For most adults, moderate alcohol use is probably not harmful. However, there are many individuals who may suffer from alcohol use disorder. This means that their drinking causes distress and harm.{{more}}

Alcoholism, or alcohol dependence, is a disease that causes craving, loss of control, physical dependence and tolerance. Craving is a strong urge to consume alcohol. No matter where the person may be, they feel that they must consume alcohol. This can have negative personal and societal impact, as it often drives individuals to consume alcohol on their jobs in order to respond to the feeling of craving.

Alcohol can also lead to a loss of control. This happens when someone starts to drink and cannot stop. They cannot decide when they have had enough and have reached their limit. They generally will continue to drink until someone stops them or they fall, drunk. This can have many negative outcomes, as alcohol impairs your ability to respond and can lead to accidents and drug use.

Physical dependence is when the body becomes dependent on alcohol. Often these individuals cannot function without alcohol and this can adversely affect their health. Again someone who has physical dependence must drink in order to function and so even at work they must consume alcohol. People who suffer from physical dependence must consume alcohol all the time or else they will feel sick and start presenting withdrawal symptoms that range from mild anxiety and shakiness to severe complications, such as seizures and delirium tremens, which is characterized by confusion, rapid heartbeat, and fever and can lead to death.

Tolerance is where the individual has to consume more and more alcohol in order to feel the impact of the alcohol.

Unhealthy alcohol use includes any alcohol use that puts your health or safety at risk or causes other alcohol-related problems.

Alcohol drinking may cause problems at home, work, or school. It may cause you to put yourself in dangerous situations, or lead to legal or social problems.

Too much alcohol is dangerous. Heavy drinking can increase the risk of certain cancers. It can cause damage to the liver, brain, and other organs. Drinking during pregnancy can harm your baby. Alcohol also increases the risk of death from car crashes, injuries, homicide, and suicide.

In order to treat alcoholism, it is important for you to first recognize that you are sick and tired of being in trouble caused by your drinking. You can ask your family to help you get in and stay in treatment.

Whether you choose to go to rehab, rely on self-help programmes, get therapy, or take a self-directed treatment approach, support is essential.

Recovering from alcohol addiction is much easier when you have people you can lean on for encouragement, comfort, and guidance. Without support, it’s easy to fall back into old patterns when things get tough.

Your continued recovery depends on continuing mental health treatment, learning healthier coping strategies, and making better decisions when dealing with life’s challenges.

In order to stay alcohol-free for the long term, you’ll also have to face the underlying problems that led to your alcoholism or alcohol abuse in the first place.

Dr Rosmond Adams is a medical doctor and a public health specialist.

He may be emailed at adamsrosmond@gmail.com