Alcoholism Definition, Causes, & Associated Diseases

At the age of 19, I knew I was starting to develop a drink and drug problem. I was totally ignorant to the fact that I was already a hopeless addict. I drifted into my late teens, gradually increasing my drinking and drug use. When your partner, friends or work colleagues drink regularly and encourage you to join them, it’s natural for this to influence your own choices about alcohol. Multiple biological and psychological elements interact to cause alcoholism; it would be wrong to regard psychosocial reasons as independent of biological causes. Learn more about the financial impact of alcohol misuse in the United States.

It is no secret that alcoholism is heavily correlated with other mental health problems. Alcoholism is considered a mental illness itself, but when it appears along with other mental health problems, like depression or PTSD, it is called a co-occurring disorder. Moreover, having a mental illness predisposes a person to alcohol use and abuse as far as drinking is often used for self-medicating in an attempt to relieve the inner pain and avoid the emotional triggers.

In addition, certain activities, such as exercise or working outdoors in the heat, can increase the risk of dehydration.

However, referring to a person with this condition as an alcoholic has negative connotations that can be harmful and hurtful. Children who are exposed to alcohol addiction are more likely to develop an alcohol addiction themselves, and AUD often why do people become alcoholics runs in families, so it’s believed genetics play a role as well. A review of the 11 factors set forth in the DSM-5 regarding severe alcohol use disorder (i.e., the presence of six or more factors) provides additional insight into this condition.

Individuals with a long history of drinking are more likely to become alcoholics than those who have been drinking alcohol for less time. Similarly, individuals who have consumed more alcohol are more likely to become alcoholics than individuals who have consumed less alcohol. Alcohol use actually rewires the brain to desire and depend on alcohol, and these effects are cumulative.

Drinking At An Early Age

Talking to a qualified therapist can help you get to the root of your condition and devise a means to kick it. Treatment for alcohol use disorder varies depending on the severity of your symptoms and how long the condition has persisted. The most common treatment options for people with the condition include the following listed below. 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.

The health risks of alcohol tend to be dose-dependent, and the likelihood of certain harms, such as cancer, begin at relatively low amounts.5 Even drinking within the U.S. A person who experiences feelings of low self-esteem or self-worth may start drinking alcohol more frequently to numb intrusive thoughts. When a person does not have a positive self-image, they may care less about the consequences of heavy or frequent drinking. Although the exact cause of alcohol use disorder is unknown, there are certain factors that may increase your risk for developing this disease. Unhealthy alcohol use includes any alcohol use that puts your health or safety at risk or causes other alcohol-related problems. It also includes binge drinking — a pattern of drinking where a male has five or more drinks within two hours or a female has at least four drinks within two hours.

The Causes of Alcoholism

The two manuals use similar but not identical nomenclature to classify alcohol problems. As anyone who has had even a glass of wine can attest, alcohol can have a noticeable influence on mood. Drinking releases endorphins which can lead people to feel happy, energized, and excited. But alcohol is also classified as a depressant and can cause fatigue, restlessness, and depression. It may shift from stimulant to sedative in line with whether blood alcohol content is rising or falling.

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. Furthermore, the greater the abuse or neglect experienced, the more severe their drinking problem was.

While there is no specific “gene” tied to AUD, genetic differences do affect the risk. If you answered “yes” to two or three of these, then you may have mild AUD; four to five could mean moderate AUD; and six or more could suggest severe AUD. Examples of alcohol-related complications that can affect multiple body systems are described below. American Addiction Centers (AAC) is committed to delivering original, truthful, accurate, unbiased, and medically current information.

• The term alcoholic refers to a person with a condition known as alcohol use disorder (AUD).
• The condition is likely the result of a combination of genetic, social, psychological, and environmental factors.
• If you have it, you should know that you are not alone and you are living with a chronic medical condition that needs proper management and treatment.
• Among adults who don’t drink, the most common reason given is that they just don’t want to, the Gallup survey found.
• In addition, men are also more likely to binge drink than women, and have a higher rate of alcohol-related hospitalisations than women.
• Both internal and external factors contribute to the development of alcoholism.
• The harmful use of alcohol causes a high burden of disease and has significant social and economic consequences.

His geriatric areas of expertise include managing mild cognitive impairment, dementia, polypharmacy, advanced care planning and other geriatric syndromes. If you have it, you should know that you are not alone and you are living with a chronic medical condition that needs proper management and treatment. Some research shows that up to 6.2% of the American population lives with this condition. Recognizing that you need help is the first step in your treatment journey.

Alcohol use disorder

Individuals in their early to mid-twenties are the most likely to abuse alcohol and suffer from alcohol use disorders. The younger that an individual starts consuming alcohol, the more likely they are to develop alcoholism later in life. For example, individuals who are more likely to pursue or disregard risk are more likely to engage in heavy drinking; those who are less inhibited may drink more.