It is estimated that 1 out 13 adults has an alcohol problem, and the rate of alcohol abuse is highest among those age 18-29 . Alcohol is an addictive substance, and its use can easily lead abuse and addiction.
People can abuse alcohol without being physically addicted to it.
An addiction to alcohol is called alcoholism. Alcoholism is an addiction to alcohol. It is a disease characterized by alcohol craving and continuous drinking, which persist despite negative consequences, such as loss of a job, frequent or out of control fighting, failure to meet responsibilities, or even health problems. It is a chronic or long-term disease and is often defined by predictable symptoms. Researchers are currently looking for genes that may account for a person's susceptibility to alcoholism, but environmental and personal factors clearly play a huge role in whether a person becomes an alcoholic or not.