<p>Alcohol Use and Abuse</p><p>Problem drinking (alcohol abuse or dependence) affects 18.2 million people in the United States alone — nearly one in every 13 adults and teens ages 12 and over. Millions more Americans engage in risky drinking behaviors, such as driving under the influence or being intoxicated while having direct responsibility for another person’s well-being. Alcohol misuse sharply raises the risk of illness or death from numerous health problems, including liver disease, heart disease, and some types of cancer. It also has a profound detrimental impact on society, playing a major role in many violent crimes, accidents, and suicides. </p><p>The problem of denial</p><p>Drinking problems are insidious. Many people who suffer from them don’t believe that anything is wrong. They may think they’re drinking to cope with a particularly stressful period in their lives. In their minds, the stress is the problem, not the drinking. They can stop drinking whenever they want, they say — but they don’t. Denial is a common obstacle that prevents many people with drinking problems from making the connection between their drinking habits and the trouble in their lives: emotional difficulties, family arguments, or problems at work. Many people with alcohol abuse or dependence can’t see that they’ve lost control over their drinking. Denial can also extend to the people around problem drinkers, who may have a difficult time recognizing or accepting that a family member, friend, or co-worker has a drinking problem. In many cases, family members and friends of people who are dependent on alcohol seek help with the difficult task of recognizing the symptoms of alcoholism and facing their loved one’s drinking problem. People may be reluctant to admit their problems with alcohol because of the stigma that our society attaches to alcoholism. Although medical research has long established that alcoholism is a chronic medical illness requiring maintenance treatments (similar to hypertension or diabetes) to achieve abstinence and thereby maintain good health, many still perceive it to be a personal failing or a sign of moral weakness. The shame people feel about drinking often reinforces their compulsion to drink — and prevents them from getting treatment. In fact, effective treatments are available and those with problem drinking patterns are more likely to seek help when others are supportive of this!</p>