What Causes Alcoholism?

 Prevalence in Society

It is no secret that alcohol is greatly advertised in modern society. It can be seen on TV, liquor stores are found on every street corner, and overall, its consumption is considered the “norm” in social settings.  Alcohol is much more socially accepted than marijuana, even though it accounts for an estimated 95,000 deaths a year in the United States. The problem with alcohol addiction is it tends to begin very early in someone's life, specifically the teen years. Some people drink alcohol occasionally with no urgency to keep drinking once their blurry, plastered fun is worn off. On the other hand, there are some who grow such an addiction to the liquid that they cannot go a day without it. Many believe alcohol addiction forms from just drinking it too often but in reality its comes down to a multitude of factors including genetics, trauma or stress, and environment.

 

Genetics

When the word "alcoholic" is brought up, people automatically picture a dirty, homeless man on the side of the road. They visualize someone who has hit rock bottom so hard that the only thing worth their time is getting plastered. In reality, there are many functioning alcoholic's who have been very successful in life. So, what would lead someone to grab the bottle if they have lived an accomplished life? The answer to that could be genetics. The genetic makeup of someone plays a huge role in the development of alcoholism.  Research has shown there are specific genes people carry that will enhance their response to a substance. In other words, the gene determines how “good” someone feels due to a drug. Daniel Radcliffe, actor popularly known for his lead role in the Harry Potter series, has had first hand experience of this. Radcliffe struggled with alcohol addiction for most of his adult career and opened up about it in an interview with BBC Radio. In the interview Radcliffe confessed, "It runs in my family, generations back", (Radcliffe). While Radcliffe's stressful career also lead him to become addicted to alcohol, his acknowledgment of his family's struggles exemplifies the link between genetics and alcoholism. 

 Trauma or Stress

People who experience stress or trauma are more likely to develop alcohol abuse. This is no surprise considering the way alcohol makes you let lose. Things like a mental illness, abuse, work, etc. are all things that can lead one to grab the bottle. Trauma and/or stress have a huge impact on creating an alcohol addiction, especially among teenagers. Teen years can be very stressful and with that stress there is a lot of ignorance surrounding it. Teens don't have the full understanding on how a substance can seriously harm them in the long run. This a problem because when teens discover the way alcohol relieves them of their stresses they will then constantly look to get a buzz. According to The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, teens who have high stress levels are twice as likely to drink alcohol when compared to low stress level teens. This is a startling number considering the amount of teens suffering from anxiety and depression in modern society.

 

Environment

          One’s environment plays a huge part in the development of their alcohol abuse. A child can learn to drink due to growing up with parents who drank alcohol around them. They also could learn the behavior because of a lack of parental supervision, which leads them to discover alcohol on their own. Or their alcohol abuse could be because of both factors they had experienced growing up. A person’s early years of childhood are very crucial to their development and they learn the most from their family and people that surround them. According to a journal published by the International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, "...44.8% of children and adolescents drink at home, of them 15.7% -- with the approval of their parents/guardians", (Vist). Alcohol addiction among teens and young adults is most likely going to be routed in the family foundation. Even if the teen did not drink alcohol in the home, the lack of supervision due to alcoholic parents can cause a child to act out. I know this from personal experience. When I was around the age of 14 my parents split and I was left with my mother. At the time, she had worked the night shift and when she was not working she was drinking at the house. Therefore, I had little supervision and this began to make me act out and get into trouble with my friends. I used to believe I would have no consequences for my actions and I know it was from having an alcoholic mother. That is why it is crucial to have a strong family foundation to protect a child from going down the wrong path. 

 

 Conclusion

    Alcohol abuse is among the leading causes of death around the world and it is not taken as seriously as it should. It is an illness that may be apparent in certain individuals but in some it is hidden. This makes it all the more dangerous because you may not know someone needs help. Alcohol takes an drastic toll on the body over an extended period of time. That is why it is important that if you or a loved one suffer from this disease that you seek help immediately.

 It is not too late to get your life back.