Alcohol Use Disorder (or AUD) is a disease where an individual becomes dependent on alcohol consumption.
It is a disease that does not have one specific cause and is diagnosed based on an evaluation of a person’s behaviour and habits associated with alcohol.
There have been many studies over the years that have sought to determine what brings about this particular dependency.
And these studies have shown that alcoholism is a result of various risk factors, which we will go over in the following text.
Just like with other addictions, alcoholism develops as a result of consistent heavy alcohol consumption taking its toll on the brain and body.
Regarding the brain, sustained use of alcohol gradually begins to influence the neurotransmitters and chemicals that regulate its normal functioning. Primarily, alcohol affects the reward system and its main chemical regulator, dopamine.
Drinking creates a pleasurable high which most people understand as being drunk. It makes us feel happy, careless, and confident, and the brain experiences high levels of dopamine during this state. So much so that, when we become sober, it wants to experience it again.
As alcohol is consumed in higher quantities with increasing frequency, the body builds a tolerance for alcohol.
Not only does this mean that less dopamine is produced when it is consumed, but also that mood and perspective decline. Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it increases depression risk [1].
In order to combat these effects, individuals feel the impulse to consume higher and higher quantities of alcohol. They do this to surpass their tolerance threshold and feel the pleasure of drunkenness again, but also to combat the low mood of sobriety.
In terms of the body, alcohol consumption can seriously impact chemical and hormonal processes. As the presence of alcohol within the body becomes more and more regular, the body adjusts to accommodate for its consumption.
When individual stop drinking, however, this sends the body into imbalance. It has become so used to alcohol that it temporarily slips into imbalance when sober, and this can cause a variety of withdrawal symptoms.
Alcohol withdrawal can be particularly dangerous. As well as common symptoms like fatigue, shaking, and nausea, individuals can experience breathing problems, heart palpitations, and even Delirium Tremens, a condition which can cause sudden death.
In order to put an end to such symptoms, individuals drink more alcohol. When they do this, however, they reinforce their body’s dependency on it, further increasing the extent to which they need to drink in order to function normally.
Everyone has a different potential for developing alcoholism. This is because there are several factors which influence the chances of the condition developing, and these factors have a greater or lesser influence on different people. These are referred to as risk factors.
Our genes dictate a lot about our traits, behaviours, and abilities. It is no surprise, therefore, that there have been consistent findings which point to a genetic influence regarding an individual’s susceptibility to developing an alcohol use disorder [2].
If an individual has immediate relatives who have struggled with alcoholism, or a family history of alcohol dependence, they are biologically more likely to develop it themselves.
This does not mean they are inevitably going to fall into addiction. Of course, if they never touch alcohol, they cannot get addicted. Instead, genes can influence their relationship with alcohol in subtle ways that increase the risk of alcoholism.
For example, genes can influence their chances of developing physical dependency, their chances of experiencing dangerous withdrawal, or their brain’s independent dopamine production.
Our understanding of the world is largely influenced by how we are taught to perceive it. How our parents raise us, where we are brought up – these environmental factors shape our worldview and can influence how we understand and interact with alcohol.
If an individual is raised by parents who drink a lot of alcohol, talk about it as a normal part of life, and socialise with others who reaffirm that idea, then that individual will be more likely to consume it regularly themselves.
Alternatively, if an individual grows up in a culture or religion that celebrates drinking, they will feel encouraged to consume it as a part of everyday life. Again, this can lead them to use it more than advised.
The immediate effects of alcohol consumption are pleasurable, and an individual’s attraction to such effects can be greatly influenced by their mental health. Depression, for example, is commonly found to increase the risk of developing an alcohol use disorder [3].
This occurs because the negative symptoms caused by depression, anxiety, trauma, and similarly challenging mental health disorders can be temporarily sedated by drinking alcohol. The dopamine production calms the mind, providing relief.
