narrative essay about drinking alcohol

Narrative Essay Sample on Avoiding Drinking Alcohol

Most of us will drink at some point in our lives whether it be because we have just got engaged and decided to celebrate, or after a horrendous day at work just trying to get through the rest of the day without curling up into a ball on the sofa watching movies on your own. There are so many possibilities on why people drink and why people don’t and they all stem from the lives we live and the influences around us. I feel that in my life I have felt the pressure from my peers of consuming alcohol many times and that it has taken much strength to refrain from it because of my influences.

The people we surround ourselves with always have an impact on the way we make choices; for example, if we are constantly around a person that is judgy and means then it is most likely going to make at least, a little, part of you think about other people as if you are the Simon Cowell of your own life. The people that surround me, particularly in the family, are far from perfect. Yes, they are kind, smart, selfless and friendly but with all these great qualities there is bound to be a bad one somewhere. And there is. You see my family is terrible at coping with their emotions, they cannot get help from other people as they feel that they are bothering them and this causes them to get help from other places. Alcohol typically is one of the most commonly used things to help get people's minds off their troubles and it is the highest form of coping mechanism that is used in my family. This makes me feel terrible as I take from it that my family feel that asking for help is selfish which ultimately makes me feel that when life gets me down I should not ask for help, which of course is far from correct.

Whenever my family is experiencing loss, hurt or pain instead of the obvious choice of getting help from others they turn to the drink. Not all of them are bad with their drink, most of them will have one or two alcoholic beverages and they feel better but for some, their issues are much larger and they need more to cope. I always struggled with having to watch my family waste their lives drinking and drifting away as I believe so deeply that they are meant for more than that. I lost an auntie when I was 7 years old to the cruel hands of alcohol, this had hit me hard as I had formed an exceptionally big connection with her. She was like my best friend and I loved her very deeply, so naturally, when I found out she had died I was torn apart. The worst part about this death for me was finding out the cause. When I had found out about her major alcohol problem I had pieced the jigsaw pieces together and found out that all those happy memories I had with her were only there in my memory because she had chosen to drink. The only reason I was best friends with my aunt is that her judgement had been clouded. However, unlike my family, I was able to ask for the help needed and learned to deal with this loss without feeling the need to drink my blues away. Yes! I was only seven and would not have thought about drinking as others normally do but that loss has helped me with coping with all sorts of struggles now the recent years. I am now 16 years old and I cope with so much more struggles, the loss of 3 grandpas, the constant stress and doubt that my life won't go the way I want it and the continuous responsibilities of helping my family at their lowest points so that alcohol does not take more of my families fates. You would think that all the influences of alcohol present in my life, within my family or even people my age, that I would have at least once in my life tasted a drop of alcohol however to the surprise of many, I have not.

My life decided that it wanted to go a different direction than those around me and I am now able to refrain well from the appeal of alcohol. I feel very proud of myself for deciding to stay away from drink and my family are too. They haven’t quite broken the barrier that holds them with this terrible habit but from the influence of myself they have realised their issue and I hope that sooner they can form a solution to help themselves. Still, sometimes I feel hurt from the loss and pain I have had throughout my life, as none of it goes away and I find that the place that I feel most calm and that helps me most, is curled up in a corner chair with my cosy blanket around me, a good book in hand with a hot chocolate lay down beside me. I find myself to be more of an introverted person and find comfort in the company of a few rather than loads of people. This is more appealing to me because I feel that talking through my issues and theirs in smaller groups is more personal than announcing my issues to the world. Asking for help from others is still a huge issue for me as I normally bottle all my struggles up until it gets too much (I have learnt that this is no way to do it). The question lies now, is this all just a hopeful rule set by a delusional child or will I continue to avoid drinking at all costs for a matter of my health and mindset?

Well, I truly believe that I will continue with this journey for the remainder of my life and that my livelihood will be ultimately better for it. I don’t believe that my views will change on the consumption of alcohol as I get older just that potentially I will feel the pressure more. Hate is a strong word and I never truly hate anything, however, the thought of alcohol in my system shortening the span of my life while always corroding my liver is a thought that I do.

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Alcohol Abuse — A Report on Alcohol Abuse and Its Consequences

A Report on Alcohol Abuse and Its Consequences

Categories: Alcohol Abuse

About this sample

Words: 3936 |

20 min read

Published: Oct 2, 2020

Words: 3936 | Pages: 9 | 20 min read

Introduction, current status, harmful effects of alcohol abuse, possible solutions, future implications.

Strengthen restrictions on the availability of alcohol.
Enhance and enforce measures to combat drink-driving.
Facilitate access to screening, brief interventions, and treatment.
Enforce bans or comprehensive restrictions on alcohol advertising, sponsorship, and promotion.
Increase alcohol prices through excise taxes and pricing policies.
Primary prevention: Educating patients about the adverse effects of alcohol abuse.
Secondary prevention: Conducting screenings and early identification of alcohol abuse.
Tertiary prevention: Providing treatment options such as rehabilitation programs and medications to reduce the urge to consume alcohol.
Collect routine alcohol and other drug histories.
Implement primary prevention measures, including anticipatory guidance and alcohol abuse education.
Assess potential alcohol-related problems.
Formulate diagnoses of abuse based on patient assessments and data analysis.
Undertake suitable nursing interventions.
Identify acute alcohol-related illnesses and make appropriate referrals to physicians or specialists in addiction nursing.
Provide ongoing care, including follow-up, monitoring, health maintenance, or healthcare support during recovery.

