As with almost any substance, there is the potential for individuals to become dependent upon alcohol for daily function. This can be a result of addiction and lead to severe withdrawal symptoms upon cessation of alcohol consumption. All of these factors work together and explain why it is so difficult for many people to give up their habits.
Alcoholism
This is a disease that many individuals experience as a result of chronic consumption of high amounts of alcohol. Alcoholism is progressive and gets worse over time. What usually begins as controlled consumption eventually progresses to alcohol abuse and then can result in dependence or addiction in the form of alcoholism.
People who suffer from alcoholism are often characterized by some or all of the following symptoms:
- Often finding oneself intoxicated.
- Being preoccupied by alcohol.
- Continuing to use alcohol despite the negative effects observed.
- Compulsively seeking out and consuming alcohol.
- Inability to control one’s intake of alcohol.
There is a large amount of research devoted to uncovering the neural basis for the dependence that people develop on substances such as alcohol. It is widely believed that positive reinforcement is what allows regular alcohol consumption to progress to alcohol abuse. Positive reinforcement is the process where individuals perform a certain action (consume alcohol) in order to gain something (the pleasurable feeling associated with alcohol). After time, as a person begins to become dependent on alcohol, negative reinforcement begins to play an increased role in continuing these behaviours. In negative reinforcement, individuals perform an action (consume alcohol) to avoid or stop a certain outcome (the flat feeling one has when not under the influence or withdrawal symptoms).
The neural mechanisms that are the basis for these behaviours are rather complex and include several different neurotransmitters in several different brain regions. There is involvement of GABA, dopamine, endogenous opioids and other neurotransmitters that aid in strengthening circuits impacting the body’s incentive motivation.
It is important to note that an individual can be dependent on alcohol without yet being classified as addicted. Dependence occurs when alcohol becomes part of an individual’s daily routine regardless of the consequences. A person has also built up a tolerance to the effects of lower doses of alcohol at this point. When a person progresses to the point of addiction, there is no longer a pleasure aspect associated with consuming alcohol but rather a psychological and physiological need.
A further aspect that is important for people who consume alcohol and are concerned about developing to the point of alcoholism is that some risk factors put a person at a higher risk of developing this disorder. Some of the risk factors are listed below:
- Excessive alcohol consumption over a long period of time or chronic binge drinking.
- Beginning to drink alcohol at an earlier age.
- Family members who also suffer (highly linked genetically).
- Other mental health problems.
Withdrawal
One of the reasons that alcoholism is such a difficult disease to overcome is due to the withdrawal effects individuals experience when they attempt to stop use. There are several symptoms associated with alcohol withdrawal and some of them may be very severe:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Shaky hands
- Anxiety
- Sweating
- Headache
- Insomnia
Some people even experience hallucinations within the first few days of quitting as well as seizures in severe cases.
These symptoms occur as a result of your adapted central nervous system no longer having any alcohol impacting it. Your body has a difficult time adapting to this new found lack of alcohol and produces the familiar symptoms.
In some severe cases, individuals may suffer from a severe form of withdrawal from alcohol called Delirium Tremens. This form of withdrawal manifests itself through autonomic nervous system hyperactivity and drastically altered mental status. This can even be as extreme as leading to cardiovascular collapse and may require medical attention at a hospital.