Counseling and Alcoholism


Effective Ways of Motivating Treatment for Alcoholic Adolescents


 


Introduction


            Alcoholism is one of the problems that the society faces today. It does not only affect certain individuals and families, but the whole community as well. It has been reported that approximately 14 million Americans or about 7.4% of the adult population meet the diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse or alcoholism ( 2006). In addition, many diseases are being attributed to alcoholism, such as cancer, psychological disorders, ulcers, brain damage, glandular problems, birth defects and other bodily malfunctions. These diseases cause the lives of many Americans annually. Moreover, adults are not the only ones suffering from alcoholism, but teenagers as well. The community and the society become affected with the issue of alcoholism, as many teenagers commit crimes as an effect of drinking alcohol. It has been reported that the total cost attributable to underage drinking, including costs of traffic crashes, violent crime, injuries, and treatment, is over billion per year ( 2006).


With these problems, it is necessary to propose treatment of alcoholism at an early age, preferably to teenagers or adolescents. With an early treatment, the incidence of alcoholism can be lessened in adult years. In this paper, the effective ways of motivating treatment for alcoholic teenagers or alcoholics will be presented. These ways will be evaluated and assessed to examine its effectiveness in convincing adolescents for early treatment of alcoholism. The hypothesis of this study is to prove whether adolescents with a family history of alcoholism is more likely to become alcoholics in the future. This will be proven and supported by the discussion of related studies already done.


 


Definition of Terms


Alcoholism –


Binge drinking –


Hallucinations –


Homicide –


Suicide –


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


Review of Literature


Facts on Alcoholism


            Alcoholism is also known as alcohol dependence and is considered a disease with symptoms such as craving or feeling a strong urge to drink; loss of control or not being able to stop once drinking has begun; physical dependence such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety; and tolerance or drinking greater amounts of alcohol to “get high” (2006). Many people believe that drinking alcohol will and may ease their problems regarding their family, work and the society, but in fact, it would not. Acquiring alcoholism may lead to more serious complications and fatal illnesses that would cause the person’s life.


            Several think that alcoholism is a disease, and in fact, the  (2006) is supporting this statement. The Institute explains that the craving that an alcoholic feels for alcohol can be as strong as the need for food or water, and an alcoholic will continue to drink despite serious family, health, or legal problems. Moreover, like many other diseases, alcoholism is chronic, which means that it lasts a person’s lifetime, usually follows a predictable course, and has symptoms (2006). The risk for developing alcoholism is influenced by both the person’s genes and by his or her lifestyle (2006).


             It has been reported that alcoholism was first recognized as a disease in the 1930s by a group called “Alcoholics Anonymous”, and since then, the American Medical Association has recognized alcoholism as a serious and chronic disease (2005). Alcoholism takes time to develop, but once it develops, it does not go away (2005). Cure is not available for alcoholism, but is treatable, and with proper treatment, an alcoholic will be able to reclaim his or her normal, satisfying lifestyle (2005).


            It has been reported that the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are about 2 billion people worldwide who consume alcoholic beverages and  76.3 million with diagnosable alcohol use disorders (2004). From a public health perspective, the global burden related to alcoholism and alcohol consumption, both in terms of morbidity and mortality, is considerable in most parts of the world (2004). Moreover, given alcohol’s significance in world health, the World Health Organization has been developing a database since 1996, named the Global Alcohol Database, in its aim in providing a standardized reference source of information for global epidemiological surveillance of alcohol use and its related problems (2004). This database will be helpful for the organization to record the incidence of alcoholism worldwide. This is essential so the government can take action and responsibility in proposing or implementing programs to help lessen the incidence of alcoholism.  


Similarly, in the United States, alcohol is still the number one drug problem, and affects adolescents, middle-aged people and senior citizens, and people of all races, religions, intelligence levels and professions (2005). In fact, there are approximately 18 million alcoholics in America (2005), and this high incidence affects many aspects in the society. In 1995, the estimated annual cost of alcohol abuse in the United States was 6.5 billion, where alcohol use disorders cost .7 billion more than the estimated annual economic cost of illegal drug use and .5 billion more than the estimated annual economic cost of smoking ( 2006).   


 


Effects of Alcoholism


             Alcoholism presents a variety of effects, not only on the physical or biological aspect of an individual, but on the society as well. It has been reported that short-term physical effects of alcohol use include distorted vision, hearing and coordination, altered perceptions and emotions, impaired judgment and hangovers (1999). On the other hand, long-term physical effects of heavy alcohol use include loss of appetite, vitamin deficiencies, stomach ailments, skin problems, sexual impotence, liver damage, heart and central nervous system damage, and memory loss (1999). Long-term physical effects also include diseases and organ malfunctions. These diseases include brain damage, which varies from psychosis to permanent memory loss; cancer, such as in the mouth, esophagus, and stomach due to the irritating effects of alcohol; heart disease, such as an enlarged heart and congestive heart failure; liver damage leading to cirrhosis or scarring of the liver and liver cancer; ulcers that produces stomach and intestinal irritation; glandular problems in the adrenal and pituitary glands; and birth defects on women who drink alcohol during pregnancy (2005). This condition is known as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or FAS (2005).


