Alcoholism is one of the most common addictions. It is a very dangerous disease that leads to many ailments and health problems. It happens regardless of education, social class or gender. Alcohol dependence affects more and more people, especially young people. How to recognize alcoholism and what are the typical behaviors of an alcoholic?
Alcoholism – What Is It?
In order to understand the causes of alcoholism and alcoholic behavior, it is necessary to find out what alcohol addiction itself is. Alcoholism is a chemical addiction. It is based on a strong, uncontrolled need to take substances in order to improve one’s well-being and put you in a state of euphoria.
Alcoholismis defined and classified by the International Classification of Diseases, Injuries and Causes of Death (ICD) and the American Psychiatric Association (DSM) Classification. The ICD defines alcohol dependence syndrome as: “A state of mental and usually somatic changes caused by alcohol use, characterized by specific behavioral and other responses, which generally include a tendency to use alcohol continuously or intermittently to experience its psychological effects, and sometimes also – to avoid malaise due to lack of alcohol ”. Although alcoholism is a chemical addiction, it can be associated with both mental and physical dependence. Mental dependence is the need for frequent or constant intake of a specific substance, in this case alcohol,in order to repeat the well-being associated with its consumption. Physical dependence, on the other hand, is a state of biological adaptation to alcohol, which means that the body gets used to alcohol. Without this substance, the body stops functioning properly, stopping its consumption causes disorders of various body activities – withdrawal syndrome.
According to the ICD-10 criteria, alcoholism can be diagnosed on the basis of at least a few symptoms, such as: the emergence of alcohol tolerance, i.e. an increasingly weaker response to the same amount, a strong need to reach for alcohol, reaching for alcohol despite its harmfulness, withdrawal syndrome interrupted by returning to alcohol. drinking, reducing the ability to control behavior.
What are the causes of the appearance of alcoholism?
There are many factors that can be used to reach for alcohol and develop addiction. The most common of them are: the need to make new friends and impress peers, low self-esteem, high level of anxiety and problems in interpersonal relations, rebellion against social norms, impaired personality development, emotional disorders, inability to deal with stress. Sometimes these are more complex factors that have a foundation in the upbringing of such a person. Usually, people with no role models in adolescence or from dysfunctional families in which various types of addiction appeared earlier have a greater predisposition to develop alcohol dependence .
What are the typical behaviors of an alcoholic?the behavior of the alcoholic
Alcoholism can start with what is known as „weekend drinking.” It manifests itself more and more often to go out to drink alcohol with friends. In the initial phase, a person consumes alcohol in order to provide himself with pleasant experiences and a better mood, with the help of alcohol he also soothes his emotional states and allows to break the barrier of his shyness. Then the person begins to feel more and more persistent urge to drink. Later, quarrels, conflicts, and fights over alcohol consumption can begin. The addicted person becomes nervous and aggressive towards relatives. In the following phases of addiction, the patient begins to have more and more memory gaps. He no longer makes excuses to drink alcohol and has no problem drinking alone.The alcoholic neglects all his family and professional responsibilities, ceases to contribute to his family’s life and go to work. He also begins to lie and run away from reality, deceiving himself that he has no problem with alcohol. In more advanced states of alcoholism, dangerous and morbid behavior towards others and oneself may emerge. After stopping alcohol, there is irritability, lack of concentration, mental and physical malaise. The alcoholic is unable to deal with his addiction on his own. In most cases it is necessaryIn more advanced states of alcoholism, dangerous and morbid behavior towards others and oneself may emerge. After stopping alcohol, there is irritability, lack of concentration, mental and physical malaise. The alcoholic is unable to deal with his addiction on his own. In most cases it is necessaryIn more advanced states of alcoholism, dangerous and morbid behavior towards others and oneself may emerge. After stopping alcohol, there is irritability, lack of concentration, mental and physical malaise. The alcoholic is unable to deal with his addiction on his own. In most cases it is necessarytherapy in an addiction center , and even detoxification of the body.
Co-addiction
Alcoholism is a disease that, in addition to the addicted person, also affects his relatives. Not everyone is aware of this, but living with such a person is associated with codependency. Constant stress, disorders of a partner, parent or loved one, their dysfunctions, and a lack of a sense of security encourage people to look for ways that will allow them to survive in a difficult period. Usually, however, the relatives start to excuse the addict and deny that there is a problem. Relatives try to hide the existence of the problem at all costs, take over all the household chores and tasks of the alcoholic. A family history of alcoholism can cause mental and health problems in those who try to help the addicted person. Often there are neuroses, lowering the quality of life, and depression.Children of alcoholics can also be codependent. Children are severely affected by alcoholism because they have no influence on the situation and have to adapt to the conditions at home. Raising up and growing up in a dysfunctional family often results in serious problems in adulthood. It is related to the ACoA syndrome – adult children of alcoholics.