Alcoholics lack certain enzymes which metabolize alcohol.  They are born with
less than so called "normal" folks are and use them up rapidly when they 
drink.  They drink, incidently, to become "normal" as the alcohol in the 
early stages of the disease will tend to make the REM and Alpha brain waves 
just like those of other folks.  This is true of the sons of alcoholics long 
before they show any symptoms of disease.
So the alcoholic uses the alcohol as a medicine to straighten out a brain 
that is faulty.  The REM and Alpha waves are not as other folks before they 
drink and after they stop drinking.
Alcoholism will tend to be inherited also
One of the characteristics of early alcoholism is that the alcholic can 
tolerate amounts of alcohol that would kill the normal drinker.  I have seen
alcoholics drink two cases of beer each over the course of an evening that 
lasted until 4 or 5 am., or more than one fifth.  The blood alcohol level for
a person with this sort of tolerance will be more than what the lethal amount
is supposed to be and the alcoholic will be functioning.  Not well, but he or
she will think so.
Other drugs are used to change brain function in specific fashion. That is 
why it is so hard to get folks to stop.
They are not aware that foods will do the same thing. 
--- GEcho/32 1.20/Pro
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