            Aside from the diseases caused by alcoholism, it also presents psychological and psychiatric problems, which in turn determines social issues happening in the society, such as suicide, accidents, and crimes. Some of these problems include depression, which can be triggered by alcoholism and vice versa; anxiety, which occurs during attempted withdrawal; change in personality with loss of normal behavior and appearance; and hallucinations, which is an affect of alcohol withdrawal ( 1997). These psychiatric problems often lead to social issues such as suicide, which is result of depression; accidents, being a result of drunk-driving; and physical abuse, which are the cause of a large portion of homicides, child abuse cases and other domestic violence cases (2005).


 


Adolescent Alcoholism


            Alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence are not only adult problems, but they also affect a significant number of adolescents and young adults between the ages of 12 and 20, even though drinking under the age of 21 is illegal (2000). According to a research done by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, adolescents who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who begin drinking at age 21(2000). In addition, drinking at an early age can also be associated with alcohol-related violence, not only among persons under the age of 21 but among adults as well (2000).


            It has been estimated that over three million teenagers are alcoholics, and several million more have a serious drinking problem that they cannot manage on their own (2000). This is why early treatment of alcoholism in adolescents must be done to prevent further damage on their lives. It has been mentioned earlier that alcoholism presents grave threats on the lives of many individuals, especially on the lives of many teenagers. These threats include accidents associated with drunk driving, and crimes. It has been reported that the three leading causes of death for 15 to 24 year olds are automobile crashes, homicides and suicides, and alcohol is a leading factor in all three (2000). While drinking may be a singular problem behavior for some, research suggests that for others if may be an expression of general adolescent turmoil that includes other problem behaviors and that these behaviors are linked to unconventionality, impulsiveness, and sensation seeking (2000).


            It has been reported that binge drinking, often begins around the age of 13, tends to increase during adolescence, peak in young adulthood in the ages between 18 to 22, then gradually decreases (2000). Individuals who increase their binge drinking from the age of 18 to 24 and those who consistently binge drink at lease once a week during this period may have problems attaining the goals typical of the transition from adolescence to young adulthood (2000). These goals include marriage, education, employment, and financial independence (2000).


            Moreover, alcohol use among adolescents has also been associated with considering, planning, attempting, and completing suicide (2000). Research does not indicate whether drinking causes suicidal behavior, only that the two behaviors are correlated (2000). Suicide is also related to depression and anxiety, for these behaviors somehow trigger alcoholics to result to suicide. In addition, these behaviors can also become severe with the influence of alcohol. This is why during the event of suicide, the alcoholic has already experienced severe depression and anxiety prior to the activity, including the fact that with the influence of alcohol, a person cannot make sound judgments.


            Furthermore, the influence of peers can also be attributed to adolescent drinking. More often than not, adolescents become exposed to alcohol drinking through their peers. With this, the role of the parents becomes crucial in the discipline of their children. Proper guidance must be given to adolescents regarding drinking alcohol. Education also is important, for information regarding alcoholism and drug abuse must be give to adolescents for early prevention.


 


Parental Guidance and Influence


            (2000) reports that parents’ drinking behavior and favorable attitudes about drinking have been positively associated with adolescents’ initiating and continuing drinking. Children who were warned about alcohol by their parents and children who reported being closer to their parents were less likely to start drinking (2000). Lack of parental support, monitoring and communication has been significantly related to frequency of drinking, heavy drinking, and drunkenness among adolescents (2000). Harsh, inconsistent discipline and hostility or rejection toward children have also been found to significantly predict adolescent drinking and alcohol-related problems (2000).


             


 


Methodology


            Thirty participants (30) will be included in the study, and will be randomly selected from the population. The age will be considered, for only 13 to 20 years olds will be asked to participate in the study. This age bracket will be considered because at these ages, adolescents become exposed for the first time to alcoholic drinks or beverages. The socioeconomic status of the participants will also be considered, for it can be assumed that many adolescents belonging to the lower class of society are more exposed to alcoholic drinks compared to the adolescents belonging to the middle class or from the elite. Aside from these, the education of the participants will also be considered. Education is also a good basis for the knowledge of the participants regarding alcoholism.    


These 30 participants will be asked to answer a questionnaire, for easy evaluation of their exposure and interest in alcoholic drinks. The questionnaire will have 20 questions that will be answered by each of the participants.     


 


Summary


           


     


 


 


 


 


 


 



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