A glass of wine for dinner, an aperitif with friends. Alcohol is often present in our moments of conviviality, an almost obvious element of our culture. But what happens when the border between social custom and need is blurred? The road that leads to developing a problem with alcohol is never a single one: it is a complex intertwining of personal, social and environmental factors that can transform a habit into a perceived necessity as an imperfection.
While for many people the consumption of alcohol remains an occasional and controlled pleasure, for others it can become a trap that is difficult to recognize. But what are the mechanisms that transform a social rite into a real dependence alcohol? And how to understand when the limit is exceeded?
What is alcoholism and how dependence is recognized
First of all, it is essential to clarify a point: thealcoholism more correctly defined in the clinical field as ‘alcohol use disorder’, is not a vice or a lack of willpower. It is a complex health condition, which concerns both physical and psychological aspects.
There is talk of real Alcohol dependence When the desire to drink turns into a compulsive and uncontrollable need, which leads the person to put his health, work, affections and responsibilities in the background. The transition from use (occasional or in social situations) to abuse that becomes dependence is often gradual, initially silent. Recognizing its signals is the first, courageous step to resume one’s life.
What are the symptoms of alcoholism?
Recognize i symptomid alcoholism It can be difficult, both in themselves and in a loved one. According to the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5), the diagnosis is based on the presence of specific behavioral, physical and psychological signals.
Compared to the previous version of the manual, the criterion relating to the recurring legal problems related to alcohol has been eliminated and that of Cving was added, or the intense and unstoppable desire to drink alcohol (Bartoli et al., 2015).
The severity of the disorder is defined on the basis of the number of criteria satisfied in a span of 12 months: mild (two or three symptoms), moderate (four or five symptoms) or serious (six or more symptoms). Here are the symptoms of addiction:
- Drink more than expected: you start thinking of drinking only one glass, but you find yourself consuming larger quantities of alcohol or for longer periods than you intended to do;
- Desire to stop without succeeding: there is a constant will to reduce or control consumption, but every attempt proves to be ineffective;
- Alcohol occupies the mind and time: a large amount of time is dedicated to thinking about how to get alcohol, to drink it or recover from its effects;
- Intense craving: a strong and unstoppable desire to drink is experienced, a real Craving for alcohol which becomes difficult to ignore;
- Neglect responsibilities: the use of alcohol interferes with the main duties at work, at school or in the family;
- Relational problems: continue to drink despite this causes or worse social and interpersonal problems.
- Abandonment of interests: they are reduced or abandoned social, working or recreational activities that were once important and a source of pleasure.
- Risky use: Alcohol is consumed in situations where it is physically dangerous to do it, as before led.
- Consumption despite the damage: continues to drink despite being fully aware that alcohol is causing or worsening a physical or psychological problem.
- Development of alcohol tolerance: the phenomenon of the Alcohol toleranceso it is necessary to drink ever greater quantities to obtain the desired effect, or the same quantity produces a significantly reduced effect.
- Symptoms of abstinence: When you stop or reduce consumption, the physical and psychological symptoms related to thealcohol abstinence such as tremors, anxiety, nausea or insomnia.
Because an alcohol dependence develops: the causes
There Alcohol dependence He never has a single origin. It is like a complex puzzle, in which many different pieces fit down to create the complete picture. Understanding what the risk factors are is the first step to deal with the problem with empathy and without judgment, neither towards oneself nor towards others.
- Psychological factors: alcohol can become a refuge, a form of self -medication to silence pains connected to anxiety, stress, depression, trauma. It can help uninitack or anesthetize. The illusion of relief that offers, even if temporary, over time can degenerate into loss of control and trigger a vicious circle difficult to break.
- Biological factors: There is a component of familiarity. Those who have a parent or a tight relative who has fought with alcoholism can have a higher probability of vulnerability, which does not imply a certain condemnation. Genetics can prepare, but does not determine fate, this also applies to alcoholism which is always the result of competition from multiple factors’.
- Social and environmental factors: the environment in which we live has a huge weight. Growing in a context where alcohol abuse is considered normal, undergoing the pressure of the group or having too easy access to alcoholic beverages are all elements that can model and encourage problematic consumption. In addition to the exposure to alcohol, they can affect dysfunctional parental models (neglect, absence of limits or excess of authoritarianism) or traumatic and stressful events.
The consequences of alcoholism on health and social life
Chronic alcohol abuse leaves deep wounds, which go far beyond the body. The impact ofalcoholism It extends to every corner of existence, undermining physical health, the psychological balance and the fabric of personal relationships.
Physical damage
The body pays a very high price. Alcohol acts like a toxin, attacking vital organs and causing damage that can become irreversible: from the liver (steatosis, hepatitis, cirrhosis) to the pancreas (pancreatitis), up to the nervous system (neuropathy, alcoholic dementia) and the cardiovascular system.
Psychological consequences
The psyche is not immune. Alcohol can worsen pre -existing suffering situations, such as anxiety and depression, or degenerate into a new psychopathological condition. Irritability, mood changes, memory voids (the so -called ‘blackouts’) and a heavy burden of guilt and shame can become frequent companies.
Impact on relationships
There Alcohol dependence It builds walls. It leads to a progressive isolation, to the loss of interest for what previously gave joy and a drop in performance at work. A study highlighted that people with alcohol dependence report on average 2.6 days a month of inability to carry out normal work or daily activities, compared to the 1.3 days of the non -dependent population (Rehm et al., 2015). Often we use lies to hide the problem, logo for trust and making it difficult to manage family and emotional ties.
Treatment of alcohol dependence
Get out of the Alcohol dependence It is a possible path, but requires a personalized approach. Since the causes and manifestations of alcoholism are unique for each individual – determined by personality, environment, culture and biological factors – the treatment must also be made to measure.
The primary objective is often to interrupt the consumption of the substance, but the real clinical work consists in building a recovery path that takes into account the history and specificity of the person, to deal with the roots of the problem and not only its symptoms.
Some of the reasons that lead a person to search for the substance may be different:
- search for pleasure;
- increase and maintenance of self -esteem;
- Management of emotions (in particular anger and sadness);
- management of conflicts;
- relaxation and management of anxiety and stress.
A psychological path becomes a safe space in which to explore these deep motivations. The effectiveness of approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (TCC) is supported by research: a meta-analysis has shown that although TCC is not higher than other specific therapies in the treatment of this disorder, it has a statistically significant effect in reducing the frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption in the early stages of the treatment compared to non-specific therapies (Magill et al., 2019). The goal is to learn, step by step, new strategies to face the difficulties of life, without having to resort to alcohol as the only answer.
Recognizing the problem is the first step: take a test on alcoholism
Admitting that you have a problem with alcohol requires great courage. If you have recognized yourself in some of the behaviors described, or if you are in thought for a person dear to you, remember that the biggest gesture of strength is not to hide, but ask for help. To shed light on your relationship with alcohol can be the starting point to understand how to resume control.
A concrete and reserved first step is to evaluate your relationship with alcohol with reliable tools. For this we have made available a test on free and anonymous alcoholism, with an immediate result. The questionnaire that we offer is an Italian version of the ALCOHOL USE DISORDERS IDENTIFICATION TEST (AUDIT), an internationally used tool to identify a possible risk consumption.
Whatever the result, if you feel the need to talk about it, remember that you are not alone. A path of therapy can offer you that safe and non -judging space you need to explore the roots of your malaise and build, together with a professional, new ways to face life.
