Alcohol and Tobacco Consumption - Coursework Example

Alcohol and Tobacco Addiction: An Overview Section/# The following discussion will represent issues concentric upon addiction and abuse of substances with a special focus on the way in which predicate substances, such as tobacco and alcohol, invariably lead to a reduction in the will to resist addictive temptations and can provide great hardships for the individual. Likewise, an overview of existing literature will be made and a discussion into gaps that are represented within it will be analyzed. The topic of addiction is one that has been thoroughly analyzed, at least with respect to the addiction as it relates to illegal drugs and illicit substances. Likewise, addiction, as it relates to alcohol or tobacco addiction has also been fairly thoroughly discussed as it relates to the extent literature. However, there still remains a noticeable gap within literature that involves addiction. This mostly has to do with the fact it does not provide a thorough discussion or analysis of whether or not addictions can be interrelated or are at least in some way codependent upon one another. Instead, addiction is invariably viewed within the context of an addiction to a particular substance and the physical and psychological response that the individual exhibits for these substances as a means of determining the overall level of addiction that is exhibited. This topic is of extreme importance due to the fact that millions of individuals around the globe struggle with addiction; whether it is an addiction to alcohol or tobacco products or whether it is an addiction to harder drugs such as heroin, cocaine, or even cannabis. Accordingly, the following discussion will serve as a means of highlighting the gap that exists within current literature and focusing the reader’s attention towards the question of whether or not there is ample and sufficient evidence for addiction to legal substances, such as tobacco and/or alcohol, to be interrelated to other addictions and potential catalysts for the user to engage in behavior that they might not otherwise. Finally, in terms of defining a personal level of interest as it relates to this topic, addiction to alcohol and tobacco has been something that I have struggled with personally for a number of years. Additionally, I have lost close family members and friends to these addictions and have seen firsthand the psychological and physical trauma that such behavior can ultimately affect within the life of an individual. Essentially, existing scholarly research into the field of addiction is almost one dimensional in scope. For instance, there are a number of articles concerning addiction to tobacco products, and equal number of articles that exists with respect to an addiction to alcohol, and a litany of articles with regard to illegal substance abuse and addiction. However, what is noticeably absent from all of this is a level of research and analysis into the cross relational addiction patterns that certain substances are able to affect within the mind and life of an individual user (Golub & Johnson, 2004). For instance, anecdotal evidence revealed the fact that individuals are an order of magnitude more likely to relapse into addictive behaviors if they are exposed to a progression area addiction that they have already stepped away from. For instance, individual that may have fought alcoholism their entire lives and are involved in alcohol support groups for one another, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, will oftentimes indicates that they have taken the decision upon themselves to not only remove the threat in danger of alcohol from their lives but also take an active role in seeking to remove all addictive substances said that a progression area chain of weakness may not result in a relapse in alcoholism (Chen et al., 2002). Within this line of understanding, some scholars and medical experts put forward the understanding that tobacco products and even caffeine products should be set aside by the individual that is at risk of relaxing or is already termed as an addict. The underlying rationale behind all of this has to do with the way in which the brains of risk and needs reward mechanism is stimulated; leading to feelings of well-being and contentment - at least in the partial sense of the term. In terms of a few articles that do exist on the topic, existing research definitively represents a linkage between the progression area addictions and not only specifies the link exists with respect to substances that are legal but also with respect to substances that are illicit. For instance, research performed by Kirby and Barry (2012) indicates that gateway drugs are oftentimes utilized as a progressionary step towards addiction with regard to harder substances. Whereas this progression area step is easy to understand it has been represented throughout society for a number of years, the relationship that this might have to alcohol and tobacco is oftentimes something that is not even discussed. For instance, an individual that might be suffering from alcoholism might make every attempt to remove themselves from the temptation; however, at the juncture in time that they are presented opportunity smoke or face the temptation of another variety