Interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Interview - Essay Example Violence is often attributed to alcohol use and alcohol-related fatalities remain an important concern in the United States. The following is an excerpt from an interview I undertook with Dr. Daniel Smith1, a clinical psychologist from the Alcohol and Family Violence section of St. Mary’s Clinic. His specialization is on the linkages between alcohol and family violence and the following is a concise transcript of our discussion (Agarwal and Steitz 40-55). A: Well, the psychological and biological consequences of excessive alcohol intake can have a direct impact on the lives of individual drinkers. The effects of alcohol abuse include distortion of cognition and perception, disinhibition, bad judgment and attention deficit. All of these factors can lead to conflict with other individuals, especially after an alcohol user has drank. With the progression of time, alcohol abuse if compounded and alcoholics face a variety of social as well heath ramifications associated with their behaviour. From a health perspective, alcoholics face health complications including liver damage, heart failure, and an overall decreased life expectancy. Alcoholics are also more likely to engage in other detrimental behaviors such as smoking cigarettes or taking illicit substances such as illegal drugs. They are also more prone to aggression and violent behavior, especially within the family unit. A: Alcoholism may lead to conflicts within the family unit, particularly with the respect to the relationship between parents and children. Alcoholic parents are unfortunately not uncommon and alcohol abuse has been proven to lessen the ability of a parent to act as a proper caregiver to children in need. Another component of alcohol abuse on the family is marriage instability, increased tension in spousal relationships and violence between an alcoholic parent and