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Maddy Mitchell
November 3, 2021
Analytical Essay
Ms. Trowbridge

Alcohol Abuse

Why do people get addicted to alcohol? Unfortunately, drinking is “cool” and “normal”

for teens, but is this what is causing a large number of alcoholics? How do we regulate alcohol

consumption when it is available at almost every event, restaurant, and store? People die from

drunk driving, withdrawals and people continue to drink and use alcohol to “feel good” or

“relax”. The abuse of alcoholic substances is a real problem in our country and it affects the

lives of many people every day.

Alcoholism affects a large part of our population here in the U.S. from teens to

adults. Alcohol is simply a fermentation of yeast, the fermentation breaks down the sugars in

popular food creating wine, vodka, beer, etc. Alcohol causes a “good feeling” trigger in your

brain by releasing endorphins that are associated with the two rewarding regions of the brain.

The endorphins being released are the reason why people keep drinking, the higher the

endorphin release the more people want to drink, “Alcoholism is a disease that affects more than

15 million adults in the United States and many more around the world”(Helms). Even though 15

million may just seem like a number, these 15 million people are a part of families, moms, dads,

daughters, uncles, and grandpas, that have let drinking take over their lives. These people's lives

are controlled by a bottle of life-threatening substances, “The pervasive nature of alcoholism and

drunkenness often leads to loss of a job, divorce, abuse, and even death. Excessive drinking

increases risks of cancer, brain damage, and immune system problems”(Helms). Unfortunately,

many people with addiction and alcoholism in their families can fall into bad habitats much

easier than some people. Individuals can be born with genetics to develop alcoholism, “The
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wealth of data that they have been able to mine with the sequencing of the human genome in

2003 has allowed them to locate specific chromosomes bearing ‘candidate genes that can

increase the likelihood of addiction”(Erikson). But how do people fall into patterns of addiction?

People may be depressed or bored, in the pandemic there was a huge increase in drinking,

“While men represent about 76 percent of alcohol-related deaths, the rate of women dying from

excessive drinking has increased by 85.3 percent since 1999, compared with 38.7 percent for

men”(Simon). Since alcohol is so accessible for people over 21, during a time like the covid-19

pandemic people are looking for a source to enjoy themselves and have some fun. Drinking

seems like the only option for some people to “decompress” themselves. Like the article says,

drinking in women has increased immensely, this may be due to changes in roles of women in

society in the last 20 years. The pressure on women to be a good mom on top of being a working

woman might cause stress and it is a way for them to decompress from life. But just like anyone

else drinking can become a bad habit and have negative effects. Alcoholism can start in many

different ways, there are so many factors that play in why people drink.

Many people start drinking before it is legal for them. Teens tend to think drinking is

“cool” and it is a huge trend in college. Kids in college spend their weekends drinking and

partying. Colleges do not regulate underage drinking or parties which causes kids to develop

alcoholism and other underlying health issues that will affect them later in life. A video directed

by Dale Gaydos states, “The drinking situation is an out, some kids drink because it gives them

an opportunity to do something that they probably wouldn’t do”. Many parents seem to be in

denial that their kids drink. But in reality, “60% of kids by the time they reach Ninth Grade have

had alcohol, 85% of Twelfth Graders have had alcohol”(Gaydos). When teens drink they think

they are invincible and believe that the things they hear on the news will never happen to them.
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Some parents will even promote drinking in their households which may give teens the idea that

drinking is okay and safe in their home, which is not completely true. From teens drunk driving

to sexual assault while under the influence starting to drink at a young age has many negative

effects. To avoid underage drinking parents need to set boundaries and explain the consequences

of irresponsible drinking. With parents helping their kids understand that drinking can cause

many problems physically and mentally, hopefully, it will help people avoid developing the

terrible disease of alcoholism.

Drinking has always played a huge part in our history, religions, other countries, and the

everyday social life of an American. People have company over to hang out and drink, Catholics

take the bread and red wine to feel empowered by their god, and many different kinds of alcohol

were a household staple in Europe. Why is this? If everyone sees that alcohol is the culprit of

many different illnesses within the average person then why is it still so popular these days?

From the beginning of time drinking, alcohol was a part of people's routines or a beverage to

celebrate success, “In the 18th century American men drank an average of three pints of rum a

week. The Continental Congress even authorized a beer ration for soldiers at the start of the

Revolutionary War, and in 1782 replaced it with whiskey, allotting each soldier 13.6 gallons

annually”(Larson, 58). Others would drink because it was all they had. There was little water and

milk so alcohol was the cheapest thing they could drink. Once the government realized the abuse

of alcohol went too far there was a rise in taxes put on all alcohol. “ In 1791, Congress

authorized an excise tax on both domestic and imported spirits”(Ibid, 63). Many people started to

realize the true consequences of drinking. People wanted laws and regulations put in place to

avoid death, alcoholism, and sickness that comes with excessive drinking, “Political leaders and

religious groups increasingly blamed alcohol abuse for illness, death, the ruination of families,
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prostitution, suicide, insanity, and criminality in the working class. Employers said workers

arrived at their jobs drunk and ruined expensive equipment”(Phillips 65). Eventually in the early

1800s alcohol was prohibited in the United States. They built sober houses for people to care for

people who over drink. But this prohibition didn’t stop everyone from drinking. Many

underground bars were built to fuel Americans' need for alcohol called speakeasies, “But

Americans never fully embraced Prohibition. Illegal distilleries proliferated and international

smuggling increased, encouraging corruption and violence. An expanding bootleg liquor

business fueled the rise of criminal gangs and thousands of illegal bars called speakeasies

sprouted in cities across the country.”(Phillips, 77). Medical professionals tried to spread the

word about the side effects of drinking but not many listened. Prohibition ended in 1933 with

some regulations still in place to try to regulate drinking. It seems as though no matter what laws

are put in place, people will continue to drink. But what if people were being educated and

understood the true consequences at a young age, would that change people's minds?

Overall alcoholism has affected humans since the beginning of time and there needs to be

some sort of repercussion. Americans die every day when under the influence and will continue

to fall into the traps of alcoholism if there isn’t a change in our society's stereotypes and

education. It is a very serious disease that many people don’t even think about when taking a sip

of alcohol. Next time you decide to pick up a drink, think about all the side effects and

consequences alcohol can cause and ask yourself, “Is it worth it?”, “Is it cool?”, “How will this

affect me?”

Work Cited:
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Gayos , Dale, director. Teen Drinking: Why Do They Do It? Shibboleth Authentication

Request, 2005, https://video-alexanderstreet-com.dewey.waubonsee.edu/watch/teen-drinking-

why-do-they-do-it/details?context=channel%3Ahealth-and-society-in-video-1s Accessed 3 Nov.

2021.

Helms, Andrew G. "Alcoholism." Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society, ABC-

CLIO, 2021, issues2-abc-clio-com.dewey.waubonsee.edu/Search/Display/970831. Accessed 3

Nov. 2021.

Hollen, Kathryn H. "Genetics of Addiction." Issues: Understanding Controversy and

Society, ABC-CLIO, 2021, issues2-abc-clio-

com.dewey.waubonsee.edu/Search/Display/1571011. Accessed 3 Nov. 2021.

Lyons, Christina L. “Alcohol Abuse .” Shibboleth Authentication Request, Library

Cqpress, 15 May 2020, https://dewey.waubonsee.edu/login?url=http%3A%2F

%2Flibrary.cqpress.com.dewey.waubonsee.edu%2Fcqresearcher%2Fcqresrre2020051500