The 10 Most Common Causes of Alcoholism Missouri Alcohol & Drug Rehab
It’s important for professionals of any industry to find other ways to de-stress in order to prevent alcohol abuse. Starting college or a new job can also make you more susceptible to alcoholism. During these times, you’re looking to make new friends and develop relationships with peers. The desire to fit in and be well-liked may cause you to participate in activities that you normally wouldn’t partake in. Before you know it, you’re heading to every company happy hour, drinking more frequently and even craving alcohol after a long workday – all warning signs of AUD.
- If you drink every day, or almost every day, you might notice that you catch colds, flu or other illnesses more frequently than people who don’t drink.
- Another would be a college student who repeatedly has trouble making it to class because she was drunk the night before.
- It can be life-threatening, causing serious medical issues like seizures and hallucinations that require immediate medical care.
- About 15 million American adults and 400,000 adolescents suffer from alcohol use disorder, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Alcoholism Causes And Risk Factors
Specifically, this groundbreaking study found that there are no health benefits of drinking among those who are under the age of 40. Alcoholism is a complex, many-sided phenomenon, and its many formal definitions vary according to the point of view of the definer. A simplistic definition calls alcoholism a disease caused by chronic, compulsive drinking. This definition is inadequate, however, because alcoholics, unlike other drug addicts, do not always need ever-increasing doses of alcohol. For example, individuals who are more likely to pursue or disregard risk are more likely to engage in heavy drinking; those who are less inhibited may drink more. Much like genetics, personality factors are incredibly complex and interact with each other.
Lifestyle Changes
- Listen to relatives, friends or co-workers when they ask you to examine your drinking habits or to seek help.
- Your health care provider or mental health provider will ask additional questions based on your responses, symptoms and needs.
- “The findings from this report raise the questions about how these people can be protected and what makes the most sense,” Malin said.
- The therapy goals are to develop the skills needed to manage your habits, build social support, set and work toward realistic goals, and deal with or avoid things that trigger drinking.
- They can discuss co-occurring mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression.
While someone of any religion can become an alcoholic, individuals who are strict adherents to religions that strongly oppose alcohol are less likely to become alcoholics. This is especially true when that religion strongly influences local laws, social practices, and the availability of alcohol. Some of the most commonly studied examples include Islam, Mormonism, Evangelical Protestantism, and Orthodox Judaism. Many studies have concluded that no single factor has as much impact on whether or not someone becomes an alcoholic as that person’s genes. Biological children of alcoholics are substantially more likely to become alcoholics, whether they are raised by alcoholics or non-alcoholics. Similarly, non-biological children of alcoholics who are raised by alcoholics are less likely to become alcoholics than biological children who are raised by alcoholics.
Treatment and Medication Options for Alcohol Use Disorder
In this disorder, people can’t stop drinking, even when drinking affects their health, puts their safety at risk and damages their personal relationships. Studies show most people can reduce how much they drink or stop why do people become alcoholics drinking entirely. Although it has been widely believed for decades that there are health benefits linked with moderate amounts of alcohol consumption, not everyone who drinks experiences health benefits from it.
Steps to Treating Alcohol Use Disorder
What questions should I ask my healthcare provider?
