What is Alcoholism?

Alcoholism is an emotional, spiritual and physical dependency on alcoholic drinks.

Alcoholism does tend to run in families, which would suggest that it may be genetic. The number of drinks or drinking events it takes to become an alcoholic can vary widely from person to person.

Some people become alcoholics after their first drink and others can drink casually for years before becoming an alcoholic.

“700,000 people a day are treated for alcoholism. Most of them are men but women seem to suffer more of the long term affects of alcoholism.“

An alcoholic has an undeniable urge and need to consume alcohol.

The wider the gap between the dangers that an alcoholic is exposing himself to, and the benefits the drinker believes he or she gains from drinking, can be a big gauge as to how severe the alcoholism is.

An alcoholic has what seems to be an undeniable urge and need to consume alcohol. They need to consume it on a regular basis and in increasing amounts over time. There are a number of tests, many of them questionnaires which gauge the possible degree of alcoholism but there are also medical tests that can be done.

* Alcoholism affect the body in very negative ways and it does so fairly quickly.

Alcoholism is all encompassing. A person’s entire being is caught up in the condition. Alcoholism changes lives and not for the better. Families have been torn apart due to alcoholism. It is one of the most devastating occurrences that can happen in a person’s life. One person may become an alcoholic but the alcoholism will affect everyone in that person’s life.

For years, actually decades, alcoholism has been referred to as a disease. It may be genetic, which scientists are finding, but it is not a disease. The alcoholic does have the power within themselves, and with the right tools, to beat alcoholism.

*Since alcoholism affects the mind, body and spirit, all three of those must be addressed when trying to beat alcoholism.*

2 Responses to “What is Alcoholism?”

1. Alcohol History in the USA | Answers to Drug Addiction says:

   December 30, 2009 at 3:50 pm

   [...] Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft of the Declaration of Independence in a bar in Philadelphia. Alcohol in itself was not thought of as being bad, but drunkenness was. People could drink as often as they [...]
2. Five of the Top Drug Addiction Signs | Answers to Drug Addiction says:

   December 31, 2009 at 5:13 pm

   [...] Poor decisions such as this, irritation and those mood swings again.  These are strong signs of drug or alcohol addiction and should be addressed [...]