What Are Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism?
Alcohol abuse is a pattern of drinking that is harmful to the drinker or others. The following situations, occurring repeatedly in a 12-month period, would be indicators of alcohol abuse: • Missing work or skipping child care responsibilities because of drinking • Drinking in situations that are dangerous, such as before or while driving • Being arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or for hurting someone while drunk • Continuing to drink even though there are ongoing alcohol-related tensions with friends and family. Alcoholism or alcohol dependence is a disease. It is chronic, or lifelong, and it can be both progressive and life threatening. Alcoholism is based in the brain. Alcohol’s short-term effects on the brain are what cause someone to feel high, relaxed, or sleepy after drinking. In some people, alcohol’s long-term effects can change the way the brain reacts to alcohol, so that the urge to drink can be as compelling as the hunger for food. Both a person’s genetic
