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10 Facts About Alcoholism

For many people, alcohol is a social drink. For others, alcohol is a serious problem. Alcoholism is a disease and an addiction. According to Medicine.Net, alcoholism involves four symptoms: craving, loss of control, physical dependency and tolerance. Here are 10 facts about alcoholism.

  1. Adverse Affects

    • Alcoholics are at a greater risk for a variety of cancers, such as those associated with the throat, larynx, liver, colon and kidneys. Alcoholism can also adversely affect the immune system and the brain.

    Seeking a Cure

    • Currently no cure for alcoholism exists. However, alcoholics can lead normal lives through alcohol treatment, rehab, counseling and help from family and friends.

    Mental Health Issues

    • People who struggle with alcohol often suffer from mental health problems, including depression, panic attacks or anxiety disorders.

    Withdrawal

    • When alcoholics try to stop drinking they will experience withdrawal symptoms. These include vomiting, sweating, anxiety and shaking.

    Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

    • More than 10,000 babies are born each year with fetal alcohol syndrome. Fetal alcohol syndrome is the leading cause of birth defects. Babies with fetal alcohol syndrome will often suffer neurological damage and grow up with learning disabilities. Fetal alcohol syndrome is preventable if the mother abstains from drinking during pregnancy.

    Suicide

    • Nearly 20 percent of all suicide victims are alcoholics. One in three alcohol-related deaths are from suicide or from accidental causes, including drowning or head injuries.

    Changes

    • Alcoholism elicits alterations in the alcoholic's mind and brain. These changes are anatomical, physiological, behavioral and chemical.

    All in the Family

    • More than 75 million adults in the United States have been exposed to alcoholism through their relatives. This includes having a blood relative who is an alcoholic or marrying an alcoholic. More than six million minors reside in a household where there is at least one parent who is an alcoholic.

    Battle of the Sexes

    • Men are more likely to be alcoholics than women. Nearly 10 million men are classified as alcoholics, compared to not quite four million women. The most common age group for both men and women alcoholics is between the ages of 18 and 29.

    In the Genes

    • Alcoholism can be inherited. As much as 40 percent of alcoholism is related to genetics. While a person's genes plays a role, so does her lifestyle and how she was brought up. People can become alcoholics even if no one else in their family has had trouble with alcohol.

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