Tell Me More About Alcohol Dependence.
6. What causes Alcohol Dependence?
Alcohol is a sedative that decreases nervous system activity. It has a soothing effect, reducing or relieving anxiety, stress and irritability. Most alcohol is broken down, or metabolized, by the liver. Drinking alcohol faster than the liver can metabolize it causes the alcohol to back up into the bloodstream. As the blood circulates through the brain it causes intoxication, characterized by lack of coordination, slurred speech and blurry vision. Most people can metabolize one standard alcoholic drink per hour—that's one 12 oz. beer, a 5 oz. glass of wine, or a 3 oz. mixed drink. However, other factors including weight and gender affect the metabolization rate.
Many people develop Alcohol Dependence to ease symptoms of other conditions, such as depression, panic disorder or social anxiety disorder. People who drink heavily over many years may develop cirrhosis of the liver, a peptic ulcer or other physical problems. Cirrhosis is a scarring (fibrosis) of the liver that inhibits its proper functioning.
A person’s genes can have a noticeable effect on the body’s reaction to alcohol. For example, a portion of the Asian population carries modifications of enzymes responsible for the metabolism of alcohol and alcohol can cause these people to quickly develop flushness of the face and nausea.
What Increases Your Risk
Risk factors for developing Alcohol Dependence include:
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Having a family history and exposure to alcohol as you grew up. |
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Using alcohol under 14 years of age. The younger you are when you first drink alcohol, the higher your risk of developing alcohol use problems as an adult. |
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Being male. For every woman who develops alcohol use problems, three men develop them. |
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Having a history of psychological conditions including depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorders. It is common to use alcohol to try to self-medicate these conditions. |
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Using or abusing other substances such as nicotine, illegal drugs, or prescription medications. |
Reference:
10th Alcohol and Health Special Report to the U.S. Congress on, June 2000, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service National Institutes of Health.
Shivani R, et al. (2002). Alcoholism and psychiatric disorders. Alcohol Research and Health, 26(2): 90–98.
Sadock BJ, Sadock VA (2001). Alcohol-related disorders section of Substance-related disorders. Located in Kaplan and Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry , 9th ed., pp. 395–413. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
DeWit DJ, et al. (2000). Age at first alcohol use, a risk factor for the development of alcohol disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 157(5): 745–750.
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