The Negative Effects of Alcholism - Essay Example

This study is hereby written with the objective of presenting relevant issues confounding alcoholism, specifically, the negative effects of this illness. It further aims to determine various solutions to address this preventable dilemma. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services define alcoholism, also known as “alcohol dependence,” as “a disease that includes four symptoms: craving: a strong need, or compulsion, to drink; loss of control: The inability to limit one’s drinking on any given occasion; physical dependence: Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety, occur when alcohol use is stopped after a period of heavy drinking; and tolerance: The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol in order to “get high.

” (2001, par. 1) “The American Medical Association and the World Health Organization have both recognized addiction (including alcoholism) as an illness, not a lack of willpower”. (Dossey, Keegan, & Guzzetta, 2000, 514). Definitely, this is a fact that pervades people from all walks of life depending on diverse factors. According to Dossey, et.al. (2000), “although there are many types of addictions to various substances, alcohol addiction is the most prevalent in the United States, afflicting at least 11 million people”.

There are a multitude of scholarly researches written on alcoholism and diverse concerns related to it. This paper aims to delve into the negative effects of alcoholism to individuals. Through secondary sources from books, journals and electronic references, appropriate materials would enable one to proffer a comprehensive and objective view of the topic. Starting with a background of alcoholism, a general view of the illness is presented. The findings would initially proffer the rationale for drinking.

It would determine how one is considered to be addicted to alcohol. Then, the negative effects of alcoholism would be presented. Finally, key facts and