alcoholism

Introduction
Defining alcoholism
Causes of alcoholism
Prevalence of alcoholism
Diseases associated with alcoholism
- Acute diseases
- Chronic diseases
Treatment of alcoholism
- Physiological therapies
- Psychological therapies
- Social treatment
- Results of treatment

References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

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The science behind alcohol's effects on the body

At a Glance

alcoholism summary

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44 Questions from Britannica’s Most Popular Health and Medicine Quizzes

Related Questions

At which ages does chronic alcohol dependence most often develop?
How can alcohol abuse increase the risk of heart disease and stroke?
How can alcoholism affect the brain’s cortex and ventricles?
How can alcoholism lead to depression and anxiety?
How can delirium tremens develop after alcohol use stops?
How can frequent heavy drinking cause blackouts and memory loss?
How can friends and social networks influence the risk of alcoholism?
How can low alcohol taxes and widespread advertising affect alcoholism rates?
How can vitamin C deficiency affect people with alcoholism?
How do epidemiologists estimate alcoholism within a population?
How do inherited genes affect a person’s risk of alcoholism?
How do medical and sociological views of alcoholism differ?
How do naltrexone and acamprosate help reduce relapse in alcoholism?
How does Alcoholics Anonymous support people trying to remain sober?
How does alcohol intoxication increase the risk of accidents and injuries?
How does alcohol use disorder differ from physical dependence on alcohol?
How does alcoholism increase the risk of divorce and family abuse?
How does an inherited acetaldehyde-processing defect affect alcohol use among some people of Asian descent?
How does disulfiram cause unpleasant symptoms when alcohol is consumed?
How does long-term alcohol use damage the liver?
How does medical detoxification help people with alcohol dependence stop drinking safely?
How does motivational interviewing support treatment for alcoholism?
How is pellagra connected to long-term alcoholism?
What are the short-term effects of alcohol on thinking and judgment?
What factors contribute to alcoholism besides heredity?
Which symptoms can occur during severe alcohol withdrawal?
Which types of cancer have increased risk from alcohol abuse?
Who founded Alcoholics Anonymous in 1935?
Why are alcohol-related driving offenses more common among people with alcoholism?
Why are cultures with strong taboos against drunkenness associated with lower alcoholism rates?
Why are the calories in alcohol sometimes called empty calories?
Why can alcohol abuse increase the risk of diabetes and infections?
Why can drinking alcohol during pregnancy harm a fetus?
Why can young women reach higher blood-alcohol levels than young men after the same amount of alcohol?
Why does having alcoholic parents not necessarily cause alcoholism in their children?
Why is relapse prevention an important part of alcoholism treatment?
What is substance use disorder?
What causes substance use disorders?
How are substance use disorders diagnosed?
What treatments are available for substance use disorders?
What are some commercially important alcohols and their uses?

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External Websites

Healthline - Alcoholism
Medicine LibreTexts - Health Consequences of Alcohol Abuse
Psychology Today - Alcoholism
Official Website of Alcoholics Anonymous
Medscape - Alcoholism
National Center for Biotechnology Information - Alcohol Use Disorder: Screening, Evaluation, and Management
Cleveland Clinic - Alcohol Use Disorder
Verywell Mind - Understanding Alcoholism and the Signs of Severe Drinking Problems
Harvard Health Publishing - Alcohol use disorder (alcoholism)
Mayo Clinic - Alcoholism
American Psychological Association - Understanding alcohol use disorders and their treatment

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

alcoholism - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

alcoholism

Also known as: AUD, alcohol abuse, alcohol use disorder

Written by

George E. Vaillant

Professor of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.

George E. VaillantAll

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Oct. 30, 2026 •History

Excessive users of alcohol have been shown to suffer in varying degrees from both acute and chronic diseases. Worldwide, morbidity due to alcohol abuse is on a par with malaria and unsafe sex, greater than that from smoking, and far greater than morbidity from illegal drug use. These numbers place alcoholism in the front rank of public-health problems. Among alcoholics, mortality is 2.5 times the expected. Heavy smoking shortens life by roughly 8 years—alcoholism shortens...

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