Running Head: ALCOHOL ABUSE
1
Alcohol Abuse
Institutional Affiliation
Date
ALCOHOL ABUSE
2
In light of the facts which have been provided revolving around Mr. Potts and his usage
of alcohol, it is highly evident that his use of alcohol which has been quite frequently cab be
classified as abuse. Alcohol abuse will involve a pattern where the person will take a drink to
the extent that it may be harmful to their health and their interpersonal relationships. The
features which will be seen when there is an abuse of alcohol will be failing when it comes to
fulfilling specific responsibilities at home and drinking even when the situations are dangerous
(Schuckit, 2006).
Mr. Potts is the owner of a chain of retail stores however his drinking is classified as
abuse since there is a pattern of him drinking to the extent that it may harm his health. He drinks
frequently and has failed to fulfill his responsibility as a father. Additionally, he is under the
influence of alcohol when he drives from the restaurants or bars to back home. Substance use
disorder as portrayed in DSM-V will be the disorders which will arise from the use of the ten
classes of drugs that have been listed in the DSM-V. The use of alcohol will also result in
substance abuse disorder (O'brien, 2011).
There are several criteria which have to be met for a person's behavior to reflect the
disorder. One such criterion which can be seen in Mr. Potts behavior will be taking the
substance in large amounts. From the facts presented, Mr. Potts will always be under the
influence of alcohol when driving and will partake in drunken rages. The other criterion which
has been met will include spending a lot of time get using the substance since he drinks alcohol
after work until the store closes. Other standards which have been met will be failing to fulfill
his responsibilities at home because of drinking alcohol, using despite the problems which arise
that affect the interpersonal relationship and using the substance frequently when it's a danger
to them (O'brien, 2011).
ALCOHOL ABUSE
3
Maternal inheritance or the genetic makeup of a person will be a role in alcohol abuse.
The genetic makeup of a person may lead a person to be predisposed when it comes to alcohol
which will lead to addiction of the substance. A person may have inherited the genes which
will lead them to be susceptible to alcohol (Bohman, 1981). However, the role played by
inheritance will be quite minor since the environmental factors such as stress, or work or
unhealthy relationships will lead the person to take alcohol. Heredity does not play a significant
role when it comes to Mr. Potts and his alcoholism problem. There are no facts which have
been presented to show that he is susceptible to alcohol because of his genetic makeup hence
he will solely be responsible for his actions (Sigvardsson, 1981). The environmental factors in
his case matter a lot since his intake of the substance will be based on peer pressure which is
provided by the fact that he goes out to drink after work with his partners.
ALCOHOL ABUSE
4
References
Cloninger, C. R., Bohman, M., & Sigvardsson, S. (1981). Inheritance of alcohol abuse. Arch
Gen Psychiatry, 38(8), 861.
O'brien, C. (2011). Addiction and dependence in DSM‐V. Addiction, 106(5), 866-867.
Schuckit, M. A. (2006). Drug and alcohol abuse: A clinical guide to diagnosis and treatment.
Springer Science & Business Media.
Running Head: ALCOHOLISM AND ALCOHOL ADDICTION
Alcoholism and Alcohol Addiction
Institutional Affiliation
Date
1
ALCOHOLISM AND ALCOHOL ADDICTION
2
MEMO
To:
Officer Rexford, Supervisor
From:
Student’s Name
Date:
17/04/2018
Re:
Alcoholism and Alcohol Addiction (Court Docket Number 55555,
Probation Case Number 11111-A)
The purpose of writing this memo is to provide information on alcoholism and alcohol
addictions based on the probation Case Number 11111-A. Alcoholism is defined as the abuse
of alcohol in the most severe way. One aspect of alcoholism is the lack of ability which will be
involved when it comes to the management of drinking habits. Alcohol addiction will be a
disease of chronic nature where the person's body and his mind depend on alcohol to get by. In
other words, alcohol addiction can be defined as alcohol dependence. Based on the information
that surrounds the case, Mr. Potts does not suffer from alcohol addiction (Jellinek, 1960).
The case facts feature information that Mr. Potts does drink any alcohol in the morning hours
but will, however, drink alcohol in the evenings with his partners except Tuesdays. On
Saturdays, he will drink alcohol in the afternoon which will lead him to pass out by the time
dinner is ready. Alcohol addiction traits will feature a lack of control when it comes to drinking.
A person who has the disorder will binge drink which is not the case when it comes to Mr.