References:

World Health Organization. (2018). Global status report on alcohol and health 2018. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241565639
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (n.d.). Understanding alcohol use disorder. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-use-disorders
Rehm, J., Shield, K. D., Gmel, G., Rehm, M. X., & Frick, U. (2019). Modeling the impact of alcohol dependence on mortality burden and the effect of available treatment interventions in the European Union. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 29(8), 923-932. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.04.006
Esser, M. B., Hedden, S. L., Kanny, D., Brewer, R. D., Gfroerer, J. C., & Naimi, T. S. (2014). Prevalence of alcohol dependence among US adult drinkers, 2009-2011. Preventing Chronic Disease, 11, E206. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd11.140329
Shield, K. D., Parry, C., & Rehm, J. (2013). Chronic diseases and conditions related to alcohol use. Alcohol Research: Current Reviews, 35(2), 155-173. https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arcr352/155-173.pdf
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2019). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS Publication No. PEP19-5068, NSDUH Series H-54). https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2018-nsduh-annual-national-report
World Health Organization. (2021). SAFER: A World Health Organization initiative to prevent and reduce alcohol-related death and disability. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/safer-alcohol-control-initiative

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Essay on Drinking Alcohol

Students are often asked to write an essay on Drinking Alcohol in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Drinking Alcohol

What is alcohol.

Alcohol is a drink made from fermented fruits, grains, or other sources of sugar. It’s found in beer, wine, and spirits. When people drink alcohol, it can change the way they feel and act. Many adults enjoy it in small amounts.

Effects of Alcohol

Drinking alcohol can make a person feel happy or relaxed at first. But if they drink too much, it can lead to trouble walking, slurred speech, and even sickness. Over time, too much drinking can harm the body and brain.

Alcohol and the Law

In many places, it’s against the law for people under a certain age, often 18 or 21, to drink alcohol. This rule helps protect young people from the risks of drinking too early.

Being Responsible

If adults choose to drink, it’s important to do so responsibly. This means not drinking too much and never driving after drinking. It’s always best to follow the rules and know your limits.

250 Words Essay on Drinking Alcohol

Alcohol is a liquid that can change how we feel and act. Many adults drink it in things like beer, wine, and mixed drinks. When people drink alcohol, it can make them feel happy, relaxed, or sometimes sad. It is important to know that only grown-ups are allowed to drink alcohol because it can be harmful, especially to kids and teenagers.

When someone drinks alcohol, it goes into their blood and travels to different parts of the body. It can slow down the brain, making it harder to think, move, and speak properly. This is why people who drink too much might stumble or have trouble talking. Drinking a lot of alcohol can also make someone feel sick or even pass out.

Alcohol Can Be Dangerous

Drinking too much alcohol is very dangerous. It can hurt the liver, which is a part of your body that helps clean your blood. It can also lead to accidents because it’s hard to make good choices or move safely when you’ve had too much to drink. This is why driving after drinking alcohol is against the law.

Alcohol is Not for Kids

In many places, there are rules that say people must be a certain age, usually 18 or 21, to drink alcohol. This is because alcohol can be even more harmful to young people whose bodies are still growing. It’s best for kids and teenagers to avoid alcohol to stay healthy and safe.

Remember, drinking alcohol is a serious choice that adults make, and it’s okay to say no to alcohol to take care of your health and well-being.

500 Words Essay on Drinking Alcohol

Alcohol is a liquid that can change the way our body and mind work. It is found in drinks like beer, wine, and whiskey. People drink it at parties, dinners, and sometimes to relax. It is very common around the world, but it is not for everyone. You must be a certain age to drink alcohol in most places, usually when you are an adult.

Why Do People Drink Alcohol?

Many people enjoy alcohol for different reasons. Some like the taste, while others may feel it helps them to be more cheerful at social events. Often, adults may have a glass of wine with their meal or a beer while watching a game. These are normal ways that some adults use alcohol.

The Good Side of Drinking Alcohol

In small amounts, alcohol can make people feel happy and relaxed. Some studies say that a little bit of alcohol, like a small glass of wine each day, might be good for your heart. But this does not mean it is good for everyone. It is still important to be very careful with alcohol.

The Bad Side of Drinking Alcohol

Drinking too much alcohol is not good. It can make you sick, cause headaches, and lead to bad decisions. When people drink a lot, they can become addicted, which means their body feels like it needs alcohol to feel normal. This is very dangerous and can harm their health, jobs, and families.

Drinking too much can also lead to accidents. This is why you should never drive after drinking alcohol. It slows down how fast you think and react, making it hard to drive safely.

Alcohol and Health

Alcohol can affect your body in many ways. If someone drinks too much over a long time, it can hurt their liver, a part of the body that helps clean your blood. It can also increase the chance of getting some types of sickness, like cancer.

For young people, alcohol is even more risky. Their bodies are still growing, and alcohol can cause problems with this growth. This is why there are laws about how old you must be to drink.

Alcohol and Society

Alcohol is a big part of many cultures and celebrations. Yet, it can also cause problems in society. When people drink too much, they can disturb others, get into fights, or break the law. Communities spend a lot of money on health care and police because of problems caused by alcohol.

Making Choices About Alcohol

As you grow up, you may have to make choices about drinking alcohol. It is important to know the facts. If you choose to drink when you are older, doing so safely and in moderation is key. This means not drinking too much and not drinking too often. It also means knowing when not to drink, like when you have to drive.

Remember, drinking alcohol is not necessary to have fun or to be part of a group. There are many ways to enjoy yourself without it. Being informed and making smart choices is the best way to take care of yourself and the people around you.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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Military service and alcohol use: a systematic narrative review

A k osborne.

Northern Hub for Veterans and Military Families Research, Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK

G Wilson-Menzfeld

M d kiernan.

Despite research highlighting the role of alcohol in military life, specifically in relation to mental health and certain combat experiences, there is no synthesised evidence looking at the relationship between military service and alcohol use.

To synthesize and examine evidence exploring the relationship between military service and alcohol use.

Six databases were examined across a 10-year period. Papers were included if they involved a military population and focused on alcohol use. From 4046 papers identified, 29 papers were included in the review.

Military characteristics and experience were linked to high levels of alcohol use across military populations. Societal and cultural factors also played a role in alcohol use in military populations. Predatory behaviour of alcohol establishments, pressures to conform, an acceptance of alcohol use, and the role of religious services and military affiliated social networks were all considered. Excessive drinking impacted physical and mental health. Those diagnosed with PTSD and associated symptoms appeared to have greater alcohol use.

Conclusions

This review identified certain characteristics and experiences of military service that are associated with higher levels of alcohol use. It is important to identify risk factors for alcohol misuse to develop appropriate policy, targeting prevention.

