Adolescence: Transition From Childhood to Adulthood

Table of contents

Adolescence represents the transition from childhood to adulthood, that is, it is a period of development where the person acquires the physical and psychological capacities that will identify him/her as developed, especially sexual capacities, which will allow him/her to reproduce. As this is a period of profound change, it is marked by instability and, in most cases, by the confusion of the young people themselves in the face of their changes. During this phase of development, young people are much more vulnerable to some health risks, such as alcohol and drug use.

Drinking alcohol during adolescence has many risks. Some of them are directly related to the fact that drinking alcoholic beverages is dangerous to your health. Other risks for adolescents are indirect and are connected to alcohol-related behaviors. Furthermore, it should not be forgotten that alcohol consumption is also illegal during adolescence in most countries. In the United States, you can only drink alcoholic beverages from the age of 21. In other countries, the age varies but is generally between 18 and 21.

Why do teenagers start drinking?

In the early and middle stages of adolescence (from 11 to 17 years old), young people develop an image of themselves, a role they seek to project and develop in front of others. The development of the personality causes in the adolescent the need for independence from the family group and the search for integration into social groups. This need to belong to a group can lead young people to develop dangerous behavior, such as alcohol consumption. Habits carried out around family and friends are crucial in preventing or encouraging alcohol consumption.

Understanding the reasons why teenagers drink can help us deal with it. One of the reasons is: Alcohol is a powerful mood killer and many teenagers fight shyness or relationship problems with it. Social pressure, on many occasions the society in which young people live encourages, directly and indirectly, the consumption of alcohol showing it as proof or evidence of social success. Many of them imitate adult behavior in the belief that this makes them mature and the consumption of alcohol is often situated in this context, and adolescents also take or drink alcohol for social integration in some specific social group or just to feel mature.

Adolescents are more vulnerable to alcohol

This is because the adult stage has not yet been completed and the young person is in a phase of formation and development, so the health consequences are more severe than for a mature adult. In addition to the physical health risks of alcohol consumption, the most damaging effects of this age are on mental health.

The adolescent’s brain is constantly developing and growing; during adolescence, the young person will be acquiring all the skills of reasoning, planning, information processing, problem-solving and all the properties of abstract thinking. Drinking alcohol during this stage of learning and developing these skills can stall the process and result in an adult with significant impairments in mature thinking.

Alcohol also impairs the areas of the brain responsible for memory and learning, which are also under development and which make the ability to create and store memories, attention, and concentration very difficult and harmful. These skills are essential for the development of education and learning, and their lack or incomplete development can have serious consequences in the long run. In addition to the risks to the development of mature thinking and cognitive ability, alcohol use in adolescents greatly affects behavior, which can lead to the development of aggressive behavior that prevents the proper development of social relationships.

Risks

Alcohol consumption is not just an adult problem. Most American high school seniors have had an alcoholic drink in the last month. This encourages dangerous and risky behavior. Over time, this excess alcohol damages the brain cells. This can lead to behavioral problems and permanent damage to memory, thinking, and judgment. Adolescent drinkers tend to perform poorly in school and their behaviors can get them into trouble. Alcohol use also creates an increased risk of depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Drinking alcohol during puberty can also change hormones in the body. This can affect growth and puberty.

I will name one of the biggest direct risks of drinking alcohol at an early age or in adolescents: Dependence is one of the most important factors because alcohol is included in the group of the most addictive drugs due to its accessibility, it causes very serious diseases and disorders such as cirrhosis and high blood pressure, it makes you fat or overweight, and frequent consumption of alcohol has effects on the brain, especially in the case of adolescents. Not only does it cause memory loss, but it also influences the ability to concentrate and the entire cognitive process.

Other risks are indirect ones in which it causes significant effects on behavior, effects that can lead to very serious problems. For example traffic accidents, the lack of control over yourself caused by alcohol can lead to unprotected sex leading to unwanted pregnancy and fatal sexual diseases, and the lack of control caused by excessive alcohol consumption can lead to violent behavior. Young people who find themselves in the middle of fights or aggressive behavior.

How to prevent them from drinking

In order to prevent them from drinking and other risky behaviors, it is important for parents to start educating their children at an early age. Children must be educated to be responsible. They must understand and assume the risks of some behaviors. Also, when children have sufficient self-esteem, they are confident; it is much more difficult for them to need external motivations to feel good or to relate socially. In some of our countries of origin, the legality of alcohol drinking, even among young people, is very high.