In order to sustain this level of calm, such individuals will be motivated to continue drinking alcohol, and over time, their self-medication will become a dependency. This connection between mental health conditions and alcoholism is known as dual diagnosis.
Social factors play a large role in the development of alcohol addiction. The people we spend our time with can influence our behaviour both directly and indirectly.
If our friends or co-workers drink a lot in a recreational capacity, we can feel compelled to copy them. This can come from an unconscious desire to fit in, gain respect, or avoid becoming the odd one out.
Also, our friends or co-workers can vocally compel us to drink as much as they. Peer pressure is a large risk factor in the development of alcohol use disorders, and it is common with younger people, to whom drinking alcohol is a greater symbol of maturity and respect.
Everyone’s day-to-day life is different, and our schedules and routines can shape our behaviours.
If an individual lives a party lifestyle, going out and socialising a lot, they can drink alcohol at a much higher rate. University students are likely to adopt such a lifestyle during their years of making new friends, trying new things, and having fun.
Also, if an individual’s occupation is very stressful, they will be more likely to consume alcohol as a means of relaxing or distracting themselves from the demands of their job. This might apply to medical professionals, carers, or emergency service personnel.
Drinking alcohol impacts the individual in a variety of different ways. It has consequences, both in the short- and long-term, for cognitive, emotional, and physical stability.
Heavy drinking, of course, causes a wide variety of effects in the short term. Many of these are the expected effects we consume it to achieve, as they are the things we associate with drunkenness. However, some can be very dangerous.
Such short-term effects include:
Once the high of consuming alcohol has passed, the body is not yet done processing the substance.
As a result, the body will still be under the influence of alcohol, and this can cause several effects:
The body does not just suffer in the immediate sense. Sustained heavy drinking affects how it works, with long-term health being influenced in the following ways [4]:
Alcohol is a depressant, meaning that its influence on the body is matched by an equally severe toll on the mind and how it works. These can be both short- and long-term.
Such effects include:
Finally, alcohol can affect things beyond an individual’s body and mind.
These consequences might include:
Navigating the differences between healthy and unhealthy alcohol can be really challenging.
How are you to know whether you are consuming alcohol in a safe, enjoyable manner, or suffering from alcoholism? If a friend is drinking a lot, how do you know it’s serious?
The difficulty of identifying an alcohol use disorder is made worse by the fact that it is possible to be a functioning alcoholic, which means that you can work, socialise, and live your life without the negative signs of your drinking being obvious.
However, there are still signs that you can look out for. These include:
Treating alcoholism is a difficult but essential process to undergo, as leaving the condition unaddressed will only worsen the physical and emotional impact it has on your life.
Alcohol rehab can, however, be very daunting, so what does it involve?
Alcohol rehab begins with detox. Because alcohol directly changes how the body works, one of the primary motivators for abusing it is the body’s powerful cravings.
Before any progress can be made with the roots of a condition, this physical dependency must first be handled.
Detox aims to do this via a gradual tapering-off process, reducing alcohol consumption day by day until the body can withstand receiving none of it.
It is done this way to prevent the body from reacting violently and reduce the withdrawal individual experiences.
Withdrawal can, however, still occur. It is for this reason that alcohol detox is conducted with medical supervision. This ensures that progress is gradual and accommodating to an individual’s ability to cope, and Benzodiazepines can be prescribed to calm symptoms.
Once alcohol detox has succeeded in allowing the body to be comfortable sober, the sources of addiction can then be approached. Only without cravings can individuals engage with their addictive triggers.
The method of achieving this is therapy, a treatment which adopts many different approaches in order to identify and work through the triggers that motivate such unhealthy alcohol use. These triggers can be psychological, emotional, or social.
Therapy quite often concerns itself with dual diagnosis. Mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression frequently fuel alcohol misuse, so therapy can target such conditions to alleviate the symptoms (or find ways of coping with them in healthier ways).
