Alcohol Abuse and Dependence-What Happens

    Alcohol abuse or dependence can develop very quickly or happen gradually over years. In the beginning, your drinking might not seem to be any different from the way other people drink. You may drink only with friends or at parties. It may stay like this, or you may begin to drink more. Your drinking might become a way for you to feel normal or to cope with life's problems.

Substance Abuse and Addiction - Topic Overview

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This topic is about alcohol abuse and dependence in adults. For information about alcohol problems in teens or children, see the topic Teen Alcohol and Drug Abuse.

Blood Alcohol

    A blood alcohol test measures the amount of alcohol (ethanol) in your body. Alcohol is quickly absorbed into the blood and can be measured within minutes of having an alcoholic drink. The amount of alcohol in the blood reaches its highest level about an hour after drinking. But food in the stomach may increase the amount of time it takes for the blood alcohol to reach its highest level. About 90% of alcohol is broken down in the liver camera.gif. The rest of it is passed out of the body in urine and your exhaled breath.

Self-Test for Breath Alcohol

A breath alcohol test is an estimate of your blood alcohol concentration (BAC). The test measures the amount of alcohol in the air that you breathe out (exhale).

Substance Abuse and Addiction - Symptoms

Signs of alcohol abuse

Understanding Alcohol Abuse -- Symptoms

What Are the Symptoms of Alcohol Abuse?
The following symptoms are associated with alcohol abuse:

Understanding Alcohol Abuse -- the Basics

    People have been brewing and fermenting alcoholic drinks since the dawn of civilization. Consumed in moderate amounts, alcoholic beverages are relaxing and in some cases may even have beneficial effects on heart health. Consumed in excess, alcohol is poisonous and is considered a drug. It is estimated that between 18 million -- or one in 12 adults -- in the U.S. abuse alcohol or are chronic alcoholics. Nearly 100,000 Americans die each year as a result of alcohol abuse, and alcohol is a factor in more than half of the country's homicides, suicides, and traffic accidents. Alcohol abuse also plays a role in many social and domestic problems, from job absenteeism and crimes against property to spousal and child abuse.