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Why Some Become Alcoholics
There are several possible reasons why some individuals go from casual or social drinkers to alcohol abusers and at last to alcoholics, when others do not. Evidence displays that the measure you drink or the relative frequency that you drink in the early years of drinking have a great effect on whether or not you'll eventually suffer from alcoholism.
Alcoholism, or alcohol addiction, is a progressive disease. You get more hooked on alcohol bydrinking it. It gradually alters a chemical balance in the brain. Gamma-amino butyric acid is a naturally-occurring brain chemical whih commands inhibitions. Anyone who's ever been drunk has experienced the effect of the decrease in levels of GABA because of alcohol, which goes away as you get sober again. Extended consumption of alcohol could permanently decrease the levels of this substance, leading to more alcohol consumption, leading to possible alcoholism.
Another physiological chemical change taking place with regular drinking is the growth in glutamate, which stimulates the nervous system, and dopamine, which is a pleasure trigger. Again, long-term consumption of alcohol leads to more permanent increments of thesechemicals, stimulating the body to crave alcohol. This, in turn, can lead to alcohol addiction.
Alcoholism has a familial aspect. Distinct aspects of your inherited makeup can make you more or less liable to any kind of addictions, including alcoholism. In other words, if your mother or father suffered from alcohol addiction, it's more probable you have the tendency to become a sufferer, as well.
Emotional state will as well play a part. Not only does emotional anguish and stress lead people to block it all out with alcohol, but there is a cause and effect connection between some stress hormons and alcohol addiction.
Mental components can be contributors. If, for example, your best friend and buddy is a big drinker, but doesn't misuse alcohol, you may discover yourself imbibing more than you want, just because you're with him. Then the chemical imbalances take over and the progression commences. If you are depressed or suffer from low self-esteem, these could also start up the imbibing cycle.
And last, we can't entirely disregard the cultural aspects of drinking. Cocktail parties are the average in some business organizations. Advertising for products containing alcohol glamorize its consumption and produce imitators. Some even seem to imply that imbibing to excess is acceptable.
So it appears that regular imbibing over time is likely to lead to alcoholism. Statistics assure us that a man drinking more than fifteen 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:
- Individuals who start up drinking early, say at age 15 or previous, are higher-risk candidates for alcohol addiction.
- Men are more likely to suffer from alcoholism than women.
- The rate of alcohol addiction is greateror individuals who had an alcoholic parent than for those who did not.
- Those struggling from severe clinical depression, anxiety, or adult ADD are more liable to become dependent.
Apply these hints to check if you or a loved one needs to be particularly vigilant against alcoholism.
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