compared to water, alcohol is more fat soluble and this property makes it possible for alcohol to cross the blood brain barrier more efficiently as compared to water. In addition to developing tolerance, alcohol users may also develop cross tolerance which causes decreased effectiveness of other sedative drugs (Harris, 1993). A number of distinct patterns of mental ailment can be attributed to alcohol use. Alcoholic psychoses are divided into a number of subtypes some of which include; Pathological Intoxication which is defined as the immediate abnormal or unusual reaction of the mind in response to a small or large amount of alcohol consumed. This is usually characterized by excitement, hallucinations, confusion and later on amnesia. Delirium tremens refers to a hallucinatory delirium accompanied by toxic symptoms like tremors. Korsakow’s psychosis is usually confused with delirium tremens, but it may occur with polyneuritis. There is a marked retention defect along with disorientation, suggestibility, fabrication and misidentification of known individuals. Acute Hallucinosis is redominantly an auditory hallucinosis accompanied by marked fears. Chronic Hallucinosis is essentially a protracted and prolonged form of acute hallucinosis. Acute paranoid type: The symptoms of this type of mental illness include misinterpretations, jealous trend and suspicions. The symptoms often improve when alcohol is withdrawn. Alcoholic deterioration is a progressive volitional, moral and emotional change that develops in a chronic drinker. The main symptoms which define this state are ill humor, irascibility or a jovial, careless facetious mood, abusiveness towards family, unreliability and jealousy. The capacity to perform mental and physical work is lost (Emerson, 1981). Methods For the purpose of this research paper, qualitative techniques are being utilized to assess the effectiveness of services available to alcohol consumers (i.e. of both genders). Research papers, articles, content from the websites of government organizations and books are used to collect ample information on the topic. The research question is being viewed in the light of existing literature and the results are supported by evidence from the theories and judgments of other researchers. The main strength of this method is the validity of the evidences being collected. Each claim is accompanied by supporting evidences from the existing reliable sources. Much research evidence is gathered to prove the promptness of the arguments. The limitation of this methodology is the lack of independent judgment which could be obtained from sampling and participant observation techniques. The knowledge is limited to the research papers which are carried out on a limited number of participants and the actual results may vary on the basis of race, ethnicity and cultural backgrounds of the participants. To overcome this weakness of the research methodology adopted, more research papers, books and journal articles are reviewed to include only those claims which are equally supported by different researchers. References (2009). World Health Statistics 2009. Geneva, World Health Organization, p83. BERNSTEIN, M., & LUGGEN, A. S. (2010). Nutrition for the older adult. Sudbury, Mass, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, p267. EMERSON, H. (1981). Alcohol and man. Addiction in America. New York, Arno Press, p345. Harris.R.A & Buck. K.J. (1993). Alcohol and the Brain. The Processes of Alcohol Tolerance and Dependence. DIANE Publishing, p105. LEVIN, J. D. (1995). Introduction to alcoholism counseling: a bio-psycho-social approach. Washington, D.C., Taylor & Francis, p236. RIES, R. (2009). Principles of addiction medicine. Philadelphia, Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, p423. ROBINSON, D. (1979). Talking out of alcoholism: the self-help process of alcoholics anonymous. London, Croom Helm, p94,117. Read More