The habitual, compulsive, and excessive consumption of alcohol, to the extent that health or social interaction are adversely affected.
Figures indicate that alcohol abuse is increasing, especially among women.
Withdrawal symptoms for those addicted to alcohol include shaking, sweating, and nausea. Treatment for alcohol dependence may involve a period of detoxification, followed by individual counselling or group therapy . Oxford University Press 2. The Penguin Dictionary of Psychology 3. Crime Bloomsbury Thematic Dictionary of Quotations 4.