Alcohol therapy is essential for reducing the risk of relapse and ensuring that individuals maintain abstinence from alcohol following treatment.
If you are concerned that your drinking might develop into alcoholism, there are several tips you can try to prevent yourself from slipping. Preventing the condition is much easier than receiving medical treatment, so such tips can be hugely important.
Determining whether you need alcohol rehab is not easy. Similar to realising if you are drinking too much, recognising the need for treatment requires an honest reflection on your health and drinking habits.
The most obvious indicator that you need to seek help is if you experience withdrawal symptoms. These are certain sign that your body has developed an unhealthy reliance on alcohol and requires medically assisted detox.
Such symptoms can include:
Paying for alcohol rehab can be a big turn-off, as many people are not able to spend their savings or take out a loan in order to afford treatment. A big question, then, is whether health insurance policies can lend support.
It is becoming increasingly common for coverages to include addiction treatment services under what they can help pay for. However, it is important that you consult your own policy and see whether there are any requirements that you need to meet.
For example, many policies can ask for a GP referral as well as a confirmation of enrolment on a treatment programme in order for financial support to be allocated.
Many people are aware of the risks associated with mixing different types of alcohol together. However, what individuals who drink a lot really need to take heed of are the risks that come with mixing alcohol with other substances.
If you take medication for a longstanding health condition, drinking alcohol can cause very dangerous reactions. They can contain chemicals which react when mixed with alcohol, potentially causing internal bleeding, heart complications, and breathing problems.
Common medicines that should not be taken with alcohol include Diazepam, Aspirin, Sertraline, and Ibuprofen.
An alcohol use disorder is like a weight that you have to carry around in your everyday life.
The physical burdens put your health at risk, and combined with the psychological torment it can cause you, you may become unable to work or socialise as much as you might like.
But it isn’t just yourself you are affecting with your alcoholism. The costs of alcohol misuse are varied, so if you are not accessing treatment because you do not care about what happens to yourself, consider who else you might be influencing.
Family can be harmed in several ways because of your alcoholism. They can be emotionally and psychologically distressed by having to observe you struggling, and they might also be struggling financially, trying to support you while you spend your money on alcohol.
Before you reject the need for alcohol rehab, pause and take a moment to think about who else would benefit besides yourself. Rehab is about helping your physical and mental health, but it is also about helping those around you.
There are quite complex variations to be observed between men and women when it comes to alcohol use disorders.
In terms of susceptibility to developing alcoholism, men are more at risk. A 2021 report found that 59% of men drank alcohol in the UK, compared to only 50% of women. Men aged between 45 and 64 are also more likely to exceed recommended drinking limits [6].
However, women are at risk of more problems as a result of alcoholism than men. Alcohol levels in the blood are higher when women drink, resulting from a lower water quantity, which means they are more at risk of damaging their organs.
The first “category” of risk factors we will go over is the “biological” category. Studies show that an individual’s genetics and physiology can often play a huge role in whether or not they could develop AUD.
If your family has a significant history of alcoholism spanning through generations, then you have a higher risk of developing AUD.
Basically, if close family members such as your parents, grandparents, and so on, suffered from Alcohol Use Disorder, then you likely have some genes from them that make it more likely that you’ll develop an alcohol problem as well.
That being said, there is not one specific gene that increases the risk. Studies have found that, in various chromosome regions, there are up to 51 various genes that could lead to Alcohol Use Disorder.
When a behaviour or action evokes a pleasurable chemical response, then the brain naturally wants to repeat that behaviour or action.
And for many, alcohol consumption evokes a pleasurable chemical response. When done in moderation, this is not a bad thing.
However, those who are genetically predisposed to developing AUD, or those who simply have a tendency to overdo things, are more likely to give in to the urge to drink in an excessive manner.
They experience a positive feeling from drinking, and their brain wants more and more of it.
