Alcoholics/addicts are biologically different from other people

People begin using alcohol and/or drugs for a variety of reasons. They may use them because they feel depressed, anxious, sad, lonely or to create courage, excitement, to socialize, celebrate etc., The alcoholic/addict is no different in this respect and an association is established in the minds of most drinkers and users that alcohol/drugs = pleasure/relief. This is usually reinforced by some enjoyable experiences connected with drinking/using and by the social acceptability of alcohol, and of drugs within youth and other sub-cultures. 

However, while the majority of people can use alcohol without becoming chemically dependent upon it, (and a tiny minority can use some drugs occasionally without becoming hooked), alcoholics/addicts are biologically different from other people. Their chemical make-up is different, so that sooner or later they become physically dependent on the substance. This may result from genetic inheritance, (This is a very controversial statement and not agreed upon by everyone in the scientific community -- Some believe anyone can become addicted to alcohol if it’s used long enough and in a large enough quantity. The label of Alcoholic can be very misleading – The abuse of alcohol is not any different then the abuse of other drugs – Alcohol is a drug. .)or from regular drinking/using whereby their body chemistry undergoes a qualitative change and their bodies can no longer live without alcohol and/or drugs.

Unlike others, they are no longer able to « take it or leave it », but come to be dependent on alcohol/drugs for all pleasure/relief in their lives. Eventually, the only pleasure the alcoholic/addict gets is derived from taking the next drink/drug in order to ward off the horrible discomfort of withdrawal. In fact, the continued use of the alcohol/drugs actually creates depression, anxiety, paranoia and mental illness. Gradually, alcohol/drugs come to mean more and more pain for the dependent person. They have only two means of escape - death or sobriety.

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