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Facts About Alcoholism
From various studies we now know the following facts about alcoholism:
- The alcoholic is commonly addicted to alcohol as well as caffeine, tobacco and other drugs, thus we hear the phrase the “addictive personality”. (Goodwin 46)
- The alcoholics tolerance for drinking builds over time, and requires more alcohol to feel the same effect. (Goodwin 12)
- Alcoholics sometimes experience “blackouts” — time gaps with no memory which occur for hours or days while intoxicated. (Goodwin 16)
- Alcoholics are three times more likely to be divorced than non-alcoholics, and have a death rate three to four times higher than non-alcoholics. (Goodwin 38)
- “Without exception, every family study of alcoholism has shown much higher rates of alcoholism among the relatives of alcoholics than occur in the general population.” (Goodwin 45)
- 40 percent of women abstain from drinking while only 23 percent of men abstain. A larger percentage of men who drink are considered heavy drinkers than women. Heavy drinking for both men and women peaked between ages 29 to 45. (Lender 179)