A past of childhood trauma can increase the risk of falling victim to some addiction, including that of alcohol, as well as the absence of the family during the childhood and adolescence years.
Men are at greater risk of addiction than women, however women are at greater risk of suffering from diseases related to drinking, such as liver disease.
Addiction tends to arise gradually, drinking too much and regularly over a long period can cause physical dependence on alcohol also due to the changes that the substance induces on a physical and above all metabolic level; these changes include, among other things, an increased sense of well-being during intake, which makes the subject more inclined to drink and do it more and more often.
From this point of view there are therefore risk factors
- ease of access to alcohol,
- depression and other mental disorders, which make the patient prone to seek solutions to find relief from their malaise,
- social and cultural factors (having friends or partner who drink regularly can increase the risk of alcoholism, as well as the media portrayal of alcohol that can convey the message that you need to drink to feel stylish, and that you don’t there is nothing wrong with overdoing alcohol).
Over time, as with any other substance of abuse, the pursuit of pleasure induced by the substance gives way to the need to take it in order not to suffer from withdrawal symptoms and the patient therefore finds himself a prisoner of what first seemed to be a way escape.
Symptoms
The first symptoms of an alcohol addiction problem are unfortunately so mild that they often go unnoticed; knowing these warning signs can instead help patients and loved ones to recognize the situation and intervene promptly.
Drunk people typically exhibit the following symptoms and behaviors:
- laugh and speak loudly,
- experience dizziness,
- have blurred vision,
- have difficulty standing and sway when walking,
- mumble the words,
- tend to fall asleep,
- they may pass out or vomit,
- they become violent.
The drunkard may carry out actions or say words which he later regrets, and is also at risk of incurring accidents and getting hurt. After having drunk a lot, during the recovery phase, it is then normal to feel a more or less profound state of malaise, often accompanied by an intense headache.
- they start having to drink more and more to get drunk,
- they may need alcohol as early as the morning between calming down or to reduce a
- hangover,
- they may have to drink secretly and keep this habit secret.
If alcohol consumption is continuous, the quantity and extent of symptoms can constantly increase and make recovery longer and longer.
Among the characteristic symptoms of alcohol abuse
Drink more and / or longer than originally planned or decided.One or more attempts to reduce the amount consumed or even quit, but without success.Expose yourself to potentially risky situations after consuming alcohol (driving, swimming, use of dangerous machinery, unprotected sexual intercourse, …).
Need to drink more than in the past to achieve the same effect.The need to continue drinking despite the obvious appearance of depression and / or anxiety.Appearance of black-out periods, in which we do not remember what has been done and the impregnations taken.
Spending a lot of time drinking and / or throwing up often after drinking.
The need to continue drinking despite the emergence of social, family and / or professional problems (which can lead to drinking alone or secretly). Interruption of activities that in the past were considered enjoyable and loss of interest in favor of the time spent drinking.