Alcoholism and the Environment

Alcoholism is a broad term for excessive alcohol consumption that causes physical or mental health problems. Alcoholism affects people of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds. Many countries around the world, particularly those that value self-determination and individualism, consider alcoholism as a disease caused by human frailty. However, many researchers, including practitioners and public health specialists, have discovered that the environment in which one works or lives has a significant impact on one’s drinking behavior and attitudes. The use of drugs and alcohol is unquestionably a taught behavior. Therefore, the environment imparts one with the knowledge of alcohol use, and this directly relates to the formation of addiction. Different environmental factors such as peer influence, family, school, and community where one spends most of her/his time contribute to the development of alcoholism. The environmental factors that influence alcoholism include the availability of alcohol, the society openly accepting alcohol, and local and internal marketing of alcohol. This paper will discuss the role that the environment plays in the development of alcohol. Further, the paper delves into whether differences exist in the role that the environment plays in alcoholism compared to other drugs.

Many studies indicate that the environment plays a significant role in the development of alcohol addiction. The environment where an individual is growing up is essential as it can influence both their present and the future behavior. An individual can end up drinking alcohol if they are always in the company of friends who are drunkards. A person can end up drinking more if they have past thoughts on how they could have fun while drinking. Some people start drinking as a response to different stress factors, which are present in their environment, for instance, family or work problems.

The society, in general, has a significant contribution to the development of alcoholism. Hawkins presents that the mass media, role models, peer attitudes and the society’s attitude, in general, encourages dangerous drinking, which at the end leads to alcohol addiction. The acceptance is evidence in various ways that include the existence of television programs, music, videos, and movies that glorify the behaviors of drinking alcohol. There are local role models, peers, movie stars, sports figures who appear to gain sex appeal, popularity, and fun by taking alcohol and they present that there are no ill effects.

The society also contributes to the development of alcoholism since it does not indicate the negative consequences to those who are engaging in drinking alcohol. There are no negative consequences either (informal) of formal (enforcement, laws), for those participating in dangerous drinking or those creating problems while they are drunk (Toomey et al., 201). Many nations punish an individual only when they are engaging in drunken driving and not on other acts. Such sends a message that drinking is acceptable behavior in the community. No indications in the society alcohol use can have severe consequences such as addiction in the end.

The availability of alcohol at low prices and in some outlets in an individual’s surrounding can contribute to the development of alcoholism. Individuals are likely to drink more if there are more licensed liquor establishments in their surroundings (Hawkins). The lower process of alcohol also motivates people to consume more alcohol. Kegs drink price specials, and other low-priced alcohol sources hearten binge drinking and intoxication. The young individuals tend to drink more when there is ready access to alcohol. Such is particularly the case they can purchase alcohol on their own from a nearby store or bar, requesting those close to them, especially their peers to buy on their behalf because of the fears or consequences of being seen and having a chance of freely drinking at social events and parties.

Advertisements put more influence on the behavior of drinking than even the availability or an individual’s attitudes (Gentile). The alcohol manufacturers are spending billions annually promoting the act of drinking alcohol. Majority of these adverts presents overdrinking and drinking as being glamorous and normal. Many people end up trying or continue using alcohol because they feel that if it could have negative consequences, the governments and the relevant authorities could not allow the ads to be on different shows and posters and in the print media.

The peer domain is an environmental factor that has a significant contribution to the heavy consumption of alcohol that can result in alcoholism. The peers entail one’s social groups and the joints where one meets with his/her friends. One of the most noteworthy contributing factors to the development of various substance abuse problems including alcoholism is the peers and friends (Chaloupka, Frank, and Henry). A person can opt to start drinking alcohol before they want to fit in with their peers or because their peers are viewing them as being cowards. The peers can have a significant influencing power, and one can opt to drink if he/she has not seen any adverse effects on their friends from their drinking habits. The schools and work environment also influence the development of alcoholism. A person’s career can trigger them to start using alcohol. For example, there is a great temptation for people working in alcohol manufacturing firms and those in the food service industry who service customer with liquor to engage in drinking. The availability can contribute to heavy drinking which leads to addiction.

The home environment or family is a risk factor for the development of alcoholism. The social psychologists argue that behavior is learned and thus individuals and especially the children and adolescent’s tend to copy their parent’s actions. A child who grows up while seeing his parents drinking is likely to start using alcohol in the future days (McCrady et al. 691). For example, children can be watching their parents drink a glass of alcohol every night, and they may even request the child to get them the bottle of liquor from the storage unit. The children may grow up knowing that drinking alcohol is normal and they may even copy their parent’s drinking patterns.

The parenting practices also play a crucial role in alcohol addiction or substance abuse use. In the cases of absentee parenthood, the children are likely to start drinking (McCrady et al. 692). The child can use alcohol because they have an awareness that nobody is around to monitor their actions whether good or bad. These children will have all the time to experiment the things that they watch from different shows and those that they see happening in their community including alcohol consumption. If the parents are not present to see signs of drug use, then the child is likely to end up in addiction in the future years.

There are no significant differences in the role, which the environment is playing in the development of alcoholism when compared to other drug use. The environmental factors such as peer pressure, the family/parenting, surrounding community, and the availability of the alcohol directly contributed to the usage of the other drugs such as cocaine, heroin, etc. A significant difference that can be identified is that the government and the local authorities have banned the use of the other drugs such as heroin. An individual found in possession of those drugs aces severe legal consequences including a life sentence in prison. Another difference is that no advertisement promotes the use of the other drugs like in the television programs. The two environmental actors help in reducing the usage of the other medications among various individuals.

Lastly, it is evident that the environment is a great contributor to the development of alcoholism. The society where one lives in can contribute to alcohol use if it does not warn the users on the consequences of excessive drinking. The easy availability of alcohol in many joints and at a low price makes people drink excessive alcohol. If a child grows in a family where the parents are drunkards, there is a high probability that they will also end up drinking. The numerous ads present on different platforms like TV and print media also motivate many people to engage in the habit of alcohol consumption.

Works Cited

Chaloupka, Frank J., and Henry Wechsler. “Binge drinking in college: The impact of price, availability, and alcohol control policies.” Contemporary economic policy 14.4 (1996): 112-124.

Gentile, Douglas A., et al. “Frogs Sell Beer: The Effects of Beer Advertisements on Adolescent Drinking Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior.” (2001).

Hawkins, J. David, Richard F. Catalano, and Janet Y. Miller. “Risk and protective factors for alcohol and other drug problems in adolescence and early adulthood: implications for substance abuse prevention.” Psychological Bulletin 112.1 (1992): 64.

McCrady, Barbara S., et al. “Social, environmental influences on the development and resolution of alcohol problems.” Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 30.4 (2006): 688-699.

Toomey, Traci L., and Alexander C. Wagenaar. “Policy options for prevention: the case of alcohol.” Journal of public health policy (1999): 192-213.