Types of Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol is a legal drug that is readily available and can cause everything from addiction to accidents to abuse. Although moderate use is not detrimental, regular consumption of alcohol can be addictive and lead to many problems. Abusing alcohol is a mental and physical disorder that can affect the life of the drinker as well as the lives of their friends and families.

Drunk Driving

• Probably the most dangerous abuse of alcohol is driving while intoxicated. Alcohol has been shown to significantly affect motor skills as well as judgment -- both critical skills for driving safely -- and intoxication and driving is a deadly combination. When a person has had as few as two drinks, they he become inebriated and will not be capable of safely driving.

Binge Drinking

• Binge drinking is a common type of alcohol abuse, when a person drinks to "get drunk." The idea is to consume a large quantity of alcohol in a short period of time, to get the drunken affects of the alcohol in as short a time as possible. This can lead to many problems, including alcohol poisoning and even death.

Addiction

• Frequent drinking and drunkenness can lead to alcohol addiction, a life-threatening condition that leads the addict into a downward spiral of physical dependency on the affects of the alcohol and mental dependency on the feelings that the alcohol causes in the user. Becoming an alcoholic can ruin a person's life, as well as the lives of their family members.

Health Problems

• Long-term alcohol abuse can have a severe affect on the physical health of the user. Large quantities of alcohol consumed over long periods of time can damage the liver to the point where illness and death follow. Not only the liver, but the kidneys and gall bladder are affected by constant alcohol consumption.