Alcoholics Anonymous

ALCOHOLISM PAPER: ALCOHOL ADDICTION AND HOW IT AFFECTS ITS USERS

Alcohol Anonymous (AA) is a 12-step program designed to help alcoholics achieve sobriety. Users who attend AA meetings have different life-changing stories. However, all of these stories relate to the effects of alcohol as a result of excessive alcohol consumption. Alcohol is an addicting and legal depressant with potentially deadly consequences and is used and abused by people of all ages around the world. The abundance of alcohol readily available in grocery stores and liquors makes it easy for users to become addicted. Although there are positive outcomes from low to moderate use such as an increase in appetite, relaxed muscle tension, and a decrease in heart disease and plaque (Inaba & Cohen, pg 217), users build a dependence for the drug, and the results become far worse. Excessive drinking and its effects can result in withdrawals, car accidents, and attempted suicides, all of which may be fatal. Alcohol addiction is a disease that is difficult to treat and requires special attention.

My visit to the Burbank Group AA meeting was life changing. The meeting had dozens of alcoholics who wanted to change their lives for the better. Many of the members led normal lives and had loving families. However, alcohol played a detrimental role in their lives. At one point in their lives, they hit rock-bottom, and that’s when they realized they needed help. Many of these members voluntarily told their stories as a consequence from binge drinking. These stories involved engaging in polydrug abuse, driving under the influence, and attempted suicides.

One of the many things I observed during my visit at the Burbank Group AA was that the majority of the attendees were heavy smokers. Alcoholics generally engage in polydrug abuse for certain effects. The most common drugs that are taken with alcohol are tobacco, marijuana, and cocaine. Users simultaneously use alcohol and tobacco to facilitate their...