Alcoholics Information

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People with a "drinking problem" and who are addicted to alcohol are defined as "alcoholics."  When some of the basic alcoholics information is revealed from substance abuse research, the following characteristics of alcoholic behavior are observed:  alcoholics suffer from alcohol withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking; they continue drinking despite negative consequences such as employment, legal, relationship problems; their drinking behavior is out of control; they experience increased tolerance over time; they drink more at each sitting and they drink more frequently; their drinking interferes with their family, friends, or work; and they experience unsuccessful efforts to reduce their drinking.

If this alcohol behavior sounds like an unpleasant set of circumstances, you are correct.  The effects of alcoholism are not only unhealthy and debilitating, but in many instances, they are lethal.

This leads us to articulate the following message to alcoholics: alcohol addiction doesn't get better. It gets worse until someone dies. You need to take action and get professional alcoholism treatment and you need to take action now.  And by the way, your alcoholic behavior is probably destroying the lives of those who care for you the most."

Why Are Alcoholics Information and Statistics Needed?

Many of the dangers of alcoholism do not really make an impact on people until someone discusses some of the statistics about alcohol abuse or alcoholic behavior.   It seems that without alcoholism and alcohol abuse statistics, many people remain unaware about pertinent alcoholics information that needs to be more widely disseminated.

According to a study undertaken by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University in 2005, the following statistics about alcohol abuse and alcoholic behavior were discovered:

• Every year, 1,400 American college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related inadvertent injuries, including motor vehicle accidents.
• In the United States during 2004, 16,694 deaths occurred as a result of alcohol-related motor-vehicle crashes.  This amount was approximately 39% of all traffic fatalities.  This amounts to one alcohol-related death every 31 minutes.
• Every day in the U.S. more than 13,000 children and teens take their first drink.
• The 25.9% of underage drinkers who are alcohol abusers and alcoholics drink 47.3% of the alcohol that is consumed by all underage drinkers.
• The 9.6% of adult alcoholics drink 25% of the alcohol that is consumed by all adult drinkers.
• American youth who drinking before the of age 15 are four times more likely to become alcoholics than young people who do not drink before the age of 21.
• Alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse cost the United States an estimated $220 billion in 2005.  This dollar amount was more than the cost associated with cancer ($196 billion) and obesity ($133 billion).
• Every year in the U.S. more than 150,000 college students develop health problems that are alcohol-related.

Statistics such as these give basic alcoholics information more "bite" and as a result, an increasing number of people are starting to ask more relevant and penetrating questions about alcoholism and alcoholic behavior.

A Basic But Essential Question:  What is An Alcoholic?

For most people who drink, alcohol is a pleasant experience, especially when engaged in social activities. Moderate alcohol use can be defined as having up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women.  In most instances, drinking in moderation is not harmful for most adults.

A large number of people, however, simply cannot drink because of the problems they encounter when drinking.  In fact, approximately 14 million Americans are alcoholics or chronic alcohol abusers.

In fact, according to recent studies, it has been discovered that approximately 53% of adults in the United States have reported that one or more of their close relatives has a "drinking problem."

Definition of Alcoholic.  People with a "drinking problem" and who are addicted to alcohol are defined as "alcoholics."  Simply put, alcoholics, through their irresponsible, excessive and abusive drinking behavior have developed alcoholism.  With this in mind, some of the characteristics of alcoholic behavior are the following:

• Withdrawal, that is, unpleasant symptoms similar to having the flu when drinking is stopped
• Unsuccessful efforts to cut down drinking
• Drinking larger amounts or over longer periods of time
• Continued drinking in site of negative consequences such as a DUI conviction, divorce, or loss of job
• Drinking that interferes with one's job, family, or friends
• Increased tolerance, meaning that over time more alcohol is required to get drunk

Alcoholics Need Help

It is important to point out that if you observe your friends, relatives, or family members displaying any of these characteristics, consider them as symptoms or signs of alcoholic behavior.  And if your family members, friends, or relatives exhibit some of these signs or symptoms, they may need professional alcoholism help. 

Stated differently, they may need alcoholic treatment or they may need to enter an alcohol rehabilitation facility so that they stop drinking and get sober.  In short, without achieving sobriety, alcohol recovery is virtually impossible.

Alcoholics Anonymous

Perhaps the first group that many people think of when facing a "drinking problem" is Alcoholics Anonymous.  Alcoholics Anonymous is a worldwide affiliation of men and women from all walks of life who share their experiences, strengths, and aspirations with one other in the hope that they may solve their mutual problem and assist others in their quest to recover from alcohol dependence.

In fact, when many people think of Alcoholics Anonymous traditions such as the 12 Steps, the 12 Traditions, and the Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, the one conclusion they reach is that with Alcoholics Anonymous, help is always close by and available for people who are concerned about their drinking behavior.  Indeed, due to the vast number of Alcoholics Anonymous locations throughout the world, a person can literally find an alcoholics meeting or alcoholics support groups almost anywhere in the world.

The only condition for Alcoholics Anonymous membership is a desire to quit drinking alcohol. Therefore, total abstinence from alcohol is advocated by the organization.  Members make a conscious effort to refrain from drinking and they accomplish this "one day at a time."  Sobriety is achieved through mutual support as members share their hopes, their strengths, and their experiences.  In fact, the Alcoholics Anonymous support groups is one of the more cohesive aspects of the organization.

The Alcoholic Personality

Do some people possess an "alcoholic personality"?  The notion that the personality of an alcoholic exists before the onset of the disease is most strongly articulated by those who advocate a concept known as the "addictive personality."  According to supporters of this concept, the addictive personality is a distinct psychological trait that predisposes particular people to addictions. 

