Alcohol abuse: The physical and mental effects it has on communities

Kylie Chavez

San Felipe & Santo Domingo Pueblo

Home | San Felipe Pueblo 2023

Chavez, Kylie Personal collection

2023 Tribal Leadership - Santo Domingo Pueblo

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RESEARCH LOG 1

(Armstrong for the Columbia River Treaty) faculty.washington.edu/jlreid/wordpress/2020/03/03/jeanette-Armstrong-leadership-qualities/

Sharing One Skin

The Okanagan Community,” in Jerry Mander and Edward Goldsmith (eds), The Case Against the Global Economy. San Francisco, CA, Sierra Club Books, 1996. Pp 460-470.

We may all live on different reservations and have different, unique backgrounds, but reading Jeanette Armstrong's article “Sharing One Skin " made me recognize the close cultural ties that we Natives have to each other. I learned that the 4 selves within the Okanagan People are what they are trying to sustain to help keep a balanced community and life. (physical self, emotional self, thinking-intellectual self, and the spiritual self.) “The four selves have equal importance in the way we function within and experience all things”. They achieve this by linking to their roots and by discovering their identity as a Native person, both in their spiritual and mental aspects. The beliefs of my pueblo and those of the Okanagans are not all that different. I was a bit surprised when reading it. What surprised me was when they said "Without my land and my people, I am not alive. I am simply flesh waiting to die" and this strongly reminded me of the topics my elders would discuss. They would tell me that if we lost our connection to our homeland and language and stopped practicing our ways, we would cease to exist.

Albuquerque Indian School, circa 1895. (National Archives and Records Administration)

“And Then I went to school" by Joseph, Suina

Memories of a Pueblo childhood,”. New Mexico Journal of Reading, Winter 1985, Vol. V, No.2.

Joe Sunia recounts his childhood experiences before and during his school attendance. Initially, he reflects positively on his cultural background, but as he begins school, he encounters challenges in adapting to a new environment. Over time, he feels a sense of shame about his identity and believes that his family’s values diverge from those of his white peers. However, during a break from home, he rekindles connections with his family and friends, leading him to recognize and embrace his roots and sense of belonging.

Shiprock. (2024, October 30). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiprock

“How place names impact the way we see landscape.” by B, Toastie

High Country News: Know the West, 1 May 2022, https://www.hcn.org/issues/54.5/people-places-how-place-names-impact- the-way-we-see-landscape.

Memories and stories are deeply tied to our land, as highlighted by B. Toastie in “How place names impact the way we see landscapes.” Toastie notes that the destruction of places, like dams or railroads, is very disrespectful. It's important to share knowledge about these locations with our Native and non-natives. Because these places' names have various meanings and we shouldn't change them for various reasons, over time, those who have been part of the land since its history hold stories and memories.

RESEARCH LOG 2

https://www.furthersales.store/?path=page/ggitem&ggpid=148580

History Of The Use Of Alcohol

Vaillant, George E. and Keller, Mark."alcoholism". Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Nov.2024,https://www.britannica.com/science/alcoholism.

Alcohol has been around for millions of years. Dating back to (BC) being the oldest and still most widely used drug founded by cultures used in ceremonies and celebrations. Alcohol was also brought into religion, used to release ecstasy and communions with the thought to control tribal and individual fate.

personal collection 2023 by Kylie Chavez

American Indians and Alcohol

Beauvais F. American Indians and alcohol. Alcohol Health Res World. 1998;22(4):253-9. PMID: 15706751; PMCID: PMC6761887.

American Indian and Alaska Native communities have experienced high rates of alcohol-related problems since colonization. But it also shows that before European colonists, alcohol was not abused and was only used for ceremonial purposes, unlike today where both youth and adults abuse alcohol.

