Alcohol addiction can be devastating to a person’s life and is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States. This is according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism1, that states that alcohol is accountable for a third of all driving fatalities. Sadly, it is abused by more than 15 million Americans each year. Further statistics from the institute also show that;
- Alcohol abuse cost the United States nearly $250 billion in 2010.
- In 2015, almost 40,000 people died of alcohol-related liver disease.
So why do people keep using it?
Addiction is difficult to understand, regardless of what the user is addicted to. Families and friends may find it difficult to sympathize with a drug or alcohol-user when their destructive behavior continues. However, addiction is regarded in the literature to be secondary to chemical imbalances in the brain. As Harvard Health Publishing (2011) so accurately describes, “addiction hijacks the brain”, just as any other chronic illness causes organ damage. Any addictive substance, including alcohol, releases large amounts of dopamine in the brain which in turn alters how an individual perceives pleasure. An addict thus develops a compulsive need to seek out pleasure because of a relative deficiency of dopamine and/or available dopamine receptors in the brain. Willpower, in this instance, simply does not cut it. This often means that external medical assistance is needed.
Furthermore, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are intense and people may continue with their alcohol consumption in order to avoid them. The alcohol detoxification process, in chronic alcohol users especially, is downright miserable.
It is important to understand the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal so that you know when to seek immediate medical help. In serious cases of alcohol withdrawal, inpatient treatment may be warranted.
If you or a loved one struggle with alcohol dependence, please seek immediate medical help for both treatment and recovery.