Key learning points

What is already known about this subject

Historically alcohol has had an integral role in military life and has been seen as an acceptable behaviour in social bonding and comradeship.
Alcohol misuse in military populations has been associated with a negative impact on social, physical, and psychological health.
Literature reviews to date have focussed on comorbidity of PTSD and alcohol misuse, wider mental health and Gulf and Iraq/Afghanistan war veterans, no systematic reviews of literature have considered the wider experiences of alcohol use and military service.

What this study adds

Military-specific traits and experiences such as, service type, rank and deployment status are linked to higher levels of alcohol use in military populations across multiple countries.
There appears to be an over-reliance on self-report questionnaires for the assessment of alcohol use in a military population focussing on symptom severity, with a paucity of research considering personal experiences and meanings ascribed to alcohol use.
The systematic narrative review has brought together a body of knowledge on alcohol use in a military population and the synthesis of this literature provides an evidence base to help inform future policy.

What impact this may have on practice, policy or procedure

There are specific characteristics strongly associated with military service that impact alcohol use, it is important to identify these ‘risk factors’ to mitigate the impact on operational effectiveness and workplace cohesion by developing appropriate and targeted prevention policies.
Mental ill health and harmful levels of alcohol use in military personnel co-exist and more specifically, this creates internal stigma making this population particularly reticent to seek help for both alcohol and mental health problems and therefore harder to identify.
The systematic narrative review has highlighted a lack of consistency in the tools and measures used to assess alcohol use in a military population and suggests a need for a consensus of assessment measures in practice and wider research.

Introduction

Alcohol has played a prevalent, historic role in military life, where, internationally, it has been used as a means of mediating stress, both in theatre and in the aftermath of battle [ 1 ]. Used in social bonding and comradeship [ 1 ], drinking has become a common and accepted behaviour in military culture, surpassing alcohol use in the general population [ 2 , 3 ]. Beliefs on acceptable drinking norms can be influenced and reinforced when exposed to the military social environment [ 4 ].

The Motivational Model of Alcohol Use indicates consumption of alcohol may be used to cope, and to ‘regulate the quality of their emotional experience’ [ 5 p. 990]. These reasons for alcohol misuse have also been evidenced in serving military and veteran populations [ 4 ]. However, regardless of the potential advantages of alcohol consumption socially, especially in enhancing positive emotional experiences, problems develop when alcohol is misused. For military service members, exposed to highly stressful situations, behaviour around long-term alcohol use can be affected by the accepted social norms around higher levels of alcohol use for recreation and coping [ 4 ].

Research has suggested that alcohol may serve as a coping mechanism after traumatic events, where deployment has been associated with increased rates of alcohol use or problem drinking [ 6 ]. Drinking to excess may have a negative impact on mental and physical health [ 7 ], functional impairment [ 8 ], troop readiness [ 9 ], suicidal ideation [ 10 ] and the perpetrator in military sexual assaults [ 11 ]. Furthermore, the UK Armed Forces have expressed concerns that ‘excessive drinking can undermine operational effectiveness, leave soldiers unfit for duty, and damage trust and respect within the team’ [12 p. 12 ].

Alcohol use and military service are of great importance and a public health issue. However, there are no systematic reviews of literature that focuses on the wider, overall experiences of alcohol use and military service. Existing systematic review evidence stresses the important role of alcohol in military life, particularly focussing on the comorbidity of PTSD and alcohol misuse [ 13 ], Gulf and Iraq/Afghanistan war veterans [ 14 ], or as part of systematic reviews with a wider mental health focus [ 15 ]. Therefore, this study employs a systematic narrative review that aims to explore the relationship between military service and alcohol use.

To appraise evidence from multiple sources including qualitative and quantitative research, and to ensure an inclusive systematic search without bias, a systematic narrative review strategy was employed [ 16 ]. Suitable databases were searched, identifying published peer-reviewed evidence ( Table 1 ).

Systematic search strategy

Research papers on alcohol use with a military sample published prior to March 2021 were considered. Since the Global War on Terrorism began in 2001, there has been an increase in combat deployments of military service personnel from many nations across the globe. During this period, warfare has evolved, and the world has seen a more complex form of modern warfare, adapting and modernising to become more technologically advanced. This has also resulted in a change in the nature of deployments, impacting the role of military service in the lives of serving personnel. Deployments are dangerous and stressful for military personnel and combat stress, specifically experienced in Iraq and Afghanistan, has been associated with alcohol misuse [ 14 ]. Consequently, only papers published after 2001 have been considered in this review to ensure an accurate representation of the role military service has on alcohol misuse.

The exclusion criteria included papers that were unavailable in English, focussed on treatments or interventions for alcohol problems, or the sample included veterans. Papers on substance use were included, only if they reported alcohol use. The PICO framework was used to develop the search terms ( Table 2 ). Truncation and wildcard search strategies were utilised.

PICO framework to develop search terms

Veterans and ex-service were included as search terms to ensure the maximum number of papers were returned. However, only papers with a serving military population were included in the review. The ex-service military population was excluded because of additional, non-military specific, factors that exist that may impact alcohol use such as their experience of transition out of the military. Following the search of the databases, 4046 papers were returned ( Figure 1 ).

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Object name is kqac045f0001.jpg

PRISMA diagram of papers returned during systematic search.

A full-text search was carried out on 83 papers to determine the suitability for inclusion in the review. To appraise the quality of papers included in the review, the Critical Appraisal Skill Programme [ 17 ] tool was consulted. Fifty-four papers were excluded due to their focus on a veteran population or alcohol use not specific to military service. No further papers were identified through reference and citation searches. Consequently, 29 papers were included in this review.

Thematic analysis was used to analyse the papers and generate themes. The six steps of Braun and Clarke [ 18 ] were followed: familiarization with the data, generation of initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and producing the report.