But if we want our children to be safe in this respect, we will have to establish clear rules on the prohibition of their participation. In most cases, alcohol consumption among adolescents takes place on weekends and during holidays and at night. Some of these situations can be avoided by setting an early curfew.

Finally, I want to mention one of the most effective and strongest points that I experienced in my schools and during my primary and secondary education period that also the government or the education of such country has to demand or employ educational campaigns in which they are made in the schools or high schools to inform and educate how serious are drugs and alcohol consumption (causes, factors, risks, real-life cases, regrets, and how to elaborate a healthy life) The first thing you need to do is to be aware of the serious risks or results of drinking at any age, but especially among young people or adolescents.

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Analyze the Binge drinking in the UK Essay

We see drunken people almost everyday; whether it is on the news, in our local pub, walking down the street, or possibly even that one colleague at work who’s having a hard time. We’ve all heard the stories on the news about Britain’s problems with alcohol, whether its minors being inebriated, students binge drinking, or those of us who are simply alcoholics. And what are our great leaders doing to help prevent this? What is always their answer when this topic is raised in parliament? ‘Let us raise the minimum legal age for buying and consuming alcohol to 21.’ However I propose something radically different. Let us lower it.

Aside from the obvious reasons – such as being able to get married at 16 but being unable to have a celebratory drink at your own wedding – there are many valid reasons to lower the age limit.

Most of us know the story of Adam and Eve being thrown out of The Garden of Eden because Eve ate one of the Apples from the tree of wisdom after God told them specifically not to eat from that tree but they could eat anything else they wished to eat. This is probably the best known version of the “Forbidden Fruits” theory – also where the name originated from. There has been many psychological studies to prove and determine how, when and why the “Forbidden Fruits” theory works the way it does. If you say to your child “here is a chocolate bar, but you can’t eat it” all the child will think about is that chocolate bar and eating it.

It is exactly the same with youths and alcohol, making them want to drink underage. – and this is where the problem begins for every drinker. Simply because the youths know they can not and should not drink they will do everything possible get their hands on alcohol as often as they can. However if we lower the minimum age of consumption, therefore making alcohol more accessible to youths, the number of youths with alcohol problems will decrease significantly. In countries such as Italy and France where drinking a moderate amount of alcohol with the evening meal is the norm, they have significantly less alcohol related health issues than we do. Children are allowed a sip of wine or a slurp of beer because it’s a social activity. Children, and therefore teenagers, see alcohol and its function differently. They have no concept of going out “to get drunk”.

There is also the problem that, just like sex, alcohol is everywhere. There is at least one pub on every corner, every shop has an alcohol section – often near the checkout, alcohol in television shows and movies, advertisements for alcohol itself, empty tin cans and bottles lying in the streets – often smashed, inebriated people walking home, it becomes drilled into our brains to drink. To someone who is attempting not to drink, it is very hard and they will almost certainly give in due to constant reminders ‘taunting’ them.

I believe we should join our brothers and sisters in the European Union. Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, the Netherlands and Switzerland all have minimum ages of 16 for buying and consumption. Meanwhile Cyprus has a minimum age of 17 and in Albania, Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania and Sweden there is no minimum age. While countries in the EU do tend to drink more, the number of alcohol related problems is significantly less than in other countries. In America 57% of the adult population admit to drinking too much.

When it comes to minors drinking in America only 9% of the drinkers aged 12 -14 did not binge drink – and it only gets worse! 6% of 15-17 year olds do not binge drink and a shocking 4% of 18-20 years olds (bearing in mind that the minimum age for buying and consuming alcohol in America is 21.)

However in Spain only 5% of the population has an alcohol related problem. Why? They too start drinking in their early teens – just like us Britons – although the difference is they are encouraged to not only drink with friends but with family too.

Finally, in Italy the quickest way to lose your friend’s and neighbors’ respect is to get drunk in public. Drinking on the streets is considered disrespectful.

I feel we need a shift in the way we think about alcohol and the restrictions on it and this needs to be government led, by lowering the age limit for buying alcohol. If children grew up knowing what wine, beer etc tasted like, the mysticism behind it has been removed, and therefore the impulse to go out and get drunk. By lowering, not raising, the age limit there will be an almost instant change in the number of people abusing alcohol, especially in the younger generations.

