Alcohol Abuse and Dependence
Added on 2023-04-17
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Running head: ALCOHOL ABUSE AND DEPENDENCE
ALCOHOL ABUSE AND DEPENDENCE
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ALCOHOL ABUSE AND DEPENDENCE
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:
1ALCOHOL ABUSE AND DEPENDENCE
Introduction
Alcohol abuse and dependence are one of the most challenging issues resulting in
detrimental physiological, emotional, social and financial repercussions on the society. Actor
Ross Kemp’s documentary on ‘Britain: Alcohol Abuse’ sheds light on the alarming rates with
which citizens of the nation are being drawn to the evils of alcohol.1 The following paragraphs of
this paper highlights the distorted attitudes society seems to possess on alcohol consumption and
the pressures exerted by the same on existing health services.
Discussion
Societal Attitudes towards Alcohol
Excessive alcohol consumption and its harmful effects have been a pressing societal issue
since traditional times. However, recent global and national trends reflect an unprecedented rise
in this behavior despite educational dissemination targeted at educating the public on detrimental
health impacts upon consumption of the same.2 As reported by the Irish Times (2019), findings
reflected from a recent study on adolescent health published in ‘The Lancet’ postulate that
adolescents residing in Ireland, especially females, have been classified as some of the heaviest
and highest engagers in binge alcohol drinking in comparison to global statistics. 3
1 Ross Kemp's Britain. 2019. "Ross Kemp's Britain S01E03 Alcohol Abuse Full Documentary". Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgezrOi2tC8&feature=youtu.be.
2 Popova, Svetlana, Shannon Lange, Charlotte Probst, Gerrit Gmel, and Jürgen Rehm. "Estimation of
national, regional, and global prevalence of alcohol use during pregnancy and fetal alcohol syndrome: a systematic
review and meta-analysis." The Lancet Global Health 5, no. 3 (2017): e290-e299.
3 The Irish Times. 2019. "Irish Girls Ranked Among Top Binge Drinkers By Global Study". The Irish
Times. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/irish-girls-ranked-among-top-binge-drinkers-by-global-study-
1.3824115.
Introduction
Alcohol abuse and dependence are one of the most challenging issues resulting in
detrimental physiological, emotional, social and financial repercussions on the society. Actor
Ross Kemp’s documentary on ‘Britain: Alcohol Abuse’ sheds light on the alarming rates with
which citizens of the nation are being drawn to the evils of alcohol.1 The following paragraphs of
this paper highlights the distorted attitudes society seems to possess on alcohol consumption and
the pressures exerted by the same on existing health services.
Discussion
Societal Attitudes towards Alcohol
Excessive alcohol consumption and its harmful effects have been a pressing societal issue
since traditional times. However, recent global and national trends reflect an unprecedented rise
in this behavior despite educational dissemination targeted at educating the public on detrimental
health impacts upon consumption of the same.2 As reported by the Irish Times (2019), findings
reflected from a recent study on adolescent health published in ‘The Lancet’ postulate that
adolescents residing in Ireland, especially females, have been classified as some of the heaviest
and highest engagers in binge alcohol drinking in comparison to global statistics. 3
1 Ross Kemp's Britain. 2019. "Ross Kemp's Britain S01E03 Alcohol Abuse Full Documentary". Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgezrOi2tC8&feature=youtu.be.
2 Popova, Svetlana, Shannon Lange, Charlotte Probst, Gerrit Gmel, and Jürgen Rehm. "Estimation of
national, regional, and global prevalence of alcohol use during pregnancy and fetal alcohol syndrome: a systematic
review and meta-analysis." The Lancet Global Health 5, no. 3 (2017): e290-e299.
3 The Irish Times. 2019. "Irish Girls Ranked Among Top Binge Drinkers By Global Study". The Irish
Times. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/irish-girls-ranked-among-top-binge-drinkers-by-global-study-
1.3824115.