Twenty-nine papers were included in this review ( Table 3 ). There were 22 studies represented across all 29 papers. Studies with multiple papers in this review included: the Health and Wellbeing of the UK Armed Forces Cohort Study [ 2 , 8 , 39 ]; Ohio National Guard (OHARNG) Mental Health Initiative [ 34 , 36 ]; Department of Defence Health Related Behaviours study [ 28 , 35 ] and the Prevalence, Incidence and Determinant of PTSD and Other Mental Disorders (PID-PTSD +3 ) study [ 40–42 ].

Characteristics of papers in review ( N = 29)

AUDIT, Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test; PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; N/S, not specified.

Seventeen papers had samples from the US [ 6 , 20 , 21 , 23 , 25 , 26 , 28 , 31–38 , 43 , 44 ], six from the UK [ 2 , 8 , 19 , 27 , 29 , 39 ], three from Germany [ 40–42 ], one from Norway [ 24 ], one from Nigeria [ 30 ] and one from Angola [ 22 ]. Six papers looked at alcohol in the military for male personnel only [ 19 , 26 , 27 , 41–43 ], whereas 21 papers considered male and female personnel [ 2 , 6 , 8 , 20 , 23–25 , 28–40 , 44 ]. Two papers did not specify the gender of their sample [ 21 , 22 ].

Eleven papers considered Active Duty/Regular personnel [ 2 , 6 , 8 , 19 , 24 , 28 , 30 , 35 , 39 ] including two looking at special operations [ 23 , 38 ]. Ten papers considered National Guard/Reserve personnel [ 21 , 25 , 26 , 31 , 32 , 34 , 36 , 37 , 43 ] and four papers considered all serving personnel [ 33 , 40–42 ]. Five papers did not specify the enlistment type of the military personnel in their sample [ 20 , 22 , 27 , 29 , 44 ]

Of the 29 papers, 28 were quantitative [ 2 , 8 , 19–44 ] and one paper was qualitative [ 6 ].

Four themes were identified in the literature: Military Characteristics and Alcohol Use, Consequences of Deployment on Alcohol Use, Implication of Mental Health on Alcohol Use and The Role of Cultural and Social Factors on Alcohol Use.

Fifteen papers considered military characteristics associated with alcohol use in their military samples [ 2 , 19 , 20 , 22–25 , 27 , 29 , 30 , 33–35 , 40 , 41 ]. Hooper et al. [ 29 ] surveyed 1382 military personnel and reported they had a higher number of units of alcohol consumed per week than the suggested ‘low risk’ drinking threshold. In comparison to the general population, Fear, Iversen [ 2 ] identified a greater percentage of hazardous drinkers in a military population than in the general population.

Only two papers considered the potential differences in alcohol consumption between men and women. Fear et al. [ 2 ] suggested a gender difference in hazardous drinking where there were a greater number of male hazardous drinkers (67% military, 38% general population) than female hazardous drinkers (49% military, 16% general population). However Fadum et al. [ 24 ] noted that high alcohol consumption did not differ much between military women and men. Furthermore, no significant difference in high alcohol consumption between military and civilian women was found [ 24 ].

Papers in this review also considered the consequences of heavy drinking whilst serving in the military. For personnel that had deployed on operational service, a greater volume of drinking was linked to difficulties at home during and post-operational deployment [ 19 , 41 ]. In addition to demonstrating a high incidence of alcohol use in the military, the papers reported evidence of associations between alcohol use and factors such as age, service type, active deployment, combat exposure, mental health, and relationship status. In UK, US and German military populations, heavy drinking has been associated with holding a lower rank, being younger, being single, being in the Naval service or Army, being deployed to Iraq, not having children, being a smoker, having a combat role and having a parent with a drink or drug problem [ 2 , 19 , 23 , 25 , 35 , 41 ]. Most papers examined such risk factors in soldiers from US or UK military populations, potentially providing limited applicability to military populations in developing nations [ 22 ]. Interestingly, in contrast to US and UK findings, Cheng et al. [ 22 ] identified older age rather than younger age as a significant risk factor for alcohol use in Angola.

Literature suggests that, in the UK, levels of drinking are higher in the Army than other branches of the military [ 2 ]. Different subcultures of drinking within individual branches have been attributed to these variations across the military, especially under circumstances that involve personnel taking part in team activities where there may be pressure from peers to drink alcohol to relax and debrief [ 2 ]. These situations that involve socialising and alcohol use are a common feature of Armed Forces life and particularly in the Royal Navy. In this regard, Henderson, Langston [ 27 ] reported significant degrees of harmful drinking among personnel serving in the Royal Navy in comparison to the civilian population.

In addition to heavy and hazardous drinking, substantial levels of binge drinking have also been found in military populations across UK, US, German, Angolan and Nigerian military populations [ 2 , 20 , 22 , 25 , 30 , 33 , 40 ]. Binge drinking in the UK, has been associated with being younger, being in the Army, being single and being a smoker [ 2 ]. Furthermore, there appears to be a difference in the prevalence of binge drinking between Active Duty/Regular soldiers and National Guard/Reserves. Larson, Adams [ 33 ] identified that there was a marked difference between those personnel in Active Duty who reported frequent binge patterns of alcohol use than those in the National Guard/Reserves.

The issue of problematic alcohol use among the Armed Forces population, related to active service, was considered by 19 papers [ 6 , 19–21 , 23 , 29–31 , 33 , 34 , 36–44 ], including a focus on adverse combat experiences [ 19 , 21 , 29 , 37 , 38 , 44 ], pre-deployment preparedness [ 36 ] and differences between Active Duty/Regular soldiers and the National Guard/Reserves [ 31 , 33 ].

Rates of alcohol use have been perceived as the highest for those with combat specific jobs or those with a greater number and higher intensity deployments [ 6 ]. Furthermore, despite Special Operations Forces experiencing greater exposure to combat deployments than conventional forces, Dretsch et al. [ 23 ] determined that the prevalence of alcohol misuse in 16 284 Special Operations Forces soldiers was comparable or lower than reported by the wider military. This paper had the largest sample of the papers included in this review.

