The condition of Alcoholism is one of the leading preventable causes of death in the United States. Despite alcohol being a legal substance that is socially and culturally significant, the harmful use of alcohol, leading to a disorder, is considered a severe public health issue ( Kurtz, 2002) . Over 20 per cent of alcohol drinkers are reported to engage in hazardous drinking that could increase the physical and mental health problems. In the United States, the number of people diagnosed with alcohol use disorder has been growing in recent years. Yet, little attention is directed towards preventing the condition in the society. There is a binge drinking culture in several sections of society, with millions of people suffering from Alcoholism. However, interventions to stop this public health issue has been affected by the stigma attached to the problem, which sees people denying Alcoholism to be a disease ( Schomerus et al., 2010) . This research paper looks at the epidemiology, phenomenology, etiology, and impact of Alcoholism in society. The central tenet of this research is to gain an understanding of the disease of Alcoholism and its effect on the American public health system while considering the best possible intervention strategies.
Overview of the disease
Alcoholism is a disease of addiction characterized by compulsive consumption of alcohol despite an awareness of its health and social consequences. This condition is an extreme form of alcohol abuse, where a person is unable to manage his drinking habit. Alcoholism is an addiction disease described as the severe case of alcohol use disorder ( Kurtz, 2002) . It is a disease of the brain affecting the proper functioning such as concentration and focus. The condition of Alcoholism is progressive from mild to moderate to severe. The dependence forms gradually as people continue to engage in alcohol abuse to the point of psychological associations in the brain ( Kurtz, 2002) . The critical stage of Alcoholism is known as hard dependence, which is described by a person experiencing increased distress from a lack of alcohol. The habit often reconstructs a person's metabolism.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Alcoholism is often considered a primary chronic disease that does not result from another condition. It has its diagnosis and pathology and can be diagnosed based on how it manifests in the physiology, behaviour, and lifestyle of a person. While there is no official diagnosis of Alcoholism as a disease, it is similar to alcohol use disorder that is diagnosed with taking excessive alcohol over long periods ( Kurtz, 2002) . The condition entails having a consistent craving for alcohol and spending most of the time and resources looking for the drug. The disease of Alcoholism is also associated with a persistent desire to stop using alcohol but failing to achieve that.
However, the disease of Alcoholism is not as straight forward to deal with on a policy or education level as other cases of tobacco. This is because responsible alcohol use does not have harmful effects, and the effect is only associated with problematic drinking ( Kurtz, 2002) . As a result, society has ignored the adverse effects associated with Alcoholism despite being a severe public health problem. However, it is in the same category as mental health illness that has continually faced stigma in how the victims are treated in society. A discussion on the disease of addiction can help understand the consequences of this disease and the need for a health promotion approach to reduce its effects in society ( White, Boyle & Loveland, 2002) . The paper discusses the symptoms of Alcoholism and why it should be considered a chronic disease to manage its prevalence.
Literature review
Qualitative research has been conducted to help in understanding the phenomenon of Alcoholism in society. The studies have involved the use of observant participation and interviews to determine particular social realities regarding this social and health problem ( Palmer, 2014) . Several literature studies have also been written on the disease of Alcoholism and why it should be considered a chronic illness. Reports have shown that Alcoholism contributes to about 3 per cent of deaths and 4 per cent of the global burden of disease. The condition is a significant public health problem affecting a large part of the society, yet its prevention measures are slow and almost inefficient ( Schomerus et al., 2010) .
However, studies have shown that any form of addiction is a disease of the brain that is often associated with pain, withdrawal symptoms, and violence ( Stalcup, 2007) . This means the habit is more mental than physical, and cannot be solved through personal willpower. Individuals in the severe state of alcohol use disorder are in a country where they cannot control their cravings for alcohol and can go to greater heights, including manipulation to achieve and quench their thirst. This is based on the region in the brain responsible for rewards, as it has been corrupted to believe alcohol alone can bring joy and a sense of fullness.
Other studies on the prevalence of Alcoholism mentions physical and social structures as responsible for influencing drinking behaviour. This means the addiction problem is not only influenced by individual-level attributes as most people think but associated with the environment and cultural factors ( White, Boyle & Loveland, 2002) . The condition is influenced by the culture of a place, which explains why different areas have different cases of Alcoholism. Therefore, although people have a personal responsibility to maintain their health, studies have documented environmental cures and factors that influence the behavioural choices and outcomes of people ( Palmer, 2014) . In most cases, the alcoholism intervention disregards the contextual factors of Alcoholism despite their importance, which leads to high relapse once a response has ended.
Epidemiological studies have also revealed a link between Alcoholism and social support, where individuals with this condition have a smaller social network size. These lower levels of perceived social support influence a person into Alcoholism as a solution to the isolation and loneliness ( Kurtz, 2002) . Other studies have documented addiction as a disease of segregation that robs a person of their spirituality. It explains that most alcoholics believe there are alone and abandoned by other people, which is why social perception is an essential factor when considering alcoholism intervention. Perceived social support can help recovery efforts from the disease of Alcoholism based on the idea that Alcoholism is a disease of isolation ( Stalcup, 2007).
