thesis statement for alcoholism

170 Alcoholism Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best alcoholism topic ideas & essay examples, 💡 interesting topics to write about alcoholism, 📑 good research topics about alcoholism, 📌 simple & easy alcoholism essay titles, 👍 good essay topics on alcoholism, ❓ research questions about alcohol addiction.

• Drug and Alcohol Abuse For along time now, drug and alcohol abuse in the society has been a problem that affects the youth and the society at large. This paper highlights the problems of drug abuse and alcohol drinking […]
• Alcoholism as a Social Problem The first attempt to tackle the problem was in the 1920s when the government passed the prohibition Act. This may cause them to turn to alcohol as a way of neutralizing the problem.
• Alcoholism and Sociological Imagination In the context of the alcoholism social problem, it is possible to use the concept of sociological imagination to unify individual characteristics of the alcoholic and historical contexts of the problem to illuminate the dynamics […]
• Underage Drinking and Teen Alcohol Abuse However, due to low legal driving age in America, many teenagers are prone to the risk of driving under the influence of alcohol than in other countries.
• Non-Alcoholic Beverage Company’ SWOT Analysis For instance, recent data on the progress of Coca-Cola shows that the organization gained the total of $67,749,000,000 in the target market.
• Reaction to Attending Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting The mentor and organizer started the meeting with a short introduction, greeting and thanking the participants for their persistence to inspire the conversation that followed.
• Alcoholic Anonymous: Advantages and Disadvantages of the Programs In addition to this, the merits and demerits of AA in the fight against alcohol abuse will be articulated so as to demonstrate the effectiveness of AA in helping Alcoholics recover.
• Alcohol Abuse by Quentin McCarthy The aim of MAST is to determine the extent of alcohol consumption based on responses provided and formulate strategies of helping the agent with regard to excess consumption of alcohol.
• History of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Wilson and Smith went to the Oxford Group to learn the Oxford Group’s techniques of prayer, for example: surrender, guidance, and moral principles.
• Screening Alcoholism With AUDIT Evaluation Method This tool, in turn, could provide some extra explanations for Brian’s drinking and help determine whether he was genetically predisposed to the condition. Thus, AUDIT happens to be the most suitable tool for reviewing Johnson’s […]
• Alcoholic Anonymous Organization Fighting Addiction By accepting the problem and causes, a participant can try to resolve. In the program, participants have to admit their past wrongs and errors to a group and receive support to change.
• Alcoholism and Depression: Intervention Strategies The intention of the research paper is to assess if indeed there is an association between alcoholism as manifested by Jackson, and a case of depression.
• Alcoholic Anonymous Reaction Essay The understanding of alcohol abuse and the current resources that exist to curb it, such as AA, is fundamental to understanding the challenge on a medical level.
• Alcoholism and Treatment Options Even though alcohol has been inappropriately abused recently, it is safe to say that the consumption of alcohol is both a tonic and poison, depending on the dose. In India, several states prohibit the sale […]
• Drug and Alcohol Abuse Among Teenagers The thesis statement is: “Conviction is a better way to reduce drug and alcohol addiction among teenagers in the United States”.
• Awareness on Alcoholism: What Is It and How to Cope? The availability of these products is a major driver of individual and family problems that many people face. Alcoholism is a form of physical and mental addiction to drinks containing alcohol.
• Alcohol Abuse: Causes, Symptoms, Prevention, and Treatment Alcohol can additionally be the cause of brain damage manifested in the form of impairments in executive functioning, for example, weakening of visuospatial function and working memory.
• Narcotic Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous Groups The desire to change one’s life for the better and look at the world soberly is what many people come to with time, and all of them are united by the desire to return to […]
• Alcoholism Issue in Miami Gardens The new data also matches tendencies from the summer of 2020, when the coronavirus struck, when many Floridians resorted to alcohol and other narcotics in the face of unpredictable circumstances.
• Alcoholics Anonymous Program Evaluation Program evaluation also assesses the organization’s quality, the efficiency of its methods and identifies aspects of the procedures that can be improved.
• Alcoholism Causes: Where Science and Religion Converge Although it is difficult to pinpoint a single cause of alcoholism, it is clear that many internal and external factors serve as raw material in the making of an alcoholic.
• Alcohol Abuse and Effective Prevention Technique The original presentation and this extended exploration for it discuss the community structure, the essence of the problem and the theory and practice behind the SBIRT approach.
• Media Influence on Alcohol Abuse Consequently, many people are likely to watch the advert, and the ad can increase consumption of the product and limit the fight against alcohol problems.
• Alcoholics Anonymous Overview When I attended the third meeting, I was among the people who largely contributed to how it is easy to stop taking alcohol.
• Alcoholism, Domestic Violence and Drug Abuse Kaur and Ajinkya researched to investigate the “psychological impact of adult alcoholism on spouses and children”. The work of Kaur and Ajinkya, reveals a link between chronic alcoholism and emotional problems on the spouse and […]
• Alcoholic Anonymous Meeting and Impact on Treatment As the name suggests, the meeting was open to alcohol addicts and those who have recovered, members of the public, media, and professionals in different fields.
• Alcoholism Problem Overview Alcoholism is one of the major factors affecting the health of individuals and family relations due to the repercussions of the dependence.
• Alcoholism: A Female Patient’s Drinking Profile It had changed her perspective of reality and destroyed her family in a way that each of her children had a health problem leading to death of one child at the age of 10 years.
• Moderate Alcohol Abuse as DSM–IV–TR Diagnosis The DSM-IV-TR diagnosis in this case is a moderate alcohol abuse ), which requires a minimum of four symptoms as specified in the DSM.
• Alcoholic Anonymous: Its Purposes and General Topics Another primary objective of AA groups is for the members to provide support to each other in the process of healing from alcoholism.
• Alcoholism in Native Americans Theories suggest that the rate at which alcohol is absorbed in the body of a Native American is different from that of the rest of the U.S.population.
• Alcoholism Among the Adult Population in Wisconsin Alcohol dependency, which is an offshoot of excessive alcohol consumption, has been noted to lead to behaviours such as child abuse and neglect, poor dietary habits and absenteeism among the adult population in Wisconsin.
• Alcoholic Cirrhosis: Symptoms and Treatment The onset of alcoholic cirrhosis is proportional to the amount and period of ethanol intake. Alcohol breakdown in the body occurs in the liver and partly in the alimentary canal.
• Teenage Depression and Alcoholism There also has been a demonstrated connection between alcoholism and depression in all ages; as such, people engage in alcoholism as a method of self medication to dull the feelings of depression, hopelessness and lack […]
• Alcohol Abuse, Behaviour, and Types of Personalities Personality type is a process that assists in the determination of people’s behavior; it however assists in the classification of people into distinct category types.
• The Main Problems of Alcoholism Despite the overall advance in treatment, alcoholism is still a challenge due to the lack of successful drug efficacy appraisals and pharmacotherapy personalization in patients with AUD.
• Alcoholism and Schizophrenia: Interconnection In addition to its physical effects on the chronic drinker’s body, alcohol is associated with a variety of mental impairments. Alcoholic dementia and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome are among the most prominent concerns in the matter. The former is a blanket term for a variety of cognitive deficiencies caused by the substance. The latter is a two-stage […]
• Alcoholic Dementia and the Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome However, this situation can be problematic because of the nature of the two conditions as well as their interactions. As such, medical practitioners struggle to prescribe treatments that are appropriate to the patient’s situation.
• Alcoholism as a Disease Recently, the scientific and medical consensus regarding alcoholism has shifted as the understanding of the underlying causes of the condition has improved.
• A Workaholic and an Alcoholic This happens due to the fact that workaholics and alcoholics both tend to neglect their responsibilities at the family level in favor of their engagements.
• Personality Issues Among Male People With Alcoholism The main message of the authors is that the personality degradation occurring during alcoholism is directly caused by problems of a socio-psychological nature.
• Counseling Theories in the Management of Alcoholics The amount of alcohol he needs to get drunk has been increasing over the years and he spends much of his income on alcohol.
• Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting After the analysis of a series of data collected over a fixed six months period, by the concerned members globally, in connection to that, 15% of accidents, 36% of deaths due to fire, and 26% […]
• Drug and Alcohol Abuse Among Young People It is evident among drinkers that, when the BACs are low they develop a feeling of elation and when it rises, a feeling of friendliness begins to develop.
• Should Alcoholic Beverages Be Legalized for All Ages? Alcohol expectations vary across different cultures and this affects the mode of consumption and the age limit to which alcohol is taken. The loopholes in the law should also be amended to prevent any consumption […]
• Alcoholism as a Psychiatric and Medical Disorder He meets criteria A since he is unwilling to admit that he needs help to fight his dependence, which means that he requires the assistance of an expert to recognize the issue and, therefore, manage […]
• Intervention Techniques Focusing Drug Abuse and Alcoholism A technique of Family Intervention needs the concern, care and supremacy of love to penetrate the denial and start the treatment.
• Genetic Predisposition to Alcohol: The Appreciation and Therapy for Alcoholism Through family studies it has been established that the likelihood of alcohol dependence and similar complications happening is more in the families of the individuals who have been affected as compared to in the people […]
• Alcoholism: The Disease Is Often Progressive and Fatal According to the definition, the disease is a problem in society, but Colchado argues that if alcoholism is a problem, it cannot be considered a disease.
• Drinking and Alcoholism: Gender Divide in College In general, the purpose of the research was to arrive at evidence-based recommendations for university policy and guidance programs that could more holistically help students avoid binge drinking or alcoholism and systematically cope with the […]
• Drug & Alcohol Abuse Causes, Effects, Treatment First, it is necessary to indentify the age groups, most inclined to drug and alcohol addiction, and ascertain the major reasons for it. The research should discuss the problem of addiction from various standpoints therefore […]
• Alcoholism Is an Illness: Arguments in Favor Treating alcoholism as only a social problem is not enough because alcoholism is undeniably a very widespread and severe chronic illness that affects many people around the globe and thus should not be viewed as […]
• Genetic Basis for Alcoholism Further, Genetic studies will help you to understand more about the heritability of alcohol dependence and which will positively help you to explore the correlation of alcoholism to other disorders like major depression.
• Analysis of Alcoholic Products Market in Ireland One of the major threats to the alcoholic drinks industry in Ireland is the increase in the number of coffee shops on the high street.
• Critical Issues in Education: Drug Abuse and Alcoholism For this case, the ministry concerned has a very hard task of ensuring there are no critical issues that are left unsolved that relate to education, failure to which will affect the performance of students […]
• Alcoholism: Its Causes and Effects This is because when the levels of CYP2E1 are high, there is a greater level of lipid peroxidation within the liver, thus a lower ability of the liver to fight against the toxins that have […]
• Cirrhosis: Non- and Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease 27%, is the end result of a hepatocellular injury that leads to both fibrosis and regenerative nodules throughout the liver. The main cause of alcoholic liver disease is the excessive intake of alcohol, whereas the […]
• Single Parents in the Alcoholic Classification In this category, the single parent, either the father or the mother is a chronic alcoholic and heavily uses alcohol and other substances.
• Alcoholic Fermentation and Metabolic Traits Furthermore, researchers intended to investigate the impact of human selection on strains’ food processing in addition to studying both the genetic variability and plasticity of different fermentation products between strains and food processes.
• Reducing the Alcohol Abuse Among the Youth This paper includes a brief discussion of two possible ways to improve the problem and the justification for the use of one of the options.
• Alcoholic Drinks Market Analysis Demand and supply are the foundations of economic analysis in the interaction of the two market forms. The law of demand and supply works in divergent ways in the sense that, when prices of commodities […]
• Alcoholism and Related Issues: Treatment Plan The patient is trying to get help to recover and rectify poor health conditions through medical treatment and the support of his family.
• Alcohol Abuse, Depression and Human Trafficking Patterson and Jeste point out that the high prevalence of alcohol abuse will increase in the future. Besides, Hanna indicates that domestic trafficking of girls in the US is a complex phenomenon to understand because […]
• Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting Analisys Based on these facts, it is possible to draw up an appropriate plan for assessing the effectiveness of the work done and the potential benefits for the members of the meeting.
• Treatments for Alcohol Abuse in the Military It is also notable that the use of illicit drugs and alcohol is not high among military professionals in comparison with the other members of the society. Stress and the nature of the working environment […]
• Alcoholics Anonymous Observation and Group Therapy The examination of therapeutic techniques employed in the program of Alcoholics Anonymous demonstrates that they are significant in guiding and helping alcoholics to control and cope with alcoholism. Comparatively, the group of alcoholics employed Alcoholics […]
• Alcohol Abuse for Military-Connected It should also be pointed out that in the earlier conversation Wilson expressed interest in transferring to a base that would be closer to home and revealed his intention to terminate service in order to […]
• Alcoholic Industry: Beam Suntory and Diageo Companies In the United States, the beverage industry continues growing: more than 60% of all revenues in the industry are made of the revenues of alcoholic beverages.
• Alcoholism as a Social Issue and Its Effect on Families Such children tend to think that they are the causes of the problem, which would end up affecting them psychologically. Since children are not helped to get out of the horrifying scenarios, they end up […]
• Children of Alcoholics and Substance Abusers The presence of an alcoholic or substance abuser is a family that leaves an imprint on the relationships inside and outside of a family, as well as on the child development and the mental health […]
• Disease Concept of Alcoholism The universal definition of a disease is anything that is capable of causing an imbalance in the body’s nervous system thus, going by this definition then it is a disease, but in this century whereby […]
• Alcoholic Hepatitis: Models and Treatment In the prophylaxis of the disease, prednisolone and pentoxifylline are the most widely used pharmacological agents with empirical evidence indicating that they have disparate results in the management of the severe form of the disease.
• Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings as Community Agency Nothing special is needed to become a member of the meetings at the Palatine club the only demand is the desire to stop drinking.
• Economic Tools: The Alcohol Abuse Problem Solving The four elements of an economic way of thinking are the use of assumptions, isolating variables, thinking at the margin, and the response of rational people to incentives.
• Social Article About Alcoholism Problem by Sanders Russell In his story “Under the Influence: Paying the Price of My Father’s Booze,” author Sanders Russell gives a deeply personal account of the effects of alcoholism in his family as he was growing up. Russell […]
• Alcoholic Anonymous Meeting as Group Therapy The AA meeting allows the participants to feel a sense of belonging. Describe the observations of the social milieu in an AA meeting.
• Social Issues: Alcoholism as a Mode of Addiction Every single case of alcoholic dependence described in the lecture is perfectly consistent with the existing model, each piece of evidence falling into its place and, therefore, allowing the audience to have an entire picture […]
• The Facts About Alcoholism The acetaldehyde reacts with the brain amines to produce isoquinolines which trigger the urge to drink more and more alcohol to combat the excess production of acetaldehydes in the body.
• Do Alcoholic People Interact Differently? The mode of interaction of alcoholics is different from that of non-alcoholics because the two categories of people operate in different states of mind.
• Alcohol Abuse Among Elderly The effects of moderate consumption of alcohol are more beneficial to the elderly than to the younger generations. Thus, in the body of this report contains a deeper discussion of the causes, effects and solutions […]
• Reducing Drug and Alcohol Abuse: Europe vs. USA For instance, the needle and syringe exchange program has helped to reduce the rate of HIV infection among the injection drug users in the UK, which is the pioneer of needle and syringe exchange program.
• Concept and Treatment of Alcohol Abuse Alcoholism is the taking of alcoholic beverages to an extent that it can interfere with the physical behavior and activities of the alcoholic person.
• Effects of Alcohol Abuse on Women Among all these destructive substances, alcohol is the leading one and a significant companion of the 21st century people as well as a way of relaxing to escape the difficulties of posed by life. It […]
• Definition of Alcohol Misuse (Alcohol Abuse and Addiction) in Youth Population Age 18-29 Analyzing the article of Jiang, it is possible to define the alcohol misuse simply as the excessive consumption of alcohol where a number of the young drinkers is higher than any other group of age […]
• Non-Alcoholic Beverage Industry The structure of the industry is oligopolistic; this is since the industry is dominated by three major players which are Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Cadbury Schweppes.
• Social Influences on Behavior: Towards Understanding Depression and Alcoholism Based on Social Situations According to Smith & Mackie, dispositional variables entails the personalities, values, worldviews, and attitudes of the people that are interacting in a group, while situational variables comprise of the particular characteristics of the situation that […]
• Motivational Program and Alcoholics Anonymous The success or failure of AA recovery program can arguably be attributed to the strength of an individual to undergo total change in the way of thinking.
• Alcohol Abuse and the Contribution of Economists to Solving This Issue Analyzing the impact of a shift in supply, the researcher should consider the elasticity of demand as if the demand is elastic the price may be changed depending on the number of existing products at […]
• Alcoholism and the Impact Colonization Has Had on Aboriginals Once alcohol had become a part of the community, there was a gradual shift in the health of the people and they succumbed to illnesses.
• Diseases Caused by Alcohol Abuse and Its Preventions It is very important for the addicted person to feel all harmful consequences of the addiction and of alcohol in particular before giving up this bad habit.
• Alcoholism-Nature vs. Nurture Debate The analysis on physiological physiology regarding alcohol shows that, alcohol displays feelings of superiority and fearless behavior and also, it reduces an individual’s fear.
• Alcoholism: The Rough Road I was the only family he had and he had to move in with me in my apartment. Ken had nothing and he was willing to try anything to put his life back together.
• Alcoholism Disease or Self Will Alcoholism as a disease has serious physical effects to the body because it affects organs and systems such as the liver, the heart, and the nervous system amongst other critical organs in the body. Alcoholism […]
• Analysis of the Video “Effects of Alcoholism on Children: An Oral History Video” From the lecture, it is evident that individuals who grow in families with alcoholic members are highly likely to become alcoholic in future compared to their counterparts who have grown up in non-alcoholic environments.
• Teenage Alcoholism: Parental Influence and How to Get Rid of Vice The teenagers are in the process of emulating or declining the parental guidance since they need their freedom and at the same time are trying to win the parental support and acceptance.
• The Wide Range of Effects of Alcoholism on the Personality of an Individual
• The Historical Realities of Alcoholism in the Mexican American Community and the Social Implications
• The Various Stages in the Development of Alcoholism
• The Problem of Alcoholism and Its Negative Impact on Our Health
• The Effect of Parental Attitudes on Teenage Alcoholism
• The Seriousness of the Problem of Alcoholism Among Teenagers in the U.S
• The Overwhelming Presence of Alcoholism in the Native American Community Today
• The Problem of Alcoholism in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, a Novel by Sherman Alexie
• The Issues of Alcoholism and The Effects it Has In society In The United States
• The Expensiveness, Seriousness, and Commonality of Alcoholism
• The Various Causes of Alcoholism and How a Person Becomes an Alcoholic
• Uncovering the Genetic Factors of Alcoholism
• The Genetic, Psycho-social and Environmental Factors in the Development of Alcoholism
• The Problem of Teen Alcoholism in the United States
• The Stigma of Alcoholism and Drug Addiction
• The Rising Problem of Teenage Alcoholism and Its Contributing Factors
• The Use and Abuse of Alcohol, Its Negative Impact and the Disease of Alcoholism
• The Symptoms, Complications, Treatments, and Prevention of Alcoholism
• The Impact of Parental Alcoholism on Adult Children
• Understanding Alcoholism and How a User Develops into an Alcoholic
• Understanding Alcoholism and Its Effects on the Major Organ Systems
• The Objectives Of Client Advocacy In Alcoholism And Drug Abuse Treatment
• Understanding the Process in the Development of Alcoholism
• Alcoholism and Native America: The Therapeutic Pertinence of the Movie Smoke Signals
• The Psychological Effects and Problems about Alcoholism
• The Nature Vs. Nurture Debate In Learning More About Alcoholism
• The Reasons Why Alcoholism Should Be Considered a Disease
• The Proposition for Legal Age in the United States in Response to Alcoholism
• Understanding the Physical and Social Effects of Alcoholism
• Work Hard, Party Harder: Alcoholism And College Campuses
• Alcoholism as a Major Social, Economic and Public Health Problem in the United States
• Alcoholism and Its Effects on Women’s Reproductive Systems and Pregnancy
• An Analysis of the Issue of Alcoholism in American Society and Its Impact on Children
• Alcoholism as the Plot Builder of Fitzgerald’s The Beautiful and Damned
• An Analysis of the Definition, Symptoms, Causes and Effects of Alcoholism
• Alcoholism Disease And Alcoholism Physical Symptoms
• How People Become Alcoholics and Effects of Alcoholism
• Alcoholism: The Symptoms And Effects Of The Disease
• Factors, Symptoms And Treatment Of Alcoholism
• An Analysis of the Theme of Alcoholism in My Papa’s Waltz by Theodore Roethke
• Alcoholism Is An Extremely Common Disease And It Affects
• An Analysis of the Role of Genetics and Environment in Causing Alcoholism
• Genetics Is Just One of the Many Contributing Factors of Alcoholism
• Living With Alcoholism: How Does Alcoholism Affect Other Family Members
• What Alcoholism Is and What Are Its Side Effects?
• Does Drinking Every Day Make You an Alcoholic?
• What Are the Symptoms of Alcoholism?
• Is Alcoholism a Disease or a Habit?
• What Is the Best Definition of Alcoholism?
• How Does Alcohol Affect Behavior?
• What Are the Problems of Alcoholism?
• How Do You Stop a Man From Drinking?
• What Does Alcohol Do to the Brain?
• Can a Person Drink a Lot and Not Be an Alcoholic?
• What Is the Root Cause of Alcoholism?
• Which Person Would Be Most Likely to Develop Alcoholism?
• What Is the Life Expectancy of an Alcoholic?
• Does Alcohol Change Personality?
• What Happens if You Drink Alcohol Every Day for a Month?
• Does Alcohol Cause Anger Issues?
• What Does Your Drunk Personality Say About You?
• Does Alcohol Affect Mental Health?
• What Happens When You Stop Drinking?
• Does Alcohol Cause Dementia?
• What Are the Statistics of Recovering Alcoholics?
• How Does Alcohol Affect Sleep?
• What Are the Signs of Someone Who Drinks Too Much?
• When Is Drinking a Problem in a Relationship?
• What Are the First Signs of Liver Damage From Alcohol?
• Is Damage From Alcohol Reversible?
• What Is the Most Successful Way to Stop Drinking?
• Is It True That Once an Alcoholic Always an Alcoholic?
• What Are the Four Types of Drinkers?
• What Is the First Step in the Development of Alcoholism?
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Alcoholism research paper: writing guide & topics.

