Alcoholism
Alcoholism, seems to appear almost daily, whether it is in the news, in a magazine, or just in someone’s daily life. The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has estimated that almost fourteen million people have alcohol problems (Dudley 17). Although many are faced with it on a regular basis, very few know of its destruction. There are many effects of alcoholism such as health problems, and psychological issues which each require different treatments that pertain to the particular symptom.
Many know of alcoholism, but an alarming number of people do not know what alcoholism actually is. Alcoholism is a chronic disease that is progressive and often fatal, and is a primary disorder and not a symptom of other diseases or emotional issues (Torr 19). Alcohol is a drug, a depressant, or sedative drug that tends to slows delay the functions of the central nervous system (Richards 8). It affects people’s immediate behavior and can cause lasting effects if it is consumed in large quantities over a period of time (Richards 8). This prolonged time period results in the development of alcoholism. When consumed, alcohol is mostly absorbed into the bloodstream before it is fully digested (Gottfried 19). The alcohol then passes through the small intestine where is quickly absorbed and circulated throughout the body (Gottfried 19). The chemistry of alcohol allows it to affect nearly every type of cell in the body, including those in the central nervous system (Torr 19). Alcohol has been around for many, many, years, and continues to do its destruction to not only to the mind but also the body.
The production of alcohol actually began as an accident more that 10,000 years ago. A bunch of grapes or honey or berries, or other fruit or combination of such was warmed enough for fermentation, which happens when yeasts convert natural sugar to alcohol and carbon dioxide (Gottfried 19). Different cultures began to make...