Discussion
Addiction is a severe problem in the United States attributed to numerous cases of mortality and harmful impacts in society ( White, Boyle & Loveland, 2002) . The disease of Alcoholism is associated with a high risk of illness, disability, and death, with the mortality among alcohol-dependent individuals being higher than in the general population. Alcoholism is a health condition that affects the brain while affecting the physical, mental, social, and spiritual manifestation of a person ( Kurtz, 2002) . The disease does not go away or heal spontaneously, often affecting a region of the brain that controls willpower. This means an alcoholic does not have the physical ability to stop using the drug once the addiction has kicked in. The alcohol is known to change the reward circuit of the brain by increasing the concentration of dopamine hormone that controls how the body feels pleasure.
Alcoholism has long been speculated to be a disease of addiction that is difficult to control personally. Studies have categorized the disease of Alcoholism as a chronic condition of the brain that affects regions responsible for memory, judgment, and learning motivation ( Stalcup, 2007) . It is characterized by disrupting the proper functioning of the brain, thus making a person compulsive to continue engaging in the habit. The addiction from this condition has been associated with health conditions such as a strain on the nervous and respiratory system, sometimes leading to damages to body organs ( White, Boyle & Loveland, 2002) . Alcoholism has also been associated with hormone imbalance and leading to gastrointestinal diseases.
Furthermore, the disease of Alcoholism has been described as being hereditary, whereby the genetic component of a person can push them into Alcoholism. Studies have shown that a person has a higher risk of becoming an alcoholic when they are born in an alcoholic family or raised by alcoholic individuals ( Edenberg & Foroud, 2006) . This means the environment is a significant contributor to Alcoholism, including the family background and Peer Company. In most cases, genetics and environmental factors combine to determine the course of Alcoholism in an individual. Another risk factor is the age of a person, whereby those who taste the alcohol at a younger generation have a high likelihood of becoming alcoholics due to its impact on the developing brain ( Edenberg & Foroud, 2006) .
Impacts of Alcoholism
The social cost of Alcoholism is also high in the country, which necessitates considering Alcoholism a chronic disease. The disease of Alcoholism is also regarded as a family disease due to its impact on families and relationships. Individuals with addiction often cause mental, physical, and financial problems to family members who are as devastated as the victim themselves ( Forgaty, 2011) . This explains why a large percentage of children growing up with an addicted parent ends up becoming addicts in their adulthood. Alcoholism causes emotional burden to family members who may live with frustrations, shame, and embarrassment. There is also a risk of family instability due to frequent quarrels and neglect of children's needs ( White, Boyle & Loveland, 2002) .
This disease is associated with broken marriages and abandoned families. It also affects a person's productivity in the workplace or academic performance. Most alcoholics end up living miserable lives with a high risk of contracting other health problems and are unable to hold permanent employment. At the same time, Alcoholism is associated with difficulties in focusing or follow directions, as well as coming late for work or neglecting personal responsibilities ( Stalcup, 2007) . For example, individuals with this condition can start neglecting their hygiene, which may have implications for their health. Many cases of road accidents have been associated with drunk driving, which explains how the condition affects individual judgment.
The social cost of this problem is significant to both an individual and the society, described in terms of the monetary budget for rehabilitation and treating associated diseases ( Forgaty, 2011) . Several conditions are directly attributed to Alcoholism, including liver cirrhosis and cancer. It is a significant public health issue that has resulted in social and economic burdens in American society. The consequences of Alcoholism has been reported with broken families and high budgets on healthcare for rehabilitation services. At the same time, the social cost of Alcoholism is measured in the amount of money spend on rehab clinics as well as the burden of providing healthcare. Governments have been spending billions of dollars providing rehabilitation facilities for alcoholics and other drug addicts ( Forgaty, 2011) .
Alcoholism is one of the critical risk factors for ill health and premature death. Several reports have drawn comparisons between the disease of addiction and other complex diseases such as obesity and diabetes based on its symptoms. Both of these conditions develop from a combination of biological, environmental, and behavioural factors ( Schomerus et al., 2010) . This makes the condition prevention of public health priority across the country. However, successful prevention cannot be achieved without understanding the nature of Alcoholism as a disease.
Stigma and perception
Many people assume that Alcoholism is not a disease but a weakness in character, with this misconception leading to the stigma of addiction. The alcoholism disease is stigmatized based on the belief that addiction is a moral problem and personal failing that does not need treatment ( Kurtz, 2002) . In some instances, stigma towards Alcoholism is more pronounced than the stigma showed towards mental health, which affects such people from resuming healthy lifestyles. As a result, individuals with this disease of Alcoholism have failed to secure employment while having trouble finding help in health facilities. In recent times, there has been a lot of stigma towards Alcoholism that makes it challenging to prevent. It is an essential factor affecting the treatment and prevention of alcoholism or alcohol dependent disorder. Studies have shown that most people feel ashamed to be seen as alcoholics and will not seek help due to the stigma attached to the condition ( Stalcup, 2007) .