Potts. Additionally, the person will only want to drink despite the financial problems, the health
issues that are a result of drinking alcohol. It is clear from the facts of the case that Mr. Potts
has control over his drinking since he fails to drink during the day on weekdays and Tuesdays.
On Saturdays, he will drink in the afternoons. Alcoholism will be organized into three groups
which will include mild, moderate and severe (Stambul, 1976).
ALCOHOLISM AND ALCOHOL ADDICTION
3
The Alcohol use disorder will either be mild or moderate or will be severe. One of the impacts
of alcoholism is that it will lead to issues being experienced by the individual regarding their
health, professional life, and their relationships. Mr. Potts is not suffering from alcoholism
since he can perform various functions generally without the need for alcohol. Additionally,
the facts presented do not show any problems that are being experienced by Mr, Potts regarding
his use of alcohol.
Alcohol abuse will be the use of alcohol repeatedly despite the fact that the repeated drinking
will not only be harmful to the person's health but will also have a negative impact on the
person's interpersonal relationships. Furthermore, the drinking behavior will also have an
impact on the person's professional life. Alcohol use will be the regulated use of alcohol which
will include only some drinks in a week for men and women. For instance, excessive alcohol
use will feature not more than three drinks a day for women and not more than four drinks a
day for men. The difference between alcohol use and alcohol abuse will be the number of
drinks a person who is using alcohol will take which will be minimal when compared to the
number of bottles taken by an individual who is abusing alcohol (Schuckit, 2006).
Another difference will be an individual who fails to uphold his responsibilities at home or
work will be an alcohol abuser whereas a person who uses alcohol and fulfills his duties will
fall under the alcohol use classification. Based on the facts of the case which have been
presented in the second one, Mr. Potts usage of alcohol can be classified as the use of alcohol.
He only drinks in the evening with his partners on a daily basis except on Tuesdays and
Saturday. On Saturdays, he drinks until he is passed out during dinner time (Schuckit, 2006).
ALCOHOLISM AND ALCOHOL ADDICTION
4
The first criterion which serves as a diagnosis of alcohol abuse in the DSM-IV will be the
recurring use of alcohol that will lead the individual to fail to fulfill his obligations at home, in
his workplace and at school. This will rely on the work performance of the individual,
suspension and child neglect which will be associated with the use of alcohol. Based on the
information that has been provided in the second scenario, there is any evidence that his use of
alcohol has led to the failure to fulfill his responsibilities in his home and at work. Another
criterion under the DSM-IV will be the recurring use of alcohol in situations that are physically
hazardous for example, operating a vehicle or a machine while under the influence of alcohol
(O'brien, 2011).
Based on this criterion, Mr. Potts according to the facts presented does not meet this criterion
since no information has been provided in the scenario that shows that he has operated a vehicle
while under the influence of alcohol during the time he goes to drink with his partners. Another
aspect which has to be met will be the recurring use of drugs that will lead to legal issues which
are associated with the use of drugs. No information has been presented that will show that
there have been legal problems which have been experienced by Mr. Potts that are related to
his use of alcohol.
The last criterion which has to be considered is whether the continual use of alcohol by Mr.
Potts has led to the rise of interpersonal or social problems. From the facts presented in this
scenario, no interpersonal or social issues have arisen because of Mr. Potts use of alcohol. The
information only provides that he has a history of not only being loud and angry but frightening
as well while he is under the influence of alcohol. His history does not show that his actions
while under the influence of alcohol have led to marital issues or physical fights between him
and his wife (O'brien, 2011).
ALCOHOLISM AND ALCOHOL ADDICTION
5
The disease model of alcohol abuse will focus on alcoholism being a condition which can be
monitored and which can be managed. The contribution to this disease will focus on various
factors, environmental, genetic and behavioral. According to the facts which have been
presented in the case, the element which has contributed to Mr. Potts use of alcohol will be
environmental. Mr. Potts father was a winemaker from Italy. Wine is a form of alcohol so Mr.
Potts would have started drinking at a young age because of the environment that he grew up
in. Additionally, his father may have been genetically predisposed to alcohol leading him to
his profession. According to the disease model of alcohol abuse, genetics will be a significant
factor since it contributes 50 percent to alcoholism. Hence, the reason as to why Mr. Potts drank
because of his genes (Wallace, 1990).
The role of genetics is that it will influence the likelihood of the individual to be an alcoholic.