Research has indicated that heavy alcohol use often occurs during pre- and post- deployment with a significant association to the deployment period itself [ 6 , 20 , 30 , 37 , 43 ]. Most of the research primarily focuses on personnel with military service during the Iraq War (2003–2011), with and without deployment experience. More recent papers have begun to consider the impact of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014).

Adverse combat experiences during deployment have been associated with heavy drinking in military personnel [ 19 , 21 , 38 ]. Hooper et al [ 29 ] discussed how the active involvement in theatre of war had strong links to problematic drinking habits among serving personnel who feared for their own mortality and who ‘experienced hostility from civilians’. Wilk, Bliese [ 44 ] also found that soldiers who had higher rates of exposure to the threat of death or injury were significantly more likely to screen positive for alcohol misuse. Exposure to atrocities similarly predicted misuse of alcohol with alcohol-related behavioural problems.

Although in Russell [ 37 ] all combat experiences were also positively correlated, only the combat experience of killing was significantly related to post-deployment alcohol use. Interestingly, alcohol use decreased amongst those who experienced killing during combat. The authors’ explanation for this was based on the suggestion that the ‘killing experience may activate the soldiers’ mortality salience and trigger a self-preservation focus that manifests itself in reduced risky alcohol consumption’ [ 37 ]. No other paper in the review considered this.

Alongside the available evidence that suggests that fighting the enemy in battle and witnessing the horrors of war predisposes serving personnel to the risk of problematic alcohol use, Skipper et al. [ 38 ] suggested that serving personnel who are part of ‘special forces’ are at an even higher risk of providing a positive alcohol test result due to problematic drinking if they are involved in hostile warfare. In line with adverse combat experiences, Browne, et al. [ 19 ] also argued that personnel who deployed with their parent unit, whose role in theatre was outside, above or below their training or experience and who experienced poor in-theatre unit leadership were more likely to be heavy drinkers.

Despite several papers in this review ( n = 13) identifying a significant link between deployment and subsequent alcohol use, regardless of country, Thandi et al. [ 39 ] demonstrated that levels of drinking were not related to deployment status. Marshall et al. [ 34 ] also found no effect of deployment on alcohol use, although this was for those who reported pre-deployment depression or PTSD. Three German papers support the suggestion that deployment has no effect on alcohol use [ 40–42 ]. Interestingly, the correlates of increased average daily alcohol use across two time points in these papers, were limited social support, greater sleeping difficulties and increased negative post-event cognitions following deployment [ 41 ]. Lower PTSD symptom severity pre-deployment and less childhood emotional neglect, predicted a decrease in average daily alcohol consumption [ 41 ]. It is possible to suggest that specific deployment experiences impact alcohol use in a military population rather than deployment in general. However, these German papers were all from the same Prevalence, Incidence and Determinant of PTSD and Other Mental Disorders (PID-PTSD +3 ) study. Additionally, Orr et al. [ 36 ] identified that only pre-deployment preparedness was associated with incident alcohol misuse when controlling for demographics, deployment related factors (e.g. exposure to warzone stressors), and the presence of psychopathology.

US research has identified further differences within a military population. Around 13–14% of National Guard/Reserve personnel exhibited high levels of drinking in association with deployment [ 31 , 33 ]. Whereas Larson et al. [ 33 ] discovered that an increase in alcohol use as a result of deployment was actually greater in Active-Duty personnel compared to the National Guard/Reserves. Regardless, alcohol use following deployment is thought to be uniquely predicted by higher levels of PTSD symptom severity, higher levels of avoidance-specific PTSD symptoms and lower levels of positive emotionality [ 31 ]. It is worth noting that although there appears to be an indication of differences in alcohol use with engagement type following deployment, more research is needed to further explore this.

Although not a focus of this review, eight papers focussing on alcohol use in a military population reported on the implication of mental health [ 8 , 25 , 28 , 31 , 32 , 34 , 39 , 40 ]. This included five papers looking at the role and impact of PTSD [ 25 , 31 , 32 , 34 , 39 ], one on wider mental health [ 40 ], one on suicide [ 28 ] and one on functional impairment [ 8 ].

Previous research has suggested military personnel with PTSD may use alcohol for self-medication as a coping mechanism for distress related to psychological symptoms [ 31 , 34 ]. Five papers indicated a significant association between PTSD symptom severity, heavy drinking behaviours and new-onset Alcohol Use Disorder [ 25 , 31 , 32 , 34 , 39 ]. However, once the influence of personality variables were accounted for, Ferrier-Auerbach et al. [ 25 ] found that mental ill health was not associated with any drinking variable.

Although baseline PTSD symptoms significantly increased the risk of screening positive for new onset alcohol dependence, Kline et al. [ 32 ] identified no effect of pre-deployment alcohol use on subsequent PTSD diagnoses post-deployment. Such findings indicate that it is possible that the specific psychological consequence of military deployment (e.g. PTSD) significantly impacts military personnel’s alcohol use rather than being in the military in general.

In support of the specific psychological impact of deployment on military personnel’s alcohol use, further differences have been identified between deployed and non-deployed military personnel. Trautmann et al. [ 40 ] identified among recently deployed soldiers, that heavy drinking was related to a higher risk of anxiety, affective and sleep disorders. Among soldiers never deployed, heavy drinking was linked with any mental disorders other than substance use disorder and was further associated with somatoform disorders. For those recently deployed, associations between heavy drinking and the presence of any mental disorder as well as anxiety disorders were significantly greater than those that had never deployed.

Beyond PTSD, Herberman et al. [ 28 ] identified that US soldiers who reported high levels of alcohol use were more likely to have seriously considered and/or attempted suicide. After adjusting for level of alcohol use, PTSD, and depression, drinking to avoid rejection/’fit in’ was associated with suicidality.

One paper considered the impact of alcohol use on functional impairment. Rona et al. [ 8 ] identified that a score on the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) denoting potential alcohol dependence was consistently associated with functional impairment, whereas binge drinking was not. Interestingly, despite a known impairment, participants with hazardous drinking perceived their functioning to be better than those with lower AUDIT scores. The implications of this perception should be explored further. Furthermore, half of the participants presenting with potential alcohol dependence also had psychological comorbidities.

