Alcoholism

Alcoholism devastates the body and mind as it wreaks havoc on personal and professional relationships. Left untreated, alcoholism is a fatal disease - but with appropriate treatment, this disease can be managed and permanent remission achieved.

Learn to spot the warning signs of alcoholism, learn the difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism and learn more about the effective treatments that can get you, or a loved one, sober, happy and healthy once again!

An alcoholic is a person without control over their drinking. A person who drinks despite the harms it does to them and who feels a strong desire to drink alcohol.

According to the National Institute of Health, Alcoholism is a disease with four main components:

1. Alcoholics crave alcohol and these cravings can be very strong
2. Alcoholics lose control over their drinking and can never know how much they will consume in a session once they start drinking
3. Alcoholics become physically dependent on alcohol and will experience withdrawal symptoms if they try to stop drinking suddenly
4. Alcoholics build an alcohol tolerance, and need to consume ever greater amounts to get drunk¹

Alcoholism is a chronic disease that has no cure. Although alcoholics can achieve remission and sobriety, they generally cannot ever drink in moderation, even after years of abstinence. Alcoholism is considered a disease because:

1. It lasts for a lifetime
2. The course of the disease follows a predictable pattern
3. The disease has predictable symptoms