Alcohol addiction

The difficult part in managing alcohol addiction is that it is a disease caused by multiple factors. This makes it nearly impossible to pinpoint or to even consider one potential cure for the disease.

Remember that each person who becomes dependent on alcohol will usually do so because of more than one cause. Keep in mind that one cause may be predominant over the others, but there can be several risk factors that point as a red flag for that individual to eventually become alcohol addicted.

Genetics

Researchers and doctors have a variety of different opinions on how much influence genetics plays in causing alcohol addiction, but many researchers have found that in over half the cases of alcohol addiction, genetics plays a primary factor. This simply means that genetics predisposes an individual to alcoholism, just as it would predispose certain individuals to diabetes or heart disease. Where researchers and doctors usually differ is the reasons that genetics play such a strong role in causing alcohol addiction. Some believe that there are certain areas of the brain that play a role in emotional cravings or addiction, while others believe that it may be an inherited dysfunction of the transmission of serotonin, which impacts the level of happiness or depression experienced when consuming alcohol.

Whatever the underlying cause, alcoholism, alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse "running in the family" is a common factor that many doctors and therapists rely on to determine the cause of this addiction.

Chemical Imbalance

Even if other members of the family are not predisposed to alcohol addiction, an individual can still have a chemical imbalance that will affect how prone they are to becoming addicted to alcohol. This could be a case of chemical imbalance, such as a disruption in the serotonin levels being transmitted or a certain area of the brain where emotional response has been impaired or affected, making an individual more susceptible to addiction. Chemical imbalance can also begin to occur from the regular habit of drinking, which begins to change the balance of hormones and acids within the body, making an individual even more prone to continued alcohol abuse.

Stress/Emotional Related Factor

Many individuals begin drinking in order to cope with stressful or painful times in life. These factors can be related to work stress, family difficulties, the loss of a loved one, or the end of a relationship. The alcohol consumption can begin as a short term fix to relieve this stress or anxiety but can quickly turn into a long-term addiction that is more difficult to overcome. The irony of becoming addicted to alcohol while trying to cope with stress is that it often makes managing stresses in life that much more difficult.

Social Pressure

The allure of socialization is a big factor related to alcoholism and alcohol abuse for many individuals. The idea of a constant party or constantly being surrounded by friends and a happy situation is very exciting to many. The only problem is that many of these social settings, such as bars and clubs, are often a hard place for a potential alcoholic to be. When the rest of the group can simply engage in social drinking, it may easily turn into alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction for someone who is already predisposed to addiction for whatever reason.

Many studies also show that countries with higher availabilities of alcohol often have higher percentages of problems with alcohol addiction. Many studies also suggest that social circles where drinking is frowned upon have less problems with alcohol dependency than social circles or cultures where it is readily accepted.