Alcoholism, Alcohol dependence
For most adults, moderate alcohol use is not harmful. However, nearly 17.6 million adults in the United States are alcoholics or have alcohol problems. Alcoholism is a disease with four main features. 1) Craving, defined as a strong need to drink, 2) Loss of control, defined as not being able to stop drinking once you've begun, 3) Physical dependence, displaying withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating or shakiness after stopping drinking, 4) Tolerance, meaning the need to drink greater amounts of alcohol in order to get high.
Alcoholism carries many serious dangers. Heavy drinking can increase the risk of certain cancers. It can also cause damage to the liver