There is some confusion over exactly what a tolerance to alcohol is and where it comes from. Some people mistakenly believe that alcohol tolerance refers to something genetic or some kind of useful ability to resist intoxication, when in fact, alcohol tolerance is not a healthy condition to fall into at all. What alcohol tolerance actually is is the point where a person’s body has become so used to alcohol that it has become reliant on it, as well as becoming resistant to its effects. Alcohol has addictive qualities, but it is also a toxin to the body when consumed too heavily, which means that anyone who has become tolerant to the effects of alcohol has a high level of toxicity within their body.

Alcohol tolerance develops through a process over a period of time rather than developing quickly. Tolerance and substance addiction are not the same thing, however, tolerance is always present in substance addiction. The basis for alcohol tolerance begins when a person discovers that the effects of alcohol are desirable, and they want to keep experiencing these effects whenever they choose. As they pursue these effects over time, they will discover that they need to keep increasing the amount of alcohol they consume in order to continue feeling these effects. This discovery may be subconscious, but the decision to increase alcohol consumption is consistent.

Alcohol is something the human body becomes used to and dependent on overtime. As the body continuously receives more and more alcohol, it will change its chemistry to treat the alcohol like a necessary chemical, which is the truest definition of alcohol tolerance. It is a condition that can only be increasing, decreasing or non-existent, never balanced. Tolerance to alcohol is harmful for the human body and brain. If you or someone you are close to has built a tolerance to alcohol, it is highly advisable that substance abuse treatment is sought right away.