ALCOHOLISM CAUSES

No one really knows, but experts do agree that the disease's development is influenced by many forces: hereditary, social, psychological, and environmental.

Today, many researchers believe that most of the harmful effects seen in alcoholics are caused by a build-up of a toxic metabolic by-product of alcohol called acetaldehyde. This substance may interact with brain chemicals to create a physiological need for the alcoholic to continue drinking, scientists believe. It may also cause cell damage in many organs.

Curiously, a strong tolerance for alcohol may predict the development of alcoholism later in life. Young men who can "drink others under the table," for example, have a higher risk of becoming alcoholics than their peers who cannot. One theory is that young men with a high early tolerance have a neurochemical deficiency that allows them to drink more alcohol before feeling its intoxicating effects. This way, the disease can sneak up on them before they realise what's happening.