Alcoholism Is A Disease
Submitted by snowcowgirl on November 20, 2008
Category: Psychology
Words: 2449 | Pages: 10
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Alcoholism is a Disease
Many people in the United States have family members who are alcoholics, and most of them wonder if they too will become alcoholics, or if it is truly a disease and hereditary. Nearly 17.6 million Americans are alcoholics or are alcohol dependent (Nakaya, 2007). While some believe that alcoholism is a choice, for many years scientific studies and medical professionals state that alcoholism is a disease.
Alcohol abuse is defined as the overindulgence in and dependence that can lead to outcomes that can be harmful. Alcohol abuse is characterized by a pattern of on-going pathological use that result in consequences such as family obligations, work, school and legal problems (Wikipedia 2008). Dependence and abuse are distinct from addiction.
The...