Five papers identified the role of social support and communities in the alcohol consumption of military personnel [ 6 , 22 , 26 , 30 , 39 ]. The communities within which military personnel reside can have a prominent role in their alcohol use. Besse et al. [ 6 ] conducted interviews and focus groups with 29 US Active-Duty soldiers to understand the context of alcohol establishments in communities near military installations in relation to alcohol use. Participants identified predatory behaviour by local alcohol establishments to encourage excessive drinking, placing the profit as a higher priority over the safety of the soldiers. Free or reduced admission fees and drink specials were often specifically designed with soldiers in mind, with some participants reporting that alcohol establishments gave soldiers ‘heavier pours’ or mixed drinks with a higher proportion of alcohol. These findings indicate that there is a perception that military personnel drink more, thus increasing the availability of alcohol and subsequent use.

Unsurprisingly, Besse et al. [ 6 ] also ascertained that drinking has been described as an accepted way to relax and cope with stress brought on by the daily stressors of military life. Drinking alcohol was perceived to be an accepted part of military culture. Pressure to engage in heavy drinking often came from peers as an obligation to prove oneself to the group. This was particularly common among young military personnel or those new to a unit. Socialising appears to play a role in military personnel’s alcohol use. Besse et al. [ 6 ] conducted the only qualitative paper in this review. The findings allow further insight into the reciprocal relationship between alcohol and military personnel by using interviews and focus groups to explore the reasons behind the relationship. Qualitative methods are highly appropriate for this paper, where the purpose was to learn how military personnel experiences the community within which they reside.

Unexpectedly, Cheng et al. [ 22 ] indicated that socialising with family and friends two to four times, but not five or more times, per month increased the risk for problematic drinking in military personnel. More specifically, Thandi et al. [ 39 ] identified that entering into a new relationship resulted in a decrease in alcohol use.

Only two papers considered the role of religion in alcohol consumption [ 22 , 30 ]. Cheng et al. [ 22 ] ascertained that attending religious services more than once a week appeared to protect against problematic drinking in Angolan soldiers. It is possible that the effect of religion on alcohol consumption is dependent on the soldiers’ culture as another paper determined that religion had no role in drinking in Nigerian soldiers [ 30 ].

The social networks of military members appear to be crucial in the likelihood of alcohol use. For Reserve and National Guard soldiers, one paper indicated that drinking-related social network characteristics such as drinking buddies were associated with increased alcohol problems [ 26 ]. However, for those deployed, military-affiliated social networks were a protective factor against alcohol problems [ 26 ].

This systematic narrative review explored the relationship between military service and alcohol use. From the 29 papers examined in this review, it is evident that there are military-specific traits and experiences which impact alcohol use, namely military characteristics, such as service type and rank, and military deployment. Mental health, cultural and social factors also play a role in alcohol use in a military population.

Throughout this review, there are associations drawn between military characteristics and alcohol use such as service type, rank and deployment status [ 2 , 19 , 23 , 25 , 35 , 41 ], that have been associated with higher levels of alcohol consumption in military populations in a number of countries [ 2 , 20 , 22 , 25 , 30 , 33 , 40 ]. Additionally, studies have pointed towards a difference between alcohol use in a military population and the civilian population [ 2 , 27 ]. Although, Fadum et al. [ 24 ] indicated no difference between military women and civilian women.

Most papers indicated that alcohol use was greatest in those with deployment experience, especially those with adverse combat experiences [ 6 , 19 , 21 , 38 ]. This is unsurprising, at least in a UK military population, where policy allows the continuation of alcohol use during military ‘decompression’, where those returning from combat receive a short duration of absence together with psychological support [ 45 ]. There was a suggestion that these findings were a result of using alcohol as a coping mechanism after traumatic events, however, further work is needed to explore this. Specific combat experiences were significantly related to screening positive for alcohol misuse for elite and non-elite military personnel including personal threats, fighting and atrocities [ 38 ]. Interestingly, an increase in alcohol use following deployment was greater for Active-Duty personnel compared to the National Guard and Reserves in a US cohort [ 33 ]. It is important to note that not all research found a significant link between deployment and subsequent alcohol use, regardless of country, a few papers argued that deployment had no effect on alcohol use in military populations [ 34 , 39–42 ].

Evidence in this review suggests that mental ill health and harmful levels of alcohol use in military personnel co-exist. But, more importantly, the evidence suggests that internal stigma makes this population particularly reticent to seek help for both alcohol and mental health problems. Kiernan et al. [ 46 ] identified that many veterans only present for help when they can no longer cope with the situation, they find themselves in. This study found that seeking help for alcohol misuse issues late, when problems have escalated significantly, invariably led to a co-morbid presentation, a significant decline in mental health and excessive drinking, usually exacerbated by a collapse of the individuals social support network. Once more, this strengthens existing evidence that excess drinking negatively affects physical, social, and mental health [ 7 , 46 ]. Specifically, PTSD symptom severity was significantly associated with greater alcohol use [ 25 , 31 , 32 , 34 , 39 ]. Heavy drinking was also related to a higher risk of anxiety, affective and sleep disorders, functional impairment, and suicide [ 8 , 28 , 40 ].

This review also suggests that culture and social factors can influence alcohol use in a military population. An interdependent relationship was identified between military personnel and local alcohol establishments near military installations [ 6 ]. It was suggested that establishments tailor their business, often in a predatory way that is perceived as detrimental to military personnel’s health, well-being, and career. The behaviour of alcohol establishments near military installations was felt to exacerbate this alcohol acceptance. However, only one US paper considered this, more international research should be conducted to consider if this is a common experience in a military population. Interestingly, there was a suggestion that attending religious services [ 22 ] and that having military affiliated social networks when deployed [ 26 ], protected against problematic drinking.

