Dr. Elliot Gruen has over 30 years of experience as a psychiatrist treating patients for mental illnesses like substance abuse and alcoholism at St. Mary's Regional Medical Center. Alcoholism is the third most common mental illness in the United States, affecting around 10% of men and 4% of women, or 14 million total. There is no single cause of alcoholism, but factors like family history, other mental illnesses, lack of social support, early alcohol use, and social circles with heavy drinkers can predispose someone to developing alcoholism.

1. By Dr. Elliot Gruen

2.  As a psychiatrist experienced in inpatient settings, Dr. Elliot
Gruen has treated patients for a wide variety of mental
illnesses. Dr. Elliot Gruen has served with St. Mary's Regional
Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine, for more than 30 years, in
the course of which he has cared for patients in the substance
abuse unit as well as for those in the adult and inpatient
wards.
Alcoholism, a severe form of alcohol use disorder, leads as
the third most common mental illness in the United States. It
affects approximately 10 percent of men and 4 percent of
women nationwide, or a total of approximately 14 million
individuals. It is characterized by an extreme dependence on
alcohol, to the degree that the individual develops an
increased tolerance and experiences withdrawal symptoms in
the absence of the drug.

3.  The disorder has no single known cause, though
scientists believe that personal and family medical
history may increase an individual's risk. Other
mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, and
related mood disorders may contribute to a
predisposition to alcoholism, as may antisocial
tendencies or the absence of a strong social
network. Persons with a history of abuse and those
who had a first drink between the ages of 11 and
14 can also be predisposed, as can those whose
social circles include regular and heavy drinkers.