Writing a research paper on alcoholism might seem like pushing a cart downhill; nevertheless, most students end up feeling frustrated. The need to bring out a new and captivating piece, in the end, remains a dream to many. But luckily, there’s a way out!

Read the sections that follow and forget about alcoholism research paper hangovers and blackouts.

How To Write an Alcoholism Research Paper Thesis

As earlier introduced, knowing the secret behind any successful paper puts you in the winning team. We need to note that such an article will majorly serve two essential purposes:

• To fight alcoholism
• To raise awareness among the people

The alcoholism outline for the research paper is as follows:

Alcoholism Research Paper Intro

An exciting introduction will hook the reader to your research paper. He/she will want to read more to feed his curiosity. Since the intro is the first paragraph that meets the reader’s eye, it should be outstanding as much as possible.

You can spice up your introduction in the following ways:

Present unexpected statistics and facts on alcoholism, Brief definitions of technical terms in your topic, if any Give the context of your research through background information Add a clear and precise thesis statement

The thesis statement serves as an anchor for your paper, determining your stance on the subject. Therefore, keep it short and sweet yet communicating the main point coherently.

It consists of all the arguments in support of your thesis statement. For a strong defense, ensure that you line up your undisputed and important ideas first as you move to the least. Some of the alcoholism research paper points to include in your body can be:

• Social effects of alcoholism on students
• How to help people struggling with alcoholism
• Symptoms of alcoholism in teenagers

Arrange the points in an orderly way so that your reader can follow through quickly. Each body paragraph should have a well-stated topic sentence, followed by an elaborate explanation and relevant examples.

Conclusion For Alcoholism Research Paper

After presenting your case on alcoholism and defending it with supporting arguments, it’s time, to sum up, your paper. The conclusion for alcoholism research paper summarizes the discussion in short, clear, and precise sentences.

You should also restate the thesis statement to emphasize your main idea of the paper. In conclusion, the general rule of thumb applies, do not add any new information. Strife to make it as short as possible yet not devoid of meaning.