2ALCOHOL ABUSE AND DEPENDENCE
Such alarming statistics raise questions concerning the reasons underlying such a
substance abuse in the nation, which have been explored extensively by actor Ross Kemp, in the
documentary, ‘Alcohol Abuse’. Through extensive interview conductance and engagement with
the emergency paramedical services at odd hours, the documentary unfolds a stark reality
underlying the true cause of excessive alcohol consumption – the strong role of incorrect
attitudes of the society against alcohol intake. 4
As reflected in the documentary and related studies, alcohol, despite is proclaimed
damages, continue to draw attention, mainly due to its ability to relieve stress. The alcohol exerts
anti-depressant properties, resulting in drinkers feeling relaxed upon consumption – an effect
highly desirable, considered almost valid, and hence, misused, after a prolonged day of hard
work. Further, alcohol’s ability to administer delusions and encourage one to lose their
inhibitions are one of the key effects misused heavily by society.5 Alcohol distorts one’s ability
to think and reason logically resulting in an inability to halt at just ‘one drink’, an increased
tendency to reach out for increased amounts and hence, the vicious cycle of alcohol tolerance
and dependence. 6
Further, society has stereotypical attached a sense of glamour and pride in alcohol
consumption resulting in increased societal misuse by relating increased alcohol consumption
with commendable social status. Such a stereotypical attitude, as noted in the documentary, are
on the key factors influencing misuse among teenagers and socioeconomically privileged
4 Ross Kemp's Britain. 2019. "Ross Kemp's Britain S01E03 Alcohol Abuse Full Documentary". Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgezrOi2tC8&feature=youtu.be.
5 Begun, Audrey L., and John D. Clapp. "Reducing and preventing alcohol misuse and its consequences: A
Grand Challenge for social work." The International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research 5, no. 2 (2016): 73-83.
6 Schindler, Abigail G., Marta E. Soden, Larry S. Zweifel, and Jeremy J. Clark. "Reversal of alcohol-
induced dysregulation in dopamine network dynamics may rescue maladaptive decision-making." Journal of
Neuroscience 36, no. 13 (2016): 3698-3708.
Such alarming statistics raise questions concerning the reasons underlying such a
substance abuse in the nation, which have been explored extensively by actor Ross Kemp, in the
documentary, ‘Alcohol Abuse’. Through extensive interview conductance and engagement with
the emergency paramedical services at odd hours, the documentary unfolds a stark reality
underlying the true cause of excessive alcohol consumption – the strong role of incorrect
attitudes of the society against alcohol intake. 4
As reflected in the documentary and related studies, alcohol, despite is proclaimed
damages, continue to draw attention, mainly due to its ability to relieve stress. The alcohol exerts
anti-depressant properties, resulting in drinkers feeling relaxed upon consumption – an effect
highly desirable, considered almost valid, and hence, misused, after a prolonged day of hard
work. Further, alcohol’s ability to administer delusions and encourage one to lose their
inhibitions are one of the key effects misused heavily by society.5 Alcohol distorts one’s ability
to think and reason logically resulting in an inability to halt at just ‘one drink’, an increased
tendency to reach out for increased amounts and hence, the vicious cycle of alcohol tolerance
and dependence. 6
Further, society has stereotypical attached a sense of glamour and pride in alcohol
consumption resulting in increased societal misuse by relating increased alcohol consumption
with commendable social status. Such a stereotypical attitude, as noted in the documentary, are
on the key factors influencing misuse among teenagers and socioeconomically privileged
4 Ross Kemp's Britain. 2019. "Ross Kemp's Britain S01E03 Alcohol Abuse Full Documentary". Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgezrOi2tC8&feature=youtu.be.
5 Begun, Audrey L., and John D. Clapp. "Reducing and preventing alcohol misuse and its consequences: A
Grand Challenge for social work." The International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research 5, no. 2 (2016): 73-83.
6 Schindler, Abigail G., Marta E. Soden, Larry S. Zweifel, and Jeremy J. Clark. "Reversal of alcohol-
induced dysregulation in dopamine network dynamics may rescue maladaptive decision-making." Journal of
Neuroscience 36, no. 13 (2016): 3698-3708.
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