Alcohol Dependency

Alcohol is considered a drug based on the fact that it affects a persons emotional and physical state. This change in the persons emotional and physical state is called intoxication. There are four stages of alcoholism; Problem drinking, tolerance, dependence, and alcoholism.

Problem drinking happens when a person starts to drink regularly. Whether it is social drinking, drinking to avoid stress or boredom, or drinking just because they think its fun. A problem drinker may also start to drink at inappropriate times. If these problem drinkers drink to often, they may build a tolerance to alcohol, which is the second stage of alcoholism. When a person developes a tolerance, their body requires more alcohol to receive the same affect. The more time they spend drinking and recovering from drinking, the more time is lost with their work, families, and friends. People who build a tolerance to alcohol often become paranoid and secretive as they try to hide their problem.

Dependence is the third step of alcoholism. This is where a person's body starts to need alcohol to function normally. If a person with a dependence stops drinking, they may experience withdrawals like sweating, shaking, and nausea. Dependence leads to the last stage, alcoholism. Alcoholism is where a person becomes completely addicted to alcohol. They care about it over all other things. They crave alcohol and think about its constantly. In sever cases, a person may substitute food with an alcoholic beverage.

Alcohol can have some very serious side affects on the body. While drinking alcohol, you heart has to work harder due to dialated blood vessels and it makes your liver work harder. As a part of long term and more serious affects, alcohol can cause liver problems and brain damage.

Drinking is legal at age 21, but just because it is legal does not mean it is harmless. Alcohol abuse kills thousands every year. The best way to avoid