What Drives Alcohol Addiction?

There are many different factors that play a huge part in an alcohol addiction. Let's take the average American's lifestyle, for example. We'll name him John. John is born into a lower-middle class suburban household. His mom has various get-togethers with her friends, where the kids play while the adults have a few drinks and talk. His dad is a huge sports fan who goes out to the bars almost every night of the week to see or regale a “big game.” John goes to school with kids who have similar home lives. As he grows up, he sees alcohol in the grocery stores, in his home, in his friends' houses, on t.v., on billboards, in magazines. When John reaches high school, he joins his school's sports teams. Through these people and some of his other friends, John starts getting invited to parties. At those parties, everyone is drinking. He wants to fit in, so he grabs a red plastic cup and fills it at the keg. Before he knows it, he is out of control and loving it. John may or may not get into trouble with his parents or with the law. He will go to college and experience or of theses parties. He turns 21, and goes out for drinks with his already 21 year old friends, or his parents. After college, John might get married and become a big sports fan. Do you see where this is going? Alcohol is everywhere. It is something that is ingrained in our culture. But, if that is all it takes to become an alcoholic, why isn't everyone?

What really needs to be examined here is, what is alcohol dependence and what drives this addiction? When a person develops a destructive pattern of abusing alcohol, this is considered an alcohol dependence or addiction. This disease affects over 14 million people in the United States alone. Many people wonder if it is a hereditary disease, and how it is caused to begin with. There is no single origin of the dependence alcohol causes. It is viewed and treated as a mental disorder, being the result of a complex grouping of genetic, psychological, and environmental factors in a person's life. So, no, it is not always hereditary (although it can be), but a child with alcoholic parents or guardians is much more likely to become an alcohol addict simply because of the environment they grew up in.

If you think you have a problem with alcohol addiction or know someone who might, don't wait to contact an alcohol treatment center for help. There are so many great treatments out there to take advantage of. Many alcohol treatment programs focus on relapse prevention, short-term behavioral goals, and cognitive therapies. It is important to go to alcohol rehab and learn about ways to work through your alcohol dependence. Don't wait any longer to get the life you want back on track!

Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol is extremely abundant in today’s society. It is culturally accepted that when a person turns 21, they will go out to bars and drink with their friends. Even before age 21, young adults and teens feel a want or a pressure to start drinking socially. Because it is so prevalent, it is also hard to tell when and why alcohol use becomes alcohol abuse. The effects of alcohol abuse are not hard to identify, but people who have a dependence of alcohol will not want to acknowledge these effects. They will continue to usealcohol even if their work, medical, or home life is suffering greatly.

The facts about alcohol can be quite surprising to some. Most people develop an alcohol dependencebetween ages 18 and 25. The symptoms of abuse will probably alternate between periods of abusing to periods of the abstinence of alcohol. During the periods of abuse, the effects of alcohol can be quite detrimental, not only to the individual but also to the individual’s family as well. There is a strong relationship between drinking and domestic violence. Also, children of at least one alcoholic parent are at higher risk for becoming dependent on alcohol as well. These children are also more receptive to negative feelings, stress, aggression and alienation. In general, people who suffer from alcohol dependence will probably experience some sort of depression and/or antisocial behavior.

To look closer at the actual substance of alcohol, rather than the psychological effects it can produce, we’ll dive a little deeper into the facts on alcohol. When alcohol is consumed, it travels through the bloodstream and into the body’s tissues. Depending on how much the individual weighs, how much he/she has eaten that day, and what age they are will affect the way alcohol interacts with their body. When alcohol is consumed in small amounts, it may cause dizziness, excessive talking and “party behavior.” In larger amounts, slurred speech, nausea, vomiting, and an hangover (headache, nausea) will ensue after the alcohol wears off. Those are only the short-term effects. The long-term effects can get scary. Later on down the road leading to alcoholism, alcohol abuse can cause irreparable damage to the liver and the brain. It has been studied and shown that women suffer the long-term effects much faster then men do.

Alcohol dependence is a scary and unpredictable thing. If you feel that you or a loved one is suffering from a dependence of alcohol, do not hesitate to get help. In moderation, alcohol can be used healthily in a social setting, but when alcohol is abused, you may have the start of a chronic illness on your hands. Treatment for alcohol dependence does work, and it is available for anyone who feels out of control with their alcohol use.

Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol Addiction Treatment

Alcoholism is a serious disease that affects more than 15 million Americans on a daily basis. Just as withdrug addicts, there are many different types of alcoholics. Some may just have a few drinks every day, while others may drink from morning until night. Again, there are some alcohol addicts who may only drink on the weekends, but when they do, they consume beverages in mass quantities. Alcohol affects people differently. Some people develop a physical and mental dependence and need it to function normally.

Not only can it can be hard to define exactly what is an alcohol addict, it can also be hard to determine whether someone actually is an alcoholic or not. In many situations, people get up, work their daily jobs and do everything else that normal people do. However, they are either constantly under the influence of alcohol, or they immediately drink after dealing with all responsibilities and obligations. Either way, one thing is true of alcoholics. There is a constant preoccupation with drinking in their minds and in many cases they are physically dependent on alcohol. When not under the influence, they may experience irritability, anxiety and even shakiness. These are all symptoms of withdrawal and they can occur on a small scale every day until the person consumes alcohol.

Alcohol dependence occurs when a person is so use to being intoxicated on a regular basis that their body has physical cravings for alcohol and they experience consistent urges to drink. Alcohol dependence and alcoholism go hand in hand, and they are both past the point of alcohol abuse. While abuse may refer to occasionally drinking more than you should abuse and dependence refer to doing so on a frequent and/or regular basis. Once a person has reached this point, treatment is necessary. Although some people can stop drinking entirely or cut back on their drinking on their own. For some it is out of their control. Once an individual begins to suffer from health problems, or face negative consequences in their financial and social matters, it could be very well be because alcohol has taken control of their lives. In these cases, it is usually the best idea to seek professional help.

Alcohol addiction treatment can be very effective for many different people. Although alcoholism is a disease that is incurable, it can be treated with the proper daily management. One can keep themselves from going back to drinking. Alcohol treatment does more than just simply address the issue of drinking too much. The proper treatment will provide participants in the program with the necessary tools to deal with the problems that brought them to drink in the first place. These tools are implemented through a combination of group therapy sessions, counseling, and alcohol education classes. In many cases, a 12-step program such as Alcoholics Anonymous is also part of treatment, which can be very effective.

In the most severe cases, patients are admitted into alcohol detox to flush the alcohol from their system. Patients at this state drink in such large quantities that when they abruptly stop, their body goes into a state of shock. Withdrawal symptoms can be very dangerous and can include anxiety, nausea, depression, insomnia, sweating, shaking, delirium tremens, seizures, high blood pressure and even cardiac arrest. At its worst, severe alcohol withdrawal can be fatal. Drug treatment centers have teams of doctors, nurses, psychologists and psychiatrists that not only monitor patients’ physical wellbeing, but are also there to treat emotional and mental symptoms and ensure that patients are headed in the right direction in their recovery.

Alcohol Addiction Treatment