RESEARCH LOG 3

Alcohol dropped off on a front porch in New Mexico because of the new state law permitting deliveries. (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM)

"New Mexico Begins Alcohol Deliveries Despite Public Health Concerns" By Lissa Kundsen

New Mexico has given many people easy access to Alcohol. This all started when the COVID-19 pandemic had put many restaurants and stores into difficult situations. Leading to a wave of state-level alcohol delivery laws. Since allowing these home deliveries, the employees working for these apps often fail to ID check and leave the delivery without interaction. Because of this, underage drinking has been on the rise. This also gives easier access to those who have a chronic addiction. “Legalizing delivery will have a negative impact on morbidity and mortality rates,” Lissa Kudssin.

Dr. J. Pedro Teixeira (Photo by Ted Alcorn / New Mexico In Depth)

"Advocates Renew Push For Quarter A Drink Alcohol Tax Hike" BY Ted Alcorn

Alcorn starts with the doctor who talks about how the UNM Hospital intensive care unit has an exclusive number of patients who are barely clinging to life due to excessive drinking. On to a year later with no sign of the issue getting better, public advocates put in an effort to get public lawmakers to act on a bill that was presented during the legislative session. The bill that was talked about would increase the state's taxes, making it harder for people to consume excessive amount of alcohol. The millions of dollars made from this tax will be put towards treatment and prevention programs and groups.

RESEARCH LOG 4

Members of the Cathedral City High School Ballet Folklorico pose for photo prior to joining in the Kingdom Day Parade in Los Angeles, Jan. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)

Alcohol Abuse In Mexico: A Growing Crisis and Key Solutions by Anmol Montwani

In this article, Anmol Montwani discusses the alcohol-related issues in Mexico. Underlining the alarming statistics and challenges. It's estimated that Mexicans consumed more than five alcoholic beverages per occasion each weekend, which exceeds the limits recommended by health experts in their article. About 5 million suffer from severe alcohol use disorder (AUD). In Mexico, Cultural factors further complicate efforts to address the issue, as alcohol is deeply embedded in their social gatherings and celebrations, which normalizes its use from an early age within the culture. Because of this, Early exposure makes it more challenging to reduce consumption among minors.

https://mexicobusiness.news/health/news/alcohol-abuse-mexico-growing-crisis-and-key-solutions

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:European_Union_main_map.svg

Alcohol, health and policy response in the European Union by

The World Health Organization conducted research on alcohol consumption issues within the European Union. It found that about 4 out of every 5 adults in the EU consume alcohol. Additionally, 114 million people in the region engage in heavy episodic drinking (HED). Cancer emerged as the leading cause of alcohol-related deaths, alongside different health conditions. In an effort to reduce alcohol consumption, the European Union has been thinking about taking steps to increase prices to make alcohol less affordable and providing public health information about its risks. However, as of 2024, only three countries in the EU have mandated warning labels on their alcohol products.

https://www.who.int/europe/publications/alcohol--health-and-policy-response-in-the-european-union-in-2019

Photo by Tiff Ng: https://www.pexels.com/photo/aerial-shot-of-city-2097616/

Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drugs In Australia by Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report highlights the increasing issue of alcohol. Between 22022 and 2023, about 225.4 million liters of alcohol was available. The average person took in about 10.5 liters. 31% of people aged 14 were drinking at high-risk levels. It was also known that those who were living in remote or very remote areas were drinking more than those living in major cities. “ In the year 2022-2023, alcohol accounted for over half of drug-related hospitalizations in Australia. Many Australians voiced that increasing the prices of their alcohol products was not the answer to lowering the consumption rates.

https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/alcohol/alcohol-tobacco-other-drugs-australia/contents/drug-types/alcohol

Personal Connection and Problem Overview

"Siblings" May 2014 by Shaylene chavez Personal Collection

My connection to my topic stems from my childhood experiences growing up with an alcoholic family member. In essence, alcohol had destroyed this person's life. This individual served as a great role model for me as a kid, so I didn't give it much thought as a child. I was able to overlook all of their negative traits. As I got older, I began to question why this individual would consume so much alcohol. I chose to do this topic because I want to help this individual overcome their addiction and others who are struggling with similar situations.

Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can lead to many mental and physical issues. Liver cirrhosis, pneumonia, and tuberculosis are among the serious health problems that drinking can cause. Alcohol can also cause psychological and physical problems such as memory loss and malnutrition.

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