Why Lack Of Nurture Can Be The Main Cause Of Alcoholism

Human behaviors are derived from both nature (biology) and nurturing (environment). In the case of alcoholism, nurture takes over. The consumption of alcohol has increased over the years. The larger the consumption, the more of a risk for alcohol addiction. The evidence presented will explain our take, on why lack of nurture can be the main cause of alcoholism. It presents factors involving culture, social learning, trauma, and the media around us. Culture is a huge part of our world today. Some countries have a much higher rate in alcohol consumption than others do. This is because of diversity. For example, European countries tend to drink a lot more than those from other countries. In European countries, such as Spain, France, and Italy, people consume alcohol frequently because they integrate it into their daily lives. This could range from a glass or two of wine at the dinner table, to binge drinking at a party. These countries are known to be ‘wet’ cultures in the alcohol literature.

Social learning plays a huge role as well. Depending on the environment someone grew up in, they may become more susceptible to binge drinking. An article published by the New York Academy of Sciences, showed that about 40% of adolescents were already drinking heavily. The peak age is between 18-23. Since this is the early age of being an adult, prevention needs to be put into place at day one. Growing up with parents who drink frequently could have a potential influence on the child to do what their parents do. It also comes from the peers that the child hangs around. Alcohol consumption is common in youth and if surrounded by it, it will appear to be the ‘normal’. This could also apply to the neighborhood one grew up in, but also the trauma one could have. A study was done to examine two female cohort and co-twins, with the objective to define whether there was an association between childhood trauma and alcohol dependence. Factors such as emotional neglect, physical abuse and sexual abuse, were statistically significant. Both female twins proved to have a susceptibility to a high role in alcoholism. Therefore, where there is a decrease in parental dependence in a family, it can increase the risk of exposure to onset use of alcohol.

The media around us could also have the same affect. Media has become a huge part in our lives today whether it be television, social media, or the internet. The media will portray things that people see as ‘normal’ things to do. Facebook and Twitter have the highest rates for exposing young adults to the consumption of alcohol. Nevertheless, if alcohol is being promoted throughout the media, it is more likely to be viewed as ‘normal’.

In conclusion, we believe that nature plays a major role as to why people are more likely to become alcoholics. The influencing factors being culture, social learning, trauma and media. This may apply to everyday life and continue throughout the years.