Alcohol abuse disorder can be caused by different factors. Prolonged periods of alcohol consumption can cause the brain to rely on alcohol to produce certain chemicals. This can make it more difficult for people who are heavy drinkers to quit and also leave them with withdrawal symptoms. The most common causes of alcoholism are social factors, biological factors, environmental factors and psychological factors. There are risk factors that need to be considered that can lead to a greater potential for alcoholism. Risk factors do not mean that you will become an alcoholic. What they indicate is that there may be a need for more awareness around how a person relates to alcohol. It can also indicate if preventative measures may be valuable. Drinking alcohol as an adolescent is a risk factor. Experimenting while young has an impact on problems that can arise later in life. This is truer if the person starts drinking as an adolescent. Family history plays a part. Growing up around family members who abuse alcohol increases the risk that you will as well1q2w. When you see the people around you drink excessively it may appear to be normal. High levels of stress can lead to wanting to reduce that stress. Drinking may feel like it helps to reduce stress, but it can turn problematic. Peer pressure is a problem. When someone close to you drinks excessively, you may be more willing to join them. Peer pressure can lead to problems in the future, as well as health complications. Frequent use of alcohol over long periods of time significantly increases the likelihood of developing an alcohol problem. The more you drink, the more tolerance you develop, and the more alcohol you will want to consume to reach the feeling the effect that you are looking for.