ALCOHOLISM

Alcoholism

Alcoholism

Abstract

Alcoholism refers to the pathological use of alcohol. This disease model of drinking behavior is a relatively new concept—one still evolving in its meaning. It remains controversial and hotly debated in some quarters. Historical and cross-cultural investigations indicate that prevailing cultural beliefs about alcohol and alcohol problems play an important role in determining moral attitudes. Cognitive impairment (i.e., brain damage) is another potential consequence of alcohol dependence. Many alcoholics exhibit mild to moderate deficiencies in their intellectual performance, along with alterations to brain-cell activity in various sections of the brain. A very small percentage of long-term, heavy drinkers develop overwhelming, irreversible brain-damage conditions such as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. This amnesic disorder is characterized by the inability to acquire new information or form new memories. Numerous other conditions such as gastrointestinal problems, heart disease and stroke, and carcinoma have also been associated with alcohol dependence. This paper discusses Alcoholism and cognitive issues related to it.

Introduction

Alcoholism refers to the pathological use of alcohol. This disease model of drinking behavior is a relatively new concept—one still evolving in its meaning. It remains controversial and hotly debated in some quarters. Often used as a synonym for addiction, alcoholism is seen as the disease of those who are intemperate in their consumption of any form of alcohol. There is no one definition of the concept alcoholism; it has many different meanings, often dependent upon who is using it. As a result, it is commonly asserted that there are many different “alcoholisms.” In the United States, despite widespread acceptance of alcoholism as a disease, strong resistance nonetheless remains because the notion that alcoholism is the result of volitional conduct is deeply imbedded in American culture. The disease model of alcoholism is a work in progress. Alcohol professionals in other parts of the world have been slower to accept the disease model than their counterparts in the United States. This paper discusses Alcoholism and cognitive issues related to it.

Discussion

Historical and cross-cultural investigations indicate that prevailing cultural beliefs about alcohol and alcohol problems play an important role in determining moral attitudes. Research continues to generate new data about the biomedical and behavioral aspects of drinking. An informed consideration of the use of alcohol must attend simultaneously to the implications of new information and the influence of shifting values (Zucker, 2006).

Alcohol and Cognitive Psychological Research

A product of natural fermentation, beverage alcohol, or ethanol, is perhaps the oldest known and most universally consumed psychoactive substance. Ancient peoples drank copious amounts of wine, beer, and other naturally fermented alcoholic beverages, praising their ability to lift the spirits, relieve fatigue, and enhance health. In many societies, alcohol was regarded as a divine gift and was incorporated into religious rituals. Early historical records indicate, however, that alcohol also brought problems (Amodeo, 2007).

Ambivalence toward alcohol use has persisted into modern times and is expressed cross-culturally in a wide diversity of attitudes, beliefs, and practices. The French, for example, regard wine as essential to their diet and lifestyle, and tend to view ...