11/02/2026
1. What is alcoholism?
Alcoholism also known as alcohol dependence, is a disease that includes the following four symptoms;
• Craving - A strong need, or urge to drink
• Loss of control – not being able to stop drinking once drinking has begun.
• Physical dependence- Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness and anxiety after stopping drinking.
• Tolerance – The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol to get ‘high’.
For clinical and research purposes, formal diagnostic criteria for alcoholism also have been developed. Such criteria are included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, published by the American Psychiatric Association, as well as in the international classification Diseases, published by the World Health Organization.
DSM-IV Diagnosis of Substance Dependence
• Tolerance
• Withdrawal
• Increase in amount or rate of use
• Wants to but unable to quit
• Spends much time obtaining the substances
• Important activities are given up
• Continued use despite knowledge of having a problem
• Positive diagnosis with 3 or more symptoms
• Despite damages, continued usage
