Alcoholism – Term Paper

Treatment of Alcoholism

The root to the treatment of addiction is acknowledging that one has a problem and the desire to refrain from the habit (Eskapa, Sinclair & Christian, 2012). Seeking care from healthcare professionals or help groups should follow the admission of the problem. Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) is a widely used group that is free and offers support to alcoholics planning to quit the habit. Treatment of alcoholism falls into psychological, psychosocial and even pharmacological treatment. Detoxification is critical in the alcoholism treatment and involves stopping the intake of alcohol so that the body relearns to function without it.

How to control alcoholism

Alcohol support group

Social support is a crucial tool in the fight against alcoholism. The society indirectly buffers support in difficult times such that an individual cannot turn into alcohol. Sharing stress with the members of the community the experience is less intense. The community also offers direct help to people to discourage them from turning into alcoholism when stressed. The society provides social support mechanisms which give alcoholics assistance and a sense of belonging (Hall, 2012). The provision of social support has led to increasing health, happiness and length of life. A decrease in social support is likely to cause a relapse of alcohol abuse. Therefore, social support is significant in improving the quality of life not only in the alcoholics but also people with mental disorders. Recovery-oriented social groups are important for alcoholics as they can adopt admirable traits from their peers.

The alcoholic anonymous

This is a spiritual program that aims at helping alcoholics to come back to their pre-abuse states. The members have different religious beliefs but show no partiality in the group. It is a 12 step program where individuals are advised to evaluate their behavior, admit errors made and make appropriate changes (Hall, 2012). The aim of the program is for the members to achieve a spiritual awakening and transformation. The twelve step approach primarily focusses on drug and substance abuse, but effects have been shown to impact other areas of psychosocial functioning hence relieving stress and other distressing psychological symptoms. Individuals are encouraged to the belief that a higher form of power could help address the challenge of alcoholism although the belief is not mandatory for recruitment. The members attend meetings to be able to share with one another and encourage each other in the fight against alcoholism (Ferrell, 2015). The individuals divide into smaller groups in which they can work together and solve the condition.

Religion for alcoholics

People look up to faith as a way out of difficult situations, and alcoholism is not an exception. Spirituality and religiousness are believed to enhance the health of a person and even the quality of life. Spirituality has even been adopted by the world health organization domains of life (Ferrell, 2015). Spirituality is useful to prohibit individuals from adopting behaviors that are not encouraged by the bible. Since the Bible forbids intake of wine due to its negative consequences, the staunch following of these teachings could help an individual avoid becoming an addict. The Bible also offers hope since alcoholics can be rehabilitated and forgiven. Spirituality and religion help people deal with stress such that they cannot turn to alcohol as a solution to their problems. Religion might be double-edged when it comes to alcoholism, but it is universally accepted that active involvement in one’s religion makes individual less likely to desire taking alcohol. Research has shown that religion positively acts in preventing alcoholism with people from new conservative and sectarian religions being less likely to abuse alcohol (Ferrell, 2015).

Rehabilitation for alcoholics

Increasing the number of rehabilitation centers can help alcoholics to control their drinking problems and improve their lives. These facilities can offer treatment and follow-up services to help promote recovery.

Enforce a minimum price for alcohol

The price level is a key determinant of how much people drink. Therefore, imposing a higher minimum price for alcoholic beverages will deter people from indulging too much in drinking as they cannot afford thus prevent alcoholism. However, the government should be keen on avoiding counterfeit and smuggled alcohol for this solution to work efficiently.

Subtly make drinks weaker

The reduction in the alcohol content of a drink can help curb the problem of alcoholism. People taking a weaker brand have a reduced chance of being addicted that those taking stronger brands. The government can approach this by employing a tax system targeting more potent drinks. This would encourage the manufacturers to lower the alcohol content in their drinks.

Raise the legal drinking age

Increasing the legal drinking age can help reduce alcohol-related problems especially among the youth. Currently, the legal drinking age in the U.S is 21 years. A further increase in the legal drinking age can help prevent under-age drinking and future addiction. Additionally,

Nationalize alcohol selling licenses

Nationalizing licenses creates a limitation on the access to alcohol. It ensures that only particular state-owned shops sell alcohol. This approach will limit accessibility to alcohol and prevent impulse buys in the supermarkets and other outlets. However, such a policy is difficult to sell to the public.

Ban alcohol marketing

Evidence suggests that alcohol advertisements make people drink more than they otherwise would. There is a connection between alcoholism and commercialization efforts. Therefore, banning such marketing campaigns from television, sports, cinema and radio can help reduce the access to information on alcohol in particular among the youth thus preventing alcoholism.

Conclusion

In conclusion, alcoholism is a progressive condition that occurs even without the knowledge of an individual. A person develops the desire to take alcohol uncontrollably with increased amount and frequency. An alcoholic develops a dependence on alcohol and feels helpless to with the habit. A person demonstrates both physical and psychological symptoms having impaired judgment and even weakness and tremors. Alcoholism leadsto many costs not only to the individual but also the family, society and the nation at large. Religious institutions, social support, and alcoholic anonymous groups are a useful tool to help fight alcoholism.

References

Willits D., Broidy L.M., Denman K. (2013). Schools and Drug Markets. Youth & Society, 47, 5, pp. 634-658.

Eisenbach-Stangl, I., & Allamani, A. (2014). Alcohol Consumption, Alcohol Consumption -Related Harm and Alcohol Control Policy in Austria: Do They Link Up?. Substance Use & Misuse, 49(12), 1619-1632.

Edenberg, H. J., & Foroud, T. (2013). Genetics and alcoholism. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hematology, 10(8), 487+.

Eskapa, R., Sinclair, D. & Christian, C. (2012). The cure for alcoholism: the medically proven way to eliminate alcohol addiction. Dallas, Tex: Benbella Books.

Gifford, M. (2010). Alcoholism. Santa Barbara, Calif: Greenwood Press/ABC-CLIO.

Hall, M. (2012). Alcoholism and Depression. Home Healthcare Nurse, 30(9), pp. 543–550.

Ferrell, D. R. (2015). Struggling with alcoholism. Journal of Religion and Health, 54(3), 1134-1143.