Health promotion approach
The disease of Alcoholism has adverse effects on individuals, families, and societies at large. As a result, there is a need to improve policy measures and interventions towards curbing the increasing cases of Alcoholism in the country. The health promotion approach for Alcoholism should focus on increasing awareness of the neurobiological and behavioural aspects of the condition and getting more people on board. Targeting health messages is an essential part of dealing with the disease of Alcoholism in the community. This entails raising awareness to fight the stigma attached to Alcoholism as the first step in helping the patient with the condition. This is because a majority of alcoholics are not well-informed about alcohol units ( Schomerus et al., 2010) .
Social marketing and health communication marketing can help address the disease of Alcoholism in society. The focus is to provide public health campaigns that would benefit from a systematic health communication process to ensure alcohol-related health messaging is effectively communicated. The health promotion messages can help to change drinking behaviours, particularly among the youth and high-risk drinkers in society. The use of social media interventions has been proven to be useful for such health promotion activities ( Rehm, 2011) .
Health promotion should also target raising public awareness on the effect of Alcoholism as a public health condition. Countries with low rates of Alcoholism have been active with general health awareness programs that emphasize the need for healthy drinking and the effects of alcohol addiction. Alcoholism has been associated with the educational levels of a society, where individuals with low literacy levels have a high likelihood of developing alcohol use disorder. This is because they lack the knowledge and understanding of the effects of excessive alcohol consumption can be a risk factor to an alcohol use disorder ( Rehm, 2011) .
While treatment for Alcoholism has focused on promoting abstinence, some policymakers have argued on increasing public awareness of the condition. A significant problem with this disease of Alcoholism is a lack of recognition that the addiction is an illness that requires intervention ( Schomerus et al., 2010) . Most alcoholics deny the fact that Alcoholism is a disease like any other condition that needs intervention. At the same time, society has consistently treated alcoholics as morally inept people who lack self-control over their lives. This denial has led to reduced intervention and treatment for the condition as individuals are not willing to visit a physician for help. The addiction can, therefore, be contained by first acknowledging the problem as a chronic disease and treating it in the same contempt as other diseases while changing the social mentality directed towards the condition ( White, Boyle & Loveland, 2002) .
Policy intervention for health promotion can also involve the model of downstream, midstream, and upstream to reduce the extent of Alcoholism. This entails identifying the causal factors for the alcoholism disease and coming up with interventions that can stop its growth. This can be in the form of direct health education towards young people in schools, regulating advertisements, and increasing interest in alcohol sales.
Conclusion
The disease of Alcoholism is a severe condition affecting millions of people around the world. It is an addiction problem associated with changes in brain functioning. However, the societal perception of Alcoholism has been different from its actual course. In most cases, the stigma associated with alcohol addiction is attributed to the impression that alcoholics are weak and immoral beings ( Stalcup, 2007) . This means the stigma can be reduced when Alcoholism is perceived as a disease. Alcohol can be prevented and contained in the society by first recognizing that it is a chronic disease, just like other conditions requiring interventions. Understanding that Alcoholism impairs the brain is one way of reducing the stigma and treating the patient in similar regard to other chronic diseases. At the same time, determining the specific type of brain dysfunction associated with addiction can help in coming up with effective interventions to the problem. For example, a person can develop alternative sources of joy and reward as one way of reducing addiction. Other interventions can involve seeking more social interactions or finding a hobby that can cheat the brain away from alcohol drinking.
In this sense, one way of reducing the risk of Alcoholism is through public awareness, helping the public understand the effects associated with excessive alcohol consumptions ( Schomerus et al., 2010) . The focus is to change the mindset of people regarding Alcoholism and involve them in taking the right steps towards recovery and prevention. People are revealed to be more confident in their ability to stop a habit when they have enough information.
References
Edenberg, H. J., & Foroud, T. (2006). The genetics of Alcoholism: identifying specific genes through family studies. Addiction Biology , 11 (3‐4), 386-396.
Forgaty, I. C. (2011). The global health cost of addiction - Fogarty International Center @ NIH. Retrieved from https://www.fic.nih.gov/News/GlobalHealthMatters/April2011/Pages/addiction.aspx
Kurtz, E. (2002). Alcoholics Anonymous and the disease concept of Alcoholism. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly , 20 (3-4), 5-39.
Palmer, S. (2014). How the world sees a drug addict. Retrieved from http://henryharbor.com/how-the-world-sees-a-drug-addict/
Rehm, J. (2011). The risks associated with alcohol use and Alcoholism. Alcohol Research & Health , 34 (2), 135.
Schomerus, G., Holzinger, A., Matschinger, H., Lucht, M., & Angermeyer, M. C. (2010). Public attitudes toward alcohol dependence. Psychiatrische Praxis , 37 (3), 111-118.
Stalcup, S. A. (2007). The disease of addiction. In Drug Courts (pp. 23-33). Springer, New York, NY.
White, W. L., Boyle, M., & Loveland, D. (2002). Alcoholism/addiction as a chronic disease: From rhetoric to clinical reality. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly , 20 (3-4), 107-129.