When writing papers on alcoholism, be sure to use factual arguments, especially for the symptoms, effects, and other related statistics. Remember to be sensitive to the choice of words not to end up stigmatizing your reader.

Whether it’s a paper on addiction or withdrawal symptoms, do not vocabularies that may blur the reader from the article’s full picture.

Below are professionally handpicked alcoholism research paper topics for your inspiration:

Teenage Alcoholism Research Paper Topics

• Why do most teens think drinking alcohol is cool?
• Reasons why most students in college’ want to fit in.’
• Do parents who drink influence the teens also to start the habit?
• Does alcohol make teens feel more comfortable around their friends?
• Can alcohol raise the self-esteem of teens?
• Why many teens opt for alcohol when they feel pressured
• What are the withdrawal symptoms for teens addicted to alcohol?
• How teens can battle anxiety and depression without taking alcohol

Topics For Research Paper on Alcoholism and Family

• How alcohol makes parents neglect their essential duties
• Why forgetfulness as a result of alcoholism may disrupt family relationships
• Domestic violence as a result of excessive alcohol drinking
• Financial instability in families with alcohol addicts
• Can parents who drink alcohol help their children with homework?
• Why do children from families where parents drink alcohol suffer depression?
• Difficulty with intimate relationships among adults who drink alcohol
• Mental and physical health issues as a result of alcoholism in the family

Topics on Risks of Alcoholism

• Motor vehicle accidents arising from drinking and driving
• Why cases of homicide are on the rise among those who drink
• What causes alcohol poisoning?
• Risky sexual behaviors as a result of irresponsible drinking
• How mothers can experience miscarriage if they take excessive alcohol consumption
• Why do alcohol drinking people develop high blood pressure?
• Learning and memory difficulties as a result of alcoholism
• Why you risk losing your job if you continue drinking

Topics on Alcoholism as a Disease

• Can we classify alcoholism as a curable disease?
• The pre-alcoholic phase of alcoholism as a disease
• What is the relationship between increased heart rate and alcoholism?
• How effective is the Intensive Outpatient alcoholism treatment Program?
• Causes of relapse among patients recovering from alcoholism
• Aftercare support programs for patients dealing with alcoholism
• How scary is a diagnosis of alcoholism?
• Medical treatment options for people struggling with alcohol addiction

Alcohol Abuse Research Paper Topics

• The impact of alcohol abuse on relationships
• How alcohol abuse can cause harm or injury
• How alcohol abuse can harm the quality of your life
• Sexual dysfunction complications as a result of alcohol abuse
• Recommended ways of controlling alcohol abuse
• Medications to reduce the symptoms of withdrawal among addicts
• The role of support groups in reducing alcohol abuse
• Warning signs that you are abusing alcohol

Addiction Research Paper Topics

• Why is the youthful population the most affected with alcohol addiction?
• Best approaches to dealing with alcohol addiction among adults
• How drug addiction has led to increased crime rates in society
• Does counseling help to deal with the problem of drug addiction?
• Compare and contrast drug addiction between first and third world countries
• What measures can the government institute curb drug addiction?
• How drug addictions contribute to marriage breakups
• Why most drug addicts cannot have gainful employment opportunities
• How alcohol addiction impacts human health
• Why are the majority of street children drug and substance addicts?
• What are the policies legislating against drug addiction?
• Why are more men drug addicts than women?
• Rehabilitation systems of helping drug addicts
• Sociological perspectives of drug addiction
• A step by step approach to helping adolescents in drug addiction

In case the topics are not enough for you, we have professional research paper writing help for college students. Using our services will ensure that you attain that much-coveted A+.

Give it a try now!

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The thesis statement or main claim must be debatable

An argumentative or persuasive piece of writing must begin with a debatable thesis or claim. In other words, the thesis must be something that people could reasonably have differing opinions on. If your thesis is something that is generally agreed upon or accepted as fact then there is no reason to try to persuade people.

Example of a non-debatable thesis statement:

This thesis statement is not debatable. First, the word pollution implies that something is bad or negative in some way. Furthermore, all studies agree that pollution is a problem; they simply disagree on the impact it will have or the scope of the problem. No one could reasonably argue that pollution is unambiguously good.

Example of a debatable thesis statement:

This is an example of a debatable thesis because reasonable people could disagree with it. Some people might think that this is how we should spend the nation's money. Others might feel that we should be spending more money on education. Still others could argue that corporations, not the government, should be paying to limit pollution.

Another example of a debatable thesis statement:

In this example there is also room for disagreement between rational individuals. Some citizens might think focusing on recycling programs rather than private automobiles is the most effective strategy.

The thesis needs to be narrow

Although the scope of your paper might seem overwhelming at the start, generally the narrower the thesis the more effective your argument will be. Your thesis or claim must be supported by evidence. The broader your claim is, the more evidence you will need to convince readers that your position is right.

Example of a thesis that is too broad:

There are several reasons this statement is too broad to argue. First, what is included in the category "drugs"? Is the author talking about illegal drug use, recreational drug use (which might include alcohol and cigarettes), or all uses of medication in general? Second, in what ways are drugs detrimental? Is drug use causing deaths (and is the author equating deaths from overdoses and deaths from drug related violence)? Is drug use changing the moral climate or causing the economy to decline? Finally, what does the author mean by "society"? Is the author referring only to America or to the global population? Does the author make any distinction between the effects on children and adults? There are just too many questions that the claim leaves open. The author could not cover all of the topics listed above, yet the generality of the claim leaves all of these possibilities open to debate.

Example of a narrow or focused thesis:

In this example the topic of drugs has been narrowed down to illegal drugs and the detriment has been narrowed down to gang violence. This is a much more manageable topic.

We could narrow each debatable thesis from the previous examples in the following way:

Narrowed debatable thesis 1:

This thesis narrows the scope of the argument by specifying not just the amount of money used but also how the money could actually help to control pollution.

Narrowed debatable thesis 2:

This thesis narrows the scope of the argument by specifying not just what the focus of a national anti-pollution campaign should be but also why this is the appropriate focus.

Qualifiers such as " typically ," " generally ," " usually ," or " on average " also help to limit the scope of your claim by allowing for the almost inevitable exception to the rule.

Types of claims

Claims typically fall into one of four categories. Thinking about how you want to approach your topic, or, in other words, what type of claim you want to make, is one way to focus your thesis on one particular aspect of your broader topic.

Claims of fact or definition: These claims argue about what the definition of something is or whether something is a settled fact. Example:

Claims of cause and effect: These claims argue that one person, thing, or event caused another thing or event to occur. Example:

Claims about value: These are claims made of what something is worth, whether we value it or not, how we would rate or categorize something. Example:

Claims about solutions or policies: These are claims that argue for or against a certain solution or policy approach to a problem. Example:

Which type of claim is right for your argument? Which type of thesis or claim you use for your argument will depend on your position and knowledge of the topic, your audience, and the context of your paper. You might want to think about where you imagine your audience to be on this topic and pinpoint where you think the biggest difference in viewpoints might be. Even if you start with one type of claim you probably will be using several within the paper. Regardless of the type of claim you choose to utilize it is key to identify the controversy or debate you are addressing and to define your position early on in the paper.

Writing Thesis Statements for Argumentative Essays

Read the article below (on the left) about thesis statements and then do the interactive quiz on the right. write only one word in each space..

Show all questions

• In which paragraph is the thesis statement normally found? Check Hint Show answer
• What is another word for 'argumentative'? Check Hint Show answer
• The first step before writing a thesis statement is to _________ expert, academic articles to gather background information. Check Hint Show answer
• When you __________ the arguments and findings of academic articles on the issue that you will write about, you will begin to choose those that are most credible and persuasive. Check Hint Show answer
• Reading academic articles on the issue that you will write about will help you decide your __________. Check Hint Show answer
• The first main point to remember about writing a thesis statement is to make it ___________. Check Hint Show answer
• A good thesis statement should always leave room for _________. Check Hint Show answer
• Another main point is that thesis statements need to be ___________. They should not be too broad or general. Check Hint Show answer
• Writing specific thesis statements helps to narrow the possibilities that the writer will write about and provide _________ to the essay. Check Hint Show answer
• A good thesis statement should not have more than ___________ controlling argument. Check Hint Show answer
• ____________ details should be discussed in the body paragraphs that follow the introduction. Check Hint Show answer
• Another key idea is that a thesis statement should always be very ___________ so that readers can identify the writer's position on the issue. Check Hint Show answer
• A thesis statement should also always be as ____________ as possible. Using too many words may confuse or annoy readers. Check Hint Show answer
• If an introduction has a clear, concise and debatable thesis statement with only one controlling idea, readers will be able to identify the writer's point of view and know exactly what to __________ from the essay before they read its body paragraphs. Check Hint Show answer

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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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Psychological Theories of Alcohol Consumption

• First Online: 11 May 2021

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• Richard Cooke 8 , 9  

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This chapter begins with an outline of several psychological theories of alcohol consumption, including alcohol expectancy theory, the cognitive model of binge drinking, incentive motivation model, and the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour, which have been proposed to account for alcohol consumption. An outline of each theory is provided before the evidence base for each is reviewed. Next, the chapter compares and contrasts the theories in terms of evidence before considering theoretical overlap between constructs and outlining studies that have tested multiple theories in the same sample. After a brief discussion of theoretical integration, a number of methodological issues with existing tests of theories are outlined and discussed. The chapter ends with suggestions for future research.

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Cooke, R. (2021). Psychological Theories of Alcohol Consumption. In: Cooke, R., Conroy, D., Davies, E.L., Hagger, M.S., de Visser, R.O. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Psychological Perspectives on Alcohol Consumption. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66941-6_2

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The Thesis Statement in a Persuasive Text

Alys Avalos-Rivera

In another chapter, we discussed the features of an informational essay. In this chapter, we will guide you to understand the essential elements of a similar type of academic text: the persuasive essay. Although informational and persuasive writing follow similar principles such as an orderly presentation of ideas that should be supported with evidence (e.g. facts, arguments, or examples), their purposes differ. The objective is written to take a stance (specific point of view) with respect to a controversial topic and persuade the audience to adopt the writer’s position. Because of this difference, the thesis statement of the persuasive essay needs to introduce the writer’s position in the controversy featured in the essay. Also, the preview of the essay’s structure should outline the arguments that the author will use to support his/her stance.

Should the US drinking age be lowered?

In the US, drinking alcoholic beverages is illegal for people under 21 years of age (minimum legal drinking age or MLDA). This law has long caused a great deal of disagreement and debates. While some people think it is paradoxical that young people of 18 cannot enter a bar but still go to war, others believe that the law is the best way to keep youth away from irresponsible and heavy drinking episodes (also called binge drinking). The following texts were written by readers of the New York Times” Room for Debate page to express their opinions about the subject. [1]

• Read the comments and underline the readers’ main arguments (reasons to support one position or the other).
• Identify which readers are against lowering the minimum drinking age (CON) and which are in favor (PRO)?
• Which arguments seem the least convincing? Which are the most persuasive? Why?

Content focus: Rating thesis statements

Considering these features, in the following task you will analyze how six college students drafted their thesis statements for a persuasive essay on the MLDA controversy. In the prompt used by the instructor for this assignment, students were required to address the following purposes:

• Present the PROs and CONs of the MLDA to a group of college students’ parents.
• Persuade the parents to vote in favor of lowering the MLDA to 18 years of age.

In other words, the writers need to take a stance on the issue. Read the Thesis Statement and assess how well each one fulfills the purposes given above and to what extent. Rate the Thesis Statement using a scale from 1 to 6, where 6 will stand for the best Thesis Statement and 1 will be given to the poorest. Be prepared to explain the reasons you have to support your rating.

a. The United States has more accidents caused by drivers under the influence of alcohol than other countries where there is no MLDA (        )

b. Young people should be allowed to drink without legal restrictions based on their age, which is ridiculous (        )

c. Parents should teach their children how to drink alcohol in moderation.  (        )

d. Lowering the MLDA will allow parents to introduce their children to alcohol use under the supervision and reduce the rate of accidents caused by drunken drivers (        )

e. A reduction in the MLDA will help neutralize teenagers’ obsession with drinking, allow parents to monitor their children first encounters with alcohol, and reduce the rate of accidents caused by irresponsible drinking.   (        )

f. Having the MLDA fixed at 21 is only increasing young people’s fascination with drinking in unsafe environments and using false IDs.     (        )

Guidelines for a thesis statement

What should be considered when drafting a thesis statement for an essay that aims to persuade the audience to take a stand in a controversial issue? Think of some possible guidelines to write an effective persuasive TS taking into account the following:

• How should you address your audience?
• Where in your text should you introduce your stance?
• What language features (words, phrases) could be useful?
• How can you connect your TS with the main arguments you will use in your essay?

