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Development and Risk Factors of Alcoholism
Dr. Elliot Gruen has over 30 years of experience as a psychiatrist treating patients for mental illnesses like substance abuse and alcoholism at St. Mary's Regional Medical Center. Alcoholism is the third most common mental illness in the United States, affecting around 10% of men and 4% of women, or 14 million total. There is no single cause of alcoholism, but factors like family history, other mental illnesses, lack of social support, early alcohol use, and social circles with heavy drinkers can predispose someone to developing alcoholism.
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Development and Risk Factors of Alcoholism
- 1. By Dr. ElliotGruen
- 2. As apsychiatrist experienced in inpatient settings, Dr. Elliot Gruen has treated patients for a wide variety of mental illnesses. Dr. Elliot Gruen has served with St. Mary's Regional Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine, for more than 30 years, in the course of which he has cared for patients in the substance abuse unit as well as for those in the adult and inpatient wards. Alcoholism, a severe form of alcohol use disorder, leads as the third most common mental illness in the United States. It affects approximately 10 percent of men and 4 percent of women nationwide, or a total of approximately 14 million individuals. It is characterized by an extreme dependence on alcohol, to the degree that the individual develops an increased tolerance and experiences withdrawal symptoms in the absence of the drug.
- 3. The disorderhas no single known cause, though scientists believe that personal and family medical history may increase an individual's risk. Other mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, and related mood disorders may contribute to a predisposition to alcoholism, as may antisocial tendencies or the absence of a strong social network. Persons with a history of abuse and those who had a first drink between the ages of 11 and 14 can also be predisposed, as can those whose social circles include regular and heavy drinkers.