Table of Contents
Psychological addiction
It involves several things which convince a person that they have some benefits from the use of the alcohol. For example, some people think that it allows them to better handle stress or similar.
Physical addiction
It involves the physical adaptation of a person's biological systems to the continued presence of alcohol in their system.
It is very important to know that, a decrease in the level of alcohol causes withdrawal symptoms, which can even be deadly.
Neuro-chemical addiction
It involves the bypassing of existing learning mechanisms in order to convince the system that an addictive behavior is good for it. The most important substance that is involved in this part of addiction is endorphin. Endorphin is the substance whose purpose is telling the mind that a behavior is good for it. Endorphin is normally produced into the blood stream during sex, exercise etc.
Symptoms of alcoholism
When someone becomes dependent or addicted to alcohol, they:
- Develop a strong sense of compulsion to drink
- May drink shortly after waking to reduce feelings of alcohol withdrawal
- Develop a reduced capacity to control how often and how much they drink
- Organize their lifestyle around drinking
- Drink alone
- Make up excuses to drink
- Need daily or frequent use of alcohol for adequate function
- Have episodes of violence associated with drinking
- Show hostility when confronted about drinking
- Neglect the food intake
- Neglect their physical appearance
- Experience nausea and vomiting
- Experience shaking in the morning
- Feel abdominal pain
- Feel numbness and tingling
- Experience confusion