How can the alcoholism can be spread among people?

Answer 1

Alcoholism is not spread the way other diseases are spread. There is no bacteria or virus that causes it. Alcoholics in recovery tend to prefer the term illness to disease. There is probably a genetic disposition to it, so that a person disposed to it very likely progresses to alcoholism and physiological dependence if alcohol is available. Of course, if not exposed to alcohol then a person, even if genetically disposed, does not become an alcoholic. So there are several factors, genetic and behavioral. In countries like France, incidence of Alcoholism is a little lower than in some other countries, even though the per capita consumption of alcohol, primarily red wine, is higher than in the US. This may be because of an over-all culture in France that respects and loves food and wine, and that has elevated them both to the level of art. We in the US detest food, as evidenced by our constant need to do battle with it rather than respect it. In contrast, indigenous peoples of North America seem to have a higher than expected incidence of alcoholism, probably due more to genetics than to anything else.