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MILLENIAL ALCOHOLICS: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY

Mervel E. Elnar
Faculty / Dorm Master,
University of Cebu - METC

Edwil Y. Managbanag
ORCID no.:0000-0002-4868-4128
Faculty / Dorm Master,
University of Cebu – METC

Abstract: This action research paper will try to reveal the gap of knowledge about alcoholism
among millennials. It will also give us a glimpse on the lives of the millennial alcoholics. The
researchers used a qualitative method with phenomenological approach, in-depth interviews and
comments were categorized to produce major themes. Based on the findings, there is indeed a
phenomenon among Millennial Alcoholics.

Keywords: Millennials, Alcoholics, Phenomenon, Phenomenological Study

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

Alcoholism, also known as alcohol dependence and problem drinking, is a

debilitating disease that affects every aspect of the alcoholic's existence. Over the past 60

years, the definition of alcoholism has varied greatly (Vandermause, 2005). Historically,

male alcohol dependents have been the subjects of quantitative studies on alcohol

dependence (Van der Walde, Urgenson, Weltz& Hanna, 2002; Wilke, 1994).

Millennial alcoholics, as observed by the researchers, are increasing in numbers

especially in a maritime school wherein it is predominantly male cadets in the populace.

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The researchers were curious about why do some people become dependent on alcohols

and others are not? Why do individuals binging so much on alcohols and rely on it to

help solve their problems?

To understand why we ask these questions, it is important to provide an overview

and check on their feelings and experiences with millennial alcoholics and their reasons;

it set the stage for this study. Aside from the gap of knowledge and understanding the

underlying reasons why they behave or binge alcohols. The researches may not fully

understand their behaviours, but later it will shed light and insights through this research

phenomena.

Literature Review

In some studies, the term "moderate drinking" refers to less than one drink per

day, while it means three or four drinks per day in others. Exactly what constitutes "a

drink" is also fairly fluid. In fact, even among alcohol researchers, there's no universally

accepted standard drink definition. (Kloner, 2007)

If all drinkers limit themselves to a single drink a day, we probably wouldn’t need

as many cardiologists, liver specialists, mental health professionals, and substance-abused

counselors. But not everyone who likes to drink alcohol stops at just one. While most

people drink in moderation, some don’t.

On the personal level, heavy drinking can take a toll on the body. It can cause

inflammation of the liver (alcoholic hepatitis) and lead to scarring of the liver (cirrhosis),

a potentially fatal disease. Heavy drinking can increase blood pressure and damage heart

muscle (cardiomyopathy). It has been linked with several cancers: The World Cancer
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Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research indicate that there is

convincing evidence linking alcohol use to cancer of the mouth, pharynx, larynx,

esophagus, breast, and colon and rectum in men, and probable evidence that its use

contributes to liver cancer and colorectal cancer in women.  (WCRF, 2007)

In the Philippine settings, there is minute data available on the extent of

alcoholism or alcohol abuse in our country.

Drinking alcoholic beverages, beyond one's capacity up to the point of

intoxication, is a risky behavior in which most young people get involved at. In a survey

conducted by the University of the Philippines in 1994, 60 percent or 5.3 million Filipino

youths are said to be drinking alcoholic beverages. About 4.2 million of them are males,

and 1.1 million are females. The study stated that most of the Filipino teenagers had tried

cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs. In fact, there are more alcoholic drinkers than smokers

(UP, 1994)

Binge drinking occurs when drinking large amounts of alcohol every now and

then is worse for the health than frequently drinking small quantities. Binge drinking has

become a growing problem in many countries, especially in the UK where 40 percent of

emergency hospital admittances are alcohol related this is according to the study carried

out by researchers from University of Western Ontario. Binge drinking among college

students and heart diseases where studied by the researchers from University of Illinois at

Chicago reported in the Journal of American College of Cardiology that healthy young

adults who regularly binge drink may have a higher risk of heart disease later in life.

(Nordqvist, 2015)
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Drinking is more acceptable among girls than smoking. Nevertheless, it is still the

case that it is considered more appropriate for men than for women to drink. Parents are

laxer with boys, giving them more permission to drink alcohol than their daughters. The

teenagers said that it’s their family, friends, and the mass media which influenced them to

experiment with drinking alcohol; underscoring the critical role family plays in youths’

behaviors. Young people seem to take their cue from their own parents' attitudes and

behavior. Thus, a boy who grows up with an alcoholic father is more likely to become

one himself.

