Is Addiction To Alcohol A Behavioral Or Chemical Dependency?

 

It takes an average drinker between 7 to 8 years to reach alcoholism. At this point, the individual may be considered to have acquired Alcohol Dependency Syndrome or Alcohol Use Disorder. Before an alcoholic realizes he or she has reached alcoholism, certain habits normally prevail. For instance, it starts with stealing alcohol when around 13 years of age followed by college party drinking to celebrating particular occasions like birth of child or achievement of an award. At 29 to 39 years of age, one experiences full blown alcohol addiction.

Before a drinker reaches the point of no return, drinking is characterized by behavioral addiction. This stage is not dangerous as the habit may be reversed through quitting or limiting the number of drinking sessions. Drinking which leads to alcohol addiction becomes a habit when you have to drink before doing any activity. This may be after work, before sleeping, while socializing or early in the morning. Individuals experiencing behavioral addiction like to hide or give reasons for drinking. With progress and a little trickery, full blown alcohol addiction may happen without you realizing it.

Chemical addiction is often described as the point of no return. In real sense, there is a chemical reaction which takes place in the brain and it makes one dependent on alcohol. Literally, you spend every chance or opportunity to drink endlessly. This is where observers describe you as a workaholic in alcohol use, that is, you drink with passion and feel compelled to do it every single minute. When dependency sets in, an individual with alcohol addiction may get drunk and sleep unknowingly till morning only to wake up to look for some more alcohol to neutralize or quench the hangovers effects.

There are adverse health effects which accompany alcoholism whether you face behavioral or chemical addiction. For instance, damage to the liver and kidney is imminent in both stages. They will make you feel nauseated, lack concentration, experience anxiety and insomnia, live with guilt conscience,  and endlessly shake your body even without getting drunk. While these situations vary with every single alcoholic, the characteristics are far much the same. The bottom line is that, behavioral and chemical addiction may lead to other serious conditions which may end your life prematurely.