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Pronature and Pro Nurture

I think the flaw lies behind assuming that any one particular behavior is solely responsible or due to genetics. Genetics do play huge role in affecting one directly such as their responses to an issue or situation that may occur. Aggressiveness, patience, empathy or sympathy. I believe that everyone carries these genes to some degree or another and yes, that many of these behaviors can be genetically responsible. I believe that genetics such as how one’s health or wellbeing such as developing breast cancer because it is a hereditary disease that is in your genetic code.

As far as behaviors you cannot distinguish In my opinion are you an alcoholic because one of your uncles or relatives were or was t because you like to consume alcohol or because you picked up a bad habit from exposure all your life. I feel that many times when dealing with behaviors of others or even within yourself that they are related to how you were raised. Were you raised with values and morals? Did you live In a household where your parents expressed love, compassion, trust, and respect for others?

Or were you exposed to drugs, alcohol, aggressive behaviors, exposure to toxic environments, abuse verbal, mental, physical and or sexual? If the answer Is no that your upbringing was a loving environment then It’s possible that the behaviors stem from the exposure of peers. Considering everyone Is raised differently and we all carry separate genes It Is important to separate what may be genetics from what Is learned behaviors.

Both genetics and learned behaviors can affect our overall behaviors In which cannot be confirmed one way or the other and cannot be controlled unless It Is taught or learned from experience, circumstances or consequences to one’s Individual behaviors and how they felt about them. Either way recognizing the complexity of or-nature and pro-nurture they both are an Important role In human development. Pro-nature and pro-nurture Is what defines our personalities which create the difference within each and every one of us.

Premature and Pro Nurture By puppeteers behaviors can be genetically responsible. I believe that genetics such as how one’s disease that is in your genetic code. As far as behaviors you cannot distinguish in raised with values and morals? Did you live in a household where your parents mental, physical and or sexual? If the answer is no that your upbringing was a loving environment then it’s possible that the behaviors stem from the exposure of peers.

Considering everyone is raised differently and we all carry separate genes it is important to separate what may be genetics from what is learned behaviors. Both genetics and learned behaviors can affect our overall behaviors in which cannot be confirmed one way or the other and cannot be controlled unless it is taught or learned from experience, circumstances or consequences to one’s individual pro-nature and pro-nurture they both are an important role in human development.

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Alcoholism 11

Alcoholism Alcoholism is one of the biggest medical problems in the Western world. Alcohol has been around since biblical times. The problem continues to grow every year and has a negative impact on society. Nearly every town and city has restaurants that serve alcohol, and has stores where it can be purchased. For these reasons, the nature of alcoholism needs to be exposed. The problems that arise from this disease need to be shown. The purpose of this paper is to talk about the problem, the cause and effects, and the treatment process.

Alcoholism is the habitual or compulsive consumption of alcoholic liquor to excess according to Webster’s New World Dictionary. An alcoholic has no control over drinking and continues to use alcohol even though adverse consequences occur (Hurley 71). Alcohol affects the alcoholic’s family and work, they ignore responsibilities and assignments. In nineteen fifty six alcoholism was recognized as a disease by the American Medical Association. Fishman 28) When the National Council for Education on Alcoholism (now known as the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependency) was formed, their first and most prominent principle was, “Alcoholism is a disease” (Nicolaus 136). The disease has serious consequences on the drinker and society as well. Even though there is much concern about drugs, next to tobacco, alcohol is the most widely used drug in the United States (Hurley 71). Alcohol impaired drivers caused thirty two percent of traffic related fatalities in two thousand eight (“Alcohol Impaired Driving”).

In 1996 nearly thirty six percent of incarcerated criminals were under the influence of alcohol when committing their crime (“Alcohol and Crime”). Indeed, alcoholism has become a public concern, since it had begun to influence society as well. There are two types of alcoholism, alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency. An example of alcohol abuse is random binge drinking. A person is alcohol dependent when that person can’t stop drinking without withdrawal symptoms. “There is no known cause of alcoholism. ” (Van Voorhees) Alcoholism is described as a drug addiction.