Write your guidelines below and discuss them with your colleagues and your instructor:

In some of the thesis statements listed above, the writers use modal verbs such as will and should . The first one ( will ) is used to predict the results that could be achieved if the authorities follow a specific course of action regarding the MLDA. The second one ( should ) is used to recommend what should be done with respect to the MLDA. These and other modal verbs that express advice, convey an obligation, or predict an outcome are often used to introduce the writer’s stance because they are useful to express the speaker’s desires, or his/her ideas of how the world should be. Other modal verbs that are also used with these purposes are: must, can, could, ought to, and also the semi-modal have to .

When using modal verbs to compose your thesis statement, however, you should be careful to select the one that best represents your purpose. The meaning of your thesis statement can change a great deal if you use one or the other. Read the following examples and explain how the meaning has changed with each modal (in bold):

*Although ought to and must are accepted as standard forms, they are not used in Academic English very often because they imply a strong and categorical position. Scientists usually abstain from categorical statements because these expressions do not convey that the writer remains open to new possibilities. Scientist prefer to maintain a more open attitude in their writing in case new evidence is discovered in the future that can change their points of view about the world.

Although the participants in the Room for Debate’s and Star Wars pages hold different points of view regarding very different topics, they all engaged in their online discussions with a common purpose: persuading their audience of their point of view. They do so in a succinct fashion because their audience does not usually invest much time in reading blog posts that are too long and complex. Therefore, effective blog/forum posters try to be direct and present one single point per post. On the contrary, academic persuasive writing needs to be more detailed and provide the audience with more than just the author’s point of view.

• https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/02/10/you-must-be-21-to-drink ↵

The Thesis Statement in a Persuasive Text Copyright © 2020 by Alys Avalos-Rivera is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Theoretical Frameworks and Mechanistic Aspects of Alcohol Addiction: Alcohol Addiction as a Reward Deficit Disorder

George f. koob.

Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, SP30-2400, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA

Alcoholism can be defined by a compulsion to seek and take drug, loss of control in limiting intake, and the emergence of a negative emotional state when access to the drug is prevented. Alcoholism impacts multiple motivational mechanisms and can be conceptualized as a disorder that includes a progression from impulsivity (positive reinforcement) to compulsivity (negative reinforcement). The compulsive drug seeking associated with alcoholism can be derived from multiple neuroadaptations, but the thesis argued here is that a key component involves the construct of negative reinforcement. Negative reinforcement is defined as drug taking that alleviates a negative emotional state. The negative emotional state that drives such negative reinforcement is hypothesized to derive from dysregulation of specific neurochemical elements involved in reward and stress within the basal forebrain structures involving the ventral striatum and extended amygdala, respectively. Specific neurochemical elements in these structures include not only decreases in reward neurotransmission, such as decreased dopamine and γ -aminobutyric acid function in the ventral striatum, but also recruitment of brain stress systems, such as corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), in the extended amygdala. Acute withdrawal from chronic alcohol, sufficient to produce dependence, increases reward thresholds, increases anxiety-like responses, decreases dopamine system function, and increases extracellular levels of CRF in the central nucleus of the amygdala. CRF receptor antagonists also block excessive drug intake produced by dependence. A brain stress response system is hypothesized to be activated by acute excessive drug intake, to be sensitized during repeated withdrawal, to persist into protracted abstinence, and to contribute to the compulsivity of alcoholism. Other components of brain stress systems in the extended amygdala that interact with CRF and that may contribute to the negative motivational state of withdrawal include norepinephrine, dynorphin, and neuropeptide Y. The combination of loss of reward function and recruitment of brain stress systems provides a powerful neurochemical basis for a negative emotional state that is responsible for the negative reinforcement driving, at least partially, the compulsivity of alcoholism.

1 Definitions and Conceptual Framework for Reward Deficit in Alcoholism

Alcoholism has many definitions that vary from social frameworks to a psychiatric framework embedded in the diagnosis of Substance Dependence on Alcohol defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, 4th edition (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association 1994 ). Alcoholism, and more generically drug addiction, can be defined as a chronically relapsing disorder characterized by (i) compulsion to seek and take the drug (alcohol), (ii) loss of control in limiting (alcohol) intake, and (iii) emergence of a negative emotional state (e.g., dysphoria, anxiety and irritability) reflecting a motivational withdrawal syndrome when access to the drug (alcohol) is prevented (defined here as dependence: Koob and Le Moal 1997 ). Clinically and in animal models, the occasional but limited use of alcohol with the potential for abuse or dependence is distinct from escalated alcohol intake and the emergence of a chronic alcohol-dependent state. The thesis argued in the present synthesis is that alcoholism, similar to drug addiction, is a reward deficit disorder, and the “emergence of a negative emotional state” plays an important role in defining and perpetuating alcoholism. Alcoholism also involves substantial neuroadaptations that persist beyond acute withdrawal and trigger relapse and deficits in cognitive function that can also fuel compulsive drinking. However, the argument here is that the core deficit that sets up vulnerability to relapse in alcoholism, and possibly even deficits in cognitive function, is in fact decreased reward function.

To support this hypothesis, a holistic view of alcoholism will be presented with the following arguments. A negative emotional state is a common presentation in most alcoholics during withdrawal and protracted abstinence. Compulsivity observed in alcoholism has an important negative reinforcement component that perpetuates alcoholism. Such negative emotional states become sensitized over time and set up an allostatic state that perpetuates dependence. Negative emotional states set up a powerful motivational state for relapse. Finally, the neurobiological substrates underlying the motivation to seek alcohol will be reviewed, and an argument will be presented that it is loss of reward function and gain of brain stress function that mediate the negative emotional state outlined as key to alcoholism.

Drug addiction has generally been conceptualized as a disorder that involves elements of both impulsivity and compulsivity, in which impulsivity can be defined behaviorally as “a predisposition toward rapid, unplanned reactions to internal and external stimuli without regard for the negative consequences of these reactions to themselves or others” ( Moeller et al. 2001 ). Impulsivity is measured in two domains: the choice of a smaller, immediate reward over a larger, delayed reward ( Rachlin and Green 1972 ) or the inability to inhibit behavior by changing the course of action or to stop a response once it is initiated ( Logan et al. 1997 ). Impulsivity is a core deficit in substance abuse disorders ( Allen et al. 1998 ) and neuropsychiatric disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Operationally, delay-to-gratification tasks (delayed discounting tasks; impulsive choice) and the stop-signal or go/no-go task (behavioral impulsivity) have been used as measures of impulsivity ( Fillmore and Rush 2002 ; Green et al. 1994 ). Compulsivity can be defined as elements of behavior that result in perseveration of responding in the face of adverse consequences or perseveration in the face of incorrect responses in choice situations (e.g., operationally, responding for a drug or alcohol in the face of adverse consequences ( Wolffgramm and Heyne 1995 ) or responding for a drug or alcohol on a progressive-ratio schedule of reinforcement ( Walker et al. 2008 )). Compulsivity is analogous to the symptoms of Substance Dependence outlined by the American Psychiatric Association: continued substance use despite knowledge of having had a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem and a great deal of time spent in activities necessary to obtain the substance ( American Psychiatric Association 2000 ).

Collapsing the cycles of impulsivity and compulsivity yields a composite addiction cycle comprising three stages— preoccupation/anticipation, binge/intoxication, and withdrawal/negative affect —in which impulsivity often dominates at the early stages and compulsivity dominates at terminal stages ( Fig. 1 ). As an individual moves from impulsivity to compulsivity, a shift occurs from positive reinforcement driving the motivated behavior to negative reinforcement driving the motivated behavior ( Koob 2004 ). Negative reinforcement can be defined as the process by which removal of an aversive stimulus (e.g., negative emotional state of drug withdrawal) increases the probability of a response (e.g., dependence-induced drug intake to relieve the negative emotional state). Note that negative reinforcement is not punishment, although both involve an aversive stimulus. In punishment, the aversive stimulus suppresses behavior, including drug taking (e.g., disulfiram [Antabuse]). Negative reinforcement can be perhaps described in lay terms as reward via relief (i.e., relief reward), such as removal of pain or in the case of alcoholism removal of the negative emotional state of acute withdrawal or protracted abstinence. The three stages are conceptualized as interacting with each other, becoming more intense, and ultimately leading to the pathological state known as addiction ( Koob and Le Moal 1997 ) ( Fig. 1 ).

(Top left) Diagram showing the stages of impulse control disorder and compulsive disorder cycles related to the sources of reinforcement. In impulse control disorders, an increasing tension and arousal occurs before the impulsive act, with pleasure, gratification, or relief during the act. Following the act, there may or may not be regret or guilt. In compulsive disorders, there are recurrent and persistent thoughts (obsessions) that cause marked anxiety and stress followed by repetitive behaviors (compulsions) that are aimed at preventing or reducing distress ( American Psychiatric Association 1994 ). Positive reinforcement (pleasure/gratification) is more closely associated with impulse control disorders. Negative reinforcement (relief of anxiety or relief of stress) is more closely associated with compulsive disorders. (Top right) Collapsing the cycles of impulsivity and compulsivity results in the addiction cycle, conceptualized as three major components: preoccupation/anticipation, binge/intoxication, and withdrawal/negative affect (Taken with permission from Koob 2008b .) (Bottom) Change in the relative contribution of positive and negative reinforcement constructs during the development of substance dependence on alcohol

In alcohol addiction, or alcoholism, a pattern of oral drug taking evolves that is often characterized by binges of alcohol intake that can be daily episodes or prolonged days of heavy drinking and is characterized by a severe emotional and somatic withdrawal syndrome. Many alcoholics continue with such a binge/withdrawal pattern for extended periods of time, but some individuals can evolve into an opioid-like situation in which they must have alcohol available at all times to avoid the negative consequences of abstinence. Here, intense preoccupation with obtaining alcohol (craving) develops that is linked not only to stimuli associated with obtaining the drug but also to stimuli associated with withdrawal and the aversive motivational state. A pattern develops in which the drug must be obtained to avoid the severe dysphoria and discomfort of abstinence.

The pattern of alcohol addiction, related to reward dysfunction, can be amply illustrated by excerpts from two case histories from Knapp (1996) and Goodwin (1981) . In the first representative case history, an individual progresses from the state where they stated, “I drank when I was happy and I drank when I was anxious and I drank when I was bored and I drank when I was depressed, which was often,” to, “I loved the way drink made me feel, and I loved its special power of deflection, its ability to shift my focus away from my own awareness of self and onto something else, something less painful than my own feelings,” and, “There’s a sense of deep need, and the response is a grabbiness, a compulsion to latch on to something outside yourself in order to assuage some deep discomfort” ( Knapp 1996 ). Similarly, in a second representative case history, “Alcohol seemed to satisfy some specific need I had, which I can’t describe,” and, “There were always reasons to drink. I was low, tense, tired, mad, happy,” and, “The goal, always, was to maintain a glow, not enough, I hoped, that people would notice, but a glow,” and, “By now I was hooked and knew it, but desperately did not want others to know it. I had been sneaking drinks for years—slipping out to the kitchen during parties and such—but now I began hiding alcohol, in my desk, bedroom, car glove compartment, so it would never be far away, ever. I grew panicky even thinking I might not have alcohol when I needed it, which was just about always, “ and, “ I loathed myself. I was waking early and thinking what a mess I was, how I had hurt so many others and myself. The words ‘guilty’ and ‘depression’ sound superficial in trying to describe how I felt. The loathing was almost physical—a dead weight that could be lifted in only one way, and that was by having a drink” ( Goodwin 1981 ; see Koob and Le Moal 2006 , Appendix, for full quotations).

