Assignment 3

3

HOW DOES ALCOHOL AFFECT THE BRAIN

By

Amanda B. Diaz Martin

Chair: Faculty Chair’s Name

Committee Member: Faculty Member’s Name

Committee Member: Outside/Faculty Member’s Name

A PROFESSIONAL PROJECT PRESENTED TO

THE SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION+JOURNALISM

OF FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE

OF MASTER OF SCIENCE

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

Alcohol is one of the most abused drugs globally, its severe effects on the brain have led to a socioeconomic burden on societies. Qualitative and quantitative studies show that alcohol abuse is contributed by internal and external factors such as cravings, peer pressure, poor social support, socioeconomic contexts, and negative events in life (Zhu et al., 2019). In this paper, a SWOT analysis of how alcohol affects the brain will highlight the complex nature of health interventions, the nature of relapse, and the coping skills needed to facilitate abstinence from alcohol misuse.

Strengths

Anti-alcohol rehabilitation centers. Alcohol addicts can receive treatment from well-established rehabilitation facilities in the country. Some psychological practitioners are well-trained to persuade them into sobriety and help them find new jobs when they recover. Vocational training. This training is very important to these individuals because they can use them to find new jobs and help improve their mental health.

Weaknesses

Peer influence. As addicts try to recover from alcohol and improve their mental health, external driving factors such as peer influence hold them back, which worsens their condition. Discrimination. Despite trying to find help and stop abusing alcohol, addicts experience discrimination; their family and community members look down on them. Cravings. Alcohol addicts who want to quit alcohol face daily challenges because most commodities remind them of alcohol.

Opportunities

Surveillance systems. The World Health Organization is partnering with the government to surveil alcohol addicts by including details of their conditions in the anti-alcohol system, and they are followed for detoxification treatments. Family. Most alcohol addicts do not have or have absconded their family responsibility; helping them integrate or start a family will help reduce alcohol consumption and improve their brain structures.

Threats

Other drugs. When a person abuse other drugs such as marijuana and cigarettes, they exacerbate their need to consume alcohol. Attitude towards alcohol. Many people do not see alcohol as a serious problem to their brain structure; they think drinking is entertaining. Emotional effects. Alcoholics are likely to consume alcohol when stressed to cope with stressful situations.

References

Zhu, Y., Zhong, N., Su, H., Ruan, X., Bao, J., Zhang, L., ... & Zhao, M. (2019). Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis of reinitiation into methamphetamine abusers: qualitative findings from an exploration of methamphetamine abusers in Shanghai, China.  General psychiatry,  32(3). https://doi.org/10.1136%2Fgpsych-2019-100062