Overview of Alcoholism as a Disease - Research Paper Example

Alcoholism: Is it a disease or not? Overview of alcoholism as a disease There has been a lot of ongoing debate as to whether or not alcoholism is a disease or a maladaptive disorder. The disease concept of alcoholism originated during 1800s with a fellow by the name of Dr. Benjamin Rush and Scottish physician Thomas Trotter, the first to characterize excessive drinking as a disease, or medical condition.This concept was used throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s by prohibitionists to further a political agenda. Morton Jellinek’s famous book “The Disease Concept of Alcoholism led to diagnosing alcoholism as a disease and eventually to the medical acceptance of alcoholism as a disease. In 1956 the American Medical Association (AMA) referred alcoholism an illness despite the validity of the disease concept was often debated in medical circles. Then, in the late 1960’s, the AMA proclaimed alcoholism a disease and endorsed the proposition that drug dependencies, including alcoholism, are diseases and that their treatment is a legitimate part of medical practice. Currently, despite the debate on this topic, current mainstream scientific and medical still views alcoholism as a disease. Description of alcoholism as a disease The disease theory of alcoholism postulates that like any other medical condition, alcoholism is a chronic, life-long disease that in itself is a disabling and a handicapping condition. It is a progressive disease with symptoms that include a strong need to drink despite negative consequences, such as serious job or health problems. Like any other diseases, alcoholism has a generally predictable course, recognized symptoms, and involves biological and environmental sources of origin. The traditional medical model of disease attributes addiction to changes in the brain’s mesolimbic and pathway that alters brain structure and function and may be the result of other biological, psychological, or sociological entities and with the presence of genetic predisposition. Alcohol is often called a social wonder drug that produces psychological dependence, tolerance and addiction in high doses. In certain amounts, the first psychological function of alcohol slows down inhibitions, making a person exaggerate his emotions and behaviors. And in repeated consumption and abuse of this substance, a person becomes drawn to addiction. Along with the psychological effects of alcohol abuse is the physiological addiction. A person becomes addicted when his system becomes so used to the drug that the drugged state becomes the person’s “normal” state. If a certain amount of drug is not in the body, the person experiences extreme physical discomfort, as if he were deprived of basic needs such as water and oxygen. He becomes distressed if his need for the substance is not met. Just like any other diseases, alcoholism is believed to curable and can be given the proper care and medical intervention for his condition. The first step in treating the alcoholic person is to see him through the violent withdrawal typical of alcohol addiction. He may be given a variety of treatments, from drugs to psychotherapy to alleviate his situation. Alcoholism as a disorder Alcoholism falls under the diagnostic criteria, Substance Abuse of the DSM IV classifications. As per definition of the DSM IV, substance abuse is a maladaptive pattern of substance use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by one or more of the following, occurring within a 12-month period: (1) Recurrent substance use resulting in a failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home (e.g., repeated absences or poor wok performance related to substance use; substance-related absences, suspensions, or expulsions from school; neglect of children or household); (2) Recurrent substance use in situations in which it is physically hazardous (e.g., driving an automobile or operating a machine when impaired by substance use); (3) Recurrent substance-related legal problems (e.g., arrests for substance-related disorderly conduct); (4) Continued substance use despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the effects of the substance (e.g., arguments with spouse about consequences f intoxication, physical fights) (DSM IV, pp 114-115). American Medical Association (AMA) on the other hand, defines alcoholism as an illness characterized by preoccupation with alcohol and loss of control over its consumption, such as to lead usually to intoxication by chronicity, by progression and by a tendency toward relapse; typically associated with physical emotional impairment, occupational and/or social adjustments as a direct consequence of compulsive and excessive use. Medical viewpoint of alcoholism indicate that this is a type of progressive disease wherein people do not have full control over his life since the disease itself is so subtle and usually takes place over such an extended period of time. Drinking in small doses is not tagged as alcoholism but when the effect of alcohol enters the body and affects the physical functioning of a person, then, it is already regarded as a disease in the physical system. Alcohol abusers report having irrational physical and mental experience, the alcohol content that is present in their system affects processes in the body and brain that interact with one another and with an individual's life experiences to produce protection or susceptibility. This relates that when alcohol is taken into maximum doses, the effects in the physical well-being of a person make alcoholism as a disease in the body. Alcoholism is a disease True to the premise that nobody wants to be victimized in any way, alcoholism is viewed as a disease wherein a certain person’s life is being controlled and that particular person does not have a choice but to live with it. Just like any other medical condition or diseases, it makes a person suffer with the effects of alcohol in both the body and the mind. When a person is alcoholic, he is deprived of a normal life, his social life is limited and his physical and mental state becomes unstable. He becomes dependent on the substance that it practically controls his life. Just like any other disease, it is embedded in his system that no matter how he tries to free himself, he just can’t because he is powerless. When a person becomes alcoholic, his physical