Re: Is alcohol addiction a physical or mental one?
While there are physical mechanisms for the mental processes...
I've also thought a lot about this as alcohol is one of the few drugs that I have a serious lack of control with once under the influence.
At one time, I was forced to take breathalyzers every 12 hours and, having to make sure I'd blow .000, I figured out I could drink 1/2 pint or 4 light beers after the test. Having to stop drinking after that bit really brought to light the physical discomfort I got when the buzz was dimishing. In the AA literature, they speculate that alcoholics are biologically different, have an allergy of sorts... well this ongoing experience really led me to agree with that. I don't think non-addicts get such a physical discomfort from the effects of alcohol wearing off.
I recently came across a post here that lead me to look at Olivier Ameisen's book on his medically treated recovery from alcoholism, which gave a different perspective on the issue. (from reading the summary and some reviews...) He seems to have diagnosed the underlying cause of his addiction as being rooted in anxiety, and he treated the physiological-based issue by taking a certain type of muscle relaxer. I found this to be a valid explanation based on my personal experience after stopping drinking. While I reached over 30 months sober (due to court pressure first and then on my own as well), I was plagued with severe anxiety practically the whole time. But Ameisen's view seems complicate your (and mine) question though, because if anxiety is a physiological problem, then what is a mental problem? If the mental aspect is simply the habit, I personally don't think that is the source of the addiction (even this is confusing.. I mean it like this- the addiction only developed with the development of the habit).
I'm sorry if this doesn't make much sense. I confuse myself trying to discuss it. Hopefully some more lucid posters will jump in.
Re: Is alcohol addiction a physical or mental one?
Drinkers develop a tolerance to alcohol, which is one of the features of a physically addictive substance. There can also be craving, which can be a feature of both physical and psychological dependency, although not necessarily. If an individual is physically dependent on alcohol, and stops drinking, then signs of withdrawal may soon become apparent.
These can be life threatening, leading to delirium tremens (DTs). DTs will often result in tactile and sometimes visual hallucinations. There is also a risk of seizure, which can progress into status epilepticus (a life threatening epileptic fit that won't stop).
So alcohol addiction has a physical component. There is also strong evidence for a genetic predisposition to both alcohol and drug dependency.
I doubt if anyone could deny that there is also a psychological component to alcohol dependancy. Many people are dependent on alcohol, but not necessarily physically addicted. Alcohol is often used as a social lubricant, due to it's use as an anxiolytic. There are physical, psychological, and social factors that "drive us to drink" whether we call ourselves addicted, dependent, or a problem drinker.
Re: Is alcohol addiction a physical or mental one?
Hello there Spirits
Mindless has already given some very good advice and has answered the question well, but I'll try to add to it... here goes
To give you a very brief answer - Alcohol is both physically and psychologically addictive.
For me and for at least some others ( but not necessarily for all people) , alcohol addiction or alcoholism occurs and is defined and experienced in the following ways :
1 : A person (let's call him John Doe for example) is experiencing a "low point" in their life. John feels down , or anxious or stressed or just generally "not good" for whatever reason. this can be for a short duration or something which has taken place over a protracted period (like maybe several months)
2 : John Doe "discovers" that when they have a drink they feel "better" less anxious, less stressed, less sad and generally more "happy and content"
3 : Psychological addiction (can) start(s) to occur at this stage - John may well start to feel that this feeling is pleasant and is one that he wants to experience again in the very near future several times. - He may not even have had anything wrong in his life - but just for some reason , something clicks, and he decides or begins to feel that he "really likes" this feeling.
4 : For reasons explained above , John Doe continues to drink, indulging his now budding and growing psychological addiction lets say that he starts to drink at first once a week - then ever other day - and then every day. Lets say a month has gone past by this hypothetical time. Tolerance will probably have started by now, at least to some degree (but everyone is different). Tolerance means that more alcohol is required in order to experience the same effects on ones mind and body. Tolerance is a significant factor in alcohol addiction.
5 : More alcohol is consumed as a result of tolerance on a daily basis. As a result of these two significant factors which have now occured and are in place (Psychological addiction and Tolerance) - Physical addiction begins to take place.
6 : Physical Addiction is the third and final stage of Alcoholism (in my own experience and opinion at least). Physical addiction occurs as a result of the consistent , significantly large and chronic administration of Alcohol into john's body.
Technicallly Alcohol potentiates GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). It increases it's effects.
GABA basically inhibits the release of other neuro-transmitters (including adrenalin and nor-adrenalin) and by doing this GABA basically sedates us , slows us down , and makes us more relaxed and less anxious.
Also Alcohol consumption activates and has a causal effect in the (partially) dopamine based human reward system ([partially] located in the substantia niagra)
It has been discovered that drinking alcohol increases the release of dopamine and therefore it induces pleasure in this additional way also (this links back more though in a way to the reasons for psychological addiction as it makes us feel "good" and "happy")
7 : Physical addiction occurs after (perhaps - we are all different) several months of chronic alcohol consumption. Because of how it potentiates GABA - if this potentiation is allowed to continue on a regular daily basis - John's brain will begin to fight back against this (basically poisoning) of his system.
The GABA(a) receptors begin to desensitize and the ammount of these receptors decreases so alcohol has less effect when consumed (leading back to, and more specifically explaining tolerance)
When alcohol consumption abrubtly ends , (because GABA activity has been delibrately decreased because it is not needed when much alcohol is being consumed)
John's nervous system starts to rapidly and uncontrollably increase firing at the synapses (adrenalin , nor adrenalin and other neuro transmitters - im using adrenalin to explain the main point , but there are several neuro-transmitters affected in this way) - there is no longer any Alcohol to counter the decrease in GABA-ergic activity.
8. John will now suffer and undergo Alcohol Withdrawal - (commonly known as the DT's or the shakes etc) - his hands and other limb will begin to shake and tremor - he will sweat a lot - his brain and mind will go into overtime - too much adrenalin will lead to nervousness - the absence of dopamine in the reward system leads to feeling incredbly sad, John may start to throw up - shake in an even more pronounced manor - and (depending on how long and how severely he has been drinking) he may even have a FIT(convulsions) and even DIE
9. So to avoid extremely unpleasant Physical withdrawal symptoms - John may well decide to have another drink and not quit after all....
10.THis is Alcoholism, this is my best explanation of it - and my best answer to your question.
At this stage John is both Psychologically and Physically addicted , he psychologically "needs" to have the "happy/buzz/high/stupour" of the alcohol "hit.
And if he tries to stop or decrease his drinking he has physical withdrawal symptoms.
He is well and truly Psychologically and Physically addicted.
He has become an Alcoholic - (some people do not use this term though and i respect their choice) he is un-disputably though addicted to alcohol.
I have gone into a bit more detail than I initailly planned.
But I hope this post has helped explain as fully as i could, the answer to your question