These case histories illustrate numerous key points regarding the present treatise, but the main point to be further discussed below is the transition from drinking to feel good to drinking to avoid feeling bad. To some extent, this transition is facilitated by personality differences, presumably shaped not only by genetics but also by developmental and even social factors. As Khantzian (1997) cogently argued, addiction can be considered a type of chronic emotional distress syndrome that varies with the individual from physical and emotional pain to chronic dysphoria to stress and anxiety to interpersonal difficulties for which drugs can be argued to be sources of self-medication for such negative emotional states. Additionally, he argued that self-medication may be drug-specific—patients may have a preferential use of drugs that fits with the nature of the painful feeling states that they are self-medicating (e.g., opiates to counter intense anger and rage, stimulants as augmenting agents for high-energy individuals, energizing agents for low-energy individuals, and depressants [e.g., alcohol] for individuals who are tense and anxious). The common element argued by Khantzian is that each class of drugs serves as antidotes or correctives to dysphoric states and acts as a “replacement for a defect in the psychological structure” ( Kohut 1971 , p. 46) of such individuals ( Khantzian 2003 ).

1.1 Theoretical Framework: Motivation, Withdrawal, and Opponent Process

Motivation is a state that can be defined as a “tendency of the whole animal to produce organized activity” ( Hebb 1972 ), and such motivational states are not constant but rather vary over time. Early work by Wikler stressed the role of changes in drive states associated with dependence. Subjects described changes in withdrawal as a “hunger” or primary need and the effects of morphine on such a state as “satiation” or gratification of the primary need ( Wikler 1952 ). Although Wikler argued that positive reinforcement was retained even in heavily dependent subjects (thrill of the intravenous opioid injection), dependence produced a new source of gratification, that of negative reinforcement (see above).

The concept of motivation in addiction was inextricably linked with hedonic, affective, or emotional states in the context of temporal dynamics by Solomon’s opponent process theory of motivation. Solomon and Corbit (1974) postulated that hedonic, affective, or emotional states, once initiated by drugs, are automatically modulated by the central nervous system with mechanisms that reduce the intensity of hedonic feelings. The a-process includes affective or hedonic habituation (or tolerance), and the b-process includes affective or hedonic withdrawal (abstinence). The a-process in drug use consists of positive hedonic responses, occurs shortly after presentation of a stimulus, correlates closely with the intensity, quality, and duration of the reinforcer, and shows tolerance. In contrast, the b-process in drug use appears after the a-process has terminated, consists of negative hedonic responses, and is sluggish in onset, slow to build up to an asymptote, slow to decay, and gets larger with repeated exposure. The thesis here is that opponent processes begin early in drug taking, reflect changes in the brain reward and stress systems, and later form one of the major motivations for compulsivity in drug taking.

Thus, dependence or manifestation of a withdrawal syndrome after removal of chronic drug administration is defined in terms of motivational aspects of dependence, such as emergence of a negative emotional state (e.g., dysphoria, anxiety and irritability) when access to the drug is prevented ( Koob and Le Moal 2001 ), rather than on the physical , signs of dependence. Indeed, some have argued that the development of such a negative affective state can define dependence as it relates to addiction:

The notion of dependence on a drug, object, role, activity or any other stimulus-source requires the crucial feature of negative affect experienced in its absence. The degree of dependence can be equated with the amount of this negative affect, which may range from mild discomfort to extreme distress, or it may be equated with the amount of difficulty or effort required to do without the drug, object, etc ( Russell 1976 ).

Alcoholics show dramatic evidence of dysphoric states during acute withdrawal that persist into protracted abstinence. Alcohol withdrawal in humans produces well documented physical (somatic) symptoms, such as tremor, autonomic hyperactivity, nausea, vomiting, and seizures, but more importantly produces significant affective symptoms of anxiety, dysphoria, and depression-like symptoms. Acute withdrawal (i.e., the first week post-alcohol) is characterized by Beck Depression Inventory scores of approximately 20, which is categorized within the range of moderate depression ( Potokar et al. 21997 ; 15–30), and Hamilton Depression Scores of 18, which is close to 20 (the cutoff for antidepressant medication in affective disorder; Brown and Schuckit 1988 ). Depression scores decline during subsequent weeks of treatment but remain at close to 10 for Hamilton Depression Scores for up to 4 weeks of an inpatient treatment program ( Brown and Schuckit 1988 ). In another study of inpatient alcoholics during withdrawal, the Beck Depression Inventory score was at 15 at withdrawal and remained at 12.8 two days into withdrawal and at 9.4 two weeks post-withdrawal ( de Timary et al. 2008 ). Similar results were obtained for anxiety measures ( Potokar et al. 1997 ; de Timary et al. 2008 ). In another study with a long-term follow-up of 6 months after a 4-week inpatient detoxification. Beck Depression Inventory scores remained at approximately 6, and trait anxiety scores (STAI-X2) remained above 33 even in subjects without comorbid anxiety or depression ( Driessen et al. 2001 ). Independent of comorbidity status, individuals who relapsed had higher trait anxiety scores than those who abstained ( Driessen et al. 2001 ). Thus, although alcoholics show significant decreases in measures of depression and anxiety during withdrawal, there is a measurable level of depression-like symptoms that persist long after acute withdrawal into protracted abstinence that may be clinically (treatment) relevant.

More compelling for the present thesis, during a 2-week inpatient withdrawal study, alexithymia (defined as a state of deficiency in understanding, processing, or describing emotions: from the Greek a for “lack.” lexis for “word,” and thymos for “emotion”; Sifneos 1973 ; Taylor and Bagby 2000 ), which results in poor emotional regulation and stress management abilities, remained high and stable during the 2-week period ( de Timary et al. 2008 ). Alexithymia scores did not decline between the 0 and 2 day time-points but remained high at a score of 57 and declined only to 53 at the 3-week time-point ( de Timary et al. 2008 ). The authors argued that alexithymia is a stable personality trait in alcoholics rather than a state-dependent phenomenon, providing support for the self-medication hypothesis outlined above.

Animal models can also be used to test the hypothesis that there are opponent process-like motivational changes associated with the development of alcohol dependence. Electrical brain stimulation reward or intracranial self-stimulation has a long history as a measure of activity of the brain reward system and of the acute reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse. All drugs of abuse, when administered acutely, decrease brain stimulation reward thresholds ( Kornetsky and Esposito 1979 ) and when administered chronically increase reward thresholds during withdrawal (see above). Brain stimulation reward involves widespread neurocircuitry in the brain, but the most sensitive sites defined by the lowest thresholds involve the trajectory of the medial forebrain bundle that connects the ventral tegmental area with the basal forebrain ( Olds and Milner 1954 ; Koob et al. 1977 ). Although much emphasis was focussed initially on the role of the ascending monoamine systems in the medial forebrain bundle in brain stimulation reward, other nondopaminergic systems in the medial forebrain bundle clearly play a key role ( Hernandez et al. 2006 ).

Rats made dependent using chronic ethanol vapor exposure at blood alcohol levels sufficient to drive excessive drinking showed an increase in brain reward thresholds during withdrawal that lasted up to 3 days post-withdrawal ( Schulteis et al. 1995 ). However, data suggest that, similar to other drugs of abuse, such opponent-like processes can begin with a single dosing ( Fig. 2 ).

a Withdrawal from a single boul of acute ethanol intoxication (week 1) resulted in a significant but transient increase in brain reward threshold only with the highest dose of ethanol tested (2.0 g/kg: a P < 0.05, compared with vehicle controls at given time-point post-injection). The effect was significant at 6 hours, a time when blood alcohol levels had declined to virtually undetectable levels following this dose of ethanol. Repeated treatment with this dose for two additional weeks resulted in a progressive broadening of the duration of significant threshold elevations. By comparison, treatment with 1.5 g/kg ethanol resulted in significant but transient elevations only after three repeated bouts of intoxication/withdrawal, and no statistically reliable changes were seen after one or two treatments (data not shown). Treatment with 1.0 g/kg did not produce any statistically reliable threshold changes regardless of treatment week (data not shown). Data are expressed as mean ± SEM percentage of baseline threshold, n = 8–10 per dose group. [Taken with permission from Schulteis and Liu 2006 .] b Time-dependent elevation of intracranial self-stimulation thresholds during ethanol withdrawal. Mean blood alcohol levels were 197.29 mg%, Data are expressed as mean ± SEM percentage of baseline threshold, a p < 0.05, thresholds that were significantly elevated above control levels at 2–48 hours post-ethanol. Open circles indicate the control condition. Closed circles indicate the ethanol withdrawal condition. [Taken with permission from Schulteis et al. 1995 .]

An acute elevation in brain reward thresholds was observed during repeated acute withdrawal from ethanol, bearing a striking resemblance to human subjective reports ( Schulteis and Liu 2006 ) ( Fig. 2 ). These results demonstrate that the elevation in brain reward thresholds following prolonged access to alcohol may fail to return to baseline levels between repeated and prolonged exposure to alcohol self-administration (i.e., a residual reward deficit), thus creating the greater elevation in reward thresholds observed during withdrawal from chronic ethanol. Rapid acute tolerance and opponent process-like effects in response to the hedonic effects of alcohol have been reported in human studies using the alcohol clamp procedure ( Morzorati et al. 2002 ). These data provide compelling evidence for brain reward dysfunction with chronic alcohol, which provides strong support for a hedonic allostasis model of alcoholism ( Koob 2003 ).

The dysregulation of brain reward function associated with withdrawal from chronic administration of drugs of abuse is a common element of all drugs of abuse. Withdrawal from chronic cocaine ( Markou and Koob 1991 ), amphetamine ( Paterson et al. 2000 ), opioids ( Schulteis et al. 1994 ), cannabinoids ( Gardner and Vorel 1998 ), nicotine ( Epping-Jordan et al. 1998 ), and ethanol ( Schulteis et al. 1995 ) leads to increases in reward thresholds during acute abstinence, and some of these elevations in threshold can last for up to 1 week. These observations lend credence to the hypothesis that opponent processes can set the stage for one aspect of compulsivity in which negative reinforcement mechanisms are engaged.

More recently, the opponent process theory has been expanded into the domains of the neurobiology of drug addiction from a neurocircuitry perspective. An allostatic model of the brain motivational systems has been proposed to explain the persistent changes in motivation that are associated with dependence in addiction ( Koob and Le Moal 2001 , 2008 ). In this formulation, addiction is conceptualized as a cycle of increasing dysregulation of brain reward/anti-reward mechanisms that results in a negative emotional state contributing to the compulsive use of drugs. Counteradaptive processes that are part of the normal homeostatic limitation of reward function fail to return within the normal homeostatic range. These counteradaptive processes are hypothesized to be mediated by two mechanisms: within-system neuroadaptations and between-system neuroadaptations ( Koob and Bloom 1988 ).

In a within-system neuroadaptation. “the primary cellular response element to the drug would itself adapt to neutralize the drug’s effects: persistence of the opposing effects after the drug disappears would produce the withdrawal response” ( Koob and Bloom 1988 ). Thus, a within-system neuroadaptation is a molecular or cellular change within a given reward circuit to accommodate overactivity of hedonic processing associated with addiction resulting in a decrease in reward function.

The emotional dysregulation associated with the withdrawal/negative affect stage may also involve between-system neuroadaptations in which neurochemical systems other than those involved in the positive rewarding effects of drugs of abuse are recruited or dysregulated by chronic activation of the reward system. “In the between-systems opposing process, a different cellular system and separable molecular apparatus would be triggered by the changes in the primary drug response neurons and would produce the adaptation and tolerance” ( Koob and Bloom 1988 ). Thus, a between-system neuroadaptation is a circuitry change in which another different circuit (anti-reward circuit) is activated by the reward circuit and has opposing actions, again limiting reward function. The remainder of this review explores the neuroadaptational changes that occur in the brain emotional systems to account for the neurocircuitry changes that produce opponent processes and are hypothesized to play a key role in the compulsivity of addiction.

2 Animal Models for Compulsive Alcohol Seeking

Methods of inducing binge-like drinking with alcohol range from having animals drink alcohol solutions that are made more palatable with the addition of a sweetener ( Ji et al. 2008 ) to restricting intake to specific periods of the dark cycle (drinking in the dark; Rhodes et al. 2005 ) to models involving alcohol dependence in animals such as alcohol vapor inhalation, intragastric alcohol infusion, and alcohol-liquid diet. The compulsive use of alcohol derives from multiple sources of reinforcement, and animal models have been developed not only for the acute positive reinforcing effects of ethanol, but also for the negative reinforcing effects associated with removal of the aversive effects of ethanol withdrawal or an existing aversive state (i.e., self-medication of the aversive effects of abstinence from chronic ethanol or self-medication of a pre-existing negative affective state; Koob and Le Moal 1997 ). A major early breakthrough was the development of a training procedure involving access to a sweetened solution and a subsequent fading in of ethanol to avoid the aversiveness of the ethanol taste (for review, see Samson 1987 ). Subsequent work extended these procedures to measures of self-administration in dependent rats and post-dependent rats ( Roberts et al. 1996 ; O’Dell et al. 2004 ).

