For most people who
drink, alcohol is a pleasant accompaniment to
social activities. Moderate alcohol use—up
to two drinks per day for men and one drink per
day for women and older people—is not harmful
for most adults. (A standard drink is one 12oz
bottle or can of either beer or wine cooler, one
5oz glass of wine, or 1.5oz of 80-proof distilled
spirits.) Nonetheless, a large number of people
get into serious trouble because of their drinking.
Currently, 14 million Americans—1 in every
13 adults—abuse alcohol or are alcoholic.
Several million more adults engage in risky drinking
that could lead to alcohol problems. These patterns
include binge drinking and heavy drinking on a
regular basis. In addition, 53 percent of men
and women in the United States report that one
or more of their close relatives have a drinking
problem.
What is Alcoholism?
For many people, the facts about alcoholism are
not clear. What exactly is alcoholism? Alcoholism
is a disease that includes four primary symptoms:
- Craving:
A strong need, or compulsion, to drink.
- Loss
of control: The inability to limit one’s
drinking on any given occasion.
- Physical
dependence: Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea,
sweating, shakiness, and anxiety, occur when
alcohol use is stopped after a period of heavy
drinking.
- Tolerance:
The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol
in order to “get high.”
People who are not alcoholic sometimes
do not understand why an alcoholic can’t
just “use a little willpower” to stop
drinking. However, alcoholism has little to do
with willpower. Alcoholics are in the grip of
a powerful “craving,” or uncontrollable
need, for alcohol that overrides their ability
to stop drinking. This need can be as strong as
the need for food or water.
Many people wonder why some individuals
can use alcohol without problems but others cannot.
One important reason has to do with genetics.
Scientists have found that having an alcoholic
family member makes it more likely that if you
choose to drink you too may develop alcoholism.
Genes, however, are not the whole story. In fact,
scientists now believe that certain factors in
a person’s environment influence whether
a person with a genetic risk for alcoholism ever
develops the disease. A person’s risk for
developing alcoholism can increase based on the
person’s environment, including where and
how he or she lives; family, friends, and culture;
peer pressure; and even how easy it is to get
alcohol.
Get help today with our Alcohol Intervention Program or Call our National Call Center 800.561.8158