When Love for Alcohol Turns into Addiction

Published 11 Jan.2022 16:30(KST)

Updated 11 Jan.2022 16:30(KST)

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People Who Love Drinking, Gather Around!

When Love for Alcohol Turns into Addiction

The phrase “I like drinking~” can have two meanings. It can refer to someone who enjoys the ‘drinking party’ or someone who likes ‘alcohol’ itself. Until just a few years ago, the editor was closer to the former. They said they liked drinking because having fun together while getting drunk was enjoyable, but they still found alcohol itself bitter and unpleasant.

Then one day, late in the evening on the way home, suddenly the editor craved alcohol. Their body seemed to be drawn somewhere, heading toward a convenience store, and they returned home holding a bottle of soju. That day was the editor’s first solo drinking experience. With no one to talk to, the alcohol went down quickly. As they finished the bottle, their body felt tipsy and sleep came easily, as if they had taken a sleeping pill. From that day on, whenever the editor had trouble sleeping due to stress, they reached for alcohol first.

When this story was shared with a friend, the response was, “That’s an early sign of alcohol addiction!” Indeed, the editor was stepping into alcohol addiction. Suddenly, a sense of alarm arose, realizing that their unconscious behavior might be harming their health. So, for your proper drinking habits, we decided to thoroughly explore various aspects of alcohol addiction.

Alcohol Addiction, Why Does It Happen?

① Congenital Causes

This refers to cases inherited through family history. Children of parents with alcohol addiction have been found to have a four times higher dependency on alcohol compared to children of parents without it. The reason is that a substance called serotonin in our body is inherited, and the more developed this substance is, the better the ability to maintain happiness and calmness. Conversely, people with a serotonin deficiency easily feel anxiety and depression over small matters, leading them to seek alcohol to relieve these feelings.

② Acquired Causes

This refers to cases where stress is washed away through drinking. Why does drinking alcohol make people feel good? When alcohol enters the body, endorphins that provide satisfaction and happiness are released. These substances react similarly to opioids, which are narcotic painkillers, relieving fatigue and anxiety in the body. People become addicted to this abnormal pleasure to temporarily escape the pains of daily life. As a result, they continuously seek alcohol, which gradually develops into alcohol addiction.

What If This Urge Continues?

Love for alcohol can lead to addiction. To prevent this, it is best to recognize and prevent alcohol addiction from the start, but early symptoms are difficult to notice. To help, we have prepared representative examples. Check below and see if any of these apply to your usual habits.

① You drink to help you sleep.

② You cannot control the amount of alcohol you drink.

③ Social or interpersonal problems repeatedly arise due to drinking.

④ You experience memory blackouts after drinking.

⑤ You relieve stress by drinking.

⑥ The amount of alcohol you consume is gradually increasing.

⑦ You often drink alone.

⑧ You have no other hobbies besides drinking.

⑨ You try to quit drinking but fail.

⑩ Once you start drinking, it takes a long time to return to normal condition.

After these symptoms persist and you stop drinking, brain cells become excited, causing withdrawal symptoms such as hand tremors, anxiety, insomnia, and seizures. It starts simply with an increase in alcohol intake, but gradually self-control and regulation become impossible, and you cannot independently refuse alcohol. Even after recognizing the addiction problem, stopping it becomes difficult. If these symptoms appear, it is advisable to consult a doctor and combine psychological or medication treatment to improve the condition.

Alcohol, which you faced to relieve the fatigue of the day, can become poison if overused, just like anything else. To prevent this, avoid excessive drinking! Always maintain a proper drinking culture.