A.A. was started in Akron, Ohio as a spiritual and character development

program by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in 1935. The 12 Steps concept was added in

1946. Members avoid openly announcing membership and try to helping other alcoholics

without presenting a public face. The 12 Step program helped to stabilize A.A. and lessen

outside influences and issues. Women joined in 1937 and Roman Catholics by 1939.

Overtime the membership has spread to include Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, and

others, and within the spread the prayers read to open meetings have reflected the

changing demographics of individual groups. Wilson (2002)

The results of this preliminary investigation into the neuropsychologic capacities

of adolescent alcoholics sug- gest that only minimal deficits are present. This finding is

different from that seen commonly in adult alcoholic.(Tarter et. al., 1983; and Om-

Berman M, 1990) It is noteworthy that verbal and full-scale IQ were significantly

lower in the adolescent alcoholics. Further- more, adolescent alcohol abusers

demonstrated inferior performance on the measure of reading recognition, total reading,

and spelling achievement compared with female and male controls. Taken together, these

results suggest an inferiority in language skills among adolescent alcohol abusers.

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Given the substantial agreement of both our results and those of GOSS, et al. 0)

with the results of Pryer and Distefano, the earlier rejection of the EPPS as a useful

diagnostic tool with alcoholics was probably precipitous. Inconsistencies in results across

different populations or subgroups may as easily reflect a desirable sensitivity to

important differences (e. g., state of deterioration or recovery) as a lack of diagnostic

potential. Because the EPPS is used so widely in counseling and research, further

research that employs it with alcoholics should be encouraged. (Goss et.al, 1968)

With the rising of young drinkers, the researchers are motivated to address the gap

or seek the real reason why they are bingeing for alcohols.

Statement of Objectives

The aim of this study is to know the reason why youngsters behave or binge

alcohols. What are the factors and why they are addicted to alcohols and possible

interventions we could help to the millennials students?

METHODOLOGY

This qualitative research methodology will explore the real experiences among

Millennials or college students who are binge on alcohols. This methodology is selected

because the researcher has the interest to study prevailing trends on alcoholism among

teens.
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Research Design

It is a process where data are collected and analyzed, and the theory will be

developed. It employs constant comparison to the data that have already been gathered.

Pertinent concepts were identified and assigned codes.

This will provide a framework for designing a systematic study that will address

the study’s goals, objectives, and questions.

In this study, the researcher will use phenomenology using the Husserlian

approachdeveloped largely by the German philosopher Edmund Husserl and Martin

Heidegger, which is based on the premise that reality consists of objects and events

("phenomena") as they are perceived or understood in the human consciousness, and not

of anything independent of human consciousness. (goo.gl/o1ODGZ, 2017)

The researcher will be conducting a pre- qualification or evaluation in identifying the

number of participants to be included in the study.

Research Environment

The study will be conducted in University of Cebu – Maritime Educationa and Training,

Mambaling Campus which is located at Alumnos, Mambaling, Cebu City, Philippines.

Research Participants

The researcher will be using a purposive sampling. Purposive Sampling is a

practice where subjects are intentionally selected to represent some explicit predefined

traits or conditions. This is analogous to stratified samples in probability –based

approaches. The goal here is to provide for relatively equal numbers of different elements
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or people to enable exploration and description of the conditions and meanings occurring

within each of the study conditions.

The researchers are the Dorm Masters and Part-time Faculty at University of

Cebu-METC. They will tapped (15) participants mostly identified as millennial

alchoholics. In doing so, the researcher will make a checklist on the following inclusion

and exclusion criteria: a.) the participants must drink 2 liters of cold beer for four times a

week b.) Participants are range from ages 21 years old and above c.) Must be a College

students residing at UC-METC Dorms.

Research Instrument

The research utilized a semi-structure interview guide consisting of two parts – Part A,

Demographic information and Part B, semi-structured open-ended questions for the

qualitative-thematic part.

Data Gathering

The process of data gathering since this is an action research it took the researchers 2

weeks to collect data through in-depth interview.

Data Collection: This is the in-depth interview transcribed by the researchers about

alcoholism among young drinkers.

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Cadet Bravo-
"I like to drink liquors because I wanted to unwind from stresses and jam with
friends." The reason why he likes to drink is that during a special occasion,
shore leaves, night parties and other leisure time that makes him feel the urge
to get drunk. He feels okay even without drinking liquors. He said that being
curious about liquors at his time of childhood made him the man who he is
today."

Cadet Charlie –
"I like to drink alcohol on special occasions such as birthdays and fiestas." The
only reason he has the urge to drink when he is under so much stress as a way
to unwind. He said that everything is still normal without liquors. He said that
he was influenced by his friends in high school to take alcohol.

