Find Help for Alcohol Abuse and Addiction

There are many words used to describe a troublesome relationship with alcohol: use, misuse, heavy user, binge drinker, abuse, dependence, and addiction are all common labels. Do you know when your use of alcohol has crossed the line from recreational amusement to abuse or addiction? Sustained alcohol abuse can progress into alcoholism and physical dependence so insidiously that people often do not realize their drinking has become a serious problem.

Whatever label you place on your drinking habits, an unhealthy relationship with alcohol of any kind can lead to physical ailments, destroyed personal and professional relationships, loss of employment, financial distress, legal troubles, and intense feelings of shame, hopelessness, and despair. And because alcoholism is a progressive disease, these damaging consequences may only grow more severe over time.

Although addiction specialists have not yet identified the exact causes of alcoholism or alcohol abuse, they have pointed to certain risk factors, including social environment, genetic predisposition, and physical, emotional, and mental health, that increase the likelihood of developing a dependence.

Because it’s difficult for most alcohol abusers and their loved ones to discern when they have a real problem, asking the right questions is an important first step.

What Is Alcoholism?
What Are the Signs of a Problem?
Why Excessive Drinking Is Dangerous?
How Common Is Alcoholism?
About Alcohol Rehab Programs