Alcoholism is a problem that hurts a lot of people. It is a problem that the alcoholic may not even know they have. The symptoms of alcoholism are sometimes so severe that they affect every aspect of the alcoholic’s life. Alcoholism is a progressive disease that doesn’t happen overnight, but continues every day once the disease is a “normal” part of their life. There is hope for the alcoholic through treatment, but the hardest part for any alcoholic is admitting they need help beating the disease. Alcoholism is not easy to deal with for anyone.

The definition of Alcoholism is habitual intoxication or a persistent desire to drink alcoholic beverages to excess. It has been qualified as a medical disease so that alcoholics can get the help they need. It doesn’t only affect the alcoholic. It affects their family, friends, and co-workers. An alcoholic is one when it is a necessity to drink instead of a once in a while thing to do.
When an alcoholic gets sick with the disease, it is sometimes not easy to tell why. Sometimes the alcoholic will use alcohol as a medicine to mask difficulties at home or work. Sometimes they can have so much pain in their lives they use alcohol to feel good. The only problem is that the good feelings don’t last long, so it takes more and more alcohol to get back that good feeling.

For the alcoholic, their symptoms that encourage them to drink are many. High stress or anxiety can make them want to drink. They may feel mad at their situation at home or work so they drink to feel better. They may be really sad so they try to feel good using alcohol. They may be bored or angry. Or they might really hate themselves and are trying to destroy themselves.

As the disease progresses from a long time of abusing alcohol, it causes health and mental problems. An alcoholic may have a poor memory of events. Their reasoning skills turn bad and they make poor choices. They are more likely to act on impulse instead of thinking things through. They may get irritable and violent. An alcoholic’s liver, eyesight, and appearance all get affected which are unhealthy. Sometimes the alcoholic can even black out and do some very bad things or bizarre behavior.

There is hope for the people who are alcoholics. There is Alcoholics Anonymous which is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. There are substance abuse programs that help the alcoholic break free by using detoxification and medical help. Counseling can also help the alcoholic to recover.

Alcoholism is very damaging to the alcoholic’s behavior, mind, and body. The symptoms of alcoholism are sometimes so severe that they can kill the alcoholic. Knowing there is help available to help them, the alcoholics should go get help just like a sick person would go to the doctor. Alcoholism doesn’t just hurt the alcoholic; it hurts all the people around them as well.