kim71chavez's Journal

Why Some Become Alcoholics

There are various possible causes why some individuals go from casual or social drinkers to alcohol abusers and at last to alcoholics, when others do not. Evidence indicates that the quantity you drink or the frequency that you drink in the early years of drinking have a remarkable effect on whether or not you'll eventually suffer from alcoholism.

Alcoholism, or alcohol addiction, is a progressive disease. You become more dependent on alcohol bydrinking it. It step by step modifies a chemical symmetry in the brain. Gamma-amino butyric acid is a naturally-occurring brain chemical substance whih checks inhibitions. Anyone who's ever been drunk has experienced the result of the reduction in levels of GABA because of alcohol, which goes away as you get sober again. Extended consumption of alcohol could permanently lessen the levels of this substance, leading to more alcohol ingestion, leading to potential alcoholism.

Another physiological chemical modification happening with regular drinking is the gain in glutamate, which arouses the nervous system, and dopamine, which is a pleasure trigger. Again, long-term consumption of alcohol leads to more lasting increases of thesechemicals, stimulating the body to crave alcohol. This, in turn, can lead to alcohol addiction.

Alcoholism has a genetic aspect. Particular facets of your genetic composition can make you more or less predisposed to any form of dependencies, including alcohol addiction. In other words, if your mother or father suffered from alcoholism, it's more probable you have the propensity to become a sufferer, as well.

Emotional state will as well play a part. Not only does emotional trouble and stress lead individuals to block it all out with alcohol, but there is a cause and effect nexus between some stress hormons and alcohol addiction.

Mental factors can be contributors. If, for example, your best friend and buddy is a heavy drinker, but doesn't misuse alcohol, you may notice yourself imbibing more than you wish, just because you're with him. Then the chemical imbalances take over and the advancement begins. If you are depressed or suffer from low self-esteem, these could also begin the imbibing cycle.

And finally, we can't entirely brush aside the cultural facets of imbibing. Cocktail parties are the average in some businesses. Advertising for products containing alcohol glamorize its usage and produce imitators. Some even appear to imply that drinking to excess is standard.

So it seems that frequent imbibing over time is likely to lead to alcohol addiction. Statistics assure us that a man drinking more than 15 drinks per week or a woman drinking more than 12 will increase that person's likelihood of suffering from alcohol addiction. This isn't the exclusive risk factor, however:

- People who start up drinking early, say at age 15 or earlier, are higher-risk prospects for alcoholism.

- Men are more probable to suffer from alcoholism than women.

- The rate of alcohol addiction is heavieror individuals who had an alcoholic parent than for those who did not.

- Those suffering from serious depression, anxiety, or adult ADD are more liable to become alcoholic.

Use these clues to find if you or a loved one demands to be particularly vigilant against alcoholism.