Related Terms

• Content available for subscribers only.

Background

• Alcohol abuse occurs when a person engages in excessive drinking that results in health or social problems. Alcohol may continue to be abused despite serious adverse health, personal, work-related and financial consequences. Alcohol abusers, however, may not fully lose control over the use of alcohol and progress to alcoholism. A person afflicted with alcohol dependence may experience alcohol withdrawal with symptoms such as anxiety attacks, confusion, insomnia, sweating, increased pulse rate and temperature, tremors or severe depression.
• Most experts believe that it is possible to have a problem with alcohol, but not display all the characteristics of alcoholism. For instance, alcohol abuse does not necessarily involve alcohol dependence, which is the need for repeated doses of alcohol to maintain a certain feeling of well-being.
• Most experts believe that steady drinking over time may produce a physical dependence on alcohol. Drinking over 15 drinks a week for men or 12 drinks a week for women increases the risk of developing dependence on alcohol. However, drinking by itself is just one of the risk factors that contribute to alcoholism.
• Alcoholism is a chronic, often progressive disease that is a result of uncontrollable alcohol dependence. It is thought to develop as a result of a combination of individual genetic, psychological and social factors. Other risk factors may include:
• Further content available for subscribers only.

Treatment

• Content available for subscribers only.

Theory/Evidence

• Content available for subscribers only.

Safety

• Content available for subscribers only.

Author Information

• Content available for subscribers only.

References

Natural Standard developed the above evidence-based information based on a thorough systematic review of the available scientific articles. For comprehensive information about alternative and complementary therapies on the professional level, go to www.naturalstandard.com. Selected references are listed below.

• Content available for subscribers only.