Addiction is the excessive use and inability of an individual to stop drinking alcohol or using drugs even if it causes severe health and social problems. Addiction involves a continued craving for alcohol or drugs and wishing to stop, but one is unable. People who are addicted to drugs and alcohol usually feel the symptoms of withdrawal when they attempt to stop using the drug. Substance abuse involves issues that are directly related to the use of alcohol or drugs. A severe form of addiction is however known as dependence which is more severe and involves an individual losing control and the inability of one to function without a drug. Any attempts to stop usually lead to withdrawal and tolerance.
Several factors can cause substance abuse which finally leads to addiction. One of the major causes of alcohol addiction is psychological factors such as the feeling of low self-esteem and the need to boost morale. Genetic factors also play a key role in an individual becoming an alcoholic. Certain genes can make an individual more susceptible to consuming excess alcohol thus making them addicted. Culture and cultural practices that seem to glorify and promote the use of alcohol can also make many people get addicted to alcohol compared to those cultures that seem to discourage the use of alcohol. Social factors also play a key role in promoting the chances of individuals getting into alcohol addiction. Issues such as peer pressure amongst youth and college students have greatly contributed to the ever-growing alcohol addiction amongst young people. Through social integration and interaction, young people get to join groups taking alcohol because, with this social integration, they feel a sense of belongingness and protection. In many societies, drinking of alcohol has been normalized, and this has created a societal acceptance of even the dangerous drinking behaviors in the society. Sociologists have on the other hand did very little to promote awareness to the community members about the dangers of taking alcohol thus leading to ever-rising rates of addiction. The high number of beer ads on the media seems to promote alcohol drinking because children start to see these ads at a very young age and by the time they reach 18, they will definitely get into drinking.
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Binge drinking is the act of taking a large quantity of alcohol within a single session and is usually viewed as five or more drinks for men and four or more drinks for women. Statistics have shown that many youths in the United States do binge drinking. Nearly 90% of the alcohol consumed by the youth in the United States is in the form of binge drinks. College students are at 44% more likely to do binge drinking. Another group at high risks of doing binge drinking are the fraternities who are 88% more likely to consume a large quantity of alcohol in a row. The sports team members are also at a higher risk of binge drinking with 75% more risks.
Alcohol and substance abuse can have several consequences not only to the individual victims but also to society as a whole. Alcoholism comes with a lot of costs to the individual and society. Billions of dollars are lost in production, health care, car accidents, and rehabilitation programs annually as a result of alcohol addiction. People who are addicted to alcohol develop health-related problems that make them unable to take part in active production, and this leads to loss of production. Many lives have been lost in motor vehicle accidents when people who are under the influence of alcohol drive and cause accidents. Alcohol abuse has led to serious social and family problems for the victims who are addicted. Many are unable to provide for their families because they spend almost all their income on alcohol thus creating mental torture for the families. Substance abuse is also associated with increased rates of crimes. Once intoxicated, many people tend to engage in criminal activities or actions that violate the laws, and this has resulted in many legal battles and court cases. At the same time, alcohol abuse has effects on the occupation and education of the victims. Many college students who get addicted to alcohol have high rates of dropping from school before they graduate. Many people have also lost their jobs due to excessive consumption of alcohol which leads to frequent absenteeism.
One of the solutions that can be applied to solve the problem of alcohol abuse and addiction is to cut the supply of alcohol within the community. Alcohol is readily available to the citizens, and this contributed to the ever-rising rates of abuse. Changing the media promotion of alcohol can also minimize the rates at which people use alcohol. Alcohol ads are all over the media, and young people get influenced into taking alcohol when they see these ads. By changing media promotion of alcohol, its abuse can also be reduced. Community education programs can also be used to educate the members of the society about the dangers of alcoholism. Many addicts are unaware of the serious effects of alcohol due to lack of education. Community education about the dangers of alcohol abuse can thus help solve the issue of addiction. Educating the addicts on how to quit alcohol and taking them to the rehab centers can help them live a positive life away from alcohol addiction.
