When I take a look at people around me, most of them drink. Some are problem drinkers, some are social drinkers, and others are clearly addicted.

Statistically, I would say 50 to 60% of people I know drink in varying amounts. They all naturally have their own personal reasons for doing so, as did I, back when I still drank.

Alcohol changed the way I perceived both of myself and of my surrounding reality. Alcohol literally changed it into something I clearly preferred over their sober versions. It was like I can’t stand the banality and alcohol allowed me to transcend it.

I think that is the real reason why I started to use alcohol regularly. It gave me a change of perception. I felt different. Hanging out in clubs was different when I was sober, buzzed, and happily drunk. Way way different. More alcohol (to a certain extent, until I throw up) always meant more enjoyment. I started becoming addicted to it and my drinking became more serious. I needed it to sleep. I needed it to travel. I needed it to enjoy a vacation. I needed it to rest. The altered state it created just appealed to me more and more.

The way out for me was a complete lifestyle change. One that allowed me to enjoy my present moment without the need for alcohol. I needed to find a way where my sober state was good enough that I can stay there in that moment and not wish to be somewhere else. I achieved this by joining sports clubs, taking new classes, and taking on new business challenges to really keep me busy and in a trail of achievement.

I don’t know if this can work for others but I know it sure is worth the try.

Some alcoholics are closet drinkers. They drink alone and at home. They do it out of other people’s radars and thus cause no concern for others. They harm no one and put nobody else in danger so no one really notices. Quite often, friends and co-workers may not even have a clue that a person is an alcoholic even though a family member may know or suspect it is the case.

Some people say this type of alcohol problem is common among stay at home parents, homemakers and the elderly although there are no current peer-reviewed data that clearly reveal it.

While a closet alcoholic may be less trouble than a violent or troublesome drinker, they do havoc to their own bodies nonetheless. They also suffer the full physical and mental consequences of alcohol addiction, its effects on the body, nervous system and brain function. Also, the mere act of hiding it can create a more or less reclusive personality and can lead to many personal problems down the line.

Alcoholism is an addictive preoccupation with alcoholic beverages to the extent that it interferes negatively with your regular personal, family, social, and work life. Often, alcoholics will fail to recognize how the behavior has insidiously affected their own lives and the lives of those around them.

Alcoholism is one of the world’s most costly drug use problems. Despite all of the focus on drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamines, alcohol remains the number one drug problem in the United States and the second in the whole world.

It includes four major symptoms:

• Craving - This signifies a strong need and desire to take alcoholic beverages when there is no real physiological need to do so.

• Impaired control - Alcoholics are often unable to control and moderate their drinking. This is why many people with alcohol problem are advised not to even touch alcohol anymore.

• Physical dependence - This refers to physical withdrawal symptoms sufferers often go through when alcohol is not supplied, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety.

• Tolerance - The need for increasing amounts of alcohol in order to derive enjoyment and satisfaction, as well as to quelch the desire.

Alcoholism is considered a chronic, progressive disease that, if untreated, can lead to both physical and psychological pain.