Alcoholism

Alcoholism, also known as alcohol dependence, is a disease. Alcoholism is a chronic, often progressive disease with symptoms that include a strong need to drink despite negative consequences, such as serious job, relationships, or health problems. Like many other diseases, it has a generally predictable course, has recognized symptoms, and is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors that are being increasingly well defined. The four known symptoms are:

Craving: A strong need, or compulsion, to drink.

Impaired control: The inability to limit one’s drinking.

Physical dependence: Withdrawal symptoms (nausea, sweating, shakiness, anxiety) when alcohol is stopped after a period of heavy drinking.

Tolerance: The need for increasing amounts of alcohol in order to feel its effects.

An alcoholic is dependent upon alcohol. This dependence grows as the disease progresses. A person who abuses alcohol may not be dependent upon it but still drinks excessively. Even if you are not an alcoholic, abusing alcohol has negative results. This includes failure to meet major work, school, or family responsibilities; alcohol-related legal trouble; automobile crashes due to drinking; as well as a variety of medical problems. Under some circumstances, problems can result from even moderate drinking--for example, when driving, during pregnancy, or when taking certain medicines.