The Causes of Alcoholism

The Causes of Alcoholism (revised)

Many people drink moderately, enjoy it, and come to no harm; however, some people become too dependent on alcohol. They are unable to lead a normal life. When people cannot control their drinking, it is considered to be abnormal behavior. Alcoholics are men and women who have lost the ability to control their drinking. “Alcoholism is the dependence or addiction to alcohol” (Marlatt 211). The reason why one person develops alcoholism and another person does not has been the subject of many studies. Researchers have examined the possible causes to be the following: biological susceptibility, learned behavior, and youthful social practices.
While research has produced no certain predictors of alcoholic drinking, there is evidence indicating there might be a genetic predisposition to alcoholism. Today, many scientists continue to regard alcoholism as a disease, and the biological model of addiction is widely accepted by researchers and the public. “The biological model holds that addiction, whether to alcohol or any other drug, is due primary to a person’s biochemistry, metabolism, and genetic predisposition” (Baron 823). Also some studies suggest, “Alcoholism may sometimes involve an inherited vulnerability” (Noble 281). Genes could contribute to alcoholism by contributing to traits or temperaments that predispose a person to become an alcoholic; also genes may affect the biological process in the brain that makes some people more susceptible to alcohol or cause them to respond to it differently than others do.
Another cause of alcoholism suggests a learning model of drug addiction. “ A central activity of the individual’s way of life is dependence on learning and culture” (Noble 123). Of course, addiction patterns vary according to cultural practices and the social environment. In some countries, adults demonstrate correct drinking habits to their children. According to statistics, in cultures in which children learn the rules of social behavior from their families, alcoholism rates are much lower than in cultures in which drinking occurs mainly in bars and restaurants. “Abuse and addiction problems increase not only when people fail to learn how to take drugs in moderation, but also when they move from their own culture of origin into another that has different drinking rules” (Urbin 312).
Abuse and addiction reflect an interaction of psychology, person and culture. To summarize, causes for alcoholism are most likely to occur, when a person has a psychological vulnerability. Another cause for alcoholism is when laws or customs encourage or teach people to take a drug in binges, and moderate use is neither encouraged nor taught. Today much of socializing is built around the consumption of alcohol, thus making it harder to avoid. To not drink is usually considered to be abnormal and often seen as a deliberately anti-social action. Due to all these factors it could be difficult to maintain a responsible attitude towards alcohol. It is a person’s choice whether to drink or not to drink, and how much to drink if that person does drink. The consequences of alcoholism could lead to many problems with families and friends. Life is beautiful, so enjoy it.

Works Cited

Baron, Miron. Biological Psychiatry. New York: 1993.
Marlatt, Howard. “An Alcoholics Anonymous.” Medical Education. New York: 1996.
Noble, Ernest P. “Anatomy of Alcoholism.” The Encyclopedia of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Psycholoanalysis, Ed. Benjamin B. Wolman. New York, 1998.
Urbin, Tomas. “Causes of Alcoholism.” New Horizons for Learning. Home Page. 15 Oct.2001. < www.harthosp.org/healthinfo/scripts/sc0062.htm>

Cited: Baron, Miron. Biological Psychiatry. New York: 1993. Marlatt, Howard. “An Alcoholics Anonymous.” Medical Education. New York: 1996. Noble, Ernest P. “Anatomy of Alcoholism.” The Encyclopedia of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Psycholoanalysis, Ed. Benjamin B. Wolman. New York, 1998. Urbin, Tomas. “Causes of Alcoholism.” New Horizons for Learning. Home Page. 15 Oct.2001. < www.harthosp.org/healthinfo/scripts/sc0062.htm>