Alcoholism is a global pandemic affecting many countries today. There is no one factor that can be determined as the cause of alcohol abuse. The truth of the matter is that there are several factors that influence an individual to drink and develop dependence. One popular model that has tried to explain the factors that contribute to alcohol addiction is the Biopsychosocial Model. According to this model, the factors contributing to addictive behavior can be grouped as either biological, psychological, socio-cultural, or spiritual factors.
With the huge number of factors influencing a person’s chance of becoming an alcoholic, it is impossible to pinpoint which factor has a greater impact than another. A person can only control their personality and discipline towards drinking alcohol.
Internal and External Factors
Besides the Biopsychological Model of Addiction, factors contributing to alcohol abuse can be categorized as internal or external factors.
Internal factors
These are simply physical and psychological factors unique to every individual and which influence a person’s predisposition to abuse alcohol. They include the genetic makeup, psychological aspects like personality and preference, and drinking history of the person.
According to evidence-based studies, the genetic trait of a person can influence his likelihood to abuse alcohol. According to these studies, there is a 40 to 60% chance of getting the disorder through genes or heredity.
Some of the evidences supporting this claim include:
- There is a fourfold chance of individuals with alcoholic relatives to develop alcohol dependence.
- Subjects who are Alcohol-dependent and are an identical twin have a higher risk of alcohol abuse as compared to fraternal twins or full siblings.
- Adopted children who grow up with alcoholic parents are as likely as the natural offspring to get the disorder.
2. Psychological factors
Psychological factors refer to the status of an individual’s mental health that may cause the development of his alcohol use disorder. In many studies, people diagnosed with psychological disorders are more likely to progress to alcohol abuse. The psychological disorders associated with alcoholism include anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, personality disorder, stress, and substance dependence.
a. Depression
Approximately 30 to 40 percent of people suffering from alcohol use disorder also suffer from major depression. Depression could either be a pre-existing condition or an alcohol-induced condition.
60% of alcoholics, mostly men, experience alcohol-induced mood disorder because alcohol has a mood-altering effect. The remaining 40% are motivated by an unrelated state of depression.
b. Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder has the second highest incidence of alcohol abuse. 50 to 60 percent of the population suffering from alcoholism are also suffering from bipolar disorder. In addition, patients with bipolar disorder are more likely to abuse other drugs besides alcohol.
c. Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety disorder has the least incidence of developing alcoholism. Only 19.4 percent of the total population of alcoholics have anxiety disorder. The remaining portion have an independent anxiety disorder without cases of alcohol use disorder.
d. Traumatic Events
Traumatic events can drive an individual to alcohol abuse. People who have experienced such events at any stage in life have higher chances of resorting to alcohol drinking as a means of coping. In fact, many of the cases of alcohol dependence and mental illnesses are rooted in early-childhood trauma.
External factors
External factors refer to the environment surrounding an individual and which he has little or no control over. They include friends, family, norms, religion, education and work environment.
a. Social Media
Facebook and Twitter are the most popular and visited social media sites in the United States. What many people may not know is that social media motivates alcohol drinking behaviour especially among adolescents and young adults through the various alcohol-related content posted on the site. Social media platforms have millions of users who are exposed to the risk of progressing alcohol drinking behaviours.
b. Stress Reduction
Every aspect of life can be a cause of stress. Work, family, friends and practically anything can stress people out. As a result, most people turn to alcohol in the belief that it could alleviate the burdens of stress. Alcohol gives a ‘coping mechanism’ because it has a depressing effect on the brain by giving it that relaxation state.
c. Peer Pressure
Peer pressure is a leading factor in underage drinking in most societies. Most teenagers desire to belong and show some form of independence. As such, they believe drinking is a bold way of showing it. Social events also present opportunities to indulge in alcohol due to the pressure and excitement all around. Eventually, there is a significant increase in the risk of underage drinking and alcohol dependence.
d. Level of Education
A person’s level of education affects the chances of developing alcohol use disorder. Generally, people with a higher educational degree are less likely to abuse alcohol. People who failed to finish high school are 6.3 times more likely to become alcoholics compared to those who reached college. On the other hand, college dropouts are 3.01 times more likely to develop alcohol abuse unlike those who got a college degree.
e. Career
Alcohol abuse can be caused by the nature of a person’s job. Among the factors associated with it is the amount of work-related stress from the job. Some careers with significant levels of stress are associated with high alcohol abuse. Examples of such jobs include lawyers, transportation workers, doctors, architects, and protective security agents.
However, there are still some jobs that expose individuals to risks of becoming alcoholics even though they don’t cause a lot of stress. For example, bartenders are very likely to abuse alcohol due to the availability of drinks and mingling with others through drinking and eating.
Spiritual Factors
Spiritual factors are the core beliefs, values, and purpose that an individual holds on to. It is common to find alcoholics disregarding their own well-being. They have low standards of hygiene and hardly maintain a healthy lifestyle. This is because they have lost their sense of direction in life. Having strong values and a religious belief structure can often help a person resist alcohol cravings and dependence.
It is clear that there are many factors in play that can cause an individual to develop alcohol abuse.