Cadet Delta –
"I like to drink liquors because he thinks that it is fun especially together with
friends." The main reason why he drinks liquor is it's his way to unwind or free
from stress at some point. He feels the same as usual without drinking liquor.
He said that he learned to drink liquor by himself.

Cadet Echo-
“I like to drink liquors because our body needs alcohol, his reason why he
drinks, it is because he wants to relieve stress and other feelings." He feels ok
when he doesn't drink alcohol. Nobody influenced him.

Cadet Foxtrot –
"I like to drink liquor because it's a reliever of stress and to unwind with
friends." He drinks because he wants to relieved problems. He is just normal
when he doesn’t drink. His crewmates made him influenced.
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Cadet Gulf –
“I like to drink because for fund and companionship with friends occasional and
leisure times”. He is just normal when he doesn’t drink. Nobody influenced him.
But sometimes it can’t be avoided by his friends.

Cadet Hotel-
"I like to drink because he it relieves stress. He feels normal when he does not
drink". He was influenced by his friends sometimes pushed him, but there are
times he is doing it on his own.

Cadet India-
“I like to drink liquor because of his friends' invitations. He drinks alcohol
especially when his friends called him". He is just normal when he is not under
the influence of alcohol. His friends influenced him.

Cadet Juliet –
"I like to drink because of his friends, just for fun and for sometimes longing to
drink." He is just normal when not drinking alcohol. It his decision to have time
for drinking but his family told him not to much.

Cadet Kilo –
"I like to drink liquor just because of hastening his sleeping time." He feels
normal, but it's nice when under the influence of alcohol, his crewmates
influenced him to drink alcohol.
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Cadet Lima-
"I like to drink occasionally, for him drinking liquor is just for bonding with
friends, and it is not his habit and for past time only." Nobody influenced him,
but sometimes he can't control.

Cadet Mama –
"I'm not happy in drinking liquor, but because of the moment with his friends
he is comfortable." He not normal sometimes because his boy needs the extra
condition under the influenced of alcohol, his friends influenced him.

Cadet X-
"I like to drink Alcohol for fun with friends. He drinks alcohol especially when
having problems." He feels normal when not under the influence of alcohol. His
friends influenced him.”
Cadet Oscar –
"I like to drink alcohol to just for fun with his friends. He occasionally drinks
with friends." He is ok when not under the influenced of liquor. His friends
influenced him and pushed him to drink alcohol.”

Cadet Papa -
"Maybe curiosity and because of my friends." "I want to drink because its one
way that he can express feelings something that cannot be done when not
drunk." It is a part of his growing that made him tempted to drink.”

Cadet Quebec-
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"I like to drink alcohol to unwind." He is just normal when he doesn't drink.
Nobody influences him only his decision.”

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

These are themes created out from the interview, among the 16 cadets. The

following reasons have in common.

(1.) NERVOUSNESS: Most of them just like to go out late at night but they are

Nervous when caught to the authorities because of the sanctions that might lead to a

problem to their scholarship and or the consequence that they can't go back to dorm not

unless it's the allowable time 4:00 AM in the morning possibilities that when they are out

of the dormitory and curfew is not followed, they are sleeping on the benches of the

university area.

(2.) FUN: They have a common reason because they to go out just to have fun

and have parties to their friends and relatives.

(3.) HUNGRY and THIRSTY: Most of them go out late because they still

adjusted the time early eating schedule so after a few hours in the early evening they felt

hungry, so they go out of the dormitory.

(4.) PEER PRESSURES: Because of the influence of friends and other

acquaintances they can only sleep if they drunk alcohol.

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CONCLUSION

The researchers were able to come up with conclusions based on the results from

an in-depth interview and thematic analysis and the underlying reasons behind why the

millennials are alcoholics because they want fun, hungry and thirsty. They want the thrill

and lastly through peer pressures. Millennial alcoholics indeed is a new phenomenon

among the new generations.

RECOMMENDATION

Based on the findings the researchers would like to recommend a proposal to the

administration to put some Activity Physical or Entertainment room or area for these

dorm occupants to divert their binge on alcoholism. Those who have serious addiction on

alcohols should be recommended for rehabilitation or seek psychological help.

