Courtney Grove Addictions/Assessments/Interventions Spring 2017 All of the personal stories in this book are an attempt to help individuals identify with the authors. Hopefully, after reading each story we, and alcoholics alike may say to themselves "I'm very much like _____. My alcohol use has followed a similar pattern and I have also tried different ways to control my drinking with similar, pained results. Perhaps the steps that _______ followed will work for me also.” This keeps the sneaky pull of alcohol at the forefront of their minds, learning from the experiences of others and remembering their own experiences from the reality standpoint rather than with fond remembrance.
In Alcoholics Anonymous they have a saying “suit up and show up” that concisely sums ups the meaning of behavioral activation (BA). It is only by showing up, hopefully sober, and beginning to make small positive baby steps that the client can start to obtain positive life experiences, while also facing their fears of embarrassment, panic, or losing control. By purposefully scheduling positive activities the client suffering from depression, anxiety and avoidance behaviors can begin to expose themselves to positive life experiences that can change their whole outlook on life in a positive direction. The client can then begin to use these positive experiences to build a whole new healthy personal and world view that may alter their avoidance
In the case of binge drinking it is considered to be apart of the Australian social culture and can be considered a norm and or a rite of passage especially for young Australians. Using the looking glass self theory, individuals may believe that heavy drinking will bring approval and acceptance from other members of society thus bringing higher self-worth through the perceived ‘social mirror”. Studies conducted in regard to peer influence on high risk behaviour has shown that young people are more likely to engage in high risk behaviour such as binge or excessive drink if their peers and close friends are also participating (Jaccard, Blanton and Dodge, 2005). This suggests that individuals are likely to engage in actions that they believe will gain approval it the eyes of their peers, therefore this study supports the argument that the looking glass concept can be applied to the issue of binge drinking. The second theory that can be used to apply the theory to binge drinking is George Herbert Meads concept of a socially derived self.
Society has left an invisible impact on how we perceive the college lifestyle as a whole. This ranges from the belief that all students are sleep deprived from staying up too late to finish their homework. Also the sociological acceptance that college is the place to party and drink every single weekend. Theirs a sociological point of view and how society has played a key part in underage drinking being accepted in college towns. Not just limited to the effects of alcohol on a student’s wellbeing; also, the short term and long term conditions that can arise from binge drinking.
Alcohol abuse and alcoholism seems like an issue that keeps getting increasingly worse each year in the United States. According to USA Today and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both say that approximately 6 people die from alcohol poisoning, caused from binge drinking, each day, which amounts to roughly 2,200 people each year. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism says that “In 2013 an estimated 697,000 adolescents ages 12–17 (2.8 percent of this age group) had an [alcohol use disorder]” (“Alcohol Facts”). Something has to stop and something has to change from preventing this more because 6 people dying each day from binge drinking alone is a lot, not to mention that 12-17 year olds are having alcohol problems at such a young age. Lowering the drinking age will enforce this act even more, promoting more drinking in fact.
The day I quit drinking and turned my life over to the care of God is one of the most memorable days of my life. From the time I was 5 or 6 years old I can remember always feeling different. I was never certain if it were the fact I came from a broken home or maybe it was because we lived in poverty. Either way the feeling of being different was apparent.
When I was a teenager, the cool thing to do was hang out with friends, party, and drink alcohol, so I thought. My friends and I would tend to follow the crowd and it seemed to always lead to trouble. I was only 14 years old the night it all began. At the time, I could not drive so my friends came and picked me up, we all went to a house party and alcohol was there. Because we were senseless and easily influenced, we decided to try some to fit in.
Alcoholism is not a disease. People who drink, and who are alcoholics, always seem to find a way to blame their drinking problems on other things then them self’s. Alcoholism is not a disease according to (Baldwin Research institute 2016) “alcoholism is a choice, not a disease, and stripping alcohol abusers of their choice, by applying the disease concept, is a threat to the health of the individual.” “The disease concept originated in the 1800s with a fellow by the name of Dr. Benjamin Rush. He believed those who drank too much alcohol were diseased and used the idea to promote his prohibitionist political platform.
As lifeless as she looked, her eyes were open. Smothered underwater in a baby pool on the back porch, I ran to her aid thinking she was no longer alive. Fortunately, she was still breathing and I cautiously dragged her out of the water. Tears streamed down my face as I shook her limp body in an attempt to bring her to consciousness. As a fourth grader, this was a horrendous experience, however, several other of my mother’s drunken episodes were just as terrifying.
Some might say that the use of alcohol is common place and nothing more than a stepping stone in the ritual of being a college student. The problem is the consequences of binge drinking and excessive drinking should not be accepted as “ritual” or common place. Some consequences are extremely problematic and not only impact the individual but have lasting consequences for the college environment in a global sense.
Today in the United States about 4,358 people under the age of 21 years old die each year from alcohol-related car crashes, homicides, suicides, alcohol poisoning, and other injuries such as falls, burns, and even drowning. More than 190,000 people under the age of 21 visited an emergency room for alcohol related reasons in 2008 alone. Alcohol related motor vehicle crashes kill someone every 31 minutes and non-fatally injure someone every two minutes. That’s a lot of people gone because they wanted to go out and party and not think about the consequences ahead. In this essay I’m gonna give you information to why Underage Drinking is very very bad for you.
It took me nine years to allow myself to live again. Making the decision to quit drinking was not easy, but necessary in order to live a happy and healthy life. My driving force for becoming sober was becoming able to reflect on how alcohol had been doing more harm than good. My mental and physical health suffered, as well as relationships with those I hold dear. Today I am able to use my past as fuel to continue living my best life.
College Students’ Exposure to Alcohol Drinking Drinking alcoholic beverages among college students is widely common nowadays in this generation. Several reasons can be recognized why students drink alcohol. According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Inc, (2016), improving self-confidence, altering own identity (to adapt), curiosity, lack of parental advice, problems of daily living, running away from family dilemma, experiencing academic difficulty and other mental-related problems drive the teenagers to drink alcohol. Considering the reasons stated above, these can be some of the many ways how young people manage with their personal, emotional and social problems that they are experiencing.
ALCOHOLISM How many times have you heard about the consequences of alcoholism? Have you taken them into account? Alcoholism is one of the major problems in society. People don’t take it so seriously but it actually is a disease. The effects of this disease are really serious.
Teens and drinking have been an issue for some time and it continues to persist, attracting many young individuals. Whether it’s the pleasure or the ability to forget problems drinking as a teen has become a problem in society with many alcohol related issues. However, that sensation of being able to forget problems soon enters a cycle of many other issues such as consequences to the physical development and to the body itself, which is not able to handle the alcohol properly. In addition, soon the early admission of the depressant becomes and an addictive factor which can lead to alcoholism since the body constantly craves the substance. Teens and drinking has continued to progress over the years and the depressant has consumed many lives.
