Causes of Alcoholism

Causes of Alcoholism

Causes of Alcoholism

The motor for alcohol dependence is drinking for the effect. The drinker wants to change his mood to get rid of tensions, anxiety or grimness or to get more appreciation. Most people drink every now and then to change mood, but the real drinker-to-be strives for a more intense change of mood. He wants to experience a real turn, and wants to feel good again. When he does this several times, the problem is not solved and he runs the risk that his body gets used to the alcohol.

Many theories of the causes of alcoholism rest on the limited perspectives of specialists in particular disciplines or professions. These theories range from heredity, environmental contagion, bad character, and economic misery (or affluence) to bleak childhoods, preexisting depressive disorder, ready and inexpensive availability of alcoholic beverages, or sociopathy. More discerning theories take into account the complexity of the disorder and acknowledge that alcoholism is usually caused by a combination of factors.

Emotional state. High levels of stress, anxiety or emotional pain can lead some people to drink alcohol to block out the turmoil. Certain stress hormones may be associated with alcoholism.

Psychological factors. Having low self-esteem or depression may make you more likely to abuse alcohol. Having friends or a close partner who drinks regularly — but who may not abuse alcohol — could promote excessive drinking on your part. It may be difficult for you to distance yourself from these “enablers” or at least from their drinking habits.

This paper will show that alcoholism is a disease, and not just something people do because they want to. It will show why people drink, and the effects drinking too much alcohol has on them. Alcoholism is a chronic disease in which people have a craving for alcohol which they cannot control (Alcohol; Alcoholism; Smith). They cannot stop drinking even when it causes them serious harm such as medical problems, loss of their job, and automobile crashes. No one knows what causes people to drink, but studies have shown that some of the cause may be inherited from parents who drink heavily, and psychological and social factors affect the development of the disease. Alcoholism cannot be cured, but it can be treated in various ways which help alcoholics avoid drinking.

The team found that the most genetic variations involved in alcohol addiction are related to the 51 defined chromosomal regions. Many of the genes identified as possible key-factors to cause alcoholism have already been mentioned by previous studies to be closely linked to alcoholism or other types of addictions. Also, the suspected genes are involved in many key-activities taking place in our organism – from regulating the development and cell-to-cell interactions and communication to controlling the protein synthesis. One of the main genes supposed to influence alcohol addiction in people is the AIP1 gene, a disease-related gene found mainly in the brain.