This paper will show that alcoholism is a disease, and not just something people do because they want to. It will show why people drink, and the effects drinking too much alcohol has on them. Alcoholism is a chronic disease in which people have a craving for alcohol which they cannot control (Alcohol; Alcoholism; Smith). They cannot stop drinking even when it causes them serious harm such as medical problems, loss of their job, and automobile crashes. No one knows what causes people to drink, but studies have shown that some of the cause may be inherited from parents who drink heavily, and psychological and social factors affect the development of the disease. Alcoholism cannot be cured, but it can be treated in various ways which help alcoholics avoid drinking.
Scientists think that genetic factors may make some people drink too much (Alcohol; Alcoholism/Mayo). Alcoholism might also be caused by an imbalance in the chemicals in the brain. If people are very stressed, or very anxious, or hurt emotionally, they may start drinking too much. If people are depressed or do not feel good about themselves, they may drink because it makes them feel better. People sometimes drink too much because their friend or their husband or wife drink too much and they don't want to be left out. Some people think it is glamorous to drink because all the ads and television and the movies make it look like something exciting and fun to do.
Doctors and scientists have shown that you do not have to drink heavily to be an alcoholic (Alcoholism). The most severe forms of alcoholism are called alcohol dependence. People who drink less are said to have an alcohol abuse problem and this can mean they just drink moderate amounts. Each individual who develops a dependence on alcohol is different, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Alcoholics develop a strong urge to drink even though they know that...