What exactly is the cause of alcoholism? Are there people who are more prone to becoming alcoholic than others? There are a number of reasons why a person becomes an alcoholic, and here are some of them:
- Genetics. This means that you are prone to becoming an alcoholic due to your parents or grandparents being alcoholics. While there is really no guarantee that a child who is born of an alcoholic parent will definitely become one, the risks are greater and there is a predisposition to becoming one due to family history.
- Emotional / Depression. A person may be prone to becoming an alcoholic if they are the type of person who is prone to looking for a coping device, like alcohol, to handle the stresses of life.
- Psychological. Similarly, people who are suffering from a low self-esteem or other similar psychological problems may turn to alcohol to get them to have the courage to face peers, make friends, date, and other social activities.
- Social. The reason why a person may start drinking is peer pressure and wanting to fit in. If friends drink, he is likely to drink too to not feel left out or to be accepted by his peers.
- Frequency. Social drinking or drinking to unwind can actually lead to alcoholism. When you keep on drinking alcohol, your tolerance level increases. In time, you will find that you will need to consume more alcohol to get the desired relaxing effect that you used to have with only a single glass of alcoholic beverage.