There are several factors that play in its development. They are divided into two main groups, psychological and social. Psychological factors include anxiety relief, conflict in relationships, depression and low self-esteem. Some examples of social factors are the ease of getting alcohol, peer pressure, social acceptance of alcohol use, and a stressful lifestyle. (Van Voorhees) There are other factors that lead to excessive drinking. “Research suggests that certain genes may increase the risk of alcoholism, but which genes or how they work is not known. (Van Voorhees) Studies have shown that family history is a factor as well. People whose parents abused alcohol have a higher risk of alcoholism. It is a given that alcoholism leads to physical and mental problems. But how does excessive consumption of alcohol affect the daily life of alcoholics? What are the effects of alcoholism in everyday life? The organ most sensitive to alcohol is the brain. The cerebrum is affected first. It is in control of sensation, perception, speech, and judgment. The cerebellum is the second part of the brain affected.

The cerebellum is responsible for coordination and balance. A person under the influence of alcohol will have slurred speech, loss of balance and uncoordinated movements. The excessive alcohol user is usually unable to judge accurately what he or she can or cannot do. Drinking alcohol increases confidence and diminishes abilities. This misplaced confidence often leads people to judge themselves competent to perform tasks that are beyond their abilities. (Fishman 37-41) An alcoholic’s job and family are also affected by alcoholism.

In couples it affects communication, which in turn, increases conflict levels. It has also been proven that domestic violence increases in alcoholic families. Alcohol use affects parenting. Family life can become chaotic and have poor quality environment. The children are exposed to the parent’s increased conflict (“Alcohol and the Family”). An alcoholic’s attendance to work is affected by drinking. They are chronically late and their productivity is decreased. The effects of alcohol in everyday life can be further explained through specific examples.

In terms of finances, an alcoholic would be irresponsible. The bills would not be paid on time, prompting the collection agencies to take action. An alcoholic would not be stable enough to manage his or her own money; thus, incapacity for money management is an effect of alcoholism in everyday life. In terms of employment or schooling, an alcoholic is most likely to be tardy. However, the person can altogether skip school or work to drink. Even socializing with friends is affected by alcoholism. An alcoholic usually does not like it when other people offer their opinion about his or her drinking habits.

He or she is irritated by comments and critiques of their drinking. As a result, the alcoholic would soon drink in secrecy. Another effect of alcoholism in everyday life is the lapses in memory and interest. Due to the aforementioned effect on the brain, it follows that even memory is not spared from the . Alcoholics usually suffer from “blackouts” (Fishman 40). These are instances when they could not remember appointments and the like. Moreover, the activities that the person used to enjoy would cease to be enjoyable, due to the effect of alcoholism (Fishman 42).

These are some of the examples of how alcoholism affects everyday life. Alcoholism is a treatable disease. There are treatments available for this condition, and several medications have made it possible for alcoholics to fully recover. In the treatment of alcoholism, there are several steps to take into account: intervention, detoxification and rehabilitation (Fishman 60). The first step is intervention. It takes someone else to point out the problem for them to realize that they need to get help. The most familiar approach in intervention is the confrontation between alcoholics and the concerned party.

It was only recently when studies have shown that intervention would be more effective if it was done with “compassion and empathy” (Medline). The next step is detoxification. The objective of this step is to stop the drinking of alcoholic beverages. This phase in the treatment is tough for the alcoholic, as the intake of alcohol will suddenly be stopped. That is why detoxification usually takes place in an inpatient set-up, in which the environment is “controlled and supervised” (Van Voorhees). During the process, every medication is cautiously measured to hinder withdrawal from taking place.

The moment the symptoms of withdrawal are absent, the giving of medications would be gradually stopped. The duration of detoxification usually lasts from four to seven days. These days, there is a kind of detoxification that is in the outpatient set-up, but still under the guidance of a physician. While in detoxification treatment, it is important that the patient has a balanced diet, as well as vitamin supplements. This is because there are complications that happen with alcohol withdrawal, and the patient must be as healthy as possible (Fishman 83-84).

If the detoxification process stops people from consuming alcohol, the rehabilitation process guides people to fully recover by staying away from alcohol (Van Voorhees). This fourth step in the treatment is more comprehensive, as it prepares the patient for complete recovery in the long run. Not only does rehabilitation stop people from drinking, it allows them to create a network of support to encourage their continuous road to recovery. Rehabilitation programs usually involve “counseling, psychological support, therapy, education and skills training” (Fishman 85-88).

There are two kinds of rehabilitation programs: the short-term and the long-term programs (Fishman 89). The former requires less than a month, while the latter could range from a month to a year or longer. There is also the outpatient counseling option, which is suitable for those who have just finished an inpatient treatment. Aside from this, there are the support groups dedicated to the endeavor of recovery of alcoholics. Examples of which include SMART Recovery, Women for Sobriety, and Alcoholics Anonymous (Van Voorhees).

