Alcohol
Causes
The causes of alcoholism are not fully known. The ready availability of alcohol is an important factor. Some occupations, such as bar staff, doctors and members of the armed forces are more at risk than others.
Some people use alcohol to ease depression or give them relief from insomnia. Unfortunately, alcohol itself is a depressant, so the problem is only compounded.
There may be a modest genetic component and a history of family drink problems may make alcoholism more likely. However, it’s hard to be sure that this is not because of learned behaviour.