Eventually, their brain will become dependent on alcohol to create those “happy chemicals,” which will then lead to terrible withdrawal symptoms if the person does not drink.
Along with the aforementioned genetic factors, a person could be driven to develop AUD based on the people they associate with and the environment that surrounds them.
These factors are often the leading cause of AUD and are frequently the result of aforementioned issues such as a family history of alcoholism or living in a negative environment.
Mental health issues often lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms. And one of the most common, unfortunately, is substance abuse, particularly alcoholism.
As mentioned in a previous section, alcohol often causes a pleasurable chemical reaction which your brain will want to repeat. And if you suffer from a mental health issue such as depression, anxiety, or PTSD, then the urge might be even stronger.
People who deal with mental health disorder often seek alcohol for comfort for various reasons. Perhaps they want to gain positive feelings that they believe nothing else will bring about.
Perhaps they want to numb any psychological torment. Or perhaps it is a mix of both. In any case, mental health issues are a key factor in what brings about alcohol abuse.
Perhaps you are dealing with stress from a particular set of circumstances rather than an underlying mental health issue.
Maybe something like a significant relationship problem, an overwhelming/frustrating workplace, or an issue within your family is causing you a great deal of stress.
In any case, you might feel tempted to turn to alcohol to try and relieve those stressful feelings.
Even after going through rehab and being sober for a while, a person who was once addicted is almost always at risk of a relapse.
Staying sober is a lifelong challenge, but it is worthwhile. Keep in mind that, even if you have a relapse, you have not failed on your journey.
Stumbling does not mean that you should give up and fall into old habits. Keep pushing forward, and try to avoid certain factors that could lead to a severe relapse.
Maybe you used to go drinking with a group of people who encouraged you to do so. Or perhaps you have met some new people while being sober who drink frequently.
In either case, those people could urge you to drink, intentionally or otherwise.
It would be best to have little to no in-person interaction with the people who could encourage you to drink again. Sometimes, we have to cut people off in our lives who are negative influences.
These people are a negative influence that could cause you to fall back into an old lifestyle.
If you know some new people who drink recreationally, it would be best to simply not be around them when they’re going to be drinking.
If you politely inform them of your situation, they will likely be understanding and not drink around you.
It is possible to avoid unnecessary stress. However, oftentimes, we cannot control whether or not a stressful circumstance occurs in our lives.
If you used to use alcohol to cope, then chances are you might feel a temptation to drink again once you become stressed. Remember that alcohol will only cause you more stress in the long run.
Turn to friends, family, and anyone else in your support system when you are dealing with stress, and remember healthy coping mechanisms that you have learned along the way.
There is no singular factor that leads to alcoholism. There are a plethora of risk factors that make it more likely for someone to develop an addiction.
If you are at high risk, it would be best to avoid drinking altogether. And if you are a recovering alcoholic, there are various factors that could trigger a relapse.
Remember to stay strong, turn to your support system, and place your focus on healthy coping mechanisms.
Finding out that you need alcohol rehab can turn your life upside down, and it is no easy task having to figure out where and how you are going to get the help that you need. But fear not, as there is support out there.
At Rehab 4 Addiction, we have a team of experts on hand with an abundance of knowledge and information to share with you.
Alcoholism rehab centres, how to access funding, where to get medical advice – they can help with it all, and they are just a phone call away.
If you need our help, we are ready and waiting to provide it. Give us a call on 0800 140 4690!
At Rehab 4 Addiction, we offer high-quality rehabilitation & detoxification services tailored to your individual needs.
To discover your road to recovery, call us today on 0800 140 4690.
[1] https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/problems-disorders/alcohol-and-depression
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4056340/
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5958183/
[4] https://umatter.princeton.edu/limits/tools/alcohol-and-your-body#health
[5] https://www.ndph.ox.ac.uk/news/new-genetic-study-confirms-that-alcohol-is-a-direct-cause-of-cancer
[6] https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7626/CBP-7626.pdf