There are three recognized medications in treating alcoholism. The first one is Disulfiram. The medicine works by disrupting the metabolism of alcohol, causing a metabolite that would make the person sick if he drinks even a small amount of alcohol about two weeks after taking the medicine. The second drug is Acamprosate. It is believed that this drug helps people to abstain from alcohol; it also decreases the symptoms that come with abstinence (“Alcoholism”). The third drug is Naltrexone, which works on the brain to decrease alcohol cravings (Barbour 145-146).

It is crucial that people are made aware of the causes, effects and treatments of alcoholism. This awareness would help prevent the problem of alcoholism. People should be reminded that alcoholism is not just the problem of an individual but also of society. Works Cited Alcohol and the Family. Aug 2004. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Web. 15 Dec 2009. . Barbour, Scott. Alcohol. San Diego: Greenhaven Pr, 1998. 145-146. Print. Fishman, Ross. Alcohol and alcoholism. New York, NY: Chelsea House Pub, 1986. Print Hurley, Jennifer. Addiction. San Diego: Greenhaven Pr, 2000.

Print. “MayoClinic. com. ” Alcoholism. 08 May 2008. Mayo foundation for Medical Education and Research. Web. 15 Dec 2009 . National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Alcohol-Impaired Driving. , 2008. Web. 28 Nov. 2009. Neufeldt, Victoria, and David Guralnik. Webster. 3rd college. New York, NY: Webster, 1989. Print. Nicolaus, Martin. Empowering Your Sober Self. 1st. San Francisco, CA: Jossy-Bass, 2009. Print. United States Department of Justice. Alcohol and Crime. , 2008. Web. 28 Nov 2009. Van Voorhees, Benjamin. “MedlinePlus. ” Alcoholism. 15 Jan 2009. Web. 15 Dec 2009. .

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Evaluate Possible Economic Policies

Evaluate possible economic policies, other than increasing the age limit, that a government might use to reduce significantly the consumption of alcoholic drinks. The market mechanism should allocate scarce resources to maximize consumer welfare. Alcohol is an example of a demerit good. A demerit good is one which is overpriced by the market mechanism. Apart from alcohol, drugs and prostitution are also examples of demerit goods. Consumption of these goods produces large negative externalities.

Crime increases, health costs rise, valuable human economic sources are destroyed, and friends and relatives suffer distress. Moreover, individuals themselves suffer and are unable to stop consuming because demerit goods are often addictive. Therefore it can be argued that consumers of these goods are not the best Judges of their own interests. As a result, governments intervene to correct this market failure. The government has tentatively proposed a minimum price for a unit of alcohol at app. A minimum price is mainly aimed at preventing the sale of very cheap alcohol by supermarkets.

The hope is that a higher price will courage binge drinking, improve health, and make people pay the true social cost of alcohol. Opponents argue it is unfair and a regressive price which will hurt the living standards of those on low income. It is recognized that the UK has a problem with binge drinking. Overcompensation of alcohol can lead to many social problems, such as increased crime, increased accidents. It contributes to a variety of health problems such as premature death, cirrhosis of the liver, heart disease, cancer, alcoholism, and mental problems.

All this places costs on the NASH, which have to be erne by the tax payer. The Auk’s alcohol problem is much worse than most European countries, like France. According to the ONES, in 2010/11, there was an 11 per cent increase on alcohol-related (hospital) admissions giving a total of 1 , 168,300 admissions. This is more than twice as many as in 2002/03 (510,700). Academics say that total deaths from the “wider harms” caused to society by alcohol could reach 250,000 in England and Wales by 2019 if current trends continue. (250,000 deaths from alcohol).

According to a report, “Health First: An evidence-based alcohol strategy or the I-J”. “The personal, social and economic cost of alcohol has been estimated to be up to Bean per year for England and EH. Ban for Scotland,” The app minimum would mean a can of strong lager could not be sold for less than El . 56 and a bottle of wine below EH. 22. Research carried out for the government shows a app minimum would reduce the consumption of alcohol by 4. 3%, leading to 2,000 fewer deaths and 66,000 hospital admissions after 10 years. Researchers also claim the number of crimes would drop by 24,000 a year.