Drinking alcohol was noted as an accepted way to relax and cope with stress in the military with some feeling pressure to conform to drinking [ 6 ]. This acceptance of alcohol use and the social norms surrounding its use can have life-long, post-military service implications, as military veterans who normalise or excuse their drinking, delay their engagement in substance misuse services [ 46 ]. The historic social and cultural norms within the military [ 1 ], and even the ‘romanticising’ of this culture [ 12 ] are now being recognised, and the UK’s Ministry of Defence is trying to combat and encourage a sensible approach to alcohol use with initiatives to identify individuals’ alcohol use during regular oral examinations [ 47 ].

In almost all studies considered for this review, the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) or the modified brief version, AUDIT-C was utilised. The AUDIT and AUDIT-C have been acknowledged as valid instruments for identifying alcohol misuse or dependence among US and Australian military populations [ 48 , 49 ]. However, the validity of such tests in other military populations does not appear to have been completed, despite the variability in populations. Regardless of the validity of such instruments, research has relied heavily on self-report questionnaires for assessment in a Military population. This can result in ascertaining large volumes of data; however, this can also give rise to participants answering in a more socially desirable way, rendering results inaccurate [ 50 ].

This focus on quantitative research methods has made it difficult to draw any conclusions as to what the resulting impact of military service on alcohol use may have on the ability of service personnel to carry out their jobs. To mitigate this, future research must also consider a qualitative approach, considering personal experiences and meanings ascribed to alcohol use, rather than only symptom severity, to draw any conclusions.

This review has synthesised findings from existing literature, highlighting potential gaps in current research. Despite being a comprehensive, international systematic narrative literature review, it is important to acknowledge there are limitations. First, only papers written in English were considered for review and may have excluded inclusion of international findings. Only the relationship between military service and alcohol use of serving personnel was considered, with papers including veterans in their sample being excluded as it was outside of the aims of this review. Finally, only peer-reviewed research was included in this review and, whilst this was a purposeful decision, it is acknowledged that evidence from grey literature may illuminate further understanding of this issue.

This systematic narrative review aimed to critically evaluate existing literature to explore the relationship between military service and alcohol use. Findings indicated that there are specific characteristics strongly associated with military service that appear to have an impact on alcohol use. The subsequent effects of alcohol use in a military occupational context reinforces the validity of exploring the casual links in more depth. Further research is needed to identify specific ‘risk factors’ associated with serving in the military and problematic alcohol consumption. Exploring the attributable burden will be a crucial building block to developing appropriate and targeted prevention policies.

Contributor Information

A K Osborne, Northern Hub for Veterans and Military Families Research, Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK.

G Wilson-Menzfeld, Northern Hub for Veterans and Military Families Research, Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK.

G McGill, Northern Hub for Veterans and Military Families Research, Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK.

M D Kiernan, Northern Hub for Veterans and Military Families Research, Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK.

An Updated Narrative Review on the Role of Alcohol Among Indigenous Communities

Published: 02 November 2023
Volume 10 , pages 702–717, ( 2023 )

Cite this article

Ashley B. Cole ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-0035-0839 1 ,
Susanna V. Lopez 2 ,
Cassidy M. Armstrong 1 ,
Stefanie L. Gillson 3 ,
Nicole Weiss 4 ,
Alexandra L. Blair 1 &
Melissa Walls 4

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Purpose of Review

The role of alcohol varies considerably among Indigenous Peoples and is the backdrop of persistent stereotypes despite decades of research. This paper provides an updated narrative review on the alcohol literature among Indigenous communities, highlighting recent studies published since 2017.

Recent Findings

We examined published literature involving alcohol use rates, including abstinence; risk and protective factors; treatment; and recovery, as well as future directions for alcohol prevention and intervention efforts with Indigenous communities.

Evidence-based alcohol use prevention, intervention, and recovery strategies with Indigenous communities are outlined. Recommendations are provided for researchers, health providers, and public policy advocates to address and better understand alcohol use, treatment, prevention, and recovery among Indigenous Peoples. Specific recommendations include using community-based participatory research strategies and harm reduction approaches to prevent and treat alcohol use problems with Indigenous communities. Future research is needed to elucidate mechanisms of resilience and recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder and possible shifts in perceptions of alcohol use for Indigenous Peoples.

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The preparation of this work was supported by the National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Disease, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, and National Institute of Drug Abuse through the National Institutes of Health (R01MH126586, P20CA253255, P30DK092923, and R01DA039912).

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Cole, A.B., Lopez, S.V., Armstrong, C.M. et al. An Updated Narrative Review on the Role of Alcohol Among Indigenous Communities. Curr Addict Rep 10 , 702–717 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-023-00520-4

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How To Write Your Best Alcoholism Essay?

Table of Contents

To start off, alcoholism is a physical and psychological disease characterized by regular consumption of high qualities of alcohol and troubles with giving up drinking.

It is a well-known fact that alcoholism is quite an issue nowadays. It breaks the lives of people, their families, and the whole society. According to WHO (World Health Organization), excessive use of alcohol causes 5.3% of deaths yearly, which makes a total of 3 million deaths.

The topic is quite vast, so it won’t be hard to find a thrilling aspect to cover in your essay.

6 facts for your alcoholism essay

The main goal of writing an essay on alcoholism is to highlight the problem, it’s causes, reasons, and outcomes.

Keep things simple, precise and informative. Use only credible sources in references. Try visiting official websites of WHO, Medical News Today (website specialized on medical information), ASAM (American Society of Addiction Medicine, on different addictions), etc.

Also, here are several facts for you to start off somewhere.

Alcoholism is not only a disease but also an addiction. This may seem obvious. Therapists state that it can be as dangerous as drug addiction since a person gets used to it not only on a mental level but also on a physical. As a result, there are loads of difficulties when giving up.
Alcoholism shouldn’t be regarded as a personal choice. Like any other addiction, it differs from person to person. Usually, people can’t notice that something is wrong before they actually try to stop drinking.
Except for being a disease itself, alcoholism leads to health and social issues. Doctors claim that alcoholism results in liver disease, pancreatitis, cancers, brain damages, and others. Moreover, it leads to socialization problems as alcoholics can be depressed, aggressive and struggle from a negative attitude of society.
Alcoholism has a genetic complex. It is stated that children of alcoholics are 4 times more predisposed to alcoholism. Scientists claim that alcohol and drug addiction usually starts with families.
There are more men alcoholics than women. The research shows that men are more likely to become alcoholics than women. Investigation can’t actually explain this fact, but the main reason is considered to be the fact that men drink more alcohol overall.
Alcohol makes people feel worse. Some may say that they drink to “drown sorrows,” but it doesn’t work in a long-term perspective. Actually, alcohol is a depressant.