There will be multiple genes which will be in play and will also help in the development or the
lack of progress of the risk associated with alcoholism. The genes may or may not choose to
alter the person's alcohol metabolism rates. Based on the facts presented, Mr. Potts may or may
not have the genes which will change the alcohol metabolism rates. However, the
environmental factor which has been portrayed with the facts surrounding his father's
profession will be heavily at play when it comes to Mr. Potts contribution to the use of alcohol.
Additionally, his partners who drink together with Mr. Potts will also contribute to his use of
alcohol (Sigvardsson, 1981).
ALCOHOLISM AND ALCOHOL ADDICTION
6
References
Armor, D. J., Polich, J. M., & Stambul, H. B. (1976). Alcoholism and treatment.
Cloninger, C. R., Bohman, M., & Sigvardsson, S. (1981). Inheritance of alcohol abuse. Arch
Gen Psychiatry, 38(8), 861.
Jellinek, E. M. (1960). The disease concept of alcoholism.
O'brien, C. (2011). Addiction and dependence in DSM‐V. Addiction, 106(5), 866-867.
Schuckit, M. A. (2006). Drug and alcohol abuse: A clinical guide to diagnosis and treatment.
Springer Science & Business Media.
Wallace, J. (1990). The new disease model of alcoholism. Western Journal of
Medicine, 152(5), 502.
Surname 1
NAME: Courtney Wilson
COURSE TITLE: Alcohol Use and Abuse
Mr Potts’ alcohol abuse has affected children in the following ways:
1.
Sarah, the 10-year old, is emotionally affected where she sympathizes with her father and
takes an effort to pass him the beer in refrigerator. This act shows the hat Mr Potts is drunk until
he cannot stand up still and walk along to the refrigerator.
2.
Though Sarah is young and still in school, she tries to take the stress away from her family.
This is a responsibility that is beyond her age and therefore may affect her concentration in
school.
3.
Cindy, the 11-year old, has developed a negative demeanor where she has become an angry
child and lashes out verbally at her parents. This may be as a result of the annoyance she feels
from within.
4.
Mr. Potts’ alcohol abuse has resulted to Cindy lacking respect to even her mother. In any
case, a child should not s, how an act of disrespect to his or her parents.
5.
Weird actions have emerged where we have Cindy cutting her forearms with a knife. This is
a disgusting behavior involving shedding of blood.the
6.
Mr. Potts’ behavior has made his children look desperate and therefore we see Cindy trying
to ask for help. Honestly, this is not good at all having in mind that Mr. Potts has various stores
and this means his family is stable. The problem is his alcoholic behavior.
Mr Potts’ alcohol abuse has affected his relationship with the children in the following ways:
Surname 2
1.
Since Mr Potts is ever busy at the stores and whenever he is free he is at the bar drinking
alcohol, there is no father-children open communication. Whenever the children have an issue,
they are not in a position to tell their father since they have no idea how he is going to react.
2.
No love is felt in the relationship since they rarely spend time together. Most of the activities
that involve children are done by Mrs Potts.
3.
The relationship doesn’t involve a bond that is usually felt between the father and the
children.
4.
The relationship should involve happy moments so that the children can get a little fond of
their father. In the relationship between Mr Potts and his children that is not the case.
5.
In a father-children relationship, we have cases where the father buys his children some
gifts. Through this children will always be happy being around their father. This lacks in Mr
Potts’ family.
Mr Potts reviews the report cards of his children to ensure they have both attained grade A. I
believe Mr Potts supports his family financially since there are no issues of children being sent
away from school due to school fees and neither are their issues of lack of food.
Mrs Potts tries to keep the family at a reasonable figure although there are issues due to her
husband’s alcoholism. She is responsible and caring. In other words, she acts like a caretaker.
This is true since she makes sure the children attend the classes and takes care of his husband
when he is drunk during the trips.
Cindy, who is the firstborn, tries to find help hoping all will be well in her family. This is true
according to her act of cutting her forearms with a knife writing the words “help me”.
Surname 3
Sarah is the youngest and therefore is not expected to play many roles in the family. However,
she tries to erase the case of stress is her family. This is her role as indicated in the story about
the family.
Both children are not at risk of developing an alcohol-related problem at all. This is because the
problems associated with alcohol occur to the individual using it (alcoholic). Therefore, since the
children are not taking it, their health is not affected. Alcohol is not like smoking cigarette where
even though one is not smoking, the smoke produced affects your health. Alcohol-related
problems are such as the heart attack.
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