In addition, the biggest effect is amongst young binge’ drinkers who are most price sensitive. Controversially, some politicians have argued it would reduce living standards for those on low incomes. The minimum price is highly regressive and will affect those on low incomes the most. There is already substantial tax on alcohol. Additionally, a higher minimum price could encourage people to switch to illicit ‘home brews’ and replacement alcohol, this is potentially dangerous as it leaves people exposed to alcohol of an unknown quantity Evaluate Possible Economic Policies By millennium profits.

Some say that the government would be better off Just increasing tax on alcohol so that society pockets the extra cost rather than supermarkets. Then the tax revenue raised could be used to fund the cost of treating alcohol related diseases. An increase in indirect taxation would cause the supply curve to shift to the left and, therefore, pushing up the price of a product. Taxes, however, are difficult to implement efficiently. To cause a significant reduction of the alcohol consumption the tax level has to be significantly higher.

For example, a 1% change in tax would not eave a big impact on alcohol consumption. Moreover, if a change in taxes would be high, it could lead to an increase in alcohol import from other countries, or black- market. The price elasticity of demand, I. E. The responsiveness of demand to changes in the price of a product, is another factor affecting the results of taxation. If demand for alcohol is inelastic, higher taxes will not reduce the demand significantly. Apart from raising the price per base unit for Alcohol, advertising is often considered a factor which affects the demand for this demerit good.

Advertising for alcoholic beverages is regularly under government scrutiny. Regulating and reducing the visibility of alcoholic beverages is seen as a convincing public health policy measure to reduce alcohol-related harm. Contrary to the general belief, alcohol advertising does not create the desire to consume, therefore banning advertising will not significantly reduce overall consumption, and alcohol-related harm will not automatically decline. In a mature market, the purpose of marketing is to encourage competition between brands, not to influence consumption of a product category.

An increase in car advertising, for instance, will not lead to an increase in car purchases. It will however influence car buyers to choose between different brands and models. Evidence indicates that while advertising does not increase overall consumption of alcoholic beverages, it does have a measurable impact on market share for brands and substitution between brands. Marketing and advertising create brand awareness. In a mature market such as the one for alcoholic beverages, it merely encourages competition between brands, which is both stimulating for the economy ND beneficial for consumer choice.

Subsidies are often considered when the topic of reducing the consumption of alcoholic drinks is raised. A subsidy is a payment paid by the government to a producer which aims to reduce their costs and increase output. The effect of a subsidy is to increase supply and drive prices down, if all things remain equal (sisters Paramus). In terms of correcting market failure this should raise demand to the level it should be at if the benefits of consumption were taken into account, this can be seen as a correction of market failure as under institution of merit goods can lead to a loss of social welfare.

One issue with subsidizing an industry is that they can become over reliant on the subsidy and therefore become inefficient as a result, leading to a delay of economic reform. In addition to this, lower prices are not beneficial when trying to reduce consumption of demerit goods, as lower prices lead to an increased demand in the good. Thirdly, a government could implement regulations on the alcohol consumption. For example, it could ban public drinking and/or limit the times of alcohol sale (e. G. People could buy alcohol only in the afternoon).

This would lead to lower consumption of alcohol only if it would be followed by everybody and guarded by the police. It could also encourage decrease the consumption significantly. Moreover, a government could prepare information campaigns and events on the negative externalities of drinking, such as higher criminality and unemployment. It could educate people about the possible negative results of drinking and encourage them to limit their alcohol consumption. It would also lead to limiting the imperfect information problem.

People should be also ware that over consuming alcohol which a demerit good, I. E. A good which has been found through the political process to be socially undesirable, causes harm to them (e. G. Liver cancer, addiction). These actions could result in significant changes, especially in the long-term and, therefore it is difficult to assess their helpfulness in a short period of time. Educating the public takes a long time and has to last for many years. However, alcohol consumption is often considered as a part of tradition and culture and therefore it will be difficult to limit it.

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Homelessness Melissa St

Homelessness Melissa St George SOC 203: Social Problems Instructor: Risa Garelick August 28, 2011 I intend to show the meaning of homelessness and the different ways that people become homeless. I will also show how we can go about preventing homelessness. Homelessness means that one has no place to live. “The most prominent sociodemographic characteristics identified with high risk of homelessness have been male gender, Black race, being unmarried, and being middle aged” (Greenberg & Rosenheck, 2010, p1234-1235). Most of the homeless live in cities but there are those who live in the rural areas.

