WHAT IS ALCOHOL ADDICTION

Alcoholism is drinking alcoholic beverages at a level that interferes with physical health, mental health, and social, family, or job responsibilities.

Alcoholism is a type of drug addiction. Often, alcohol abuse develops from efforts to self-treat an illness. There are both physical and mental dependence on alcohol.

Alcoholism is divided into 2 categories: dependence and abuse. People who are dependent on alcohol spend a great deal of time drinking alcohol, and getting it.

Physical dependence involves:

• A need for increasing amounts of alcohol to get drunk or achieve the desired effect (tolerance)
• Alcohol-related illnesses
• Memory lapses (blackouts) after drinking episodes
• Withdrawal symptoms when alcohol use is stopped

The most severe drinking behavior includes long drinking binges that lead to mental or physical problems. Some people are able to gain control over their dependence in earlier phases before they totally lose control. But no one knows which heavy drinkers will be able to regain control and which will not.

There is no known common cause of alcoholism. However, several factors may play a role in its development. A person who has an alcoholic parent is more likely to become an alcoholic than a person without alcoholism in the immediate family.

Research suggests that certain genes may increase the risk of alcoholism, but which genes or how they work is not known.
Psychological factors may include:
• A need for anxiety relief
• Conflict in relationships
• Depression
• Low self-esteem

Social factors include:
• Ease of getting alcohol
• Peer pressure
• Social acceptance of alcohol use
• Stressful lifestyle

The incidence of alcohol intake and related problems is rising. Data indicates that about 15% of people in the United States are problem drinkers, and about 5% to 10% of male drinkers and 3% to 5% of female drinkers could be diagnosed as alcohol dependent.

Alcohol Treatment programs have varying success rates, but many people with alcohol dependency make a full recovery.

Information contained above is courtesy of U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health for more information please visit: http://www.nlm.nih.gov

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