Alcoholism as a Major Problem in the U.S.

Alcoholism is a major problem in the United States because alcoholics endanger themselves and society. Alcoholism follows a characteristic course with known physical, psychological, and social symptoms. Once addicted, the alcoholic continues to consume alcohol despite the destructive consequences. While the particular symptoms and pattern of drinking problems may vary with the individual, the alcoholic can only regain control over his or her life by abstaining from the substance. Alcohol-related problems are not likely to be reduced by strategies involving single interventions directed solely at the individual. Economic, political, social and environmental forces that work together to encourage and perpetuate alcoholism must also be addressed.

In America alone there are an estimated ten million active alcoholics (Dulfano, 1992, p. 12). It is impossible to estimate the number of non-alcoholics affected by the disease. This number includes the battered spouses and children of alcoholics, the victims of drunk driving, and the employers whose alcoholic employees perform their work tasks with diminished capacity. The economic costs of alcoholism include the costs of medical bills, road accident damage, law enforcement expenses, unemployment and premature death. In the United States, between 1985 to 1990, the economic cost of alcoholism and alcohol-related problems rose 40 percent to $98.6 billion. Reduced or lost productivity and premature death accounted for 71 percen

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1994, p. 1). In California, according to Highway Patrol data, of 31,496 alcohol-involved traffic accidents, 1,565 resulted in death in 1992. These fatalities accounted for 42 percent of total accidents. In Los Angeles, during that same period, 9,009 alcohol-involved accidents resulted in 324 fatalities, 37 percent of total accidents (Indicators of Alcohol Abuse, 1992, p. 4). A combination of biological, psychological, and cultural factors contribute to the development of alcoholism in any individual. Although there is no conclusive indication of how the alcoholism of family members is associated, studies show that the majority of all alcoholics have had a close relative who is an alcoholic. Some researchers therefore suggest that certain alcoholics have an inherited physical predisposition to alcohol addiction: "We know that it is transmitted genetically . . . And like all inherited traits, it manifests itself where it will, among rich and poor, without respect of person, without the volition of parents or children . . . " (FitzGerald, 1991, p. 96). Granted, it is possible to abuse alcohol for a short or contained period of time without developing alcoholism. For example, some people may drink abusively during a personal

Category: Psychology - A