High doses of alcohol solution will be self-administered intragastrically after animals are made dependent via passive intragastric infusion, and rats will self-infuse 4–7 g/kg per day of ethanol ( Fidler et al. 2006 ). Here, blood alcohol levels average 0.12 g%, measured 30 min after the start of a bout in which rats infuse 1.5 g/kg per 30 min.

In an alcohol-liquid diet procedure, the diet is typically the sole source of calories available to rats (for example, see Moy et al. 1997 ), thereby forcing rats to consume the alcohol. Typically, rats are provided a palatable liquid diet containing 5–8.7% v/v ethanol as their sole source of calories sufficient to produce dependence and maintain blood alcohol levels of 100–130 mg% during the dark (active drinking) cycle ( Schulteis et al. 1996 ; Brown et al. 1998 ; Valdez et al. 2004). High responders during withdrawal from liquid diet will reach blood alcohol levels of approximately 80–100 mg% ( Schulteis et al. 1996 ; Gilpin et al. 2009 ).

Reliable self-administration of ethanol in dependent animals using ethanol vapor exposure has been extensively characterized in rats, in which animals obtain blood alcohol levels in the 100–150 mg% range ( Roberts et al. 1999 , 2000 ). Similarly, rats with a history of alcohol dependence show increased self-administration of ethanol, even weeks after acute withdrawal ( Roberts et al. 2000 ). In a variant of alcohol vapor exposure with more face validity, intermittent exposure to chronic ethanol using alcohol vapor chambers (14 h on/10 h off) produces more rapid escalation to increased ethanol intake and higher amounts of intake ( O’Dell et al. 2004 ; Rimondini et al. 2002 ), and blood alcohol levels are reliably above 140 mg% after a 30 min session of self-administration in dependent animals ( Richardson et al. 2008 ). In both the liquid diet and ethanol vapor procedures, alcohol intake is directly related to the blood alcohol range and the pattern of intermittent high-dose alcohol exposure ( Gilpin et al. 2009 ). Although the alcohol vapor model may have limited face validity, considering that alcohol is passively administered to animals, numerous studies demonstrated that it also has robust predictive validity for alcohol addiction ( Heilig and Koob 2007 ; Koob et al. 2009 ).

A similar procedure has been developed for mice and produces reliable increases in ethanol self-administration during withdrawal. Now termed chronic intermittent exposure (CIE), C57BL/6 mice are exposed to intermittent durations of ethanol vapor (three cycles of 16 h of vapor and 8 h of air) and then tested in a 2 h limited access ethanol preference drinking test during the circadian dark period ( Becker and Lopez 2004 ; Lopez and Becker 2005 ; Finn et al. 2007 ). Intermittent ethanol vapor exposure significantly increased 15% (v/v) ethanol intake by 30–50% in the post-vapor period, usually after multiple cycles and usually after 24 h of withdrawal ( Finn et al. 2007 ). Similar results have been reported using an operant response in mice in 60 min test sessions for 10% (w/v) ethanol with intermittent vapor exposure of 14 h on/10 h off ( Chu et al. 2007 ).

3 Neural Substrates for the Negative Emotional State Associated with Alcoholism

3.1 within-system neuroadaptations that contribute to the compulsivity associated with the dark side of alcoholism.

Within-system neuroadaptations to chronic drug exposure include decreases in function of the same neurotransmitter systems in the same neurocircuits implicated in the acute reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse. One prominent hypothesis is that dopamine systems are compromised in crucial phases of the addiction cycle, such as withdrawal and protracted abstinence. This decrease in dopamine function is hypothesized to lead to decreased motivation for non-drug-related stimuli and increased sensitivity to the abused drug ( Melis et al. 2005 ). Activation of the mesolimbic dopamine system has long been known to be critical for the acute rewarding properties of psychostimulant drugs and to be associated with the acute reinforcing effects of alcohol ( Koob 1992 ; McBride and Li 1998 ; Nestler 2005 ). However, the magnitude of the increase in dopaminergic activity produced by alcohol pales in comparison to that of psychostimulant “intoxication.” For example, intravenous cocaine self-administration produces a 200% increase in extracellular dopamine ( Weiss et al. 1992b ) compared with ethanol which produces a 20% increase in extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens ( Doyon et al. 2003 ) and heroin (which does not increase extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens) ( Table 1 ). Such a relationship changes with the development of dependence and may change with genetic background (see Ramachandani et al. 2010 , who demonstrated a nearly 200% increase with alcohol in animals that carried the OPRM1 118G variant).

Effects of intravenous self-administration of D-amphetamine, cocaine, and heroin and oral self-administration of alcohol on extracellular dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens using in vivo microdialysis

More compelling in the mesolimbic dopamine domain are the decreases in activity of the mesolimbic dopamine system and decreases in serotonergic neurotransmission in the nucleus accumbens that occur during alcohol withdrawal in animal studies ( Rossetti et al. 1992 ; Weiss et al. 1992a , 1996 ). In dependent male Wistar rats trained to self-administer ethanol during withdrawal, the release of dopamine and serotonin was monitored by microdialysis in the nucleus accumbens at the end of a 3–5 week ethanol (8.7% w/v) liquid diet regimen, during 8 h of withdrawal, and during renewed availability of ethanol involving the opportunity to operantly self-administer ethanol (10% w/v) for 60 min, followed by unlimited access to the ethanol liquid diet. In nondependent rats, operant ethanol self-administration increased both dopamine and serotonin release in the nucleus accumbens. Withdrawal from the chronic ethanol diet produced a progressive suppression in the release of these transmitters over the 8 h withdrawal period. Self-administration of ethanol reinstated and maintained dopamine release at pre-withdrawal levels but failed to completely restore serotonin efflux. These findings suggested that deficits in nucleus accumbens monoamine release may contribute to the negative affective consequences of ethanol withdrawal and thereby motivate ethanol-seeking behavior in dependent subjects ( Weiss et al. 1996 ). Similar dramatic decreases in extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, measured by microdialysis, were found in a study in which animals were tested for 8 h into ethanol withdrawal produced by chronic repeated ethanol injections of up to 5 g/kg every 6 h for six consecutive days using the Majchrowicz procedure ( Majchrowicz 1975 ; Rossetti et al. 1999 ). Thus, as a result, ethanol-dependent animals may show a much greater percentage increase in dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens during ethanol self-administration during withdrawal because baseline levels of dopamine are so low during withdrawal ( Weiss et al. 1996 ).

Imaging studies in drug-addicted humans have consistently shown long-lasting decreases in the numbers of dopamine D 2 receptors in alcoholics compared with controls ( Volkow et al. 2002 ). Additionally, alcohol-dependent subjects had dramatically reduced dopamine release in the striatum response to a pharmacological challenge with the stimulant drug methylphenidate ( Volkow et al. 2007 ). Decreases in the number of dopamine D 2 receptors, coupled with the decrease in dopaminergic activity, in cocaine, nicotine, and alcohol abusers are hypothesized to produce a decreased sensitivity of reward circuits to stimulation by natural rein-forcers ( Martin-Solch et al. 2001 ; Volkow and Fowler 2000 ). These findings suggest an overall reduction in the sensitivity of the dopamine component of reward circuitry to natural reinforcers and other drugs in drug-addicted individuals ( Table 2 ).

Role of corticotropin-releasing factor in dependence

nt, not tested

CeA, central nucleus of the amygdala

Other within-system neuroadaptations under this conceptual framework could include increased sensitivity of receptor transduction mechanisms in the nucleus accumbens. Drugs of abuse have acute receptor actions that are linked to intracellular signaling pathways that may undergo adaptations with chronic treatment. In the context of chronic alcohol administration, multiple molecular mechanisms have been hypothesized to counteract the acute effects of ethanol that could be considered within-system neuroadaptations. For example, chronic ethanol decreases γ -aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor function, possibly through downregulation of the α 1 subunit ( Mhatre et al. 1993 ; Devaud et al. 1997 ). Chronic ethanol also decreases the acute inhibition of adenosine reuptake (i.e., tolerance develops to the inhibition of adenosine by ethanol; Sapru et al. 1994 ). Perhaps more relevant to the present treatise, whereas acute ethanol activates adenylate cyclase, withdrawal from chronic ethanol decreases CREB phosphorylation in the amygdala and is linked to decrease in function of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and to the anxiety-like responses observed during acute ethanol withdrawal ( Chance et al. 2000 ; Pandey 2004 ).

3.2 Between-System Neuroadaptations that Contribute to Compulsivity Associated with the Dark Side of Alcoholism

Brain neurochemical systems involved in arousal-stress modulation may also be engaged within the neurocircuitry of the brain stress systems in an attempt to overcome the chronic presence of the perturbing drug (alcohol) and to restore normal function despite the presence of drug. The neuroanatomical entity termed the extended amygdala ( Heimer and Alheid 1991 ) may represent a common anatomical substrate integrating brain arousal-stress systems with hedonic processing systems to produce some of the between-system opponent process elaborated above. The extended amygdala is composed of the central nucleus of the amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and a transition zone in the medial (shell) subregion of the nucleus accumbens. Each of these regions has cytoarchitectural and circuitry similarities ( Heimer and Alheid 1991 ). The extended amygdala receives numerous afferents from limbic structures, such as the basolateral amygdala and hippocampus, and sends efferents to the medial part of the ventral pallidum and a large projection to the lateral hypothalamus, thus further defining the specific brain areas that interface classical limbic (emotional) structures with the extrapyramidal motor system ( Alheid et al. 1995 ). The extended amygdala has long been hypothesized to play a key role not only in fear conditioning ( Le Doux 2000 ) but also in the emotional component of pain processing ( Neugebauer et al. 2004 ).

The brain stress system mediated by corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) systems in both the extended amygdala and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis are dysregulated by chronic administration of all major drugs with dependence or abuse potential, with a common response of elevated adrenocorticotropic hormone, corticosterone, and extended amygdala CRF during acute withdrawal from chronic drug administration ( Rivier et al. 1984 ; Merlo-Pich et al. 1995 ; Koob et al 1994 ; Rasmussen et al. 2000 ; Olive et al. 2002 ; Delfs et al. 2000 ; Koob 2008a ).

More specifically, alcohol withdrawal reliably produces anxiety-like responses in animal models that can be reversed by CRF receptor antagonists ( Koob 2008a ). Ethanol withdrawal produces anxiety-like behavior that is reversed by intracerebroventricular administration of CRF 1 /CRF 2 peptidergic antagonists ( Baldwin et al. 1991 ), small-molecule CRF 1 antagonists ( Knapp et al. 2004 ; Overstreet et al. 2004 ; Funk et al. 2007 ), and intracerebral administration of a peptidergic CRF 1 /CRF 2 antagonist into the amygdala ( Rassnick et al. 1993 ). CRF antagonists injected intracerebroventricularly or systemically also block the potentiated anxiety-like responses to stressors observed during protracted abstinence from chronic ethanol ( Breese et al. 2005 ; Valdez et al. 2003 ; Sommer et al. 2008 ).

Perhaps more relevant to the present thesis are studies showing that intermittent alcohol exposure sensitizes withdrawal of anxiety-like responses and that administration of drug treatments during withdrawal from the first and second alcohol cycles blocked this sensitization of withdrawal ( Knapp et al. 2004 ). Diazepam, flumazenil (a GABA A receptor partial agonist), and baclofen (a GABA B receptor agonist) blocked the sensitization of withdrawal, consistent with a within-system neuroadaptation ( Knapp et al. 2004 , 2005 , 2007 ; see above). However, a CRF 1 , antagonist also prevented the sensitization of withdrawal-induced anxiety ( Overstreet et al. 2004a . 2005 ). These results are consistent with a prolonged history of alcohol exposure producing persistent upregulation of both CRF and CRF 1 , receptors in the brain ( Roberto et al. 2010 ; Sommer et al. 2008 ; Zorrilla et al. 2001 ).

