Alcoholism Alcohol is the most widely used addictive drug, and use and abuse can lead to the development of tolerance and dependence. (Koob 2003a; Tabakoff et al 1986) For some, alcohol is a form of entertainment. It’s a way for people to get together, socialize, and have a good time. For others, it’s the only way to get through the day. Nothing about alcohol is positive, but is looked at as a way to have a good time. As for negative aspects, it has many. Alcohol causes health problems, psychological problems, alters peoples behaviors, and could cause death if not used properly. What is alcoholism? Alcoholism is a progressing disease that includes difficulty controlling drinking habits, using alcohol even if it causes problems, having withdraws when you stop drinking, or dependence on alcohol. Binge drinking is another form of alcoholism. Binge drinking is when you drink excessive amounts of alcohol within a certain amount of consecutive days. Anybody can be a victim of alcoholism, at any age. People turn to alcohol for many reasons. Stress and depression are two reasons some choose to drink. They turn to alcohol because they think it will help take away their worries. Alcoholism could also be hereditary. Statistics show that fifty point nine percent of people 18 and over are frequent drinkers and only 13 percent are not drinkers (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 27 Jan. 2012. Web. 10 Dec. 2012). For teenagers, drinking is a way to fit in or feel cool. During teenage years, kids are most likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol. It is said that 80 percent of high school kids have tried or will try alcohol at one point. In recent studies, seventy-five point four percent of 4th year college students said they’ve drank at least 6 more drinks than usual on the last home football game (Taffe, Michael). The younger a child starts drinking, the more likely it is for them to have alcohol problems when they get older. Alcohol alters the mind and you tend to make choices you normally wouldn’t. For example unprotected sex, alcohol raises your libido causing you to not think logically within the circumstances. As a result of being an alcoholic, your tolerance to sustain alcohol becomes higher, you mix other drugs to get the same effect you did before only better and faster. Some signs and symptoms of alcoholism is drinking excessive amounts and not being able to control it. Other reasons could be drinking only to get drunk and forget your problems. You could have problems paying bills or going to work because of drinking continuously. Instead of spending your money on priorities like bills, alcohol becomes your main focus. Spending the day at work becomes an inconvenience when you could be at home drinking. Constantly feeling the need to drink, and having withdraws like shaking and sweats are also signs of alcoholism. If you have to ask yourself if you have an alcohol problem, more than likely you do.
Becoming an alcoholic can not only destroy your life, but the people in your life too. By choosing alcohol over responsibilities you could lose your family, friends, job, and possibly even your life. For instance, family and friends may feel distant from the person suffering from alcoholism, they feel as though they’ve lost their loved one. An alcoholic could lose their job because of the lack of motivation due to drinking excessively. Not only are their mental risks but physical risks also come along with drinking. Heavy drinking is hard on