Alcoholism

7 Pages 1670 Words

function effectively in a cognitive way. Alcoholics who are drunk are not cognizant of subtle social cues.
They may behave in a socially improper way without even being aware of their actions. On the other hand, because they are only conscious of obvious externalized social cues, they are likely to be ultra- sensitive in their reactions to the situation. Deprived of their ability to think clearly and deeply, alcoholics, under the influence of alcohol, do not realize that they can behave in an alternative way. What is even more dangerous is that drunken people can develop a sense of grandiosity and believe that they are more powerful than they actually are. Thus, they may deliberate provoke others or misinterpret others’ behavior as a challenge to their supremacy (Graham, Wells, & West, 1997, p. 627).
Although the symptoms described above can be regarded as short-term effects of alcohol consumption, studies have indicated that alcohol abuse has long-term degenerative effects on the cerebellum. The cerebellum is an integral part of the brain that controls the acquisition of motor skills and processes that deal with movement. Furthermore, the cerebellum also plays a part in certain cognitive processes, such as language production and "mental imagery" (Sullivan, Rosenbloom, Deshmukh, Desmond, & Pfeffer...