ICE Cold

  Introduction: Experience with alcoholics has put this writer in touch with various clients of Irish decent, all of whom have shared similarities in their descriptions of alcohol in their Irish culture. They describe that alcohol is drunk in excess at weddings, at funerals, on holidays, and on sad days. Alcohol is most appropriate on Saturdays and Sundays; and Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Sober clients who are otherwise not so careful with "people, places, and things" still avoid the Irish Day Parade like the plague. What is the relationship between Ireland and Alcohol in context of history, social aspects, and medical considerations? Historical Context: As will be explained, the retail price of alcoholic drinks has consistently been considered an important regulator of alcohol consumption and by implication, a method of controlling the amount of excessive drinking. Regulating alcohol patterns has been a debated issue in Ireland a...

  Some historians believe that alcohol is the oldest mind altering substance used by man. Its use is prevalent in human history. In the United States, we have 18 million alcoholics. This disease costs Americans about 40 - 60 billion dollars yearly. In fact, the cost of alcoholism in this country is greater than the cost of cancer. Estimates and the problems it causes are monumental, to say the least. Alcoholism affects the brain similar to other addicting chemical substances and behaviors. Dopamine is increased in the pleasure center of the brain and this produces a significant euphoria. The rush or euphoria that an alcoholic experiences from drinking is not the same feeling that other people experience when drinking. GABA, the body's natural tranquilizer, is another major neurotransmitter that is affected by alcohol. Alcohol increases the actions of GABA in the brain. It also alters serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin affects mood, sleep, appetite and other...