psyclass

Alcohol, the acceptable dangerous drug

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Group Project

Group Project

Alcohol, The Acceptable Dangerous Drug; many members in society today consider alcohol to be acceptable therefore, it becomes the "norm" for many drinkers. However, for some people it is recreational and for others it becomes an uncontrollable desire. There are many factors to alcoholism which include the following, the Biological Affects, Cognitive Approaches, Learning capabilities, and the causes that stem from social interations. Alcohol poses many health risks, and dependency, and neurological problems.

Biological Perspective

Alcoholism impairs an individual's normal rate of function throughout the day. The brain has neurotransmitters that are associated with alcoholism and the first is Glutamate. Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter and it locates itself on the Central Nervous System. The most effected neurotransmitter of Glutamate is N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptor. This is due to the fast depolarization at the location. These receptors play a major role in brain damage, strokes, and seizures. If any one person drinks excessively all the time they will be suseptible to major brain damage in years to come. The next neurotrasmitter is GABA, which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter. It bind to itself plus another A, which hyperpolarizes and results in high brain activity. Also this has a big effect of increasing risky behavior. GABA also usually contains some Glutamate receptors. Dopamine plays a role in behaviors that are vital for life. This network of brain structures integrates the emotions of the body which is part of the synpathetic nervous system. Dopamine is released in the prefrontal cortex, eith the release of dopamine the brain decreases firing neurons for activities of everyday life in people who suffer from alcoholism. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter which regulates mood, appetite, arousal, sleep, pain, etc........ After a person has been drinking there are concentrations of serotonin in the urine and the blood. Which results in a change of behavior, mood, and decision making strategies. The Opoid System is responsible for normal processes in organisms. This is derived from an opiate. A list of opiods include analgesia, sedative, euphoria, respiratory problems, and depression. It also increases the brain activity for an individual consuming alcohol on a regular basis. AC

Social Perspective

Although there are many causes of alcoholism the most common known cause is that for most alcoholics drinking becomes for them a way that they can avoid their emotions.The drinkers start to develop an addictive relationship with alcohol. The stronger their desire to become numb the to their emotions the stronger their desire to drink . Although all or most of us at some time have to deal with uncomfortable emotions, such as those brought on by the lose of a loved one,this often is not the case with an alcoholic. They do not need something as grand as this to happen to give them an excuse to drink. The simple dealings of every day life is sometimes all it takes. Isolation becomes a huge factor in the lives of many alcoholics. They are not only hiding from their emotions but they also begin to hide from the world in general, or anyhing else that brings about the uncomfortableness that many alcohlics feel. One common thread amongst most alcoholics is that they strive for perfection. They also have high unrealistic expectations that they have set in their lives.To live this lifestyle and not be able to sustain it,gives the alcoholic a justification for thir drinking.Wanting to always be a better person than who they are, not wanting to think they have let others down and always wanting to make sure all those around them are happy. However, this is a great fault of an alcoholic, because no one can possibly carry this huge job on their own,not even a non-alcoholic.Society today has given out too many labels for us to be able to accept as what is the norm in our lives. For an alcoholic these labels are what make it soemtimes impossible to keep their disease at bay.An acoholic has to first learn how to deal wih their own emotions and then they have to apply what the have learnd into their everyday lives. The need for them to be accepted in society as opposed to being labeled by society is a huge downfall for some alcoholics. None of us are perfect and being an alcoholic does not mean they should be labeled as a bad person. They should rather be viewd and accepted as a person with a disease. An alcoholic is no different then a person with diabetes or high blood pressure,none of these diseases can be cured but they can be controlled. An alcoholic must remember that they will always be judged by some in society and it is up to the alcoholic to determine to what degree they will let that label stick. ttc

Cognition Perspective :

The cause of alcoholism and the reasons on how people come upon drinking and addiction. An aspect of dealing with the disease of alcoholism is sweeping the world by storm. Alcoholism can start young with illegal drinking by the peer pressures and the many parties of prom and social groups being the main root of alcoholism. Cognitive is the many source of mental knowledge about doing something. It being hereditary and the human structure and the genetic compound of 40 – 60 percent. This statistics shows that it make individuals more vulnerable to it being passed down to them. But unfortunately that there isonly a select minority of all Americans are really heavy drinkers. Many people get additive to alcohol because of the chemical compound presented and it causing the body to crave by restoring the depressant of good feeling from the negative ones. Internal human behavior also can affect your body and life long term on your personal and mental health. Life drinking can become addictive to it and easily you can become dependent on it. Alcohol takes over your brain and can make the disease not only a habit but a mental illness to those who become addicted. There should be more information out there and acquired to others young minds are being affected by this growing disease, and that is seriously being the number one addiction of alcoholism. Not enough people are educated on the subject and being affected by this growing disease. MG