Alcohol Addiction Information

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Alcohol addiction, also known as alcoholism and alcohol dependence, is a progressive degenerative disease that includes the following four symptoms:  tolerance, the loss of control, physical dependence, and craving.

There are many different issues regarding alcohol addiction that need to be studied in order to better understand this devastating disease.  More precisely, there are behavioral, social, psychological, physical, and health aspects of this disease that ironically can be seen as leading to and also resulting from alcohol addiction.  Hopefully people will be able to use this alcohol addiction information, as well as the many physical and psychological signs of alcohol addiction to change their mindset from a focus on "alcohol and addiction" to an emphasis on "alcohol and recovery."

Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction

Many people think that alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction are the same.  This is not correct and probably stems from misinformation and a lack of alcohol addiction information and understanding about alcohol abuse.  Alcohol abuse, unlike alcohol addiction, does not include a loss of control due to drinking, physical dependence, or an extremely strong desire for alcohol.

Alcohol abuse is defined as a pattern of drinking that results in one or more of the following circumstances in a twelve-month period of time:

• Experiencing recurring alcohol-related legal problems.  Examples include getting arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, for damaging someone's property, or for physically hurting someone while drunk.
  
  
• Drinking in situations that can result in physical injury.  Examples include driving a vehicle or operating machinery.
  
  
• Continued drinking in spite of ongoing relationship problems that are the result of drinking.
  
  
• Failure to attend to important responsibilities at work, home, or school.

An Alcohol Addiction Definition and Alcohol Addiction Symptoms

Alcohol addiction, also known as alcohol dependency or alcoholism, is a disease that includes the following alcohol addiction symptoms:

• Physical dependence: Withdrawal symptoms occur when a person stops drinking after a period of excessive drinking.  Such symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include:  anxiety, sweating, nausea, and "the shakes."
  
  
• Loss of control: The inability to limit one's drinking over time or on any given occasion.
  
  
• Tolerance: The need to drink increasing amounts of alcohol in order to "feel the buzz" or to "get high."
  
  
• Craving: A strong and continuing compulsion or need to drink.

Is Alcohol Addictive?

Based on the above, when someone asks if alcohol is addictive, perhaps the best answer is this:  although drinking alcoholic beverages does not negatively affect everyone, a significant number of people who drink alcohol can and do become addicted. It is important to point out, therefore, that if you observe your friends or family members exhibiting any of the above listed symptoms or behaviors, consider them as signs of alcohol addiction or symptoms of alcohol addiction.

And if your friend or family member exhibits some of these signs, he or she may need alcohol addiction help.  More to the point, he or she may need alcohol addiction treatment, alcohol addiction counseling, or may need to enter a treatment center for alcohol addiction rehab.  Hopefully with the appropriate treatment the problem drinker will make a positive attitude shift from an emphasis on "alcohol and addiction" to a focus on "alcohol and sobriety."

The Alcoholic, Self-Control, and Willpower

Frequently, people who are not drinkers or who do not have a "problem" with drinking alcohol do not understand why an alcoholic can't simply use willpower or self-control to stop drinking.  In most instances, however, alcoholism has little to do with willpower.

People who are alcohol dependent are caught in the compelling grip of an uncontrollable need for alcohol that takes priority over their ability to stop drinking.  Indeed, this need to drink for the alcoholic can be as strong as his or her need for food or water.  In short, and unlike most people, the alcoholic is controlled by "alcohol and addiction" rather than being in control of his or her life.

It is no wonder then that when an alcoholic tries to stop drinking, the alcohol withdrawal symptoms may be so severe that the person may require alcohol withdrawal treatment at a detox facility or hospital if he or she is ever to think about sobriety and addiction recovery.  Even though some people are able to recover from alcohol dependence without clinical or personal help, many, if not most, alcoholics need professional healthcare assistance.

The good news, however, is this:  through treatment, support, and professional alcohol addiction programs many people with an alcohol dependency are able to overcome alcoholic withdrawal, abstain from drinking, and rebuild their lives.  When this happens, there is a noticeable shift in attitude from "alcohol and addiction" to "alcohol and abstinence."

The Causes of Alcohol Addiction

A question that has entered the minds of many people is the following: why can some individuals drink alcohol without problems or any negative consequences while others cannot?  One answer to this question involves genetics.  More precisely, researchers have found that having an alcoholic family member increases the risk of developing alcohol addiction.

