Alcoholism In the United States alone, alcoholism affects millions of people and costs the country billions of dollars each year. What is Alcoholism? People who drink regularly enough to affect their family or work responsibilities and who drink in a way that puts ~them in erous situations are said to abuse alcohol. Although they use alcohol in an unhealthy way, people who suffer from alcohol abuse do not necessarily develop a physical dependence upon alcohol. Alcoholics, on the other hand, have a chronic disease. They are physically dependent upon alcohol. They feel a need to drink, almost in the same way that most people feel the need to eat. And once alcoholics start drinking, they are unable to stop. They develop a tolerance to alcohol, requiring more and more drinks to feel the same effects. When an alcoholic tries to cut down or stop drinking, he or she experiences the symptoms of withdrawal: sweating, nausea, shakiness, anxiety and delirium tremens. More than 17 million Americans abuse alcohol or are alcoholic. Alcoholism affects men more than women: About 10 percent of men, compared to 3 to 5 percent of women, become alcoholics over the course of their lifetime. Alcoholism is more prevalent among younger people than among older people. How Does Someone Become an Alcoholic? Why is it that some people can drink socially and not become addicted while others become alcoholics? The reason has to do with a combination of genetic, physiological, psychological and social factors. Genes may be an important factor triggering the development of alcoholism. Research has indicated that children of alcoholics are four times more likely to become alcoholics themselves and while this statistic is at least partly due to environmental factors, scientists have determined that there is a genetic link. Physiologically, alcohol alters the balance of chemicals in the brain. It affects chemicals in the brain's reward center. The body ually craves alcohol to restore pleasurable feelings and avoid negative feelings. People who already suffer from high stress or psychological problems such as low self esteem and depression are at higher risk for developing alcoholism. Social factors such as peer pressure, advertising and environment also play an important role in the development of alcoholism. Young people often start drinking because their friends are doing so, Beer and liquor ads on television tend to portray drinking as a glamorous exciting pastime. What Happens When You Drink When you take a drink, about 20 percent of the alcohol is absorbed in your stomach the remaining 80 percent is absorbed in your small intestine. How quickly the alcohol is absorbed depends upon the concentration of the alcohol in the drink and whether you've just eaten a big meal. A full stomach will slow down alcohol absorption. After the alcohol is absorbed, it enters your bloodstream and is carried throughout your body. As the alcohol acts upon the body, the body is simultaneously working to remove it. The kidneys and lungs remove about 10 percent of the alcohol in the urine and the breath. The liver breaks down the rest of the alcohol into acetic acid. After just a few drinks, the physical effects of alcohol become apparent. These effects are related to the blood alcohol concentration(BAC). The BAC goes up when the body is taking in alcohol faster than it can release it. Alcohol and the Brain Alcohol affects brain chemistry by altering levels of neurotransmitters(神经传递素). Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that transmit the signals throughout the body that control thought processes, behavior. and emotion. In the short term, alcohol can cause blackouts -- short-term memory lapses in which people forget what occurred over entire stretches of time. The long-ter