The basic definition of alcohol addiction is a compulsive need for the intoxicating liquid spirits that are obtained from fermenting grain or fruit. Alcoholic liquids usually come in the form of beers, wines, and spirits. Addiction to alcohol, or alcoholism, is considered present when a person cannot limit their drinking and experiences withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, sweating, and anxiety when alcohol consumption has stopped.
Alcohol addiction and alcoholism is far more complex than simple being a matter of whether or not a person has the will to stop drinking. Alcohol addiction will almost always overwhelm a person’s ability to stop drinking on their own. Assistance and support from family, friends and professionals are often required to help the addict stop drinking. Success over alcohol addiction is not guaranteed, and there are many who seem unable to stop drinking regardless of the level of support they receive.
Alcohol is legally sold in every state in the nation and 9 out of 10 people do not become addicted after drinking. What then, is the point at which alcohol consumption becomes alcohol addiction? The National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism (NIAA) defines alcohol dependence as a condition that is characterized by “impaired control over drinking, compulsive drinking, preoccupation with drinking, tolerance to alcohol, and/or withdrawal symptoms.” Once the drinking becomes characterized by “by failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school or home, interpersonal social and legal problems, and/or drinking in hazardous situations,” the NIAA definition becomes alcohol abuse and that alcohol abuse is caused by alcohol addiction.
Surveys have indicated that as population increases, so do the percentage of those addicted to alcohol. However, current epidemiological studies show that the percentage of drinkers in the population with alcohol-related problems has almost doubled over the last two decades.
Young adults aged 18 to 30 are the heaviest drinkers in the population and nearly 12 percent of those young adults will exhibit alcohol dependence during their lifetimes. The numbers climb even higher for minority adults with blacks, Asians and Hispanics experiencing significantly higher percentages of alcohol dependence in the last five years.
Because alcohol dependence is highest among young adults, it demonstrates the need for more research on drinking patterns and especially those that begin in adolescence. Alcohol addiction is involved in 50% of all crimes, murders, accidental deaths, and suicides. Alcohol addiction is also associated with many serious health problems such as brain damage, cancer, heart disease, and liver disease and most addicts experience reduced life expectancy by up to 15 years. The cost of alcohol addiction for individuals, families and society overall, is simply too high to ignore.
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