Alcoholism is the inability to control drinking due to both a physical and emotional dependence on alcohol.
Treatment can help, but this condition can’t be cured
Usually self-diagnosable and doesn’t require lab tests or imaging .
For most men, that’s defined as more than 4 drinks a day, or 14 or 15 in a week. For women, heavy drinking is more than 3 drinks in a day, or 7 or 8 per week.
Too much alcohol can harm you physically and mentally in lots of ways.
The truth is that nobody chooses to become an addict. Many people around the world drink too much alcohol but who do not believe themselves to be alcoholic.
Those who drink alcohol may be gradually upping their intake without even noticing; that one glass of wine with dinner has now become half a bottle. With time, that half bottle may become a full bottle, and so on.
Those who begin abusing alcohol at a young age tend to do so because of peer pressure or boredom. Teenagers often dabble with alcohol because their friends are doing so or because there is nothing else for them to do and it seems like fun.
Adults who start abusing alcohol may be doing so as a way to cope with a traumatic situation or to block out particularly painful memories. Maybe they were abused as a child or have suffered because of the death of a loved one.
For some individuals, alcohol use was a normal part of growing up and they just follow in the footsteps of another family member.
WHY DO SOME PEOPLE ABUSE ALCOHOL AND DRUGS?
Those who drink alcohol in moderation and who would never dream of taking drugs might wonder why anyone would abuse such substances. The truth is that nobody chooses to become an addict. Many people around the world drink too much alcohol but who do not believe themselves to be alcoholics. Likewise, countless individuals abuse prescription medications but are unaware that they are slowly developing a tolerance to these drugs; a tolerancethat could lead to addiction.
Alcohol abuse is not often a deliberate act; many do not realise that they are causing harm .
While some people do not even realise they can be classed as alcohol abusers, others deliberately turn to substances such as alcohol for variety of reasons. Those who begin abusing alcohol or drugs at a young age tend to do so because of peer pressure or boredom. Teenagers often dabble with these substances because their friends are doing so or because there is nothing else for them to do and it seems like fun.
Adults who start abusing alcohol may be doing so as a way to cope with a traumatic situation or to block out particularly painful memories. Maybe they were abused as a child or have suffered because of the death of a loved one.
For some individuals, alcohol or drug use was a normal part of growing up and they just follow in the footsteps of another family member.
No single cause can be attributed to why people abuse alcohol, but there are a number of factors that will make it more likely for one person to abuse alcohol than another. For example, research has shown that those who grow up in households where alcohol abuse was the norm will be much more likely to develop the same act.
Credit: Abigail
