Although alcohol addiction generally develops during adolescence or even childhood, it can manifest itself at any time in a person's life. Alcohol addiction, or alcoholism, is defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (American Psychiatric Association) as a development disease characterized by the abuse of and dependence upon ethanol (found in alcoholic beverages and other products). Like many diseases, vulnerability to alcohol addiction will vary from person to person. However, there are a number of risk factors that contribute to an increased vulnerability of alcohol addiction.
Early Use
Although addiction to alcohol can begin at any age, scientific research demonstrates that the tendency toward abuse or addiction increases with the earlier a person begins consuming alcohol. As published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (2003), the motive behind early alcohol use can vary: it can be due to genetic predisposition, family environment, child abuse or many other biological and social factors. Regardless of reason, studies show that early use of alcohol and other illicit substances is a strong predictor for developing abuse and addiction problems later in life.
Home Environment
The environment to which a person is exposed has particular influence on the behavior he will adopt during his lifetime. This is especially the case with childhood exposure to addiction as children are particularly impressionable in these years. The National Institute for Drug Abuse emphasizes that the home environment---particularly the relationships and interactions with parents---is the most important influence to a child: family members with alcohol or drug addictions increase their children's chance of developing similar addiction problems.
Social Environment
Outside of the home an individual can be influenced heavily by friends and schoolmates. In fact, according to National Institute for Drug Abuse, an adolescent's social peers and academic acquaintances exert the greatest amount of influence on her behavior. Alcohol-consuming peers can persuade others to try alcohol and encourage drinking habits regardless of whether or not that adolescent has a predisposition toward addiction. The NIDA also reports that poor academic performance and inadequate social skills can increase the risk for alcohol abuse.
Biological Framework
The biological framework of an individual will always put him at greater risk for alcohol addiction. A considerable amount of research exists to sustain the notion that alcoholism runs in families. Alcohol Health Research World (1978), the Journal of American Psychology (1988) and the Journal of the American Medical Association (1992) all present scientific data supporting the role that genetics play in a person's vulnerability to alcohol addiction: An estimated 40 to 60 percent of an individual's susceptibility to addiction is determined by genetic factors, including the expression of genes and the effect of the external environment on such gene expression. Other biological considerations include gender, ethnicity and mental health, which have been shown to place some people at greater risk for alcohol abuse than the general population.
Expert Insight
Individuals can increase their own risk of alcohol addiction regardless of whether they are influenced by genetics, environment or early exposure to drinking. Many studies discuss the consequences that result from an individual's initial decision to consume alcohol, especially those studies incorporating brain imaging like that published in Science Practice Perspectives (2007). The decision to use alcohol or drugs, the study explains, is typically a voluntary one. Yet once such choices are made, such use and abuse can impair the person's capacity for self-control. This is due to the fact that alcohol and drugs produce physical changes in the portions of the brain responsible for decision-making, judgment, memory, learning and behavior. This altering of the brain's biochemical functioning is believed to contribute to the compulsive and detrimental behaviors that come with addiction.
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