Discuss the prevalence of alcoholism in the United States. What are the risk factors for alcoholism?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

National surveys reveal that about 10 percent of men and 3 percent of women in the United States are heavy drinkers. About one-third of them are alcoholics—people who cannot limit their alcohol use. In men, alcoholism usually begins in the teens and early twenties and worsens over the following decade. In women, its onset is typically later, in the twenties and thirties, and its course is more variable. Many alcoholics are also addicted to other substances, including nicotine and illegal mood-altering drugs. Twin and adoption studies support a genetic contribution to alcoholism. Genes moderating alcohol metabolism and those influencing impulsivity and sensation seeking (temperamental traits linked to alcohol addiction) are involved. But whether a person comes to deal with life's problems through drinking is greatly affected by environment: Half of alcoholics have no family history of problem drinking. Alcoholism crosses SES and ethnic lines but is higher in some groups than others. In cultures where alcohol is a traditional part of religious or ceremonial activities, people are less likely to abuse it. Where access to alcohol is carefully controlled and viewed as a sign of adulthood, dependency is more likely. Poverty, hopelessness, and a history of physical or sexual abuse in childhood are among factors that sharply increase the risk of excessive drinking.