Alcoholism - Causes and Effects

Alcoholism is the inability to operate or ignore a strong craving for alcohol. people suffering from alcoholism often find that they need the aid of alcohol to feel good or normal. They often crave alcohol, but this craving is much stronger than the occasional craving people have for inescapable foods. The craving for alcohol experienced by those suffering from alcoholism is often so severe that the personel feels they need alcohol as if it were food or water. They do not feel they can go a day, or in some extreme cases, an hour, without exciting alcohol.

Alcoholism is not characterized by the type of alcohol consumed or how much alcohol is needed to satisfy the craving. Alcoholism is characterized mostly by the loss of control. Alcoholics often build up a tolerance to alcohol over time. This means they need more and more alcohol to satisfy their need for it. As they consume more and more alcohol, serious health problems manifest themselves. Alcoholism also affects the sufferer psychologically, as well as physically.

Addiction In Drugs

Alcoholism differs from alcohol abuse in that a person who abuses alcohol does not display a loss of operate over their drinking. An personel who abuses alcohol may act irresponsibly while under the influence. They may also put themselves and others in danger by driving or operating machinery while drinking. Relationships may suffer, as with alcoholism and work operation may come to be careless. While alcohol abuse differs from alcoholism, it can be a serious qoute and should not be ignored.

There are many symptoms of alcoholism. Many of the symptoms of alcohol abuse are also displayed by those suffering from alcoholism. Some symptoms consist of drinking alone or confidentially (hiding the fact that they are drinking), memory loss (also known as "blacking out"), ritually drinking at inescapable times while the day and becoming irritable when this ritual is disturbed, feeling the need to drink to feel normal, loss of interest in relationships or activities that were once enjoyed, experiencing financial, marital, or legal problems caused by drinking, building a tolerance to alcohol or experiencing relinquishment symptoms if alcohol is not available. These symptoms are just a few of the inherent symptoms that could be displayed by alcoholics.

Studies show that some individuals are more likely to palpate alcoholism at some point in their lives than others. For example, genetics can play a role in either or not a person is likely to be drawn to alcohol. Often the children of alcoholics will have a higher risk of one day becoming an alcoholic themselves. Psychological problems also increase the risk for alcoholism. Individuals suffering from depression, concentration deficit disorder, bipolar disorder and many other psychological disorders often turn to alcohol to make them feel great or ease their suffering. This often turns into a dependency.

There are many health problems that are caused by alcoholism. Alcoholism depresses the central nervous system. Over time, alcoholism can cause fatigue, dullness of the muscles surrounding the eyes and short-term memory loss. Other, more life-threatening health problems caused by alcoholism consist of cirrhosis of the liver, high blood pressure, heart failure, stroke, gastrointestinal problems, neurological disorders, sexual dysfunction and bone loss. Alcoholism also increases the risk of inescapable cancers, such as cancer of the esophagus, larynx, liver and colon. If left untreated, alcoholism can lead to death.

Alcoholism - Causes and Effects