Influence Of Alcohol And Drug Addiction On

Political Socialization In America Essay, Research Paper

Effects of Drug and Alcohol Addiction on Political Socialization in America

POLS120

Seelah T Hills

Political Socialization is the process, by which citizens of a particular region, nation, state, city, or country develop the ways in which they develop views and beliefs about the political issues of their respective areas. This process is developed in America, through this nation?s citizens? families, peers, the media, and their political party involvement (if any). It is the intent of this research paper to show the reader how the rise in alcohol and drug addiction has had adverse effects on this process called political socialization, in America. The paper will lead the reader through the four influences in this process and show how addiction has a negative effect upon each .

The first influence in a United States citizen?s life is the citizen?s family. The ways in which the family views political issues has a big effect on the ways that the individual also views these issues. Parents teach their children about the value of participating in the political system through their example and approval. Therefore, if the family has a strong addictive, anti-social tendency towards the political factions of their society, there will be a stong tendency towards the same anti-social perspective created in their children. In The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Volume 24, number 4, Jeanette Taylor, M.A. states that, ?after tabulation for the families of 35 delinquent, substance-abusing (multiple problem) adolescent males, as expected, a significant, positive correlation among conduct disorder, anti-social personality disorder, alcohol abuse, and drug abuse was found for each corresponding male?s family. It was concluded that identifying male multiple problem youths also identifies families with a high incidence of similar problems.? This information states that a families tendencies are an almost mirror image of what their children?s tendencies are likely to be. With these conduct and personality disorders on the rise, our nation can only be led to increasing non-participation and growing ill feelings towards political issues in our country as well as a decline in general morality and good health. In a recent National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information press release, the findings were revealed that, in fact, ?an estimated 52 percent (113 million) of the U.S. population, age 12 and older reported current use of alcohol in 1998. Of these, about 33 million (29.2 percent) were engaged in binge drinking and 12 million (10.6 percent) were heavy drinkers. The percentages of the population falling into these different groups have not changed since 1988. These facts clearly define the problems associated with alcohol and drug addiction in the United States, as does this further information from the same press release define this country?s problems of drug addiction. ?In 1998, an estimated 13.6 million Americans overall (6.2 percent of the U.S. population age 12 and older) were current users of illicit drugs.? The NHSDA provides annual estimates of the prevalence of illicit drug, alcohol, and tobacco use in the U.S. and monitors the trends in use over time. The above information is based on a representative sample of the United States? population age 12 and older, including persons living in households and in some group quarters such as dormitories and homeless shelters. In 1998, a sample of 25,500 persons was interviewed for the survey. It is important to note that the finding revealed alcohol and drug usage at earlier ages than previously realized. It is at these early ages in which children are most influenced by the daily occurrences within their homes and by their environments and peers. These early ages are clearly defined as the ?formative? years.

With such a prevalent existence of substance abuse in this country, one cannot help but understand why participation in our political processes is decreasing. ?Far more alarming is the trend in Prison populations. Since 1980, the number of persons incarcerated in state and federal prisons has increased from about a half a million to more than 1.7 million,? also quotes the text, American Government and Politics Today, by Schmidt, Shelley, and Bardes. Those individuals, so incarcerated, are already removed from our political process in the sense of this paper. There is no more influence from family in how people such as these view our nation?s issues. Filled with apprehension and resentment for any authority figures becomes their belief system and their only hopes become to participate in their own lives, let alone any form of political issues.

In addition, from the text, American Government and Politics Today, the authors point out on page 23 that ?Change also continues in the structure of American families, although the traditional two-parent family is still very strong. Just twenty years ago, more than 85 percent of children lived in a two-parent family. Today, 71 percent of children under age eighteen live in two-parent families and 25 percent live with only one parent. About one-fourth of the children living in one-parent families live in poverty.? As is the case with the addicted and incarcerated, these one-parent, poverty induced children are far more concerned with daily survival and other pressing, individual issues and haven?t the time nor concern to take part in the political process enough to be educated about these issues, much less take a stand on pertinent issues. The problems that surround this percentage of our population grip the mind and seize any and all excess energies, which might be exerted in efforts to effect a change in our society and the issues surrounding their daily lives. The only hopes for these, after the families? efforts, if any, would come from some form of intervention from outside sources, such as schools and peers.

This too poses a problem for those citizens facing addiction problems. Addiction and the antisocial characteristics of the disease, mentioned above, do not lend an open invitation for guidance and education. The dropout rate of teens in America is staggering and enforcement of attendance within the home is dwindling. The drug of choice, be it alcohol or illicit drugs, totally consumes the afflicted and the chances of significant, further influence are slim. In Karen Sandwig?s book, Growing Out of an Alcoholic Family, she speaks of this process of relearning, by saying ?To be really free from negative effects of the alcoholic family network, I found, during my own recovery as an ACOA*, that a person goes through a five-stage process:

1. Identifying the fact that there are problems in your life that stem from the alcoholic family network.

2. Examining what these problems are.

3. Recognizing why you believe, act, or feel the way you do.

4. Reconciling yourself to the need of changing destructive

behavior and beliefs patterns into ones that are constructive.

5. Restoring your original, healthy personality.?