If your body is dependent on alcohol, you might need to drink more and more alcohol to feel as high as you used to feel drinking less. Another sign of physical dependence is that you have bodily changes such as shakes or sweats when you stop drinking.
Alcoholism is one of the most common illnesses seen by doctors.
It is especially serious in older people, who often have other medical problems that are made worse by alcohol use. Many factors may lead to alcohol dependence. Two out of three older alcoholics have always been heavy users. One of the three started drinking later in life, often after retirement. Starting to drink late in life is often due to grief, loneliness, depression, or boredom.