Wednesday, August 10 2005 16:24 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Part I - Alcohol Dependence

Drinking alcohol does not mean alcoholism, but it begins when drinking becomes the way of surviving. Alcoholism, also known as 'alcohol dependence,' is a state when alcohol replaces almost everything. If a person tries to escape from problems and worries of life by getting dependent on liquor, which keeps one temporarily out of those worries, then such a state could be defined as alcoholism.

They begin to drinking heavily thus forming a habit. When drunk, they may be habituated to wasting money, talking about bad memories; abusing people etc., which are one of symptoms of alcoholism.

Blackout or temporary memory loss could also occur during that period. Alcoholism could also lead to frequent passing out or loss of consciousness.

To maintain the temporary joyful state of mind retained, they might gulp lot of liquor. They slyly gulp down extra ones when they think nobody is looking. They may also 'fortify' themselves before going to a party to insure their euphoria. They feel guilty about this behavior and skittishly avoid talking about drinks or drinking.

Hangover is another problem of alcoholism. As they grow more and more reliant on alcohol as a shock absorber to daily living, 'morning after' hangovers become more frequent and increasingly painful.

Scientists have found that having an alcoholic family member makes it more likely that you too may develop alcoholism, if you choose to drink. Genes, however, are not the whole story. In fact, scientists now believe that certain factors in a person's environment influence whether a person, with a genetic risk for alcoholism, ever develops the disease. A person's risk for developing alcoholism can increase based on the person's environment, including where and how he or she lives; family, friends, and culture, peer pressure and even how easy it is to get alcohol.