The term "alcoholism" would be described as an addiction to alcohol. When a person has a strong case of alcoholism, it is very difficult for them not to drink. Some people who suffer from this are unable to feel content with themselves without consuming alcohol. Unlike cravings for food, alcohol cravings are much more potent and much more difficult to ignore for people with alcoholism. Often times, people craving alcohol feel that they need it to sustain themselves more than food or water. In worst case scenarios, people feel they can't go an hour without drinking alcohol. This results in a loss of control over body and mind in the alcoholic.

Because alcohol affects many organs in the body, long-term heavy drinking puts you at risk for developing serious health problems, some of which are described below. More than 2 million Americans suffer from alcohol-related liver disease. Some drinkers develop alcoholic hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, as a result of long-term heavy drinking. Moderate drinking can have beneficial effects on the heart, especially among those at greatest risk for heart attacks, such as men over the age of 45 and women after menopause. But long-term heavy drinking increases the risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and some kinds of stroke. The pancreas helps to regulate the body's blood sugar levels by producing insulin. The pancreas also has a role in digesting the food we eat. Long-term heavy drinking can lead to pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas. This condition is associated with severe abdominal pain and weight loss and can be fatal.

Many car accidents are a result of alcoholism. In the United States, though measures have been taken to prevent it, the number of accidents involving alcohol has increased significantly over the last ten years. In the year 2004, 25,000 fatal accidents were the result of alcohol. Besides the terrible loss of life, there is also a cost to taxpayers in the US who have to pay because of others' mistakes. 21 to 24 billion dollars a year must be paid to the government for alcohol-related accidents. Insurance also poses a problem to the families of the deceased.

Alcoholism, besides being damaging to the drinker, can also cause suffering to the people around them. For example, spouses of alcoholics often become hurt as a result of the other's damaging or abusive tendencies while drunk. Frequently, spouses can end up dealing with someone who is not the person they originally married. Arguments can be started, words spoken which, when sober, will be regretted. However, this does not lessen the pain. It takes a great deal of courage, patience and love for a spouse to help their loved one deal with and perhaps give up their love of alcohol.

Parents often struggle with what they should say to their kids about alcohol. They also struggle with when to start the dialogue. While no parent wants their child to grow up too early, parents unfortunately cannot afford to wait to address the issue. It is best to arm children with honest answers about health, safety and the dangers of underage drinking before they have fully shaped their attitudes and opinions about underage alcohol use. That means educating kids as young as six on how to protect themselves and make informed decisions about their safety.

Alcoholics often have a difficult time deciding whether or not to give up drinking. They feel that alcohol has been a companion to them, and wonder why they should give it up when it has helped them through so many difficult times. The truth is that alcohol was probably one of the underlying causes of those difficult times. Without knowing it, drunks can become a person they never knew existed, causing tension and creating friction in places where there wasn't any before. Once sober, the alcoholic is forced to deal with the consequences and often does not know how, which is when they relapse back into drink. This is the reason for giving up alcohol: it ruins one's mind, body, and life. Once identified as the cause of the ruination, the problem can be solved, as long as the alcoholic has the will to try. Becoming independent from drinking is a very difficult bond to break, which usually makes the results all the more satisfying.

Here are some good step by step ways to stop drinking: 1. Write your reasons for cutting down or stopping. Why do you want to drink less? There are many reasons why you may want to cut down or stop drinking. You may want to improve your health, sleep better, or get along better with your family or friends. Make a list of the reasons you want to drink less. 2. Set a drinking goal. Choose a limit for how much you will drink. You may choose to cut down or not to drink at all. If you are cutting down, keep below these limits: Women: No more than one drink a day Men: No more than two drinks a day. A drink is: a 12-ounce bottle of beer; a 5-ounce glass of wine; or a 1 1/2-ounce shot of liquor. These limits may be too high for some people who have certain medical problems or who are older. Talk with your doctor about the limit that is right for you. Now-write your drinking goal on a piece of paper. Put it where you can see it, such as on your refrigerator or bathroom mirror. Your paper might look like this: My drinking goal I will start on this day ____________. I will not drink more than ______ drinks in 1 day. I will not drink more than ______ drinks in 1 week. or I will stop drinking alcohol. 3. Keep a "diary" of your drinking. To help you reach your goal, keep a "diary" of your drinking. For example, write down every time you have a drink for 1 week. Try to keep your diary for 3 or 4 weeks. This will show you how much you drink and when. You may be surprised. How different is your goal from the amount you drink now? Use the "drinking diary" below to write down when you drink.