Moderate drinking is the only safe way to consume alcohol, but drinking in general isn’t safe for everyone. Alcohol addiction is characterized by a physical and psychological need to drink. Frequent, uncontrolled alcohol abuse eventually leads to problem drinking.
- With so many effects on the body, the usual first step in treating alcoholism is detox—or getting alcohol out of your system.
- Heavy alcohol use is binge drinking on five or more days within the past month, or consuming more than seven drinks per week for women and more than 14 drinks per week for men.
- Regardless of how the addiction looks, someone typically has an alcohol addiction if they heavily rely on drinking and can’t stay sober for an extended period of time.
It affects chemicals in the brain’s reward center, such as dopamine. The body eventually craves alcohol to restore pleasurable feelings and avoid negative feelings. People who already suffer from high stress or psychological problems such as low self esteem and depression are at higher risk for developing alcoholism. Many people with AUD do recover, but setbacks are common among people in treatment. Seeking professional help early can prevent a return to drinking.
Biological Factors that Cause Alcoholism
That’s why it’s so important to find a comprehensive alcohol treatment program that can take a multifaceted approach to addiction treatment. Cirrhosis of the liverOur liver filters out harmful substances, cleans our blood, stores energy and aids in digestion. Too much alcohol can be toxic to liver cells, causing dehydration and permanent scarring—which ultimately affects the blood flow.
Can People With Alcohol Use Disorder Recover?
The brain accommodates for the regular presence of alcohol by altering neurotransmitter production. But when the person stops or dramatically reduces his or her drinking, within 24 to 72 hours the brain goes into what is known as withdrawal as it tries to readjust its how to wean off prozac chemistry. Symptoms of withdrawal include disorientation, hallucinations, delirium tremens (DTs), nausea, sweating and seizures. As individuals continue to drink alcohol over time, progressive changes may occur in the structure and function of their brains. These changes can compromise brain function and drive the transition from controlled, occasional use to chronic misuse, which can be difficult to control.
Teenagers who hang out with others who drink or peer pressure them to drink might be more susceptible to the dangers of alcohol abuse due to the popularity of binge drinking. If these drinking patterns become a habit, individuals may struggle to socialize with others without drinking or feel as though they need to drink in order to be accepted. All of these factors that stem from drinking at an early age can increase a person’s risk of becoming an alcoholic.
Recovery Advocacy
They may know that their alcohol use negatively affects their lives, but it’s often not enough to make them stop drinking. 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. One of the biggest concerns with risky drinkers is when they don’t think they have a problem.
But treatment and support are available to help those suffering begin to heal. Some chronic alcoholics develop a condition called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, which results from a thiamine (vitamin B-1) deficiency. The condition, which is sometimes called wet brain, is characterized by eye movement disorders, loss of muscle coordination, confusion and memory issues. It affects more men than women and is fatal 10 to 20 percent of the time.