Alcohol: America’s Drug of Choice
A recent study showed that millions of Americans turn to alcohol and drugs to ease the discomfort of their stress-filled lives. However, like stress itself, these “pain relievers” are far from being considered a new approach. In our society, alcohol is the most consumed drug today, but certainly not the only one.
For most consumers, alcohol appears to be a relatively safe relaxant, but not for everyone. In fact, for that small group that can’t control their drinking; the price of alcohol abuse is enormous. The pain it can relieve is nothing compared to the pain it causes them as they become addicted to alcohol. Sooner or later, alcohol will weaken and destroy those components of the self that give meaning to life.
No one really knows how long the man has used alcoholic beverages as part of his social activities. What is known, however, is that alcohol was consumed many thousands of years before the World Health Organization declared alcohol an addictive and habit-forming drug. .
For example, beer and berry wine were discovered and used by Neolithic man from about 6400 BC. c.; Some have suggested that the use of some form of alcoholic beverage dates back to 300 or 400 B.C. A byproduct of honey called mead is said to be the oldest of all alcoholic beverages known to man. It is further suggested that mead first appeared during the Paleolithic era. However, it has been established that beer consumption by Native Americans was well underway when Columbus landed on these shores.
Fruits and cereal grains are the most common products that are fermented to produce alcoholic beverages in this culture. Other cultures often use plants as a base for the fermentation of alcoholic beverages. During his expedition to Mexico in 1518, Cortés commented approvingly on the locally distilled drink called pulque. Pulque is made from cactus and has an alcohol content of around 6%. Mead has an alcohol content of approximately 10-12% and is believed to be currently available in some cultures. The traditional, Far Eastern, rice wine called sake is well known to many Americans, especially World War II servicemen. The alcoholic content of sake is said to be 12-18%.
A 19th-century Swedish physician is credited with being the first to use the term “alcoholism.” The ancient Romans were the first to recognize the pattern of drinking between those who drank to excess by choice and those who could not control their consumption. Several centuries later, the English language distinguished the difference between drunkenness and alcohol addiction.
In 1784, Dr. Benjamin Rush, the founder of American psychiatry and signer of the Declaration of Independence, described habitual alcohol consumption as an involuntary condition, a disease caused by “spiritual liquors.” However, the concept of disease was eclipsed by Puritan belief in America until the failure of prohibition. Shortly before the repeal of the 18th Amendment, which prohibited the sale and manufacture of alcohol, the first edition of the American Standard Classified Nomenclature of Diseases was published. He listed both alcohol addition and alcoholism as a disease. A few years later, Alcoholics Anonymous was founded and also embraced the concept of illness.
The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the American Society for Addiction Medicine have defined alcoholism in this way; Alcoholism is a primary chronic disease with genetic, psychological and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. The disease is often progressive and fatal. It is characterized by a continuous or periodic deterioration in control over drinking, preoccupation with drugs, and alcohol use despite adverse consequences and thought distortions, especially denial.
Generally speaking, an individual is considered to be an alcoholic when their drinking becomes uncontrollable and causes problems in the personal, professional, family, and social life of the drinker. Furthermore, the individual is considered to be addicted to alcohol if he cannot predict when he will stop, how much he will drink, or what the results of his consumption will be.
As a nation, we are materially rich and technologically brilliant. We are also a nation of drug users. In homes across the United States, we’ll find medicine cabinets stocked with vast amounts of medications, both over-the-counter and prescribed by doctors. The mass media will use their vast arsenal of resources to inform the public about the dangers of cocaine, heroin, and crack-cocaine. Yet the same media seem powerless when it comes to educating the public about the danger of alcohol abuse. It seems that alcohol, the drug that is used more brazenly than any other drug in the history of man, is relegated to the background.
Each indicator shows that among our youth, especially college students, the shift is from a variety of unknown and esoteric drugs to the drug commonly found in the most respectable and law-abiding homes. In this society we use alcohol for a variety of reasons; to be sociable, to be accepted, to relax, to gain courage, to improve self-esteem, and yes, to add romance to our lives. And all too often, too many of us use alcohol to escape depression, fears, anxiety, and other real or imagined inadequacies. it is for these and other reasons that alcohol abuse is on the rise.
An estimated 18.5 million Americans have signs of alcoholism or alcohol dependence. while another 7.2 million show persistent patterns of drinking behaviors associated with impaired health and social functioning. A report completed in 2000 indicated that alcoholism and alcohol-related problems cost the nation an estimated $276 billion per year in lost productivity, health care expenses, crime, car accidents, and other related costs.
In the United States, an alcohol-related problem affects one family in three. Fetal alcohol syndrome is one of the leading causes of birth defects and mental retardation. It is found that one third of all hospitalized patients have some kind of alcohol related problem. Alcohol is closely related to suicide. Within the identified causes of death in alcoholics, 20% are due to suicide and another 22% are dependent on alcohol. A recent study indicated that more than half of all inmates convicted of violent crimes had consumed alcohol just before the crime.
Alcoholism is a disease that directly affects people close to the alcoholic, especially family members. Often the affected family members need adequate help to recover, as well as the alcoholic himself. Most alcohol treatment programs include a family component with referrals to self-help and support groups. One in five children in the United States lived with an alcoholic growing up. One in ten adults in the United States has been married to or in a close relationship with an alcoholic or problem drinker. Women are more exposed to alcoholism in the family than men. Women are more likely than men to have been married to an alcoholic.
Like other diseases, alcoholism can be overcome with proper treatment, prevention, and more research. Educating the public about the disease of alcoholism is the first line of defense. A keen awareness and understanding of the early signs of a drinking problem are vital. Recognizing that alcohol is a drug and that its use or abuse carries certain risks is essential for personal prevention. Other preventative measures include avoiding high-risk alcohol use, knowing your family history of alcohol use, and knowing your own history of alcohol use.