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A unified cause of addiction is not known and, in fact, researchers can’t even agree on a standard definition of addiction or whether addiction is a disease. The latest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) lists substance use disorders, not addiction.¹ Substance use disorders pertain specifically to psychoactive substances such as heroin and tobacco. Impulse control disordersare also listed and are similar to the concept of behavioral addictions.

Addiction facts and statistics reveal a nation that is overcome with a variety of addictions (see: Types of Addictions). Cigarettes and alcohol are the most common addictions and can be seen throughout the population, although addiction statistics show they are slightly more common in lower socioeconomic classes. Addiction facts and statistics on alcohol and tobacco include:^1,2

Alcoholism is a Disease Many people ask, “what is alcoholism?” Alcoholism is a disease characterized by the habitual intake of…

Explanation of dual diagnosis and the impact of using drugs or alcohol when you have a mental illness.

No one is sure what causes alcoholism although social, psychological and genetic factors can play a role in the cause of alcoholism.

How does a person know when they are drinking too much alcohol? How much alcohol is too much? These are questions that many people ask themselves when they take a look at their drinking habits, but the definition of too much alcohol is different for each person and each situation. Any time drinking causes problems in a person’s life it is easy to say they are drinking too much alcohol, but if drinking isn’t interfering with a person’s life, how much alcohol is too much?

Alcoholism screening test to help determine if you have a drinking problem, alcoholism or alcohol addiction.

From a study of 1,626 post-rehab patients: “In all groups craving was not a major self-reported cause of relapse. In the Alcohol Dependent group, the most common reason was depression. In fact, 300% more patients cited depression, compared to craving, as the reason for their relapse.”

There is evidence that approximately 90 percent of alcoholics are likely to experience at least one relapse over the 4-year period following alcohol abuse treatment (1). Despite some promising leads, no controlled studies definitively have shown any single or combined intervention that prevents relapse in a fairly predictable manner. Thus, relapse as a central issue of alcoholism treatment warrants further study.

The question, “what is an alcoholic” has been answered differently as our understanding of the disease has changed. We now know that an alcoholic is a person who is addicted to alcohol; they suffer from the medical disease of alcoholism.