Why does alcohol addiction occur

It occurs when you drink so much that your body eventually becomes dependent on or addicted to alcohol. When this happens, alcohol becomes the most important thing in your life. People with alcohol use disorder will continue to drink even when drinking causes negative consequences, like losing a job or destroying relationships with people they love.

This used to be referred to as alcohol abuse. The cause of alcohol use disorder is still unknown. Alcohol use disorder develops when you drink so much that chemical changes in the brain occur. These changes increase the pleasurable feelings you get when you drink alcohol. This makes you want to drink more often, even if it causes harm. Eventually, the pleasurable feelings associated with alcohol use go away and the person with alcohol use disorder will engage in drinking to prevent withdrawal symptoms.

These withdrawal symptoms can be quite unpleasant and even dangerous. Although the exact cause of alcohol use disorder is unknown, there are certain factors that may increase your risk for developing this disease. Symptoms of alcohol use disorder are based on the behaviors and physical outcomes that occur as a result of alcohol addiction.

Sometimes it can be hard to draw the line between safe alcohol use and the misuse of alcohol. These tests can help you assess whether you misuse alcohol.

Your doctor or healthcare provider can diagnose alcohol use disorder. Your doctor may also use a questionnaire that assesses alcohol use disorder to help diagnose your condition. Alcohol use disorder can cause serious and lasting damage to your liver.

Your liver is responsible for removing toxins from your blood. When you drink too much, your liver has a harder time filtering the alcohol and other toxins from your bloodstream. This can lead to liver disease and other complications. This coping mechanism can become a habit that seems impossible to break. In addition to alcohol and drug rehab, psychotherapy can help with motivation and stress-reduction and should be one part of the recovery process.

In fact, people who are dependent on alcohol have higher rates of other psychiatric disorders than the general population. People who are addicted to alcohol and suddenly stop drinking undergo a detoxification process that can have a number of physical and psychological symptoms.

These include:. The withdrawal process is very challenging and difficult to go through, as the brain and body crave the level of alcohol they are accustomed to receiving. Avoiding withdrawal is a strong motivator for an alcoholic to continue to drink. The only way to be sure of avoiding the illness is to abstain from alcohol completely.

While most people can drink it in moderation, there are some who allow their use of alcohol to spiral out of control. Having said that, alcohol addiction does not occur overnight.

So although the question of why does alcohol addiction occur is an important one, so too is the issue of how it occurs. For most, it begins with experimentation. Drinking alcohol for the first time is a choice, and there are many reasons individuals choose to drink it. The fact that it is a legal substance and one that plays such a huge part of modern society explains why most people drink alcohol to some extent.

However, having said that, there are some who choose to drink alcohol for reasons other than being sociable. Many drink it because they like the fact that it numbs their pain and helps them to forget about life for a while. It is these people that have a considerable risk for addiction. Since alcohol is a highly addictive substance, it can hijack the reward system in the brain of some drinkers.

Over time, their body gets used to the presence of alcohol and they start to crave it whenever the effects wear off. When alcohol consumption crosses a line from social drinking to problem drinking, the risk of addiction is extremely high. An increased tolerance to alcohol often means that the individual will increase his or her consumption to compensate. As their body has adapted, the production of feel-good chemicals decreases with their usual amount of alcohol.

He or she will therefore need to drink more to achieve the desired feelings. This can lead to a physical dependence, followed by a crippling addiction. Breaking free from alcohol once a physical dependence has developed can be a huge struggle. It is at this point that most people will need professional help to get their life back on track.

This professional help usually comes in the form of a detox, followed by rehabilitation. Just as an alcohol addiction takes time to develop, it takes time to get better as well. The recovery process is a long one, but with the right help and support, it is possible to turn the proverbial back on alcohol use for good.

The idea of giving up alcohol forever often gets in the way of recovery, however. As alcohol is such a huge part of modern society and is widely available and actively encouraged, there are some who feel their life will have no meaning without it. These individuals believe that they will not be able to socialise with family members or friends, or that they will no longer have any fun.

The reality is that more and more people today are choosing to shun alcohol — and not because they have to. They are more aware of the dangers of this chemical substance and know that it is not necessary for enjoyment. In fact, avoiding alcohol for good means being fitter, healthier and less likely to develop a host of mental and physical health problems in the future.

If you suffer from alcohol issues, by getting started with a detox programme, you will break the cycle of addiction and your body and mind can begin the healing process. During this treatment, you are likely to experience withdrawal symptoms that may make you feel unwell.

The important thing to remember is that these feelings will not last.