Alcohol Abuse and Disorders Research Paper

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Alcohol Related Disorders

While for many people drinking is just a way to relax, for others consuming alcohol causes abuse and a host of negative disorders. Generally, alcohol disorders are viewed as conditions diagnosed by doctors when the consumption of alcohol by an individual causes negative consequences, some form of harm is done or created. A common symptom is putting themselves in dangerous situations because of their issues with alcohol. Alcohol related disorders are no simply subject and problem-drinking is influenced by a range of factors. For every individual, the influence of factors is diverse. "Problem drinking has multiple causes, with genetic, physiological, psychological, and social factors all playing a role. Not every individual is equally affected by each cause. For some alcohol abusers, psychological traits such as impulsiveness, low self-esteem and a need for approval prompt inappropriate drinking" (apa.org). Other drinkers seek to medicate other issues like ADHD, or even emotional issues. There are certain trends which often correlate to alcohol abuse such as poverty or a childhood riddled with abuse. It's important not to discount that (apa.org, 2014). Researchers have also spent copious amounts of time examining the connection between genetic factors, alcohol abuse, and alcohol related disorders. At the same time, a family lineage of alcohol problems doesn't necessarily mean that one will develop such disorders, nor does the lack of such issues mean that one can't necessarily develop them on their own (apa.org, 2014). The bottom line is that alcohol is an addictive substance, and partaking in an addictive substance generally means that a problem or disorder can establish and perpetuate itself (apa.org, 2014).

Alcohol has been known to create a range of related conditions, all of which have negative impacts on the human body. Short-term disorders connected to alcohol abuse revolve around memory loss, hangovers, brain damage and deterioration of organs like the heart and liver (apa.org, 2014).

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Alcohol has been found to have a markedly poor impact on mental and emotional health, increasing depression and rates of suicide (apa.org, 2014).

Current Trends or Issues

One of the current and consistent trends with alcohol abuse and alcohol related disorders are the difficulty of shaking alcohol dependence. Alcohol dependence is one of the toughest disorders to beat and this is in part because of the physical addiction that develops. Certain researchers have been able to shed more light on this as a whole, studying how the intensity of withdrawal symptoms can increase after repeated episodes, as a result of the kindling process (Becker, 1998). "Kindling is a phenomenon in which a weak electrical or chemical stimulus, which initially causes no overt behavioral responses, results in the appearance of behavioral effects, such as seizures, when it is administered repeatedly" (Becker, 1998). Essentially what this means is that withdrawal symptoms become more severe during alcohol withdrawal as a result of these neurochemical imbalances (Becker, 1998). This research demonstrates that when it comes to alcohol and the brain, there is still a wealth of issues that researchers don't quite understand. For instance, researchers looked at women of normal or under body weight who expressed a desire to lose weight, and found that these women suffered more severe alcohol-connected consequences and fewer protective behavioral strategies (O'Conner et al., 2006). Researchers aren't sure why these trends exist, just that they do, as they highlight more of the nebulousness in the connection between alcohol and neural issues. One trend in connection with women (and some men), is that alcohol consumption and impulsivity are strongly connected. In fact, researchers found that excessive alcohol consumption….....

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"Alcohol Abuse And Disorders" (2014, August 21) Retrieved June 3, 2026, from
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https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/alcohol-abuse-disorders-191265
   

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