Almost everyone has witnessed the out-of-control antics of a problem drinker. However, do you know when problem drinking is the same as alcoholism? At what point does problem drinking become alcoholism?

In general, problem drinking can be deemed alcoholism when someone:

• drinks compulsively;

• keeps drinking in spite of adverse consequences;

• gets upset when alcohol is not readily available.

Not everyone who gets drunk is an alcoholic. Many people drink to experiment; to act sociable; or to gain attention. Alcoholics, however, do not plan to get drunk; their drinking is an uncontrollable urge.

In any randomly selected group of Americans, 10 to 15 of every 100 people either are alcoholics or will become alcoholics. Ten million Americans are alcoholics, and another 10 million are problem drinkers who may be on their way to becoming alcoholics. Alcoholism is not a gender-related disease, between one-third and one-half of all alcoholics are women. Many alcoholics are teenagers; some are even preteens.

Find out more about alcoholism. It is both a disease and a social problem of gigantic proportions. Just click on any of the topics below.