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REFERENCES

Goss, A., MOROSKO, T. and SHELDON, R. (1968). Use of the Edwards Personal
Preference Schedule with alcoholics in a vocational rehabilitation program. J. Psychol.,
1968, 68, 287-289.
Nordqvist, C ( 2015). What is An Alcoholic? How to Treat Alcoholism. Retrieved from :
www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/157163.php
Kloner RA, Rezkalla SH. To drink or not to drink? That is the question. Circulation.
2007; 116:1306–17.
Om-Berman M(1990): Learning and memory deficits in detoxified alcoholics, in Spencer
JW, Boren JJ (eds): Residual Effects of Abused Drugs on Behavior NIDA Research
Monograph. Rockville, MD, USDHHS, 1990, pp 136-155
Tarter RE, Ryan CM(1983): Neuropsychology of alcoholism: Etiology, phenomenology,
process and outcome, in Galanter M (ed): Recent Developments in Alcoholism. New
York, Plenum, 1983, pp 449-469
World Cancer Research Fund,  American Institute for Cancer Research. Food, Nutrition,
Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective. Washington,
D.C.: AICR, 2007.
Om-Berman M: Learning and memory deficits in detoxified alcoholics, in Spencer JW,
Boren JJ (eds): Residual Effects of Abused Drugs on Behavior NIDA Research
Monograph. Rockville, MD, USDHHS, 1990, pp 136-155
Wilson Bill. (2002). Alcoholics Anonymous: the story of how many thousands of men and women
have recovered from alcoholism. 4th edition. Located at http://www.aa.org/bigbookonline.

Internet Sources

http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/3518/dissertation_rabie_r.pdf?sequ
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/alcohol-full-story/
http://apapaonline.org/data/National_Data/Philippines/Alcohol
http://apapaonline.org/data/National_Data/Philippines/Alcohol
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Appendix A
Transmittal Letter

Capt. Arnel N. Malaga

Maritime Superintendent/ Campus Director

Dear Capt. Malaga,

Greetings!

The undersigned would like to ask your kind approval to conduct a study about
“Millennial Alcoholics: A Phenomenological Study.” This would be a valuable resource
as basis for proposed action plan.

Thank you very much.

Respectfully yours,

MERVEL E. ELNAR

EDWIL Y. MANAGBANAG
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Appendix B
Location Map
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CURRICULUM VITAE

MERVEL ENOPIA ELNAR

547 I. Kintanar St. Poblacion, Sibonga, Cebu
Landline: 032-486-5651
Mobile Number: 0323160902
Email add: mervel.elnar@gmail.com

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

Date of Birth: August 12, 1973

Place of Birth: Dumaguete City

Provincial Address : 547 I. Kintanar St. Poblacion, Sibonga, Cebu

Sex: Male

Civil Status: Married

Weight: 94 Kilograms

Height : 5’7”

Religion: Roman Catholic

Spouse: Edna Ponce Suico

Children Name: Kristine Felomine S. Elnar

: Ed Johnvel S. Elnar

EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION:

University of Cebu-METC Dorm Master/Tactical Officer March 2013-

Present
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Cebu City
Our Lady of the Pillar Academy Instructor / Prefect of Discipline June 2000-
2012
Sibonga, Cebu

St. Anthony’s Academy Instructor June 1999-

2000
Tuburan, Cebu

St. Mary’s Academy Instructor June 1996-

1999
Guiuan Eastern Samar

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT INFORMATION:

Elementary - Zamboanguita Central Elementary School 1980-1986

Zamboanguita Negros Oriental

Secondary - Negros Oriental High School 1986-1991

Dumaguete City Negros Island Region

Tertiary - Foundation University 1991-1995

Dumaguete City Negros Island Region

Post Graduate -University of Southern Philippine Foundation 2004-2005

Cebu City
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EDWIL Y. MANAGBANAG
204 C. Padilla St. Mambaling, Cebu City
Landline: 032-5057746
Mobile Number: 09222519686
Email add: edwil4@yahoo.com

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

Date of Birth: November 17, 1968

Place of Birth : Cebu City

Provincial Address : Cebu City

Sex : Male

Civil Status : Married

Weight : 75 Kilograms

Height : 5’4”

Religion : Roman Catholic

Spouse : Rosemarie R. Managbanag

Children Name : RhianneMaer R. Managbanag

: Earl Lorenz R. Managbanag

EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION:

University of Cebu-METC Dorm Master/Safety Officer June 2013-

Present
Cebu City

Government Service Barangay Councilor July -2002 – Nov. -

2013
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First Active Corporation Credit Analyst 1997 -

1998
J Marketing Corp. Credit Investigator 1991
-1996

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT INFORMATION:

Elementary - the University of Southern Philippines 1975-1981

Mabini St. Cebu City

Secondary - University of San Jose Recoletos 1981-1985

Basak Campus, Cebu City

Tertiary - Cebu State College of Science & Technology 1985-1989

M.J. Cuenco, Cebu City

Post Graduate - Gullas Law School 1997-2000

Colon St. Cebu City