Expert: Druideck - 2/17/2009

Question
Hi fellow Canucklehead!
Can you mull over some questions please?
 1.I can go for weeks without booze, or just having a couple drinks like normal.
However for some reason, every few weeks, when I am having a drink, I get this urge to get totally drunk-damn the torpedos, never mind what is in store for tomorrow.
Is this the behaviour of an alcoholic? Its like a switch goes off in my brain I cant turn off.
1. My Grandmother used to say that I reminded her of my Dad. For a couple days after he drank he was all anxious and depressed until he returned to his normal happy state.
I have tried to figure out why I am like this. Is it hereditary? A friend says that alcohol increases cortisol production and the cortisol is what is making me feel this way. Have you heard of this?
3. I have an estranged son that lives in another city.
I have sporadic contact,recently through Facebook. He is behaving the same way I was at his age-drinking too much, getting beligerant when drunk,etc.
Is this an indication of the hereditary aspect?
Thanks!

Answer
Good day,

it does sound like you are
possibly developing a harmful
dependence on the booze.

The desire to drink no matter the
consequence signals a loss of control.
Alcohol is a depressant as it
acts on the nervous system.

The cortisol has more of a brain
numbing feature as it is produced
in reaction to the bodies perceived stress
caused by drinking.

I believe in the hereditary aspect
to some degree. Most alcoholics
don't realize they will be alcoholics
when they first start drinking.

Alcohol does not cause people to
be alcoholic. They are predisposed
to alcoholism and if they stop
early on can avoid the downward
spiral associated with alcohol abuse.

The possibility of one drinker
spawning another are high but
often one child may have more
problem than another.
It seems to be part of our chemical
makeup that makes us respond so
badly to alcohol over time.

Alcohol numbs feelings that we
would rather avoid, like fear, anxiety,
low self worth, and anger.
When we feel low we drink, we also drink
when we are already feeling okay.

After awhile we drink with no reason
whatsoever and start making
excuses as to why we drink
and how we could quit if we really wanted
too. But we never want to and some people
follow this logic until death or jail
or insanity takes over.
It is the only illness that blocks
you mentally from seeing that you have it.
This is what they call denial.

Alcoholics lose control of when and
how much they drink and then finally
they lose the ability to stop on
their own will power, this
is when treatment/rehab and AA are needed
to halt the alcoholism process.
You lose the power of choice at some
point, this is alcoholism.