Causes of Alcohol Addiction and Alcoholism

These symptoms could be warning signs indicating that quick action is required. When an alcoholic tries to reduce their drinking or quit altogether, they may experience withdrawal symptoms. Sleeplessness, anxiety, depression, convulsions, nausea, and hallucinations are some withdrawal symptoms that some people suffer.

• Drinking at this point isn’t about feeling good — it’s about not feeling bad and avoiding the uncomfortable sensations that accompany acute withdrawal.
• It might also be that these nature and nurture elements both have an impact on the likelihood of you developing an addiction.
• In addition, a child’s risk of developing alcohol use disorder might be affected by the drinking patterns of their parents.
• If you’re concerned about someone who drinks too much, ask a professional experienced in alcohol treatment for advice on how to approach that person.

Furthermore, during the same period, approximately 894,000 individuals between the ages of 12 and 17 (equivalent to 3.4% of this age group) were categorized as alcoholics or alcohol dependent. Ultimately, people become alcoholics because of a process known as ‘positive reinforcement’. Positive reinforcement encourages certain patterns of behaviour to form by offering a perceived ‘reward’ for that behaviour.

What are Some of the Reasons People Become Alcoholics?

Similarly, high anxiety levels are known to co-occur with alcoholism, where alcohol is used to self-medicate anxiety symptoms. Often, those with anxiety disorders drink alcohol to reduce their heightened emotional state and feel more at ease in social situations. However, this can worsen anxiety symptoms or lead to panic attacks over time, creating a cycle that perpetuates anxiety and alcohol addiction. Environmental factors can also affect a person’s likelihood of developing alcoholism, particularly if they grow up in a home with heavy alcohol use. Many aspects involve environmental factors, including family history, social relationships and cultural norms. Some who do not have genetic risk factors may develop alcoholism if raised in an environment that encourages or normalizes maladaptive drinking behaviors.

If you are addicted to alcohol or to drugs, don’t let your problem become progressively worse. There are many facilities who offer different treatment programs so one can be designed to fit your individual needs and preferences. Cirrhosis can cause a host of other health problems, including high blood pressure, which can lead to the development of enlarged veins in the esophagus called esophageal varices. These are similar to the varicose veins that some people develop in their legs. But esophageal varices are prone to rupture, and when they do, the alcoholic can bleed to death.

Who Started Alcoholics Anonymous?

Every client at White Light Behavioral Health receives care from professionals who have completed extensive training in addiction recovery. We’ll get to the bottom of what’s motivating our clients’ drinking, offer support as they work through their emotions, and encourage them to adopt practices that will help them heal and move forward. Alcohol affects the brain regions responsible for decision-making, planning, and self-control. As a result of chronic alcohol consumption, these regions endure alterations that feed the addictive cycle and make a recovery from alcoholism more difficult. Consuming a significant quantity of alcohol in a short length of time, known as binge drinking, can lead to tolerance, dependence, and, eventually, an alcohol use disorder. Regularly engaging in binge drinking can disrupt brain chemistry and reinforce addictive behaviors.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the younger the age of drinking onset, the greater the chance of you developing an alcohol use disorder in the future. The NIAAA found that young people who began drinking before the age of 15 were four times more likely to develop alcohol addiction than people who started why do people become alcoholics drinking at the legal age. Experiencing abuse or neglect, especially if this happened when you were a child, can also increase your risk of developing alcoholism in later life. Physiologically, alcohol alters the balance of chemicals in the brain. The body eventually craves alcohol to restore pleasurable feelings and avoid negative feelings.

Risk Factors Associated with the Development of an Alcohol Use Disorder

Stopping is impossible at this point without professional help because of the severe and potentially life-threatening withdrawal symptoms that would occur if they quit cold turkey. By this stage, their drinking is taking an obvious physical toll as well. The alcoholic probably isn’t sleeping or eating well at this point and may not be keeping up with personal hygiene. Don’t put off finding help for alcohol addiction in yourself or a loved one any longer.

Heritability estimates indicate that genetics account for approximately 60% of the risk for AUD. However, like other chronic health conditions, the interaction between genes and environmental variables substantially impacts an individual’s susceptibility to alcohol and drug use disorder (AUD). In addition, a child’s risk of developing alcohol use disorder might be affected by the drinking patterns of their parents. Stressful life events have also been linked to someone developing an alcohol addiction.

For instance, those who use alcohol to self-medicate may need therapy that addresses the root causes of their addiction and helps them learn healthier coping mechanisms. While there is no universal indicating factor to one’s risk level, there are some factors that have historically been known to contribute to developing the disorder. As people develop alcohol dependence, they normally experience urges or cravings for alcohol.

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. From the age of 15, I started to smoke cannabis and drink with friends. I drifted into my late teens, gradually increasing my drinking and drug use.