Most of them are hidden because they are homeless for shorter periods of time. There are several causes or reasons why people are homeless, some of them are by choice and others are forced, contrary to most people’s beliefs that they “are drug addicts, alcoholics or are mentally challenged” (syzygyastro). The different types of homeless people are “push-outs”, victims of environmental catastrophe, mentally ill, the new poor, the technologically unqualified, the elderly, runaways, the demoralized, alcoholics, ease addicts, travel addicts, and excitement addicts (Henslin, 2008, p 228).

The “push-outs” are people or families that have been forced out. They can be teenagers who are thrown out by their parents. The parents may have thrown them out due to They can be adults or families who have been evicted by landlords. Due to the high costs of rents, they may have had to choose between paying the rent or other necessities such as food, clothing, or gas. Or they could have lost their home due to the “sub-prime mortgage catastrophe that has made more than families homeless in 2008 and now threatens a further 48 percent of the rest sub-prime mortgage holders who are late in payments or in default” (Syzygyastro).

Victims of environmental catastrophe have been forced out due to hurricanes, floods, fires, tornadoes, tsunamis, or other environmental disasters. The mentally ill have been forced out by hospitals or insurance companies. They are unable to care for themselves, so they live out on the streets not knowing how to survive in the “real” world. They can also become homeless because they need to choose their medications over rent. “20% to 50% of homeless adults suffer from a serious mental illness” (Greenberg & Rosenheck, 2010, p 1235).

The new poor are forced out from a job due to technological change. There jobs are taken over by machines and/or globalization. The company moves to another part of the world, so that they can pay fewer wage to their employees. The technologically unqualified have been forced out because they never posed any technological skills, so they are unable to keep or get jobs. The wages that they do receive are so low that they can not afford an apartment. The elderly have been discarded.

They have no family support, no income, and most are unemployable. Runaways choose to be homeless due to unstable living conditions. Most of these runaways are teenagers who have been physically abused. Some are the results of the system failing them. Most of the runaways are between the age of fifteen and seventeen but there are some that are as young as age ten. The demoralized are the depressed who have given up. The addicts are those who have been addicted to alcohol or drugs and choose their addictions over their homes. 0% to 80% have a history of substance use disorders” (Greenberg & Rosenheck, 2010, p 1235), “thirty eight percent of homeless people have a problem with alcohol addiction and that another twenty six percent of homeless people have addictions to other drugs” (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2003). The Anti-Drug Abuse Act has made impossible for people who are convicted of a drug-related crime to keep their public housing. In the 1950’s the deinstitutionalization of psychiatric treatment was the major factor of homelessness. The ease addicts choose homelessness.

They are usually in their early twenties and want to escape responsibility. The travel addicts choose to be homeless and want to roam. The excitement addicts choose to be homeless. They enjoy the thrill of danger and because it offers the “edge”. The other things that are also associated with homelessness are past incarceration, exposure to trauma, lack of low-income housing, and the decrease in public funds. “As a result of loss of benefits, low wages, and unstable employment, many families leaving welfare struggle to get medical care, food, and housing” (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009). A lack of affordable housing and the limited scale of housing assistance programs have contributed to the current housing crisis and to homelessness” (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009). There are many ways that we can help to prevent homelessness. In 1987, the McKinney Homeless Act took the first steps to this by making it a federal law that there needed to be funding for the homeless. The next steps that we need to do is to evaluate the homeless in our communities to see what programs or services are most in need. We need to evaluate our homeless shelters.

We need to have job training and financial programs. We need to keep track of the people that we help. We need to set up supportive housing and/or “Unfortunately, government action and public policy of recent has not necessarily helped the plight of the homeless, in fact in some cases it has served to compound the problem” (Gaddis, 2007). When we evaluate the homeless in our communities to see what programs or services that we need most, we need to do it in a way that is nonthreatening and compassionate. We need to evaluate our own bias, so that we can put them aside and help them. Many of the people that experience homelessness are not the stereotypical homeless persons that would come to mind when thinking about this problem” (Gaddis, 2007). We need to find out why they are homeless and look to the local government for help. Public assistance programs can help the homeless with some of their problems. There needs to be some type of coordination between homeless shelters and public service agencies. Some people will not go to public agencies for help because of the bias of others and/or because of their pride.

