Are you an alcoholic if you drink a 12 pack of beer every night? The short answer is “it depends.” To unpack that brief answer, it’s first necessary to get a better idea of what alcoholism is in the first place. This understanding will help give us a better understanding if drinking a 12 pack of beer every night is a warning sign of addiction to alcohol.
Alcoholism is a condition characterized by a person’s inability to control the amount of alcohol they consume. Someone suffering from this condition may experience withdrawal symptoms when they can’t get access to alcohol for any reason. Psychologists often describe alcoholism as a chronic relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive urges to drink and that can lead to physical dependence or addiction. They consider alcohol abuse as excessive drinking over time without regard for social, medical, or economic consequences. In this article, we will go over what psychologists know about alcohol abuse and how people become alcoholics.
Why Many People Think Alcohol is a Harmless Beverage
Alcohol use is highly prevalent in the United States, with a significant proportion of people over the age of 18 years drinking alcohol. This widespread social acceptance of alcohol as a harmless beverage intended to improves mood and sociability can lead to alcohol abuse and addiction and become highly problematic.
When pushed to extreme, excessive consumption of alcohol can negatively impact a person’s relationships and career. Alcoholism, then, is a chronic disease that impacts a percentage of all alcohol users. It is characterized by cravings for alcohol, loss of control and tolerance to alcohol, and physical and psychological dependency on alcohol. There are also many triggers for alcoholism: peer pressure, at-risk family history, and genetics, among others.
Warning Sign One Has Become an Alcoholic?
Alcoholism is a disorder that can start in early adulthood or sooner. It can also start later in life, even in middle or old age. It is characterized by a persistent desire to drink alcohol despite negative consequences and physical harm.
The cause of alcohol is often hard to discern because there are so many possible causes. However, most causes can be traced back to environmental and genetic factors. An environmental cause could be difficult life experiences that make someone prefer to be inebriated more often than they are sober. A genetic cause is a predisposition to enjoy the taste and the effects of alcohol.
Back to Our Original Question
This now brings us to our original question. Is drinking a 12 pack of beer every night a sign of alcoholism? It could very well be a warning sign that a person is addicted to alcohol. Some of these signs are behavioral, others are physical. Some behavioral warning signs of addiction to alcohol includes spending a lot of time drinking, using alcohol as an excuse for not taking care of responsibilities, and getting angry or aggressive when drinking is interrupted. Meanwhile, some of the physical warning signs of alcoholism are tangible, visible signs of excessive alcoholic consumption. These signs include sores on the mouth which can lead to infection, chapped lips which can lead to dry mouth, and redness around the eyes, which could show liver disease or alcoholism.
If someone who drinks a 12-pack of beer every night also shows other signs and symptoms of a heavy drinking problem, such as increased risk-taking, sleep disturbances, among others, then it is definitely time to assume that this person needs to get counseling because they appear to cannot quit drinking despite the clear health problems they are experiencing. If there are enough psychological and behavioral cues related to a heavy drinking problem, it is time for a person to seek help.
In conclusion, if someone is not able to break free from a regular drinking routine even at the cost of their obviously worsening health and increasing dysfunctional behavior, then that person is unable to take control over their drinking. They cannot cut down on alcohol or drink in moderation. In such circumstances, the best method best popular method for breaking free from excessive drinking is through counseling and therapy. In such circumstances, the best method for breaking free from excessive drinking is through counseling and therapy. This is a necessary step because addiction takes a toll on not just physical health, but mental health as well. It is not possible to drink an excessive amount of alcohol and live a happy, healthy life. If someone is not willing to seek a professional counselor, they can turn to other methods to quit drinking, such as joining a 12-step program. Call us at 844-639-8371.