ABSTRACT
Alcohol dependence is one of the most prevalent disorders diagnosed in community surveys of mental disorders, and many people with this disorder have comorbid anxiety and depressive disorders. Alcohol use disorders (which include abuse and dependence) typically involve impaired control over the use of alcohol. Obtaining, using, and recovering from alcohol consumes a disproportionate amount of the user's time, and the user continues to drink alcohol in the face of problems that the user knows to be caused by it. Alcohol abusers typically become tolerant to the effects of alcohol, requiring larger doses to achieve the desired psychological effect, and abrupt cessation of use often produces a withdrawal syndrome. Many alcohol abusers experience other psychological and physical health problems, and their alcohol use often adversely affects the lives of their spouses, children, and other family members, friends, and workmates.
