National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Alcoholism is the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine 
National Institutes of Health
Alcoholism
Also called: Alcohol dependence
For most adults, moderate alcohol use is probably not harmful. However, about 18 million adult Americans are alcoholics or have alcohol problems. Alcoholism is a disease with four main features:
- Craving - a strong need to drink
- Loss of control - not being able to stop drinking once you've started
- Physical dependence - withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, or shakiness when you don't drink
- Tolerance - the need to drink greater amounts of alcohol to feel the same effect
Alcoholism carries many serious dangers. Heavy drinking can increase the risk of certain cancers. It can cause damage to the liver, brain, and other organs. Drinking during pregnancy can harm your baby. Alcoholism also increases the risk of death from car crashes, injuries, homicide, and suicide.
If you want to stop drinking, there is help. Start by talking to your health care provider. Medicines, counseling, and support groups may help you to stop drinking.
NIH: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
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Start Here
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Alcohol Use Disorders(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
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Rethinking Drinking: Questions and Answers(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
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Alcohol Use Disorders
The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Basics
,
Learn More
, and
Multimedia & Cool Tools
.
For group Basics
For group Learn More
For group Multimedia & Cool Tools
The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
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Reference Shelf
, and
For You
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For group Research
For group Reference Shelf
For group For You
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Overviews
- Alcoholism(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Faces of Change: Do I Have a Problem with Alcohol or Drugs?
(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- PDF
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Latest News
- Doctors Often Miss Signs of Problem Drinking in Patients, Study Finds(01/15/2013, HealthDay)
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Treatment
- Alcohol and Drug Treatment: How It Works, and How It Can Help You(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
- Also available in Spanish
- Naltrexone for Alcoholism(American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Also available in Spanish
- Understanding Alcohol Use Disorders and Their Treatment(American Psychological Association)
- Also available in Spanish
- What Is Substance Abuse Treatment? A Booklet for Families(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
- Also available in Spanish
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Prevention/Screening
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Screening Tests(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Return to top
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Screening Tests
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Rehabilitation/Recovery
- Alcohol Abuse: Taking Medicines Safely after Alcohol or Drug Abuse Recovery(American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Also available in Spanish
- Return to top
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Disease Management
- Intervention: Help a Loved One Overcome Addiction(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Support for Quitting: Choose Your Approach(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Return to top
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Specific Conditions
- Alcohol Abuse: Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome(American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Also available in Spanish
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Overview of Alcohol Consumption(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
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Related Issues
- Alcohol Poisoning(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Alcohol's Effects on the Body(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Alcohol-Related Liver Disease(American Liver Foundation)
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Diversity and Health Disparities(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Drinking Too Much Too Fast Can Kill You(National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence) - PDF
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Moderate and Binge Drinking(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- PTSD and Problems with Alcohol Use(National Center for PTSD)
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Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
- Short Summary
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What People Recovering from Alcoholism Need to Know about Osteoporosis(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
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Health Check Tools
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Interactive Worksheets and More(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
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Interactive Worksheets and More
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Tutorials
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Alcohol Use and Older Adults
(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Return to top
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Alcohol Use and Older Adults
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Videos
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Getting Help for Alcohol Addiction(National Library of Medicine)
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How Can I Cut Back on My Drinking?(National Library of Medicine)
- Return to top
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Getting Help for Alcohol Addiction
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Alcohol Withdrawal Seizures(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Alcoholism(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium
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Genetics
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Family History of Alcoholism: Are You at Risk?(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Also available in Spanish
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Genetics of Alcohol Use Disorders(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Return to top
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Family History of Alcoholism: Are You at Risk?
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Research
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Alcohol Alert(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- PDF
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Alcohol Dependence (Alcoholism)(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Return to top
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Alcohol Alert
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Directories
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Getting Help(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- Return to top
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Getting Help
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Organizations
- Al-Anon/Alateen(Alateen, Al-Anon)
- Also available in Spanish
- Alcoholics Anonymous
- Also available in Spanish
- National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
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National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
- Return to top
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Law and Policy
- Are You in Recovery from Alcohol or Drug Problems? Know Your Rights(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
- Return to top
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Statistics
- Adults Having Five or More Alcoholic Beverages in 1 Day(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- CDC Vital Signs: Binge Drinking(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Excessive Drinking Costs U.S. $223.5 Billion(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- FastStats: Alcohol Use(National Center for Health Statistics)
- Heavy Drinkers Unlikely to Receive Treatment(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
- Nearly 40 Percent of Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions Report Alcohol-Drug Combinations(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
- Quick Statistics on Treatment Facilities and Client Admissions by State(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
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MedlinePlus Magazine
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Teenagers
- Coping with an Alcoholic Parent(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- Return to top
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Men
- Excessive Alcohol Use and Risks to Men's Health(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Men's Health: Alcohol and Drug Abuse(Dept. of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
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Women
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Alcohol: A Women's Health Issue(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Also available in Spanish
- CDC Vital Signs: Binge Drinking a Serious, Under-Recognized Problem Among Women and Girls(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Also available in Spanish
- Excessive Alcohol Use and Risks to Women's Health(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Alcohol: A Women's Health Issue
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Seniors
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Alcohol Use and Older Adults(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
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Older Adults and Alcohol(National Institute on Aging)
- Also available in Spanish
- Return to top
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Alcohol Use and Older Adults
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Patient Handouts
- Alcohol withdrawal
- Also available in Spanish
- Alcoholic ketoacidosis
- Also available in Spanish
- Alcoholic liver disease
- Also available in Spanish
- Alcoholic neuropathy
- Also available in Spanish
- Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
- Also available in Spanish
- Deciding to quit drinking alcohol
- Also available in Spanish
- Health risks of alcohol use
- Also available in Spanish
- Risky drinking - tips for cutting back
- Also available in Spanish
- Talking to your teen about drinking
- Also available in Spanish
- Return to top
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You may also be interested in these related encyclopedia pages:
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
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Alcoholism - Multiple Languages
