In our culture, the enjoyment of alcoholic beverages is the norm – despite the many problems caused by drinking. Most adults use alcohol, at least occasionally. And yet, only a small percentage of drinkers – under 10 percent – develop an Alcohol Use Disorder. The conventional explanation for this disorder is that exposure to alcohol changes the brain in a way that leads to cravings. But … if most people use alcohol, most people’s brains are being exposed to alcohol. Why, then, don’t most people become alcoholics? Maybe we need a new understanding.
