Alcoholism has a number of definitions, depending on who protects it. For those who witness this first hand, it looks like a form of aggravated madness. Even in the medical community there are different points of view on alcoholism. Psychiatrists can focus on the psychological components of alcoholism and alcohol interaction with life and society. Other doctors may consider alcoholism solely as a physical addiction and prefer to treat it with drugs. Both approaches are commonly used, especially with developed alcoholism. Different political and religious groups may prefer to treat alcoholism in a different light. Due to the inability to prohibit several politicians to indulge in a return to it, however even today some jurisdictions restrict public drinking to maintain public order.
Alcohol abuse is probably as old as agriculture when people first used alcohol. Some people believe that alcohol production has become a way to purify water. This will protect early humans from the risks associated with capturing intestinal parasites from drinking water.
Some human genes seem to cause some people to fail in producing chemicals in their brains that alcohol can imitate. This is what is meant when a person is considered a genetic vulnerability to alcohol dependence. Several genes have been identified associated with this vulnerability.
Although in some people there may be genetic vulnerability to alcohol abuse, only a few experts on this issue believe that genetics is the only cause of alcoholism. The social groups to which a person belongs, and the culture in these groups with respect to alcohol consumption, can also influence the drinker. These social groups will also include relatives. It may be difficult to separate the genetic vulnerability and tendency in some families to drink in many different cases and, possibly, often. Saying that it works in a family may not be identified much in terms of exact reasons.
There seems to be ample evidence that the social behavior of some groups, as well as the psychological vulnerability of some people, may contribute to the development of alcoholism. A person’s vulnerability may be heightened by poor emotional health. Emotional health can be caused both by external events in the lives of individuals and by their personal reaction to these events. Examples include unfortunate employment or job loss, breakup or loss of a romantic relationship, or even health problems. Part of the problem is the problem itself, but part of the responsibility lies with how the person decides to deal with this problem.
Damage to the body, brain, social life and finances of an alcoholic can be devastating in the long run. The longer the alcoholism continues, the greater the damage. With the exception of condemnations on drinking and driving, in modern societies there is no mechanism for forcing an alcoholic to heal - no matter how much harm they caused their lives.
Drugs for alcoholism always carry with them the potential for failure; the percentage of alcoholics will always start drinking again. Some organizations, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, support total abstinence. Others acknowledge that some resumption of alcohol use, if it is moderate, is not necessarily a failure.
The fight against alcoholism is a long-term struggle for those who suffer from it. Unfortunately, those who are struggling with this disease may suffer damage before calling for a recovery attempt. Science and medicine continue to make progress in the fight against alcoholism, but the real efforts are aimed at ensuring that the life and determination of every alcoholic is trying to get better.
