What is Alcohol Dependence
Alcohol dependence is a powerful driving force that develops deep in the brain and increasingly determines your drinking. No longer is it your choice.
The driving force of alcohol dependence increasingly controls your daily life.
It causes damage to your physical and mental health, your work capacity, your brain functioning and your relationships. Alcohol becomes more important than other aspects of life. For some people, their body gets so used to functioning with alcohol that they develop a compulsive need for it.
In short, alcohol dependence causes your life to unravel.
Some things that can contribute to alcohol dependence:
- Life stresses, such as your situation at work or home
- Difficult personal relationships
- Hurtful / traumatic experiences from the past
- An underlying medical or mental health disorder
If you, your partner, a family member or friend find it increasingly difficult to stop drinking after two or three drinks, you may be alcohol dependent.
Signs of alcohol dependence can include:
- Arguments with family members about drinking
- Anxiety at facing a social situation without a drink
- Having an urge or strong desire to drink
- Inability to stop drinking once you have started
- Feeling annoyed when other people comment on, or criticise your drinking habits
- Inability to control your behaviour
- Continuing to drink even though you have health problems that are affected or caused by your drinking
- Feeling remorse or guilt after drinking
- Difficulty in managing feelings
- Poor judgement
- Risky behaviour - putting yourself or others in danger
- Focusing recreational activities around obtaining alcohol, drinking or recovering from alcohol use
- Drinking alone or in secret
Some people experience just one of these at the start. Some experience them all.
Click here to find out how you can beat alcohol dependence.
