For those who are genetically predisposed, the desire to drink and the appeal of alcohol itself are largely defined by the tremendous feelings of well-being and happiness that are incited Substance abuse by imbibing. Recovery from alcohol addiction is tough, but you don’t need to go through it alone. Professional treatment offers expert guidance and crucial support for overcoming physical and mental challenges. Dr. Kate Smith is a licensed professional and has worked in the mental health and substance abuse disorder fields for over 10 years. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Florida Atlantic University, graduating magna cum laude from her class.

Evidence Based

The sooner you seek treatment for alcohol addiction, the better the long-term outcomes. If you or someone you know is dealing with an alcohol use disorder (AUD), treatment options are available. This will why is alcohol addicting help to reduce cravings and improve your quality of life.

How is Alcohol Addictive & How Does it Affect the Brain?

You can have one piece of numerical data for someone, and it tells you their risk of developing addiction for any drug. For practitioners, what it would mean then is that there’s just rampant comorbidity among substance use disorders. If you have someone who presents with an alcohol use disorder, it means they probably also have a cannabis use disorder, maybe also have a tobacco use disorder, and so on. It’s good that people don’t present with 7, 8, 9 drug use disorder diagnosis. Beyond two, That’s just statistically what one of my old advisors would call decimal dust, meaning it’s just not represented in the population.

• During his time as a therapist, Justin has worked in a residential addiction treatment facility, private practice, and outpatient settings.
• One of the reasons that AUDs are increasing so much is that alcohol and drinking are socially acceptable—and even expected—in most communities.
• If you extract the common or shared variants among those, you can find some factor, some latent variable.

Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Abuse

• We will explore the world of neurotransmitters, endorphins, genetics, and sociological reasoning to figure out why alcohol is addictive.
• Addiction is often a response to feelings of anxiety, stress, or boredom.
• An alcohol use disorder (AUD) can be difficult to detect in its early stages.
• Of these millions, more than 25% reported binge drinking in the past month.
• Psychological addiction to alcohol is often linked to underlying mental health issues or past trauma.
• At Sana at Stowe, evidence-based rehab combines proven methods like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with holistic care.

It affects mental health, increases the risk for certain cancers, and can cause addiction. It also increases the risk of injury and death due to impaired judgment. This question has no definitive answer since both can be addictive depending on the person. Some people may have difficulty controlling their alcohol consumption, while others may emotionally rely on certain types of food. It’s also important to make a distinction between a food or nutrient that we need to survive versus a drug or substance which can be completely removed from our diet.

Get Help With Alcohol Addiction

This rewiring of the brain makes it incredibly difficult to break free from psychological addiction without professional help. Despite the temporary relief, there’s an underlying sense of regret or shame. You may feel like a failure or a disappointment, further fueling the cycle of addiction.