and mental system asks for alcohol and without the substance, he just cannot perform his responsibilities. A person with a disease will depend on medical intervention and drugs to make him feel better, an alcoholic person is no different. Without intervention and medicine, an alcoholic will have no choice but to drink again since drinking gives him temporary cure from the physical discomfort that he is experiencing. `An alcoholic person is generally a compulsive person. He is driven by the distress caused by not being able to get his needs for alcohol. There are so many institutions and programs intended for people with an alcohol disease. These programs have been built because they believe that people with alcohol disease need help to overcome their disease. They also believe that although a person may be impaired with alcohol dependency, they still can get out of the situation given proper care and intervention. For example, Alcoholics Anonymous has designed a twelve step program as a method of recovery for people with alcohol problems. The very first step in their program indicates that people with alcohol problems admits that they are powerless over their compulsion and incapable by themselves to better their situation. And with their situation being manipulated by the demands of alcohol in their body, they needed help. Just like other diseases that partially or fully control a person’s life, there is still hope deemed for alcohol dependents. Alcoholism is not a disease Nobody can manipulate anybody if the person does not allow it to. Everyone has his own set of personal beliefs, rights and advocacy and everyone is entitled to their own just and rightful freedom. No can control their lives in any way if they do not allow it. With these, I strongly believe that alcoholism is not a disease and it can never be. I believe that every human being has a choice and if one chooses to be alcoholic, then it is his choice. What we need to understand though is the reason behind alcoholism. A certain person cannot just choose to be alcoholic because he just wanted to, there are always underlying reasons behind it. Alcoholism can oftentimes be regarded as a desperate and sometimes, an unconscious cry for help. Some people resort to alcohol simply because their other problems are tearing them down and that they have no other way but to resort to some things that can make them feel relaxed even for a while. When an everyday problem distresses them, alcohol gave temporary relief and because of the relief that they get out of it, they become habitual in alcohol consumption either consciously or unconsciously. Until such a time that they are fully drawn to it, their physical and mental functioning become very dependent that it became hard for them to stop. Refraining from alcohol is so awesome a task for those who become addicted that stopping themselves is very hard to do- but not impossible. Even when their system is fully dependent on the substance, it doesn’t mean that alcohol strips a person of his personal choice. If he continues to drink despite the ill effects of the vice, then it is his choice. The attempts to help those who become alcoholic are widely available. There are organizations, printed materials such as researches and studies and other medical resources hat are readily available for those who seek for help. Bu sometimes, people with alcohol problems regard these attempts for help as a responsibility of the government that it makes some of the alcoholics think they are free of social responsibility because they are mere victims. In turn, the more they regard themselves as victims that do not have a choice, the more problem it creates on both the society and himself. Moreover, if the medical label of alcoholism as a disease is considered, then the alcohol abusers will most likely place a huge bulk responsibility to the society, families, and the caregivers while they become inevitable unwilling victims of such disease. And in turn, more and more people who resort to alcohol will conscientiously blame their condition and their lack of choice in every possible unlikely circumstance that they may engage to do to themselves and possibly to other people. There have been numerous researches that link alcoholism to parental neglect. Some of the researches suggest that a person with alcoholic parents have the bigger tendency to become alcoholics themselves compared to those whose parents are not alcoholic. According to John Bradshaw, in his book, The Family, the parenting rules primarily shape the children in their early years and several cases of abandonment have been reported common to those who are alcoholics. He said that due to the early irresponsibility that was witnessed by the child as he or she was growing up, his sense of understanding of the world has been duly marked by inconsistencies between what is then learned to be right. Conclusion Personally, I do not believe that alcoholism is a medical disease but a disorder. When we regard alcoholism as a disease, then it was as if saying that alcoholic people do not have a choice on the situation when in fact they do. Regardless of the situation, I believe that any person who has the right will power can actually better their situation. Given the fact that alcoholism proposes so much physical and mental effects on the body, it is understood that stopping from alcohol consumption is never easy on anybody addicted to it. Withdrawal from alcohol gives as much effects as it does when a person is still continually abusing it. But if a person is set to change his ways, he will be determined enough to overcome the withdrawal symptoms in the hope of a better self. With these predispositions, a certain person is still governed by his choices and he is the only one that can be accounted for by the choices that he makes therefore making him fully responsible for the siuation. References: American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic criteria from DSM-IV. Washington DC. 2000. Allport,GW. And Odbert, H.S. Trait-names: A Psycholexical Study. Psychological Monographs.1936. Eysenck, H.J. Handbook of Abnormal Psychology. London. Pitman: 1992. Gormly, Ann V. Understanding Psychology. New York. Random House: 1993. Print. Heider, F. (1958) The Psychology of Interpersonal Relations, New York, Wiley “Alcoholism as a Disease: A Speculation” cogprints.org. n.d. [retrieved March 13, 2010]. Read More