Alcoholism: Causes, Risk Factors, and Symptoms

Many people treat alcohol as a reward at the why is alcohol addictive end of the day or after an achievement. Alcohol manufacturers bombard the public with video, digital, and print advertisements. They show drinking as a socially acceptable, fun, and relaxing pastime. Alcohol negatively impacts the brain areas that control balance, memory, speech, and judgment.

Stages of the Addiction Cycle

• According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, women shouldn’t drink more than one drink per day, and men shouldn’t drink more than two drinks per day.
• When a person consumes alcohol, it triggers the release of dopamine, furnishing a sense of pleasure or euphoria.
• When we fully see the ways we have been shaped, when we embrace the emotions we once tried to suppress, and when we reconnect with the present moment, addiction loses its grip.
• The more a person drinks, the likelier they are to become dependent on alcohol to manage stress and emotions.

This combination of effects produces feelings of relaxation and euphoria. Like ‘addiction’, ‘alcoholism’ is a term that stirs up a lot of debate. At that time, it was certainly a much more compassionate idea than the widespread belief that heavy drinkers were weak or immoral. Alcoholism, also known as alcohol use disorder (AUD), is a complex condition influenced by a variety of genetic and biological factors. In theory, these stages of addiction can happen so gradually that people don’t realize how out of control their drinking has become until they’ve reached the middle or late stage. In practice, this process varies a lot from individual to individual, and the point at which you consider your drinking to be a problem may occur a lot sooner.

Psychological Dependence

• It is often used as a coping mechanism to alleviate stress, anxiety, or depression.
• Our program allows clients to explore and develop their spiritual path in ways that feel authentic to them.
• Medicines that help with mental illness can take a while to start working and require patience.
• This stage keeps the cycle of addiction active as the individual seeks to relieve the preoccupation through further alcohol use, starting the cycle anew.

Prolonged alcohol use disrupts brain chemistry, wrecking neurotransmitters responsible for mood regulation, which serves up issues such as depression and anxiety. Groups of people at risk of alcohol addiction are high-stress professionals, people with a family history of alcohol use disorder, individuals with mental health conditions, amphetamine addiction treatment and young adults. Alcohol becomes addictive on account of its impact on brain chemistry, particularly the stimulation of dopamine release in reward pathways. This mechanism reinforces the behavior, making it difficult for individuals to stop drinking despite negative consequences. Genetic predisposition and psychological factors also contribute to alcohol addiction. Chronic alcohol use initially enhances dopamine (DA) transmission, creating a sense of reward; however, prolonged exposure alters the dopamine system.

The Role of Trauma in Addiction

However, the other side of the coin is the social aspects of alcohol addiction. Other than the brain telling someone he or she needs alcohol, why does someone drink? Surely each individual drinker has individual reasoning, but the following are some typical social reasons people become addicted to alcohol. To avoid alcohol addiction, it’s safest to not drink alcohol at all, especially if you know that you’re vulnerable to alcoholism. But if you prefer to drink in moderation, that may be possible depending on your overall risk.

Again, addiction is not just about the substance or behavior; it is about the internal “cage” we have built through conditioning, fear, and unprocessed pain. By examining the beliefs and emotional wounds that shaped our compulsions, we begin to dismantle that prison of our own making. Of course, no one needs to wait for new guidelines or warning labels to curb their drinking. Many are exploring ways to cut back, including the Dry January Challenge or alcohol-free drinks. The definitions for a drink in the US are the common serving sizes for beer (12 ounces), wine (5 ounces), or distilled spirits/hard liquor (1.5 ounces).

Why Is Alcohol Addictive? The Science Behind Alcoholism

Alcohol use disorder includes a level of drinking that’s sometimes called alcoholism. Alcohol addiction, also known as alcoholism, is a disease that affects people of all walks of life. Experts have tried to pinpoint factors like genetics, sex, race, or socioeconomics that may predispose someone to alcohol addiction. Psychological, genetic, and behavioral factors can all contribute to having the disease. Additionally, alcohol affects the neurotransmitter GABA, which helps slow down brain activity and produces feelings of calm and relaxation. Over time, as the brain becomes accustomed to alcohol’s effects, it starts to produce less GABA naturally, meaning the person needs to drink more to achieve the same calming effects.

Symptoms

• For those seeking alternatives to AA, there are other support groups like SMART Recovery, which is recognized for its evidence-based approach to addiction recovery.
• So, heavy drinking can eventually cause changes to the brain that result in dependence on alcohol.
• At Prescott House, we emphasize prevention strategies based on our extensive experience with recovery.
• Understanding the science behind alcohol’s addictive nature is crucial for effectively addressing the issue.

For some of us, alcohol becomes something we carry on consuming even though the negative consequences are plain to see. Koob, George, et al. “Neurobiological mechanisms in the transition from drug use to drug dependence.” Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, January 2004. Alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance, with tobacco coming in second, with just over 57 million users. Currently, 37.3 million Americans 12 and older are illegal drug users. In 2022, despite a decline in alcohol-induced fatalities, 51,191 individuals in the U.S. lost their lives to alcohol-related causes. BetterHelp offers affordable mental health care via phone, video, or live-chat.

The psychological factors that make alcohol addictive are reducing stress, managing anxiety and depression, escaping emotions, reinforcing habits, and regulating trauma. These factors involve emotional and mental health issues that drive individuals to use alcohol as a coping mechanism. As time unfolds, alcohol use becomes a way to manage these issues, creating a cycle of addiction that is difficult to break.

This post will explain what makes alcohol addictive, summarize how alcohol addiction happens, and explain what you can do to avoid it. Ultimately, alcohol addiction is caused by the effect alcohol  has on the brain and the reinforcing cycle it creates. The brain craves more alcohol with each drink due to its interaction with the substance. The brain undergoes chemical changes when exposed to alcohol, which is why it has this effect.