linked to an addictive substance that they also have said no to in the past, a breakdown of a psychological barrier is invariably taking place. This creates a cascading effect. Whereas the preceding analysis has sufficiently define the issue and discuss the gaps that exist with regard to literature on the topic, this is only part of a broader description of what should be done as a function of more effectively understanding addiction and the means by which alcohol and tobacco addiction, as well as many other types of addiction for that matter, may very well be interrelated. Essentially, in order to correct the gap in literature, it will be necessary for medical researchers and psychologists to analyze the interplay, both from a physical and psychological perspectives, that exists with regard to substance abuse. Although it is of course more profitable for scholars and researchers to focus on substance abuse with respect to illegal substances, as this is invariably where the majority of grant funding is allocated, in order to more effectively understand the abuse and addiction of illicit substances, primal addiction mechanisms and path through which gateways are introduced towards addictive behavior is required. Likewise, what needs to be performed within upcoming research is a further level of investigation into predictors of how addiction is exhibited and what factors contribute to failures in resisting substances such as alcohol and tobacco; thereby ultimately paving the way to the abuse of harder drugs. A final relevant consideration that should be made towards future literature has to do with the impact of social situations and the means by which an individual chooses, or is otherwise compelled, to engage in potentially addictive behavior. Although the role of peer pressure has oftentimes been referenced with regard to the way in which addiction has been understood, the role of social groups and socialization, as it relates to addictive behavior, specifically with regard to alcohol and tobacco abuse, must be understood as a primary facilitator of the addictive behavior that has been discussed above. Essentially, just as alcohol abuse might be triggered by tobacco abuse, or vice versa, abusive substances can also be triggered with respect to the groups that individual spends time with and values their opinion (Biederman et al., 2006). For this very reason, researchers have recently begun to focus upon socialization as a fundamental element of seeking to address and otherwise provide therapy to individual addicts. By engaging with a broad-based understanding of addiction and all of its determinants, future research might necessarily be more effective in coming to provide useful and long-lasting treatments for addictive behavior. From the information that has been presented thus far, it is clear and apparent that there has been a profound level of research performed on addiction and addictive behaviors. However, even within such an understanding, there has been an massive level of oversight as it relates to some of the more effective means of understanding addictive behavior; at least as it relates to addictive behavior concentric upon alcohol abuse or tobacco abuse. In terms of personal experience and understanding of addiction, it is this author’s representation that addictive behavior invariably has predicates. These predicates could necessarily relate to a seemingly benign addictive behavior that helps to kick start another addictive behavior, as was seen with respect to the case of tobacco abuse leading to alcohol abuse, or it might be a predicate that involves socialization with a particular group that invariably leads to a type of behavior that is unwanted or otherwise one that the individual has attempted to distance themselves from the past. By attending to understand, define, and avoid these predicates, the individual that is seeking to distance themselves from addictive behavior maximizes the chance that they will have a level of success. Consequently, a lack of understanding with regards to these predicates and the means by which they impact upon health and decision-making invariably puts the individual recovering addicts at a high degree of risk concerning their external environment. References Biederman, J., Monuteaux, M. C., Mick, E., Wilens, T. E., Fontanella, J. A., Poetzl, K. M., & ... Faraone, S. V. (2006). Is Cigarette Smoking a Gateway to Alcohol and Illicit Drug Use Disorders? A study of youths with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Biological Psychiatry, 59(3), 258-264. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2005.07.009 Chen, X., Unger, J. B., Palmer, P., Weiner, M. D., Johnson, C., Wong, M. M., & Austin, G. (2002). Prior cigarette smoking initiation predicting current alcohol use: Evidence for a gateway drug effect among California adolescents from eleven ethnic groups. Addictive Behaviors, 27(5), 799-817. Golub, A., & Johnson, B. D. (2004). The shifting importance of alcohol and marijuana as gateway substances among serious drug abusers. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 55(5), 607-614. Kirby, T., & Barry, A. E. (2012). Alcohol as a Gateway Drug: A Study of US 12th Graders. Journal Of School Health, 82(8), 371-379. doi:10.1111/j.1746-1561.2012.00712.x Read More