Alcoholism

8 Pages 1899 Words

One evening a group of friends and I were sitting at my house watching
movies. As we were all sitting there we suddenly heard someone banging on my
door, I couldn’t think of who it would be at that time of night. As I looked through
the window, I saw my Uncle Jim standing there. All I was able to notice when I
opened the door was his bloodshot eyes and the strong odor of alcohol coming
from his breath. As he was walking up my hallway stairs, I can only remember
him stumbling, and stating “There’s no way I can go home”. Even though having
been around alcoholics in my life, I have never truly understood what makes
some people so attached to the alcohol. Many people today feel that alcoholism
is an addiction which is a settled habit, but I feel that alcoholism is considered a
progressive disease where a person consumes excessive amounts of alcohol
and is unable to control his/her need to drink (Encyclopedia of Psychology
111-115). This is because alcoholism has been classified as a disease by the
American Medical Society as well as by the National Council of Alcoholism
because of the four factors such as it has symptoms and signs, it is diagnosable,
it is progressive, and it can be treated (Facts about alcohol and Alcoholism 8).
Drinking alcohol is an individual choice. People may drink for many
different reasons. A few examples of why people drink are to be more sociable,
be relaxed, and to feel bigger or stronger (Kinney & Leaton 8). It does, however
become a problem when a person has an overwhelming compulsion to drink.
This is when they are considered to be an alcoholic.
Alcoholism has many early warning signs and symptoms, any one of
which a person can signal a developing problem. Some of the symptoms consist
of gulping the alcohol beverage in large amounts, or hiding the amount of
alcohol they consumed from others. For example, keeping bottles stashed in the
trunk of a car, or the m...