When you take a long look at people suffering from alcohol abuse or alcoholism, you will probably notice a variety of men and women of various ages and from all walks of life. In one corner of the room, a 25-year old male medical student may be sitting next to a 45-year old woman from the inner city. In the other corner of the room, you may meet a 30-year old man who was abused by an alcoholic parent and an 18-year old woman with a comorbid mental illness. Overall, people will alcohol problems come in a variety of forms and carry the same baggage the rest of the world does. Still, we have to ask one question: are some groups of people more prone to alcohol abuse and alcoholism than other groups? Let’s take a closer look and find out some more information.
College Campus Trouble
Regardless of how young adults were raised prior to attending college, binge drinking on campuses has pretty much become the rite of passage (particularly at aptly named “party schools”). How many times have you seen pictures of drunk college students letting loose at frat parties on TV and in films? Sadly, alcohol has become something of a commodity on campus, and students are sometimes guilt-tripped into partaking (all for the purpose of fitting in).
Child Abuse Leads to Alcohol Abuse
Obviously, having a family history of alcohol abuse and alcoholism does not help a person down the road, but abuse at the hands of an alcoholic parent (or parents) will only cement this problem further. Based on a report from the University of Maryland, 75% of women who suffer from substance abuse had confirmed they had been victimized by physical or sexual abuse. In this sense, drugs and booze are coping mechanisms, masks to hide a sense of insecurity and fear.
Mental Illness Is a Factor
One particular group of people who suffer from particularly high rates of addiction are mentally ill people. In fact, scientists have confirmed that schizophrenics typically suffer from some form of substance abuse or addiction. Bipolar disorder is also a massive determinant for developing this mental illness. In many cases, as therapists point out, these victims will start drinking alcohol to cope with terrifying symptoms and manic behavior (self-medication, of sorts).
Seeking Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder
Always remember that alcohol does not have control over your life. You do. Are you suffering from a substance use disorder or a severe form of addiction? Do you have a friend or family member suffering from one or more of these debilitating illnesses? If you do, get in touch with Asana Recovery today. Our counselors and healthcare experts are ready to walk you through every step of the detox and withdrawal process and rehabilitation and guide you towards living a happier, healthier, and freer lifestyle. While the road to recovery might not be an easy road to travel, we promise to help you every step of the way. Take the first step to stay fit, healthy, and safe.
The time for you to take back control of your life is now. If you are interested in one of our residential treatment or supervised detoxification/withdrawal programs, we are ready and waiting to speak with you at your disclosure. Call Asana now at (949) 438-4504 to learn how to overcome your alcohol abuse or addiction troubles today.
