Why Do I Have Alcohol Cravings

Craving alcohol is a complicated process that involves several different factors. We are usually first introduced to alcohol at a young age (in our teens). Since no-one under the age of 21 (in the US) is allowed to purchase alcohol, it becomes “cool” and desirable for young adults under 21 to give drinking a try.

Later on people grab a bottle of booze to feel better, gain more confidence in a social setting or to forget about their problems. Since the alcohol makes them feel better, at least temporarily, they start to crave it.

Each year in the United States, roughly 5,000 young people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking. This includes about 1,900 deaths from motor vehicle accidents.

Consuming alcohol on a regular basis also becomes a habit after a while, just like driving down a familiar road. If there is a problem, or a social setting that calls for alcohol, you may be grabbing that bottle of beer or glass of wine without even thinking about it. This could eventually cause an alcohol addiction.

Once you get in the habit of drinking alcohol on a more or less regular basis, your body gets used to the alcohol in the blood stream and reacts with withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking. These withdrawal symptoms can range from mild to severe.

Underage drinking costs Americans nearly $53 billion annually. If this cost were shared equally by each congressional district, the amount would total more than $120 million per district.

Is Alcohol Really Dangerous Or Addictive?

Yes, alcohol can be extremely dangerous. One of the most common diseases associated with alcohol addiction is liver cirrhosis, which causes liver cells to die and the tissue to harden as a result of drinking. It is by no means the only danger to your health.

Drinking can also lead to heart disease, stroke, dementia and brain damage, cancer (including liver cancer, colon cancer and breast cancer in women).

Individuals who have achieved remission but who discontinue participation in Alcoholics Anonymous are at increased risk for relapse; individuals who have not stopped drinking and who discontinue participation in Alcoholics Anonymous are more likely to continue drinking.

What Can I Do To Curb My Alcohol Cravings?

If you just crave the occasional glass of wine or beer, make sure you are aware of the craving and make a conscious choice to have a glass, or skip it. Don’t let your cravings or emotions make the decision for you.

If you find yourself addicted to alcohol and are unable to not give in to the cravings, please seek professional alcohol addiction help. Alcohol addiction is very serious and the earlier you seek help and treatment, the easier it will be to kick the habit and take control over your alcohol cravings.

What causes alcohol abuse? Many factors influence a person's initial alcohol use. Personality characteristics, peer pressure, and psychological stress can all contribute to the early stage of alcohol abuse. These factors are less important as alcohol use continues and the person repeatedly experiences the potent pharmacological effects.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Diana_Walker

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There are perhaps two key driving forces in the alcohol testing movement in the workplace and by police officers at alcohol checkpoints. In the workplace, the major factor in the development of random alcohol tests for employees concerns the on-the-job alcohol-related fatalities, accidents, and injuries. Regarding the alcohol checkpoints, the main motivating factor is the extreme number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities that occur on U.S. highways every year. Due to these two major factors, chances are good that alcohol testing will continue and probably will increase in the workplace and on the highway.

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