Alcoholism and Symbolic Interaction Theory - Essay Example

? Understanding Alcoholism in the Light of Symbolic Interaction Theory First and of Understanding Alcoholism in the Light of Symbolic Interaction Theory Almost one third of the world’s population drinks alcoholic beverages. This had led to problems involving family, financial matters, work, and relationships. Alcoholism then is considered as a social problem and is defined as the act of consuming an alcoholic beverage that can cause harm to a person or to his or her society (as cited in in Jiang, 2009, p. 40). In line with this social problem, the aspect of interest of the paper will dwell on alcoholism in Latino men, who are under 30 years old residing in Los Angeles County, California. To be able to further respond and analyze the sociological problem, symbolic interactionism will be used. Symbolic interactionism is a sociological theory that looks at a societal problem as an interaction which brings symbols between the person with the problem and the person without the problem (Thio & Taylor, 2012). The paper will then discuss the alcoholism and its effects in males, who are Hispanic or Latinos, whose ages are below 30 years old, residing in Los Angeles County, in California in the light of symbolic interactionism. The misuse and abuse of alcohol is not only considered as a health problem or a disease, but also a societal problem. This problem needs to be addressed especially to men because they are five times more susceptible to alcoholism. Furthermore, alcoholism is also considered as a problem by Native Americans and Latino Americans (Seale, Shellenberger, Rodriguez, Seale, & Alvarado, 2002). The Hispanic race is considered as the third race, following Native Americans and Whites who are binge drinkers; these are the people who drink five or more times in just one event. The age bracket of these binge drinkers is from 18 years old and above, which means the population is mostly composed of young adults. Moreover, 6.1 percent of Hispanics is considered as binge drinkers (Chartier & Caetano, 2010). In terms of the data in Los Angeles County, California, 24 percent of injury and recurrent trauma in males is caused by alcohol abused, and the Hispanic race in the County has the highest rate of deaths relating to alcohol consumption (Ramchand et al., 2009). Furthermore, in the 2011 census, there are 48.1 percent of the residents of Los Angeles County, California are of Hispanic race. Due to the susceptibility of men to alcoholism, it can also be inferred from the data that most of the male Hispanics in the said County can be alcoholics or binge drinkers. Moreover, the data stated above bring the paper to an analysis that there have been substantial negative effects of alcoholism. In the case of Los Angeles County California, due to the high population rate of Hispanic in the county, it can be inferred that most of the male Hispanics, who are 30 years old and below, or those who are considered as young adults, drink or consume alcoholic beverages. This had then caused for the high rate of accidents involving males who are under the influence of alcohol and high deaths on the Hispanic race related to alcohol consumption in the County. Deaths and accidents are the two negative effects of alcoholism to the Hispanic men residing at Los Angeles County, California. Furthermore, with the analysis drawn from data gathered, the social problem, i.e. alcoholism, in Latino men, residing in Los Angeles County, California, who are young adults or those who are 30 years old and below, can be studied and understood more with the use of symbolic interaction theory. Beforehand, in the light of symbolic interactionism, a societal problem occurs in two processes. The first is when a person who commits a negative act, i.e. alcohol abuse, associates himself or herself frequently to those who believe the act is acceptable and to those who think that the act is unfavorable. This is considered as differential association. The second manner of creating a societal problem in this theory is through labeling. This occurs when an individual is tagged with a negative act, i.e. an alcoholic. This label then isolates the individual, while he or she injects rejection to himself or herself because of the label placed on her. This label, along with the rejection and isolation, brings the individual to a symbolic interaction with the opposite group or to those who are in authority (Kennedy, 2010; Thio & Taylor, 2012). Symbolic interactionism, in terms of labeling, leads the paper to analyze that the social problem, i.e. alcoholism, is represented negatively by the symbol of alcohol which is being consumed by an individual or a group, i.e. Hispanic or Latinos. Through this, individual or group of individuals is then labeled as alcoholics. The act of labeling had then detached and separated these individuals as deviants. As deviants, they are then constrained in the possibility of rebelling from the norms of the society where they belong, i.e. Los Angeles County, California. This then could have caused the labeled individuals to do things that are unlawful such as the act of driving or partaking in an accident while he is under the influences of alcohol. Furthermore, these individuals are more prone to committing the same or an aggravated crime due to the label, i.e. alcoholics that the society had placed on them. There is a recurrence because most of the labeled individuals in a specific demographic area, in this case Los Angeles County, California has lesser chances in acquiring employment and interacting with family, friend, and even the society. Therefore, a symbolic interaction occurs between the labeled individual and the authorities and the people surrounding the (Thio & Taylor, 2012). There are detrimental effects of alcoholism in relation to it being a social problem. In Los Angeles County, California, alcoholism had brought an increase in accidents and deaths in the Hispanic race. Also, because males are more subjected to alcoholism, most of these accidents and deaths involve males who are considered as alcoholics. However, when understanding the social problem, i.e. alcoholism, with symbolic interaction theory, specifically labeling theory, it allows an in-depth analysis on how these labeled individuals are stuck on their current labels or status in the society. This then brings to an understanding that social problems also occur due to the labels that the society inflicts to a specific group of people. References Chartier, K., & Caetano, R. (2010). Ethnicity and health disparities in alcohol research. Alcohol Research & Health, 33, 152-159. Retrieved from http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh40/152-160.htm Jiang, Y. (2009). Alcoholism, alcohol abuse and heavy drinking: Irish college males’ perspective on alcohol related-problems. Limerick Student Journal of Sociology, 2, 36-53. Retrieved from http://www3.ul.ie/sociology/socheolas/vol2/1/Yichen%20Jiang.pdf Kennedy, N. (2010). A sociological approach to understanding drug crime in Ireland. Limerick Student Journal of Sociology, 3, 52-66. Retrieved from http://www3.ul.ie/sociology/socheolas/vol3/1/Norma%20Kennedy.pdf Ramchand, R., Marshall, N. G., Schell, T. L., Jaycox, L. H., Hambarsoomians, K., Shetty, V., … & Belzberg, H. (2009). Alcohol abuse and illegal drug use among Los Angeles County trauma patients: Prevalence and evaluation of single item screener. J Trauma, 66, 1461-1467. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2909486/ Seale, J. P., Shellenberger, S., Rodriguez. C., Seale, J. D., & Alvarado, M. (2002). Alcohol use and cultural change in an indigenous population: A case study from Venezuela. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 37, 603-608. Retrieved from http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/content/37/6/603.full Thio, A., & Taylor, J. (2012). Social problems. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning. Read More