Facts about alcoholism
Various factors can foster alcoholism. Genetic predisposition, learned behavior, and childhood experiences, including abuse, are all thought to foster alcoholism. Progression of the disease varies from one person to another. For some, it develops as soon as they begin to drink; for most people, however, it progresses slowly from periodic social drinking to more frequent indulgence until finally the person is addicted. Some alcoholics are binge drinkers and can go for weeks or even months without alcohol. But once they have a drink, they are unable to stop until they are incapacitated or pass out. Although these drinkers have difficulty maintaining sobriety, they are unlikely to suffer severe withdrawal symptoms when they abstain. In other cases, abstinence of 12 to 24 hours will produce withdrawal symptoms, such as sweating, irritability, nausea, vomiting, and weakness.
