Alcohol addiction affects people from all works of life. Scientists have tried to pinpoint genetics, sex, and race, among others, as factors that predispose one to be an addict. But alcohol addiction has no cause. All the mentioned factors are merely contributory, not the main cause.
Now let’s make this clear – alcohol addiction is a disease. Like other addicts, many alcoholics don’t believe it is a disease. For them, it’s one of those bad habits that will go away in time. However, alcohol addiction changes the brain and neurochemistry of an addict. Hence an alcoholic does not have any control over his or her actions.
What is alcohol addiction?
Alcohol addiction is a medical condition in which a person relies heavily on alcohol and can’t stay sober for an extended period of time. It causes changes to the brain and neurochemistry, which affects an addict’s behaviour. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), the harmful use of alcohol is accountable for 7.1% and 2.2% of the global disease burden for males and females, respectively.
Addiction comes in various ways and depends on how often a person drinks. Some drink heavily all day, while others may binge on alcohol and subsequently stay sober for a while.
Causes of alcohol addiction
As previously stated, there is no main cause of alcohol addiction. However, some factors contribute to the disease. Take a look at the five causes below:
1. Genetics
Genetics plays a huge part in alcohol addiction. You’re more likely to be an alcoholic if someone in your family history has struggled with the disorder. Many scientists believe several genes are responsible for about half the risk of developing it. In fact, being with families that drink can make one an alcohol addict. Since their drinking is acceptable, you may think it’s alright to start drinking.
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2. Sex
According to Web MD, men are more likely than women to become addicted to alcohol. For instance, a 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that 9.2 million men and 5.3 million women in the U.S. had an alcohol use disorder. CDC also reports that men are more likely than women to drink excessively.
3. Underage drinking
Drinking from an early age can cause long-term problems like alcohol addiction. When you begin drinking from an early age, chances are you will be addicted to it before you even reach the legal drinking age.
4. Mental disorders
A person with mental problems will likely become an alcohol addict to deal with the problem. People suffering from schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder or bipolar disorder, and other mental health issues tend to drink to mitigate their symptoms and feel better. Even if the relief is only temporary, they keep drinking, eventually leading to alcoholism. It can lead to serious side effects and long-term physical and psychological damage to the body.
5. Trauma
A traumatic experience can make you start binging on alcohol leading to addiction. Child abuse and domestic or sexual abuse are key factors for alcohol use disorder. When these issues, among others, are not addressed properly, the victim turns to alcohol for temporary relief.
Also, people bereaved of their loved ones may use drinking as a self-medication tactic to cope with their loss. Death, divorce, and getting fired from a job can cause people to drink as they deal with grief, pain, and loss. Self-medication is often convenient and less expensive than a doctor or psychologist. Some people also self-medicate because they are too scared to confront their feelings and talk to someone about them. So they depend on alcohol to solve their problems.
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How to overcome alcohol addiction
Are you ready to stop drinking? Here are helpful tips to overcome alcohol addiction
Think about how alcohol addiction has affected your health
Make a list of how binging on alcohol has affected your health. The effects are most likely disrupted sleep, memory loss, digestive issues, increased anxiety, irritability, and depression, as well as constant conflicts with loved ones. Once you realise how far you have lost it in terms of these factors, it will help you become more determined to get help to overcome your addiction.
Identify alcohol triggers
Are you a victim of child, sexual or domestic abuse? Have you been through a traumatic experience? These, among others, are likely triggers of drinking alcohol to an excessive level. Don’t ignore these triggers. Identify them so you’ll know where your problem is coming from and deal with it appropriately.
Set your drinking goal
You may decide you don’t want to quit drinking entirely, which is fine. So, make an effort to limit how much you’ll drink, but make sure your limit is not more than one drink a day if you’re a woman, or two drinks a day if you’re a man. Also, try marking some days in the week when you don’t drink at all. It helps.
Talk to someone about your addiction
You may probably be ashamed to openly admit that you’re an alcoholic. But if you want to heal fast, you need to open up to someone. There are groups or communities to join where people who have been in your shoes can give you more helpful tips to overcome alcohol addiction. Also, surround yourself with trusted family and friends who will help you throughout your healing journey. You can also book an appointment with a therapist.
Keep busy
Don’t stay in one place thinking about your drinking problems. Keep yourself busy. Create a new hobby or restart the old one you used to enjoy that has nothing to do with drinking. It’s important to always have something to do so it will keep your mind off alcohol.
Conclusion
Alcohol addiction is a real disease. Thankfully, it has a cure, but it begins with first admitting that you need help. There is nothing to be ashamed of in admitting you’re an addict. After that, try to identify why you’re addicted to alcohol and deal with it through the proper channels. When you take the healing process seriously, you’ll be a happy survivor in no distant time.
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