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ALCOHOL ADDICTION.
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Examines theories on the causes of alcoholism.... More...
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6 sources, 9 Citations, APA Format
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Paper Abstract:
Examines theories on the causes of alcoholism. Genetic or biological basis; differences in the way the body of an alcoholic processes alcohol compared to a normal person. Influence of familial behavior traits. Variations in alcohol response between women and men. Defines alcohol as an addictive drug.

Paper Introduction:
According to the World Health Organization, alcohol is a selectively addictive drug that affects approximately 10 percent of the population (What Causes, 2001). Alcoholism is the dependence on, or addiction to, alcohol, and it is a chronic, progressive and sometimes fatal disease (Kapi'Olani Health, 2001). Researchers have examined many possible contributing factors of alcoholism, but no one specific cause has been established. Some people appear to have a genetic or biological tendency toward alcoholism (UMHS, 2001; What Causes, 2001). Scientists studied children of alcoholics who were raised in non-alcoholic environments (e.g. foster homes) and compared them to children from non-alcoholic families who were raised in alcoholic environments (What Causes, 2001). Results showed that genetics playe

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References Bower, B. They predict that asadolescents, these children will use alcohol to quell their anxiety. The irritation in the body is masked by these feelingsuntil the alcohol level drops, and it emerges again, triggering a cravingfor more alcohol to escape the discomfort. Outcomes& Accountability Alert, 4, 5. Forsome people, the disease is progressive, beginning with social drinking andprogressing to alcoholism. Thereason these children copy their parents behavior may be that they haveinherited the genes which make them susceptible to the effects of alcoholand easy addiction. These differences causean alcoholic to experience tolerance and cravings. This isknown as metabolic tolerance. According to the World Health Organization, alcohol is a selectivelyaddictive drug that affects approximately 1 percent of the population(What Causes, 2 1). There are two primary differences in the way the body of an alcoholicprocesses alcohol compared to a normal person. Some of the children from high-alcoholismfamilies experienced sensitized biological reactions to stress that fosterinhibition, according to the researchers. Acetaldehyde is very toxic, causing thealcoholic to experience irritation and less sedation from alcohol. Studies among college students have shown that studentswho drink mainly to cope with stress are more likely to continue drinkingheavily after graduating, and to have more drinking-related problems thanstudents who drink primarily for social reasons. The family also plays an important role inshaping the child's attitudes toward alcohol and their future drinkingbehavior through the behavioral example they present to the child. Inalcoholic families, children are routinely exposed to parental alcohol useand studies have shown that observational learning plays some role in lateralcohol use, with children exhibiting similar drinking practices to theirparents. Kapi'Olani Health. Otherstudies have shown that children from high-alcoholism families oftendevelop alcoholism themselves. A., & Fitzgerald, H. While the real causes of alcoholism still remain illusive, thestrongest evidence to date points to a genetic basis that influences theway the body processes alcohol. (2 1).http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Villa/563 /Causes.htm Ellis, Zucker and Fitzgerald (1997) looked at alcohol-specific factors such as modeling of parent's drinking behavior, and non-alcohol specific factors such as socioeconomic status, and their influenceon the development of alcoholism and other psychiatric problems in childrenof alcoholics. This leads to a chemical dependence whichbehavior cannot overcome. Social fears may raise alcoholism risk. Ellis, D. Results showed thatgenetics played more of a role in the development of alcoholism thanenvironment, and this was compared to long-term twin studies and currentscientific research, all of which support the hypothesis that alcoholicsare biochemically different before they ever start drinking. While research has shown that outgoing children who impulsivelymisbehave, bully others and get into numerous fights have many alcoholproblems as young adults, a new study has found that children with theopposite traits, who withdraw and clam up when confronted with unfamiliarpeople and situations, may also gravitate toward alcoholism (Bower, 1999).Childhood risks associated with poorly controlled behavior have been wellstudied, but the risks of inhibition are less well known. According to the National Council onAlcoholism, the child of an alcoholic has four times the risk of becomingan alcoholic than a child of non-alcoholic parents (Kapi'Olani, 2 1). These latter students, astudy showed, cut their drinking substantially after they graduate.Students who continued to drink after leaving college became increasinglylikely to cite stress as the reason for drinking and drank more heavily andexperienced multiple negative consequences of drinking. Studies have suggested that a variety of family riskfactors contribute to the likelihood of a child of alcoholics developingalcoholism and other psychological disorders during adulthood. A., Zucker, R. Social stress has also been cited as a factor in inducing alcoholism(Perkins, 1999). (2 1). UMHS. Studies on causes of alcoholism should include geneticas well as psychological testing to determine the true cause. Causes of alcoholism.http://www.med,umich.edu/2libr/subabuse/alcoh1 2.htm What causes alcoholism? Children of alcoholics also seem to have higher expectations forthe positive effects of alcohol which develop before they have consumedsignificant amounts of alcohol, and are important in the development ofalcohol problems in these children. For others, their first drink leads to drinkingto the point of intoxication. Researchers have examined many possiblecontributing factors of alcoholism, but no one specific cause has beenestablished. Alcohol Health & ResearchWorld, 21, 218-226. (1999). Alcohol: Causes of alcoholism.http://www.kapiolani.org/keeping/library/alcohol/causes_of_alcoholism.html Stress-related drinking leads to alcohol problems. Research has shown thatan alcoholic's liver produces an excessive amount of an ADH enzyme whichdisrupts the detoxification process, resulting in a build up ofacetaldehyde in the alcoholic. Some of the studies that have looked at familialtraits for alcoholism, and of children essentially copying their parents'behavior may have overlooked a genetic basis for these behaviors. Some people appear to have a genetic or biological tendency towardalcoholism (UMHS, 2 1; What Causes, 2 1). The response to alcohol varies greatly between women and men and fromperson to person, so it is hard to determine the extent of an individual'salcohol problem (UMHS, 2 1). A study of 36white children between the ages of four and six years, living in middle-class households, half with families in which 25 percent of family membershad alcohol dependency and the others from families with no alcoholismshowed that the children from families with the highest rates of alcoholismdisplayed far more inhibition during play sessions than their counterpartsfrom non-alcoholic families. (1997). (2 1). (1999). Thepresence of comorbid psychopathology in the alcoholic parents may increasethe risk for alcoholism and other mental health problems in the child. Sci.News., 155, 23 . fosterhomes) and compared them to children from non-alcoholic families who wereraised in alcoholic environments (What Causes, 2 1). Genetic influences such as physiological differences in sensitivityand reactivity to, and the metabolism of, alcohol are an important sourceof alcohol-specific family influences on children of alcoholics (Ellis,Zucker and Fitzgerald, 1997). The acetaldehyde travels to the brain whereit combines with neurotransmitters to form an opiate-like compound thatstimulates GABA receptor sites, producing a sensation of euphoria, pleasureand well-being. Alcoholism is the dependence on, or addiction to,alcohol, and it is a chronic, progressive and sometimes fatal disease(Kapi'Olani Health, 2 1). Many studies have looked at family risk factors influencing alcoholismin children. Scientists studied children ofalcoholics who were raised in non-alcoholic environments (e.g. E. First, the livermetabolizes alcohol in a different way, and second, the brain of analcoholic reacts to alcohol diversely as a result. The role offamily influences in development and risk.

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