What Is Alcoholism?
By Robert Vaux eHow Contributing Writer Many people think of alcoholism as drinking to excess. In truth, it differs significantly. Drinking to excess constitutes alcohol abuse. Alcoholism, on the other hand, is a chronic disease constituting a physical and psychological compulsion to drink. Alcoholics have no control over their drinking, and quitting becomes more than a matter of simple willpower. The good news is that patients can recover from alcoholism, provided they understand its effects on their lives and resolve to confront it directly. Symptoms 1. The pattern of drinking can help define an alcoholic. Many drink alone or in secret, hiding evidence of their drinking or making up lies to disguise it. Once they start drinking, they cannot stop and they often drink to excess just to feel "normal." They often expect drinks at set points in the day and become irritable when they can't get one. Many of them experience blackouts and have no memory of things they...