Alchoholism

Value
Uncommon, Strong: 10 Points • Uncommon, Total: 15 Points • Common, Strong: 15 Points • Common, Total: 20 Points
Description
A character with this Complication suffers from a compulsive and uncontrolled need to consume alcohol despite its negative effect's on the drinker's health, relationships, or social standing. Like other Drug Addictions, Alcoholism interferes with the character's daily life.
Long-term alcohol abuse can cause a number of physical problems for the character, including cirrhosis of the liver, Epilepsy, Dementia, Heart Disease, nutritional deficiencies, and sexual dysfunction, and can eventually be fatal. Alcoholic characters can also suffer Brain Damage, and their alcohol abuse can lead to many other psychological problems. Anxiety, Depression, Confusion, and even Schizophrenia may result.
When prevented from drinking, an Alcoholic character feels Restless and Irritable, and can come to suffer from "the Shakes". In addition, if his abstinance from alcohol continues long enough, he will begin to hallucinate. The character will generally lose interest in any activity that does not involve drinking.''
Alcoholics tend to lose interest in maintaining their mundane lives. They will spend hours in drunken stupors, and thus will lose time from their jobs, will disassociate from activities that involve their friends and family. Such characters are much more likely to become Loud and Obnoxious in public, and can become angry at a moment's notice. They are much more likely to become physically abusive toward their children and families, and are less resistant to the idea of criminal behavior.
A Frequency of Uncommon means that the addiction is not yet a serious problem for the character, and it only rarely affects the character's daily performance. A Frequency of Common means that the addiction is a very real problem, and the character's daily performance is seriously affected.
A player character should not take this Disadvantage with a frequency of Very Common, as this would mean that the character spends most of his active life filling the addiction. While that might properly simulate the struggles a true Alcoholic must go through, unless the campaign is centered on the character's struggles with addiction, it doesn't make for very exciting game play. Similarly, a character who possesses an addiction that has a Frequency less than Uncommon is not a true addict; rather, he just has a bad habit he enjoys indulging. The strength of the addiction (whether Strong or Total) determines the character's ability to resist giving in to the addiction when given a chance to indulge it.
See Also
Brain Damage, Dementia, Drug Addiction, Easily Confused, Heart Disease, Loud and Obnoxious, Obnoxious Drunk, Poor Coordination, Poor Hygiene, Suffers Visual Hallucinations
Category:Complications
Category:Psychological Complications
Category:Psychological Complications A - B
Category:Compulsions
Category:Addictions