For the biochemical properties of alcohol and for being a social lubricant widespread consumption of this substance can easily result in someone experiencing abuse to emotional and social difficulties. This does not necessarily mean that the person is alcohol dependent. It could be an abuse of alcohol is limited in duration and may disappear or not when these difficulties are overcome. Alcohol abuse, for example, can be given during the adolescent social integration, or as a means of crossing the difficult challenges that often means growing. Examples of this are often on campus or learning centers, where drinking ways students could be considered as alcoholism, however, once students leave the stage in their lives, many of them can leave from alcohol completely or reduce their alcohol consumption significantly without any difficulty. However, many others, can increase their consumption and become alcoholics, which may require treatment in alcohol detox clinics.

So then, we can say that in general, drinkers who have a diagnosis of alcohol abuse only, can be helped with a short speech, which usually involves education about the dangers of binge drinking and alcohol poisoning, while drinkers who developed alcohol dependence generally require outside help to stop drinking. The treatments in alcohol detox clinics provide detoxification, medical treatment and psychotherapy.

Alcohol abuse, therefore, is different from alcohol dependence. Not being addicted, alcohol abusers maintain control over their behavior and can change their drinking following explanations and warnings. However, that’s the risk, but those who abuse alcohol are not necessarily physically dependent on alcohol, its abuse leads to problems such as inability to understand the risks, or lack of interest in the damage that alcohol abuse can cause the consumer or others. Moreover, the fundamental problem is that alcohol abuse leads often to alcohol dependence.

In short, alcohol consumption can be defined as inappropriate (inappropriate) involved alcohol impairment or injury to health, and defined, if during a period of 12 months to meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Drinking in dangerous situations (eg when driving or will drive).

• Drink frequently and excessively.

• Have interpersonal difficulties with family, friends or coworkers because of alcohol.

• Have legal problems related to alcohol intake.

Alcohol abuse occurs, therefore, when continuous drinking in large quantities despite the consumption of alcohol has caused injury or is causing damage or consumer problems, your family or your environment. Among the damage that alcohol abuse are:

• Cirrhosis or other diseases related to alcohol consumption, such as damage to the pancreas, cancer, heart problems or sexual problems. In general, the more you drink, the greater the risk.

• Binge drinking common. These can cause absences from work, or behavior “antisocial” when drinking. And here it should be noted that not all who have problems with alcohol to get drunk come. Many people who have health problems associated with alcohol abuse, such as cirrhosis, drink small amounts of alcohol frequently, but not drunk.

• Spending more money than you can with alcohol.