How to structure the essay on alcoholism?

A good structure is essential for any writing. As a rule, the essay is divided into three parts: introduction, main body, and conclusion.

You might also want to write an outline for your work. Here are some easy instructions to follow:

Outline. Basically, it is a table of contents. You briefly plan your essay and organize your thoughts. Write down the statement you are about to use in the introduction, note several arguments supporting your statement and think of how to summarize these thoughts in conclusion .

Introduction. Here you need to provide the reader with some basic information on the topic. It may include the definition of alcoholism, statistics, and rates of how many alcoholics are out there, the yearly amount of deaths, age statistics, and so on. Include a thesis explaining the main idea of your essay and your standpoint. It shouldn’t be longer than 1 sentence.

The Main Body. Explain your standpoint step by step. Add arguments gradually. Each supporting statement takes 1 paragraph and is accompanied by a brief explanation . Put them in a logical order.

Conclusion. Sum up everything you said before and confirm the thesis. Do not add new ideas , statements, or facts. Here, in the alcoholism essay conclusion, you may express your own vision of the problem.

Causes and effects of alcoholism essay: what to cover?

Each case of alcoholism is unique and has its own set of reasons and consequences. Thus, you may need to know some general statistics and information on the causes and effects of alcoholism. Here are several prompts.

Causes of alcoholism essay:

A stressful environment that enforces the person to seek consolation.
Drinking at an early age.
Mental issues (like depression, apathy, etc.).
Genetics and family history.
Mixing alcohol with medicine: possible outcomes.
The experience of trauma.
Bad influence of the company.
Lack of family care.
Power of the mass media.
No awareness of the possible psychological problems.

Effects of alcoholism essay:

Health problems, like heart and liver diseases, brain damage, low immunity, cancer, etc.
Depression, apathy, suicidal thoughts.
Slurred speech, confusion, trouble remembering things.
Concentration issues.
Bad academic performance.
Increased chance of committing a crime.
Domestic violence.
Adverse effect on children.
Loss of job and financial troubles.
Mood swings.

Alcoholism is quite an issue in modern society. Essays, exploring this topic, are needed to spread the awareness of the risks we all encounter.

No time to write your essay on alcoholism? We have some! Order your perfect essay from one of our professionals and save the evening to yourself. Pssst, it’s completely confidential…

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How human activities can have an impact on natural disasters?

Drug and Alcohol Abuse Analytical Essay

Introduction, works cited.

For along time now, drug and alcohol abuse in the society has been a problem that affects the youth and the society at large. The youth in the society get engaged in abusing substances that they feel all help them forget their problems. This paper highlights the problems of drug abuse and alcohol drinking among the youth in the society.

Alcohol is a substance that contains some elements that are bring about physical and psychological changes to an individual. Being a depressant, alcohol affects the nervous system altering the emotions and perceptions of individuals. Many teenager abuse alcohol and other drug substances due to curiosity, the need to feel good and to fit in their different groups. Drinking alcohol should not be encouraged because it usually affects the health of the youth.

It puts their health at a risk. Drinking youth are more likely to engage in irresponsible sexual activities that may result in unexpected pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. Additionally, teenagers who drink are more likely to get fat while complicating further their health conditions. Moreover, the youth drinking are at a risk of engaging in criminal activities hence being arrested (Cartwright 133).

According to the Australian Psychological Society, a drug can be a substance that brings about physical or psychological changes to an individual (2). Youngsters in the in the community take stuffs to increase enjoyment or decrease the sensational or physical pain. Some of the abused drugs by the youth in the society include marijuana, alcohol, heroine and cocaine.

The dangers of drug abuse are the chronic intoxication of the youth that is detrimental to their societies. Much intake of drugs leads to addiction that is indicated by the desire to take the drugs that cannot be resisted.

The effect of alcohol and other hard drugs are direct on the central nervous system. Alcohol and drug abuse is linked to societal practices like, partying, societal events, entertainment, and spirituality. The Australian Psychological Society argues that the choice of a substance is influenced by the particular needs of the substance user (3).

However, the effects of drug abuse differ from one individual to another. The abuse of drugs becomes a social problem whenever the users fail to meet some social responsibilities at home, work, or school. This is usually the effect when the substances are used more than they are normally taken. Additionally, when the use of substances is addictive, it leads to social problems (Cartwright 135).

Drug and alcohol abuse among the youth in the society should be discouraged and voided at all costs. The youth are affected and the society is affected. The productive young men and women cannot perform their social duties. One way in which the abuse of drugs and alcohol can be avoided in the society is through engaging the youth in various productive activities. This will reduce their idle time while keeping them busy (Cartwright 134).

They will not have enough time for drinking. Additionally, they will have fewer problems to worry about. They should also be educated and warned about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse both to their health and to the society. Since alcohol and substance abuse is related to increased crime in the society, its reduction will lead to reduced crime rates and economic growth.

The Australian Psychological Society. Alcohol, and Other Drugs . Australian Psychological society. Web.

Cartwright, William. Costs of Drug Abuse to the Society. The Journal of Mental Health Policy and Economics , 1999. 2, 133-134.

Chicago (A-D)
Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, December 18). Drug and Alcohol Abuse. https://ivypanda.com/essays/drug-and-alcohol-abuse/

"Drug and Alcohol Abuse." IvyPanda , 18 Dec. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/drug-and-alcohol-abuse/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Drug and Alcohol Abuse'. 18 December.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Drug and Alcohol Abuse." December 18, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/drug-and-alcohol-abuse/.

1. IvyPanda . "Drug and Alcohol Abuse." December 18, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/drug-and-alcohol-abuse/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Drug and Alcohol Abuse." December 18, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/drug-and-alcohol-abuse/.

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