It IS NOT drinking all the time. Alcoholics may abstain from drinking for weeks, months, years, or for the remainder of their life. Alcoholism IS a chemical, physical addiction to alcohol. Why a person drinks has nothing to do with their being an alcoholic. Alcoholism is caused by a genetically inherited susceptibility in the body chemistry and by drinking alcohol.
Alcoholism IS treatable and alcoholics can live full, productive lives without ever drinking again.
Alcoholics are NOT able to return to social drinking, regardless of length or quality of sobriety, as a single drink will trigger the addictive pathway again. Some people MAY develop alcoholism in only 3 to 5 years of average drinking, while others may take 20 to 30 years to develop the disease. Some people drink alcoholically from the very first drink. Alcoholism results from drinking alcohol and from having a biochemical susceptibility in adapting to alcohol. The alcoholic WILL experience discomfort, irritability, and sometimes excruciating pain when the alcohol content in his blood falls below the amount required to give him the feeling or effect that he strives to maintain.