Genetic, physiological, psychological, and social factors all play a major role in the development of alcoholism. Alcoholism often attacks individuals with low self-esteem, those who desire but do not have a sense of belonging, and those experiencing emotional unrest or great amounts of stress. Signs that one may be an alcoholic can be easily noticed. A person who finds it necessary to have several drinks at a social event or spends a large part of their time with an alcoholic beverage may have a problem with alcohol. However, many alcoholics do not display obvious signs of excessive drinking.
Some alcoholics are able to cover or hide evidence of becoming disoriented.
Intervention is a very important step in dealing with alcohol abuse. The problem is that there are numerous studies about how to best intervene. The Symptoms of Alcoholism Alcohol dependence has many symptoms. These symptoms can be either behavioral or physical. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, also called the DSM-IV, is a widely used reference manual published by the American Psychiatric Association that contains criteria for psychological disorders.