Alcoholism Definition, Causes, & Associated Diseases

It is also true that no single factor, nor group of factors, will determine whether or not someone becomes an alcoholic. In fact, there are dozens of risk factors that play a role in the development of an alcohol addiction. These risk factors interact differently in every individual, leading to alcohol use disorders in some and not in others. Childhood trauma can fuel problematic drinking in adulthood, because the person might use alcohol to cope with feelings of anger, depression, anxiety, loneliness, or grief. Compared to people without a drinking problem, men and women who sought treatment for alcohol addiction had a higher prevalence of childhood trauma, research finds.

  • Participating in ongoing treatment methods provides you with a greater chance for long-term sobriety than those who do not continue recovery with maintenance programs.
  • With the use of appropriate medications and behavioral therapies, people can recover from AUD.
  • Gender can also play a role in whether a person develops an alcohol use disorder.
  • In a clinical setting, motivational interviewing, which cultivates the drive to change behaviors, and Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral, and Treatment (SBIRT), which funnels patients to treatment, are also helpful options.
  • Genes alone don’t determine whether someone becomes addicted, but they can provide a prod in that direction.

Before it becomes problematic, why do people turn to alcohol in the first place? One is simply its rewarding consequences, such as having fun or escaping social anxiety. Having an impulsive personality plays into the decision to seek rewards despite negative repercussions.

Personal Choice Factors

In some cases, social and cultural pressures can be among the causes of alcoholism. People often use the term “alcoholic” or “alcoholism” to refer to someone who is addicted to alcohol. In clinical practice, the term “alcohol use disorder” is used to describe someone with an alcohol addiction. Alcohol use disorder is an official diagnosis included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. It is a legitimate medical condition that causes changes in the brain and makes it difficult to stop drinking. Worsening symptoms can lead a person to drink even more, creating a vicious cycle.

causes of alcoholism

Water sources for drinking water outbreaks listed in NORS include groundwater, surface water, groundwater under the influence of surface water, other, and unknown. Water source descriptions listed in NORS include lake or reservoir, ocean, pond, river or stream, spring, well, other, and unknown. Per capita consumption of alcohol in the U.S. increased to 2.51 gallons annually in 2021, 17% more than in 1999, according to federal figures. But the national rate of cancer incidence declined 16% during that period, according to the CDC.

Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder

Loved ones can provide immeasurable support, but they almost take care of themselves throughout an often difficult journey. Some people prefer to try cutting back or quitting on their own before committing time and money to rehab. And there are a few approaches that can identify and combat drinking at an early stage. People can focus on education and support, such as through Alcoholics Anonymous, or take on a sobriety challenge. People can learn mindfulness; rather than trying to soothe uncomfortable feelings with alcohol, mindfulness encourages techniques such as breathing, visualization, and meditation.

As people begin to drink more frequently, alcohol produces desired feelings in the body and brain through the release of specific brain chemicals. With consistent drinking, the chemical output decreases, so a person drinks more to achieve causes of alcoholism the same results. The term alcoholic refers to a person with a condition known as alcohol use disorder (AUD). The disorder makes a person who has it experience an intense desire for alcohol even when it adversely affects their health.

Opioid Use Disorder

Reviva, Vivitrol Campral, are relatively new drugs that help reduce alcohol cravings, and can also help reduce some people’s desire to consume alcohol. Vivitrol and Revia can help people drink less alcohol even if they don’t want to stop drinking entirely. Many times people find these medications help them to quit drinking for good.

  • An example would be a father who falls asleep on the couch after having several drinks three or four days a week, missing out on time with his kids and wife.
  • Opium addicts, on the other hand, become so adapted to the drug that they can survive more than a hundred times the normal lethal dose, but the increased amounts to which alcoholics become adapted are rarely above the normal single lethal dose.
  • Getting help before your problem drinking progresses to severe alcohol use disorder can save your life.
  • With all alcoholic beverages, drinking while driving, operating an aircraft or heavy machinery increases the risk of an accident; many countries have penalties for drunk driving.

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