Alcoholism

Throughout generations, alcoholism was thought to be an affliction that only manifested itself among the less desirable. If you were a blue-collar worker that drank a lot, you were an alcoholic. If you were a wealthy entrepreneur that drank more than a considerable amount of Scotch, you were merely "being sociable." People were cataloged and stereotyped according to gender, race and social status, and the lower that one stood on the ladder, the higher the probability that they were an alcoholic.

Alcoholism is a disease that effects more than 17 million people in the United States, and it is the leading cause of abuse. It carries no bias, and can plaque people of any gender, any race, and any age. In fact, it is estimated that more than half a million alcoholics are teenagers. It can cause financial problems within families and attributes to our ever-increasing crime rate.

Contrary to popular belief, an alcoholic does not always drink every day. There are those who might maintain perfectly acceptable work ethics five days a week, but can't be without a drink on their days off. This is your "functional" alcoholic. The social alcoholic may only drink when he (or she) is with friends. The closet alcoholic may go years without anyone ever knowing that they drink at all.

Continued alcohol abuse can lead to liver disease, auto immune disorders, heart problems and cancer (to name only a few). Studies have shown that it causes a marked difference in brain function, which could lead to blackouts and even permanent memory loss. According to Mother's Against Drunk Drivers (MADD), nearly 17,000 people lost their lives to drunk drivers in 2005. Strict changes in DUI laws helped to reduce this number to 12,998 by 2007, indicating that an alcohol-impaired person kills someone every 40 minutes.

Researchers have identified an inherent gene in alcoholics, which seems to indicate that heredity plays an important part. This gene, which produces a protein called CREB (cAMP responsive element binding protein), also plays a part in the process of alcohol tolerance and dependency as well withdrawal symptoms. Low levels of CREB are associated with anxiety as well as alcohol abuse. It is interesting to note that 40% of all alcoholics show signs of some form of depression. On the other end of the spectrum, between 7-10% of the people who suffer from depression have a drinking problem.
While there has been some success in treating this protein with Lithium, it is far from being perfected.

The difference between a "problem drinker" and an alcoholic is that a problem drinker can quit by merely changing their behavioral patterns. An alcoholic, on the other hand, will need the assistance of medical personnel as well as support from family and friends.

While alcoholism may be the affliction of one person, it effects the lives of many. There is no cure for it, but it can be controlled. Your local Alcoholics Anonymous can assist you in getting on the road to recovery. For those whose lives are affected by a friend or family members drinking, there is Al-Anon. Both are exemplary organizations that work towards aiding those who suffer from alcoholism.