ABSTRACT
As in this example, it is not just drinking alcohol that results in problems but the consequences of heavy alcohol use. A person is considered to have a problem with alcohol or other drugs when he or she has dif®culty controlling their use (Robin drinks until he is fully intoxicated), when obtaining, using, and recovering from alcohol or drugs consumes a disproportionate amount of the individual's time, and the individual continues to drink alcohol or take drugs in the face of problems that the person knows to be caused by it (such as brawling in the pub). Individuals typically become tolerant to the effects of alcohol or drugs, requiring larger doses to achieve the desired psychological effect, and abrupt cessation of use often produces a withdrawal syndrome. Many experience other psychological
and physical health problems, and their alcohol or drug use often adversely affects the lives of their spouses, children, and other family members, friends and workmates.
