Alcohol abuse is generally present when someone drinks enough alcohol to feel the effects, which are likely to make the user feel better about personal issues or other problems. Alcoholism is generally defined as someone who can't function without alcohol. Someone suffering from alcoholism will have built up enough tolerance to drink until they pass out, and are unable to stop.
Everyone has a different tolerance level for alcohol, so it's sometimes hard to determine if there is a problem or not. A general rule is, if drinking is affecting a person's everyday life in a detrimental way, then it's time to seek help. People often abuse alcohol to make a problem go away.
An abuser may suffer from a mental illness such as depression and anxiety, or they may be having a personal problem with money, or other things that are troubling them, that they feel they have no control over. Rather than getting treated for these problems, some people turn to alcohol. An abuser will drink enough to make the problem go away, and continue to do so day after day.
Whether the problem is abuse or alcoholism, use of alcohol can cause several health problems. It's important to treat the problem before it gets out of hand. Alcohol abuse and alcoholism are among the toughest addictions to overcome.
If you feel that you’re using alcohol to treat a problem in order to make yourself feel better, you should get treated. There are several medical options, and support groups available to help with alcohol abuse and alcoholism. With the proper treatment, the addiction can be treated with success.