The ability of CRF antagonists to block the anxiogenic-like and aversive-like motivational effects of drug withdrawal would predict motivational effects of CRF antagonists in animal models of extended access to drugs. A particularly dramatic example of the motivational effects of CRF in dependence can be observed in animal models of ethanol self-administration in dependent animals. During ethanol withdrawal, extrahypothalamic CRF systems become hyperactive, with an increase in extracellular CRF within the central nucleus of the amygdala and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in dependent rats ( Funk et al. 2006 ; Merlo-Pich et al. 1995 ; Olive et al. 2002 ). The dysregulation of brain CRF systems is hypothesized to underlie not only the enhanced anxiety-like behaviors but also the enhanced ethanol self-administration associated with ethanol withdrawal. Supporting this hypothesis, the subtype nonselective CRF receptor antagonists α -helical CRF 9–41 and D-Phe CRF 12–41 (intracerebroventricular administration) reduced ethanol self-administration in dependent animals during acute withdrawal and during protracted abstinence ( Valdez et al. 2002 ). When administered directly into the central nucleus of the amygdala, a CRF 1 /CRF 2 antagonist blocked ethanol self-administration in ethanol-dependent rats ( Funk et al. 2006 ). Systemic injections of small-molecule CRF 1 , antagonists also blocked the increased ethanol intake associated with acute withdrawal and protracted abstinence ( Gehlert et al. 2007 ; Funk et al. 2007 ). These data suggest an important role for CRF, primarily within the central nucleus of the amygdala, in mediating the increased self-administration associated with dependence. Consistent with the sensitization of the withdrawal response associated with repeated alcohol exposure, a CRF antagonist administered during repeated withdrawal also blocked the development of excessive drinking during withdrawal ( Roberto et al. 2010 ).

Although less well developed, evidence supports a role of norepinephrine systems in the extended amygdala in the negative motivational state and increased self-administration associated with dependence. Substantial evidence has accumulated suggesting that in animals and humans, central noradrenergic systems are activated during acute withdrawal from ethanol. Alcohol withdrawal in humans is associated with activation of noradrenergic function, and the signs and symptoms of alcohol withdrawal in humans are blocked by postsynaptic β -adrenergic blockade ( Romach and Sellers 1991 ). Alcohol withdrawal signs are also blocked in animals by administration of α 1 antagonists and β -adrenergic antagonists and selective blockade of norepinephrine synthesis ( Trzaskowska and Kostowski 1983 ). In dependent rats, the α 1 , antagonist prazosin selectively blocked the increased drinking associated with acute withdrawal ( Walker et al. 2008 ). Thus, converging data suggest that noradrenergic neurotransmission is enhanced during ethanol withdrawal and that noradrenergic functional antagonists can block aspects of ethanol withdrawal.

Dynorphin, an opioid peptide that binds to κ opioid receptors, has long been known to show activation with chronic administration of psychostimulants and opioids ( Nestler 2004 ; Koob 2008a ), and κ opioid receptor agonists produce aversive effects in animals and humans ( Mucha and Herz 1985 ; Pfeiffer et al. 1986 ). Although κ agonists suppress nondependent drinking, possibly via aversive stimulus effects ( Wee and Koob 2010 ), κ opioid antagonists block the excessive drinking associated with ethanol withdrawal and dependence ( Holter et al. 2000 ; Walker and Koob 2008 ). Recently, some have argued that the effects of CRF in producing negative emotional states are mediated by activation of κ opioid systems ( Land et al. 2008 ). However, κ receptor activation can activate CRF systems in the spinal cord ( Song and Takemori 1992 ), and there is pharmacological evidence that dynorphin systems can also activate the CRF system. A CRF 1 , antagonist blocked κ agonist-induced reinstatement of cocaine seeking in squirrel monkeys ( Valdez et al. 2007 ).

The dynamic nature of the brain stress system response to challenge is illustrated by the pronounced interaction of central nervous system CRF systems and central nervous system norepinephrine systems. Conceptualized as a feed-forward system at multiple levels of the pons and basal forebrain. CRF activates norepinephrine, and norepinephrine in turn activates CRF ( Koob 1999 ). Much pharmacologic, physiologic, and anatomic evidence supports an important role for a CRF-norepinephrine interaction in the region of the locus coeruleus in response to stressors ( Valentino et al. 1991 , 1993 ; Van Bockstaele et al. 1998 ). However, norepinephrine also stimulates CRF release in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus ( Alonso et al. 1986 ), bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and central nucleus of the amygdala. Such feed-forward systems were further hypothesized to have powerful functional significance for mobilizing an organism’s response to environmental challenge, but such a mechanism may be particularly vulnerable to pathology ( Koob 1999 ).

Neuropeptide Y is a neuropeptide with dramatic anxiolytic-like properties localized to the amygdala and has been hypothesized to have effects opposite to CRF in the negative motivational state of withdrawal from drugs of abuse ( Heilig and Koob 2007 ). Significant evidence suggests that activation of NPY in the central nucleus of the amygdala can block the motivational aspects of dependence associated with chronic ethanol administration. Neuropeptide Y administered intracerebroventricularly blocked the increased drug intake associated with ethanol dependence ( Thorsell et al. 2005a , b ). Injection of NPY directly into the central nucleus of the amygdala ( Gilpin et al. 2008 ) and viral vector-enhanced expression of NPY in the central nucleus of the amygdala also blocked the increased drug intake associated with ethanol dependence ( Thorsell et al. 2007 ).

Thus, acute withdrawal from drugs increases CRF in the central nucleus of the amygdala, which has motivational significance for the anxiety-like effects of acute withdrawal from alcohol and the increased drug intake associated with dependence. Acute withdrawal may also increase the release of norepinephrine in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and dynorphin in the nucleus accumbens, both of which may contribute to the negative emotional state associated with dependence. Decreased activity of NPY in the central nucleus of the amygdala may contribute to the anxiety-like state associated with ethanol dependence. Activation of brain stress systems (CRF, norepinephrine and dynorphin) combined with inactivation of brain anti-stress systems (NPY) elicits powerful emotional dysregulation in the extended amygdala. Such dysregulation of emotional processing may be a significant contribution to the between-system opponent processes that help maintain dependence and also set the stage for more prolonged state changes in emotionality such as in protracted abstinence.

4 Compulsivity in Alcoholism: an Allostatic View

Compulsivity in alcoholism can derive from multiple sources, including enhanced incentive salience, engagement of habit function, and impairment in executive function. However, underlying each of these sources is a negative emotional state that may strongly impact on compulsivity. The development of the negative emotional state that drives the negative reinforcement of addiction has been defined as the “dark side” of addiction ( Koob and Le Moal 2005 , 2008 ) and is hypothesized to be the b-process of the hedonic dynamic known as opponent process when the a-process is euphoria. The negative emotional state that comprises the withdrawal/negative affect stage consists of key motivational elements, such as chronic irritability, emotional pain, malaise, dysphoria, alexithymia, and loss of motivation for natural rewards, and is characterized in animals by increase in reward thresholds during withdrawal from all major drugs of abuse. Two processes are hypothesized to form the neurobiological basis for the b-process: loss of function in the reward systems (within-system neuroadaplation) and recruitment of the brain stress or anti-reward systems (between-system neuroadaptation; Koob and Bloom 1988 ; Koob and Le Moal 1997 ). Anti-reward is a construct based on the hypothesis that brain systems are in place to limit reward ( Koob and Le Moal 2008 ). As dependence and withdrawal develop, brain stress systems, such as CRF, norepinephrine, and dynorphin, are recruited, producing aversive or stress-like states ( Koob 2003 ; Nestler 2001 ; Aston-Jones et al. 1999 ). At the same time, within the motivational circuits of the ventral striatum-extended amygdala, reward function decreases. The combination of decreases in reward neurotransmitter function and recruitment of anti-reward systems provides a powerful source of negative reinforcement that contributes to compulsive drug-seeking behavior and addiction ( Fig. 3 ).

Pathways for key elements of addiction circuitry implicated in negative emotional states. Addiction circuitry is composed of structures involved in the three stages of the addiction cycle: binge/intoxication (ventral striatum, dorsal striatum and thalamus), withdrawal/negative affect (ventral striatum, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and central nucleus of the amygdala), preoccupation/anticipation (prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex and hippocampus). Highlighted here for the withdrawal/negative affect stage is increased activity in the extended amygdala and decreased activity in the reward system, illustrated with the use of imaging colors (i.e., red for high activity and blue for low activity). Modified with permission from Blackburn-Munro and Blackburn-Munro (2003) and Koob et al. (2008) . AMG, amygdala; BNST, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis; DS, dorsal striatum; GP, globus pallidus; Hippo, hippocampus; Hyp, hypothalamus; Insula, insular cortex; OFC, orbitofrontal cortex; PFC, prefrontal cortex; Thal, thalamus; VS, ventral striatum; and VTA, ventral tegmental area. [Modified with permission from Zald and Kim 2001 ]

An overall conceptual theme argued here is that drug addiction represents a break with homeostatic brain regulatory mechanisms that regulate the emotional state of the animal. The dysregulation of emotion begins with the binge and subsequent acute withdrawal, but leaves a residual neuroadaptive trace that allows rapid “re-addiction” even months and years after detoxification and abstinence. Thus, the emotional dysregulation of alcohol addiction represents more than simply a homeostatic dysregulation of hedonic function—it also represents a dynamic break with homeostasis of this system that has been termed allostasis ( Koob 2003 ).

Allostasis, originally conceptualized to explain persistent morbidity of arousal and autonomic function, can be defined simply as “stability through change” ( Sterling and Eyer 1988 ). Allostasis is different from homeostasis. Allostasis involves a feed-forward mechanism rather than the negative feedback mechanisms of homeostasis. Allostasis involves a changed set point with continuous re-evaluation of need and continuous readjustment of all parameters toward new set points. The set point in question here is emotional state. An allostatic state can be defined as a state of chronic deviation of the reward system from its normal (homeostatic) operating level. Allostatic load has been defined as the “long-term cost of allostasis that accumulates over time and reflects the accumulation of damage that can lead to pathological states” ( McEwen 2000 ). Although the concept of allostatic state has not received much attention, the argument here is that alcoholism reflects largely a movement to an allostatic state, often before sufficient pathology has ensued to produced allostatic load sufficient for physical pathology ( Koob and Le Moal 2001 ).

Allostatic mechanisms have been hypothesized to be involved in maintaining a functioning brain reward system that has relevance for the pathology of addiction ( Koob and Le Moal 2001 ). Two components are hypothesized to adjust to challenges of the brain produced by drugs of abuse: underactivation of brain reward transmitters and circuits and recruitment of the brain anti-reward or brain stress systems ( Fig. 4 ). Thus, the very physiological mechanism that allows rapid responses to environmental challenge becomes the source of pathology if adequate time or resources are not available to shut off the response (one example is the interaction between CRF and norepinephrine in the brainstem and basal forebrain that could lead to pathological anxiety; Koob 1999 ).

a Schematic of the progression of alcohol dependence over time, illustrating the shift in underlying motivational mechanisms. From initial, positive reinforcing, pleasurable alcohol effects, the addictive process progresses over time to being maintained by negative reinforcing relief from a negative emotional state. Data presented in this paper suggest that neuroadaptations encompassing the recruitment of extrahypothalamic CRF systems are key to this shift. (Taken with permission from Heilig and Koob 2007 .) b The a-process represents a positive hedonic or positive mood state, and the b-process represents the negative hedonic or negative mood state. The affective stimulus (state) has been argued to be the sum of both the a-process and b-process. An individual who experiences a positive hedonic mood state from a drug of abuse with sufficient time between re-administering the drug is hypothesized to retain the a-process. An appropriate counteradaptive opponent process (b-process) that balances the activational process (a-process) does not lead to an allostatic state. The changes in the affective stimulus (state) in an individual with repeated frequent drug use may represent a transition to an allostatic state in the brain systems and, by extrapolation, a transition to addiction ( see text). Notice that the apparent b-process never returns to the original homeostatic level before drug taking begins again, thus creating a greater and greater allostatic state in the brain emotional systems. The counteradaptive opponent-process (b-process) does not balance the activational process (a-process) but in fact shows a residual hysteresis. Although these changes illustrated in the figure are exaggerated and condensed over time, the hypothesis is that even during post-detoxification (a period of “protracted abstinence”), the brain emotional systems still bear allostatic changes ( see text). The following definitions apply: alkalosis, the process of achieving stability through change; allostatic state, a state of chronic deviation of the regulatory system from its normal (homeostatic) operating level: allostatic load, the cost to the brain and body of the deviation, accumulating over time, and reflecting in many cases pathological states and accumulation of damage. [Modified with permission from Koob and Le Moal 2001 .]

