If you are a sufferer of alcoholism, you are probably cheating yourself into thinking that you are just a consumer of alcohol, whereby the reality is that alcoholism is consuming you. That includes the consumption of your salary, your physical energy, your time that could be better spent and the one that tops the list is your health.

Alcoholism means addiction to consuming alcoholic beverages despite the knowledge of their detrimental physical and social consequences. Medics define alcoholism as a disease which disables a person from controlling the urge to take alcohol. Alcoholism, therefore, implies a tendency for compulsive consumption of alcohol and an inability to acknowledge its negative effects.

There is another type of person who although has problems with consuming alcohol, is able to suppress its characteristics and symptoms. You could classify this type of conduct as alcohol abuse, which would imply that while alcohol is consumed in large quantities, the abuser is in some way able to have certain control over its use. We would have to conclude then that an alcohol abuser is not fully dependent on alcohol as is an alcoholic.

According to the estimates of the National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, around 18 million Americans abuse alcohol. More than 100,000 Americans die of alcohol generated health problems. Half of road accident deaths are caused due to driving under the influence of alcohol.

Even when it comes to the really hardened alcohol consumers, they too will refuse to admitting that they are addicts. They will drink with a certain caution and will spread out the drinks they consume in different places throughout the day. The problem is that once they start like that, it is so difficult to keep on track as they will drink larger quantities and at a faster pace.

Their memory begins to fail them as they begin to forget their social commitments and this is medically termed as 'blacking out'. Interest is lost in any pleasurable entertainment or activity as their mind begins to only focus on the next drinking occasion. Irritation is caused if they are unable to get their next dose and they will eventually fall out with the most important people in their lives. Their tolerance to high alcohol levels grows and they end up just drinking more and more in order to feel its effects.

Alcoholism or otherwise the physical dependence on alcohol is a disease that gradually takes over our body. The balance in brain chemicals like gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), is altered with the increase of alcohol intake which will help to the control the impulsiveness while glutamate will excite our nervous system. The dopamine level in the brain increases through the presence of alcohol which can lead to excitable behaviour. Continued drinking will either multiply or deplete these chemical levels causing the body to crave for more alcohol, whichever the case may be.

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Discover how to Stop Drinking Alcohol In 21 Days - Guaranteed. by blog owner Ed Philips