Many of the reports that I read told of conditions at shelters as being in poor condition. An example of this is when FEMA set up the social housing after Hurricane Katrina. “Some people are highly critical of these camps, calling them nothing more than concentration camps complete with barbed wire and gun towers” (Syzygyastro). The other reports that I read talked about shelters that were run down, very few of them, and they were riddled with disease, pests, and thefts. Job trainings and financial programs will be able to help the homeless get back on their feet.

We should have some kind of job training programs for these people because most of them are there due to a job loss. This would also help the runaways who need to the life skills to survive in the world. Financial programs could be very helpful because it can help them get their finances in order and to teach them how to stretch their earnings by budgeting. We need to keep track of the people that we help. Too many times people get the help that they need and then they are forgotten about. We need to set up programs that help this people and offer support over a long period of time. Studies of placement programs often find that they lose track of residents within the first year, so track clients carefully, and assess their need for specific services” (Solutions for America). We need to look at supportive housing or “Treatment of substance abuse has been reported to improve outcomes in homeless persons with dual diagnoses of serious mental illness and substance abuse” (Folsom, Hawthorne, Lindamer.. , 2005). When we set up supportive housing for addicts, we can help them to beat their addictions and set up their new “life”.

We can also help the people with mental health disorders; get the supports that they may need. We will only be able break the cycle by coming together as a community and working on ways to help those that are having a difficult time. We need to remember that one day that could be us and we would want someone there to help us. Annotated Bibliography: Why Are People Homeless?. (July 2009). Retrieved August 12, 2011, from National Coalition for the Homeless website, http://www. nationalhomeless. org/factsheets/why. tml. The article talks about what homelessness is and the many causes of it. Gaddis, Roger. (2007, August 22). The Homeless in the United States. Retrieved August 12, 2011, from website http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/351165/the_homeless_in_the_united_states. html? cat=4, The article talks about the number of homeless people in the United States and reasons why they are homeless. Youth Homelessness: Facts and Solutions. (n. d. ) Retrieved August 12, 2011, from Youth Noise website http://www. youthnoise. om/page. php? page_id=6145. This article talks about the causes for teen homelessness and how we can prevent it. Preventing Homelessness in America. (n. d. ) Retrieved August 12, 2011, from Solutions for America website http://www. solutionsforamerica. org/thrivingneigh/homelessness. html. The article talks about the many causes of homelessness and how we can prevent it. Addiction Blog. (2011, January 7). Drug and alcohol abuse and the homeless. It talks about the statistics for drug and alcohol abuse among the

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Bindge Drinking

We have all heard the terms boozing, drinking to get drunk, sloshed, tanked, tipsy, tooted, and hammered. But have you ever really thought about what you were saying when you used these terms. You were saying that all that you did the night before was binge drink. Binge drinking on college campuses is something that has grown to an all time high but who’s to blame? All too often we have heard the horror stories of how kids are getting behind the wheel of a car after a night of binge drinking, and end up killing everyone involved, but themselves.

Binge drinking must be stopped, but it’s easier said than done. College administrators shouldn’t be held 100 percent accountable for students actions, the idea for colleges to crack down on binge drinking sounds unrealistic. In his essay “Binge Drinking must be stopped” director of the college alcohol studies program at the Harvard school of public health, Henery Wechsler states “An incoming freshman learns during the first week of school where the alcohol and parties and often has a binge drinking experience even before purchasing a textbook.

If students can find it so easily so can college administrators it’s not that complicated” (32). It shouldn’t be the administrators responsibility to constantly hover over their Lee 2 students. We’re not talking about high school students here,we’re talking about college students! These are people who are 18 years old are older so it’s time for them to take on some responsibilities. I believe that if your caught intoxicated on campus and your under the age of 21 your parents shouldn’t be notified by an college administrator, you should be taken straight to jail until you sober up.

I mean aren’t you considered an adult once you turn 18? (elaborate more) “if we know so much about the problem, why is it that we have not been able to do much about it” (33). Realistically speaking how are u going to be able to stop binge drinking? “Drunken parties are usually at certain frat houses and housing complexes. The heaviest drinking most likely takes place in a few bars near campus” (33). Why is it that administrators have to take on all the responsibilities?

Do you really expect administrators to go around busting in frat houses or local bars like some type of Robocops? That would be stepping on students privacy , and everyone has a right to their privacy. Consequences and reprecutions should be enforced in order to make students think twice before they go out and binge drink. Students need to take on more responsibilities for themselves instead of being baby sitted by college administrators

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