Repeated challenges, such as with repeated alcohol binges, lead to attempts of the brain via molecular, cellular, and neurocircuitry changes to maintain stability but at a cost. For the alcoholism framework elaborated here, the residual deviation from a normal emotional state is termed the allostatic state. This state represents a combination of chronic elevation of the reward set point fueled by decreased function of reward circuits and recruitment of anti-reward systems, both of which lead to the compulsivity of alcohol-seeking and alcohol taking. How these systems are modulated by other known brain emotional systems localized to the basal forebrain, where the ventral striatum and extended amygdala project to convey emotional valence, how the dysregulation of brain emotional systems impacts on the cognitive domain linked to impairments in executive function, and how individuals differ at the molecular-genetic level of analysis to convey loading on these circuits remain challenges for future research ( George and Koob 2010 ).

As such, the present thesis does not preclude a key role for other systems associated with the addiction process, including the mesolimbic dopamine system involved in incentive salience, the dorsal striatum involved in habit formation, the parabrachial amygdala and spinothalamocortical systems involved in pain, and the prefrontal cortex involved in decision-making ( Koob and Volkow 2010 ; George and Koob 2010 ). Such modules are driven by bottom-up signals from both the external world and interoceptive signals and by top-down signals from higher-order systems mediating cognitive control. Indeed, the failure of a specific module may differ from one individual to another and may represent a neuropsychobiological mechanism underlying individual differences in the vulnerability to drug addiction. For example, we have hypothesized that individual differences in the function of the incentive salience mesolimbic dopamine system and the habit/striatum modules may be particularly important for craving-type 1 (or reward craving), defined as craving for the rewarding effects of alcohol and usually induced by stimuli that have been paired with alcohol self-administration, such as environmental cues. Additionally, hypoactivity of the decision-making/prefrontal cortex module may lead to a loss of control over drug intake despite negative consequence because of impaired inhibitory control and decision-making leading to choices of immediate rewards over delayed rewards ( Goldstein and Volkow 2002 ).

Nevertheless the hypothesis outlined here is that a core component of alcoholism involves hyperactivity of the negative emotional state/extended amygdala system that is associated with increased emotional pain and stress and might be a risk factor for drug use as self-medication for emotional pain, dysphoria, and stress ( Khantzian 1997 ). A subhypothesis is that vulnerability in the emotional pain parabrachial-amygdala system ( Besson 1999 ; Shurman et al. 2010 ) may lead to increased emotional pain during withdrawal and intense craving-type 2 (or withdrawal relief craving), which is conceptualized as an excessive motivation for the drug to obtain relief from a state change characterized by anxiety and dysphoria after protracted abstinence ( Heinz et al. 2003 ), thus contributing to the preponderant role of the withdrawal/negative affect stage that characterizes alcoholism. Increased reactivity of the stress/hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis module may be critical in the initiation of alcohol intake and for the maintenance of drug intake which have little initial rewarding value, such as nicotine. Activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis can potentiate the reinforcing effects of drugs ( Piazza and Le Moal 1998 ). However, this activation can in turn drive amygdala CRF. further exacerbating the development of negative emotional states ( Koob and Kreek 2007 ). Although the initial deficit in a specific functional circuit that drives excessive drinking might be specific to one stage of the addiction cycle, as the transition to addiction progresses, an individual is ultimately likely to show a progressive and generalized loss of control over many, if not all, systems. However, the thesis argued here is that as excessive alcohol intake progresses to Substance Dependence on Alcohol (Alcoholism), a common dysregulated functional element is a reward system deficit.

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank Michael Arends for assistance with manuscript preparation and editing. Research was supported by National Institutes of Health grants AA06420 and AA08459 from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the Pearson Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research. This is publication number 20763 from The Scripps Research Institute.

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Thesis Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.

Introduction

Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill you practice regularly in your daily life. You persuade your roommate to clean up, your parents to let you borrow the car, your friend to vote for your favorite candidate or policy. In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often called academic argument, follows a predictable pattern in writing. After a brief introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in one sentence. This sentence is the thesis statement, and it serves as a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your paper.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement:

• tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
• is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
• directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
• makes a claim that others might dispute.
• is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively. (Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information.)

How do I create a thesis?

A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents a basic or main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence. Both the argument and your thesis are likely to need adjustment along the way.

Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming .

How do I know if my thesis is strong?

If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following :

• Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. If the prompt isn’t phrased as a question, try to rephrase it. For example, “Discuss the effect of X on Y” can be rephrased as “What is the effect of X on Y?”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to  be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
• Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

Suppose you are taking a course on contemporary communication, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: “Discuss the impact of social media on public awareness.” Looking back at your notes, you might start with this working thesis:

Social media impacts public awareness in both positive and negative ways.

You can use the questions above to help you revise this general statement into a stronger thesis.

• Do I answer the question? You can analyze this if you rephrase “discuss the impact” as “what is the impact?” This way, you can see that you’ve answered the question only very generally with the vague “positive and negative ways.”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not likely. Only people who maintain that social media has a solely positive or solely negative impact could disagree.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? No. What are the positive effects? What are the negative effects?
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? No. Why are they positive? How are they positive? What are their causes? Why are they negative? How are they negative? What are their causes?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? No. Why should anyone care about the positive and/or negative impact of social media?

After thinking about your answers to these questions, you decide to focus on the one impact you feel strongly about and have strong evidence for:

Because not every voice on social media is reliable, people have become much more critical consumers of information, and thus, more informed voters.

This version is a much stronger thesis! It answers the question, takes a specific position that others can challenge, and it gives a sense of why it matters.

Let’s try another. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. “This will be easy,” you think. “I loved Huckleberry Finn!” You grab a pad of paper and write:

Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.

You begin to analyze your thesis:

• Do I answer the question? No. The prompt asks you to analyze some aspect of the novel. Your working thesis is a statement of general appreciation for the entire novel.

Think about aspects of the novel that are important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:

In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

• Do I answer the question? Yes!
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not really. This contrast is well-known and accepted.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? It’s getting there–you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation. However, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? Not yet. Compare scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions and anything else that seems interesting.
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?”

After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write:

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content. Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will convince the reader of your interpretation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 2018. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.

Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

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Social media spurred the last banking crisis. Can it prevent the next one?

When Silicon Valley Bank teetered on the brink of collapse in March 2023, all eyes turned to social media. The California-based bank was a favorite of the tech industry, including venture capitalists and startup founders who began to raise concerns about the firm’s balance sheet on platforms like Twitter , Discord, and Telegram. Panicked customers withdrew $42 billion on a single day, which led to the second-largest bank failure in U.S. history.

Just as the 2008 crisis rewrote the playbook on bank failures, regulators are still working to parse the circumstances that led to the undoing of Silicon Valley Bank and two other institutions that collapsed the same month: The crypto-focused Silvergate and Signature . Academics and politicians began to immediately finger social media as a potential culprit, with House Financial Services Chair Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) describing Silicon Valley Bank as the “first Twitter-fueled bank run” in a statement on March 12, 2023.

Despite such rhetoric, social media was likely a symptom more than the cause of Silicon Valley Bank’s failure, which came about due to poor asset management amid rising interest rates. Nonetheless, government agencies have taken notice of the panicked tweets that preceded the bank’s collapse and are responding to the rapid-fire spread of information with new strategies. These include one U.S. banking regulator working with a blockchain intelligence platform called Inca Digital to monitor social media for discussion about its supervised banks, starting in late 2023.

As banking officials move toward a world of nearly 24/7 operating hours, monitoring social media is expected to become a vital tool for predicting the next potential failure—even if platforms like Twitter are not the main catalyst. “Whether you think social media is causing it or not, it might help [regulators] predict it faster,” said Julie Hill, a banking expert and the incoming dean of the University of Wyoming College of Law. “You might be able to identify that a run is happening faster and give yourself more time to address it.”

Blockchain meets TradFi

A lawyer by training and veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Inca Digital CEO Adam Zarazinski founded his firm in 2018 with the goal of helping companies cut through the noise of the blockchain space. One of Inca’s most popular tools was its social media monitoring, which companies used to track platforms like Twitter to get advanced notice of the latest hack or depeg. “All of crypto lives on social media,” he told Fortune .

Believing that trends in crypto presage those in traditional finance markets—the rise of meme trading is one example—Zarazinski sought to apply this logic to social media. His thesis paid off when, in a conversation with one of the banking regulators, they asked if Inca’s social media tool could be reworked to monitor chatter about banks, rather than blockchain protocols. He declined to share which regulator due to a confidentiality agreement, although the contract began in late 2023.

With a staff of around 40, Inca has been adapting its software to track social media chatter surrounding banks. Rather than sentiment analysis, which uses natural language processing to gauge the tone of text—such as whether it’s intended to be sarcastic or serious—Inca uses AI to identify topic models, or what people are talking about based on the context of posts. Inca trains the model to identify when discussion around a specific topic reaches a threshold and then notifies the client based on different metrics, such as the number of posts about the risks of a specific bank over a certain period.

As a retroactive test, Inca applied its crypto Twitter model to Silicon Valley Bank, which Zarazinski shared with Fortune . The model showed a bar chart breaking down posts from the time into two categories: risk-related and not-risk-related, beginning on Monday morning. Posts begin to tick up on Tuesday morning, and then peak for the first time around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, when Silicon Valley Bank began to issue a series of announcements about its portfolio. According to Zarazinski, that’s when Inca would’ve alerted the regulator. Withdrawals began in earnest the following day.

‘Hard to untangle’

Experts are still split over the role that social media played in the run on Silicon Valley Bank. A widely shared paper by five academics in the wake of the collapse found that social media amplified bank run risks, with the intensity of Twitter conversation predicting the losses in a bank’s share price, which represented broader sentiment about the bank’s stability. “Given the increasingly pervasive nature of social communication on and of Twitter, we do not expect this risk to go away,” they wrote.

Hill, the University of Wyoming professor, said that academics still don’t have a well-accepted theory for what leads to bank runs in the first place, let alone the impact of social media. “If we were really good at that, we would just eliminate them altogether,” she joked.

The narrative that Silicon Valley Bank was the first “social media” bank run spread after its failure, but Hill remains unconvinced, especially given the reality that the tight-knit community of depositors at the bank were likely communicating mainly through private channels like text messages. “I’m not saying that banks or regulators shouldn’t be worried about what’s going on on Twitter, but I just think it’s very hard to untangle,” she told Fortune , adding that social media still represented a new tool for observation.

Jess Cheng, a former senior counsel at the Federal Reserve Board and partner at the law firm Wilson Sonsini, said that the recent crises have challenged many of the first principles of bank supervision, with social media adding a new wrinkle. “No one was thinking about who was tweeting what,” she told Fortune .

As the Federal Reserve explores opening up its settlement service to operate 22 hours per day, seven days per week, the established playbook could grow even more difficult, as regulators may no longer have the weekend to clean up failed banks, as they did with Silicon Valley Bank. The constant beat of social media, and its viral spread, would only fan the flames.

Cheng said that unlike the 2008 crisis, which was largely caused by structural failures at banks, the recent crisis was mostly driven by a flurry of rapid-fire customer withdrawals—which occurred faster than ever thanks to the ubiquity of mobile banking. While Twitter chatter would not have changed the reality of collateralized debt obligations in 2008, it may have caused a flood of VCs to panic. “A banking agency can’t control what people make of what they see on Twitter,” she told Fortune .

Inca is not the first time a banking regulator has dabbled in social media. In January, Reuters reported that the European Central Bank asked some banks to monitor activity on social media. Inca’s approach seems to go further, however, with the firm tracking several platforms, including Twitter, Discord, Reddit, and Telegram.

Since starting the contract, Zarazinski said that no alerts have yet been triggered, although Inca’s model only recently began to monitor smaller and mid-sized banks. One recent candidate was New York Community Bank this March, although Zarazinski said that concerns over its stability were already well-known. But Inca will be ready for the next one.

“Silicon Valley Bank was a real slap in the face for everybody to wake up to how information spreads through social media,” he told Fortune .

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