Defining and Understanding Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

If you or someone you know has a problem with alcohol you are likely to hear two common terms, "alcohol abuse" and "alcoholism". Sometimes these terms are used correctly and sometimes they are used interchangeably. It can be helpful to learn what really defines alcohol abuse and what defines alcoholism. It is a common practice even in the medical field to refer to any alcohol related problem as alcoholism. When, in reality those who are diagnosed with alcoholism are actually diagnosed with a disease and not just having a problem that is alcohol related but a very specific issue concerning alcohol. Continue reading to discover the difference between the two and what the true definition of each term really means.

The definition of "alcohol abuse" is a drinker of alcohol that refuses to stop drinking even when the consequences of his drinking have negative effects on his/her family, friends, ability to function at work or causes problems in his/her relationships. When someone is abusing alcohol this can lead to alcohol dependence if treatment is not started and followed through.

The definition of "alcoholism" is a chronic, progressive and potentially fatal disease that involves a craving for alcohol that cannot be ignored that leads to withdrawal symptoms if alcohol is not available. The disease leads to serious and often dangerous behaviors with real consequences that can lead to serious health issues, psychological or social negative implications. The cravings spur the individual on to having to drink greater amounts of alcohol, which increases his/her tolerance and thus an inability to reduce his/her consumption of alcohol in a way that he/she cannot limit or stop the drinking habit.

The person who is abusing alcohol has an ability to make decisions about whether or not to drink and how much to drink. The habit of abusing alcohol may lead to alcohol dependence but not necessarily. The person who suffers from alcoholism has no choice but to drink because of the cravings. This person cannot reduce or stop the drinking unless he/she receives a diagnosis and is put into a treatment program where he/she will learn how to manage the disease of alcoholism.

So how is it decided which definition a drinker falls into? The American Psychiatric Association has a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders called the DMV-IV that has some diagnostic criteria for medical professionals to follow when diagnosing patients who present with alcohol problems.

The DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria for Alcohol abuse describes a pattern of alcohol abuse that leads to a significant clinical impairment of function, or an occurrence of the following over a 12-month period of time:

Alcohol use that is recurrent and results in failure to meet the major obligations of work, home or school such as having repeated absences from those places, poor performance that is related to drinking alcohol, consequences such as suspensions, expulsions from school, etc., or if at home the occurrence of neglect of children or neglect of caring for the home and those who live in it. Legal consequences such as arrests for alcohol-related violence or breaking the law and or alcohol-related traffic violations including alcohol-related homicides have happened.

Alcohol is repeatedly used despite these above listed consequences and occurrences and despite the financial, personal, or work-related negative consequences that occur (relationship breakups, arrests, school expulsions, loss of job etc.)

The symptoms the individual is having do not meet the criteria for alcoholism.

The DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria for Alcoholism describes a

Pattern of alcohol consumption that includes significant impairment of function that includes at least 3 out of 7 of the following criteria:

·    Tolerance or an obvious increase in the amount of alcohol necessary to consume in order to achieve a level of intoxication that will allow for a "good feeling", or "high". This level increases at a regular rate and that at each level there is a time when the desired effect no longer occurs.

·    The individual takes a larger amount of alcohol or drinks over a longer period of time than he/she originally intended

·    Even when there is a desire to decrease the amount of alcohol consumed or to stop drinking the efforts are unsuccessful

·    The individual spends a lot of time in the effort to secure alcohol or in recovering from the after effects of drinking alcohol

·    Important activities are missed that is normally important to the individual because of drinking alcohol.

·    The individual continues to drink despite being faced with the knowledge that the drinking creates consequences that are undesirable including health issues, relationship break-ups, problems at work or school

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