In spite of the debate in the psychological, medical, and neurobiological research communities about the existence as well as the character of this trait, it is, however, observable and verifiable that brain functions contribute to various addictions.  Building on this framework, many experts currently believe that the predisposition to addiction is more accurately a combination of environmental, psychological, and biological factors.

The Consequences of Alcoholic Behavior

According to alcoholics information from the alcoholism research literature, the consequences of alcoholic behavior are not only serious, but in many cases, fatal.  Excessive drinking can increase the risk for certain cancers, such as cancer of the throat, esophagus, larynx, and of the liver.  Chronic, heavy drinking can also lead to cirrhosis of the liver, brain damage, harm to the fetus while the mother is pregnant, and problems with the immune system. Abusive drinking also increases the risk of death from motor vehicle accidents as well as recreational and work-related injuries. 

Additionally, abusive drinking increases the risk of death from motor vehicle accidents as well as recreational and work-related injuries. Not only this, but suicides and homicides are more likely to committed by people who have been drinking. 

In simple economic terms, alcohol-related issues and problems in the United States cost society almost $200 billion per year.  In human terms, the cost of the following alcohol-related issues cannot be calculated: broken homes, child abuse, fatalities, injuries, illnesses, wife battering, failed health, and destroyed lives.  Moreover, the consequences of alcoholism do not necessarily stop with the recovery or the death of the alcoholic.  Indeed, evidence to support this claim can be substantiated by children of alcoholics or adult children of alcoholics.  It is alcoholism and alcoholics information like this that truly reveals how extensive and how devastating alcohol addiction is.

Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Many people think that alcohol abuse and alcoholism are the same.  This is not correct.  Alcohol abuse, unlike alcoholism, does not include physical dependence, loss of control due to drinking, or an extremely strong desire for alcohol.

Alcohol abuse is defined as a pattern of drinking that results in one or more of the following circumstances in a twelve-month period of time:

• Drinking in situations that can result in physical injury.  Examples include driving a vehicle or operating machinery.
• Failure to attend to important responsibilities at work, home, or school.
• Experiencing recurring alcohol-related legal problems.  Examples include getting arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, for damaging someone's property, or for physically hurting someone while drunk.
• Continued drinking in spite of ongoing relationship problems that are the result of drinking.

Also known as alcohol dependence or alcohol addiction, alcoholism is a disease that includes the following alcoholic behavior:

• Craving: A strong and continuing compulsion or need to drink.
• Physical dependence: Withdrawal symptoms when a person stops drinking after a period of excessive drinking.  Such symptoms include:  anxiety, sweating, nausea, and "the shakes."
• Loss of control: The inability to limit one's drinking over time or on any given occasion.
• Tolerance: The need to drink increasing amounts of alcohol in order to "feel the buzz" or to "get high."

Many times, people who are non drinkers or who are not "problem drinkers" do not comprehend why alcoholics can't simply use self-control or willpower to stop drinking.  In most instance, however, alcoholism has little to do with willpower. Alcoholics are caught in the compelling grip of an uncontrollable need for alcohol that takes priority over their ability to stop drinking. Indeed, this need to drink for the alcoholic can be as strong as his or her need for food or water.

Even though some people are able to recover from alcoholism without clinical or personal help, many, if not most, alcoholics need assistance.  Through treatment, rehab, and support, many alcoholics are able to abstain from drinking and rebuild their lives.

The Causes of Alcoholic Behavior

A question that has entered the minds of many people is the following: why can some people drink alcohol without problems or any negative consequences while others cannot?  In short, what causes alcohol behavior?

One answer to this question involves genetics.  More specifically, researchers have discovered that having an alcoholic family member increases the risk of developing alcoholism.

In fact, there may be a genetic predisposition for certain individuals to become dependent on alcohol.  In addition, behavioral scientists have found that various environment factors can interact with one's genetics.  Examples include the relative ease of obtaining alcohol, peer pressure or peer influence, where and how a person lives, and one's family and friends

Alcoholism Videos 

We have included some alcoholism videos so that you can see and hear directly from various people about their struggles with this disease.  If you, a family member, or one of your friends has a "drinking problem," seeing what others have gone through and how they attained successful recovery is much more "real" than any alcoholism or alcoholics information you can read about.  Furthermore, watching these videos may help you understand what others with a drinking problem are experiencing and may provide you with a better realization of the alcoholic behavior that is typically exhibited by alcoholics. So make sure you look at these excellent videos!

Alcoholics Information:  Conclusion

Some Basic Alcoholics Information.  For most individuals who drink, alcohol is a pleasant experience, especially when engaged in social activities.  Not only this, but drinking in moderation is not harmful for most adults.  A significant number of people, however, cannot drink alcoholic beverages because of the problems and issues they experience when drinking.  Many of these individuals have a "drinking problem" and are alcohol dependent.  Another way of saying this is that these individuals have developed alcoholism.

Once they become addicted to alcohol, they are defined as "alcoholics."  According to the most relevant alcoholics information that has been uncovered via alcoholism research, alcoholics display many observable and predictable behaviors.  The following represents some of the key psychological and behavioral manifestations of alcoholic behavior:  alcoholics experience unsuccessful efforts to reduce their drinking; they exhibit out of control drinking behavior; they drink more during each episode AND they drink more frequently; they experience increased tolerance over time; they continue drinking despite negative consequences such as relationship, employment, or legal problems; their drinking interferes with their work, friends, or family; and they suffer from alcohol withdrawal symptoms when they suddenly quit drinking.

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