Common Reasons Why People Begin to Drink Alcohol Heavily

Most people in Western society drink alcohol, to some extent. Alcoholism is more common than you would think. The problem is a lot of alcoholics don’t realise they’re drinking too much, so the condition goes untreated by alcohol rehab clinics and they find themselves dying as a result of an alcohol-related illness. There are many reasons as to why someone may start to drink heavily. We are going to explore some of those reasons now.

Peer Pressure and Why Do We Drink Alcohol as Much

We have a big drinking culture in the US and the UK, and it is not only amongst young people. Even though you may not want to drink, you can feel compelled to. The dreaded drinking buddy is at the heart of this. Your only real connection and the only thing you have in common is that you both drink. Drug rehab clinics will spend hours telling you about the dangers of this person in your life.

Curiosity as a Cause for Us to Drink Alcohol

Younger people who have never tried alcohol before may drink because they are curious. This is something that can easily spiral out of control if they continue to experiment, though. In particular, problems can start to occur when they begin to turn to hard liquor. At this point, they will start to mix drinks and see how much they can hold before they vomit.

Most young people experiment responsibly, but this is a dangerous road to tread.

General Stress

Alcohol is ultimately a drug and a form of escapism. Rehab clinics recognise that the core of alcoholism is the desire to escape from the realities of life. During stressful periods, people will start to drink because it allows them to feel relaxed. They can get away from what is bothering them. If someone lives a stressful lifestyle, this can go on for years because they become dependent on alcohol to relax.

Mental Conditions

We all go through traumas in our life. Thankfully, most people have few problems getting over these issues. They will simply put it to the backs of their minds and get on with their lives. For others, trauma will manifest itself as depressing, recurring nightmares, and hallucinations. These people turn to alcohol because it is the only way they can deal with it. Again, this is a form of escapism.

Mental conditions must be treated and diagnosed separately. Alcohol drinking is only a symptom. It is not the cause of anything. The problem is these mental conditions often go undiagnosed because of this misunderstanding.

Resistance

Alcohol gives off a pleasant buzz. That is part of the attraction of drinking in the first place. The issue is resistance develops the more you drink. It will take longer and longer for you to feel that same buzz, so you have to keep drinking and drinking until you get it. At the same time, your body may become resistant to the negative effects of alcohol. You will not get drunk, so nobody will assume you have a problem.

This is the most common form of alcoholism and the most hazardous. By the time anyone notices a problem, it is far too late.

We believe it is important to understand why people drink heavily and find themselves in rehab clinics. Through a better understanding of alcoholism, alcohol rehab clinics can deliver a better quality of treatment.