Alcoholism is a chronic disease that affects an individual’s life in many different ways. It has been proven there are various factors that contribute to why one might become alcoholic. It is important to understand what these factors are to comprehend how you can prevent them from happening. In this blog post, we will be going over the various factors that make one prone to alcoholism.
Factors That Make You Prone to Alcoholism
Genetic Makeup
Alcoholism has been found to be an inherited illness. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism states that “in a family having one child with alcoholism, the probability of another child with alcoholism is up to 30%”. It is also stated that in families having two children with alcoholism, the probability increases about 10% per generation. A lot of research has been done in the past regarding alcoholism being a genetic disorder. For example, there was a study done where a certain type of gene that is associated with alcoholism was found to be located on the same chromosome as another gene that’s also been linked to alcoholism.
Environment
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, a person’s environment can also play a huge role in their chances of becoming an alcoholic. This includes things like being around other drinkers or being exposed to negative stimuli such as violence, abuse, or neglect during childhood or adolescence. This may result in the person becoming more likely to develop alcohol use disorder.
Psychological Factors
According to WebMD, this refers to the effects on the mind and emotions. Some of these things include being socially isolated, depression, history of trauma, or even substance abuse in the family members. It is important to realize these psychological factors can put someone at risk for alcoholism as a way to deal with their problems regardless if it is ever diagnosed or not.
Timing
When someone starts to drink can also have a significant impact on their development of alcoholism. For example, if someone starts drinking at a younger age, it can alter their brain chemistry and lead to an increased risk for developing alcohol use disorder later in life. Drinking before the age of 15 has been linked to an increased chance of becoming dependent upon alcohol when compared to those who started drinking later in life.
Individual Differences
This refers to the differences in genetics and biology of individuals. For example, women tend to have a lower chance of developing alcoholism than men. The difference in our bodies’ chemistry is why this happens. This can also vary depending on genetics and family history too. Some people are more genetically predisposed to becoming an alcoholic than others.
Alcohol Abuse
There’s also a lot of research that claims alcohol abuse is a major factor in whether or not someone will develop alcoholism. Especially when it comes to the withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol abuse is defined as drinking above and beyond what’s considered to be safe. An example of this would be drinking five or more drinks per day or experiencing negative consequences from drinking even after several attempts to stop. Abusing alcohol like this can result in the person becoming more likely to develop alcohol use disorder because their body becomes dependent upon it.
Social Factors
Needing alcohol to fit in or connect with others can be a major factor why someone develops alcoholism. For example, being in a social environment around other drinkers or using drinking to cope with stressful situations in life. This can even make someone more likely to become addicted to alcohol, which is a way they self-medicate not only their stress but also their options in life.
Stress
There’s also a lot of research that claims the stress from in life can be a major factor. For example, being under a lot of pressure, being unemployed, trying to find work, or even being stuck in an abusive or violent relationship. All these things can be huge stressors in someone’s life which may result in them turning to alcohol as a way of coping with their feelings.
Gender Differences
The last factor we will be covering is the difference between men and women. Research has been done to see if there’s any significant differences in the way these genders become alcoholics (women are more likely than men to develop alcoholism). A study done by The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that women were three times more likely to develop alcohol use disorder compared to men. However, the overall number of female drinkers has increased since then. In conclusion, it is important to understand all the factors that contribute to alcoholism and take preventative measures to avoid it. If you need to talk to someone,our counselors are available 24 hours a day. Call 844-639-8371.