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3 Responses to “What’s the difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism?”

1. angel Says:
   February 8th, 2010 at 12:46 am

   Alcohol abuse and alcoholism are two different things. Alcohol abuse repeated drinking that, through alcohol treatment or rehabilitation, can be treated and cured. Alcoholism is an actual disease that, through alcohol treatment, can be treated, but it cannot be cured. Alcoholism is described as:

   A very strong need to drink, can sometimes be a need that is as strong as the need for food or water
   Not being able to stop abusing alcohol once drinking has begun.
   A person with alcoholism, needs to drink, even after they try and set limits for themselves
   Blackouts, where the user appears to others that he or she is awake and fully conscious – but in reality has no sense of time or action
   Get angry or upset if someone expresses any concern for the amount of alcohol or frequency in which they drink
   Alcohol abuse is described as:

   A person who uses alcohol in an effort to change their feelings about either themselves, or some part of their lives
   A person with an alcohol abuse problem will experience some troubles that are associated with alcohol abuse but will use those problems in order to set limits on the amount and frequency that they drink
   Rarely, a person with an alcohol abuse problem will repeat any of the behaviors that caused them problems related to alcohol abuse in the past
   A person with an alcohol abuse problem will take into consideration the concerns expressed to them from others, and realize that the person is worried about them and their well-being

2. rivkadacat Says:
   February 8th, 2010 at 1:14 am

   There is a very fine line of difference. The main difference is that someone who abuses alcohol, but is not an alcoholic, often does this after experiencing major stress, bereavement, etc. but is able to quit drinking without any problem after while. An alcoholic actually craves alcohol and has a hard time functioning without it. The difficulty is that some alcoholics are “binge drinkers,” i.e., they don’t drink on a daily basis but go on binges weekly or monthly or at some other intervals. This person seems fine in between binges, but sooner or later the craving to drink takes over and the person starts another binge.

3. theanalyzer99 Says:
   February 8th, 2010 at 1:26 am

   Google DSM-IV with alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse. This is the manual that professionals use to diagnose.