Stated differently, there may be a genetic predisposition for certain individuals to become dependent on alcohol.  Furthermore, scientists have discovered that various environmental factors can interact with one's genetics.  Examples include the relative ease of obtaining alcohol, peer pressure or peer influence, an individual's culture, one's family and friends, and where and how a person lives.  Hopefully, by focusing on the genetic and environmental determinants of alcoholism, an individual will be better able to take this alcohol addiction information and use it to avoid the unhealthy and destructive realities of alcohol dependence.

Have a Look at These Top Quality Alcohol Abuse Videos!

The Signs of Alcohol Addiction

An individual who is addicted to alcohol has grown so accustomed to alcohol that he or she simply "needs" to drink in order to function or to "feel right" on a daily basis.  Alcohol addiction can be psychological, physical, or both, and there are psychological signs of alcohol addiction as well as physical signs of alcohol addiction.

Psychological Signs of Alcohol Addiction

Psychological addiction occurs when the cravings for alcohol are emotional or psychological.  Individuals who are psychologically addicted to alcohol feel overcome by the desire to drink and they need to do this on a regular basis.

The psychological signs of alcohol addiction include the following:

• withdrawal or keeping secrets from family members of friends
• loss of interest in activities that used to be fun or important
• a preoccupation with drinking and with figuring out how to get alcohol
• changes in friendships, such as hanging out exclusively with friends who drink
• unexplained mood swings
• failed attempts to quit drinking
• anger, depression, or anxiety
• blaming others and things external to oneself for one's problems
• use of alcohol as a way to "mellow out" or to forget problems
• anti-social behavior

Physical Signs of Alcohol Addiction

There are also physical signs of alcohol addiction.  The physical signs of alcohol addiction include the following:

• selling belongings to finance one's addiction
• driving under the influence (DUI)
• uncharacteristic problems with the law
• abdominal pain
• blackouts, not remembering drinking episodes
• numbness in the legs or arms
• changes in sleeping habits
• problems with schoolwork, such as falling grades or numerous absences
• stealing from others to finance one's addiction
• changes in eating habits, including weight loss or gain
• puffy face and red eyes
• increased tolerance
• vomiting
• missing work
• needing to take more of the substance to get the same "high"
• feeling shaky or sick when trying to quit drinking
• swelling of the liver
• nausea

Obviously, the physical and psychological signs of alcohol addiction are not pleasant for the drinker or for those who interact or associate with the alcoholic.  From a positive perspective, however, it is hoped that the alcohol dependent person eventually sees and owns these signs of alcohol addiction and armed with this alcohol addiction information finally decides to quit drinking and seek professional treatment.

Alcoholism Videos

We have included some alcoholism videos so that you can see and hear directly from various people about their struggles with this disease.  If you, a family member, or one of your friends has a "drinking problem," seeing what others have gone through and how they attained successful recovery is much more "real" than any information you can read about.  Furthermore, watching these videos may help you understand what others with a drinking problem are experiencing and how they used the available alcohol addiction information to their advantage and made the transition from "alcohol and addiction" to "alcohol and recovery."  So make sure you look at these excellent videos!

Alcohol Addiction Information: Conclusion

Alcohol addiction, also known as alcohol dependence and alcoholism, is a progressive degenerative disease that includes the following four symptoms:  craving, tolerance, physical dependence, and the loss of control.

There are many different aspects about alcohol addiction that need to be evaluated in order to better understanding this destructive disease.  More to the point, there are physical, health, social, behavioral, and emotional facets of alcoholism that paradoxically can be viewed as leading to and also resulting from alcohol addiction.  In addition, there are clearly defined and predictable alcohol addiction symptoms that are strong indicators of this damaging disease.

Finally, there are physical and psychological signs of alcohol addiction that when observed, can provide the motivation for an alcohol dependent individual to want to stop drinking and seek medical assistance.

It is hoped that by studying and internalizing some of the alcohol addiction information that is available that people who are chronic "problem drinkers" will make a conscious effort to think less of "alcohol and addiction" and more of "alcohol and sobriety."  For instance, research has shown that the main causative factors regarding alcohol addiction are a person's genetics and his or her environmental situation.  It is possible to analyze these different factors and use this alcohol addiction information, the signs of alcohol addiction, and alcohol addiction symptoms to stay away from circumstances related to "alcohol and addiction" and to focus more on life's situations that are in concert with "alcohol and recovery and health."

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