What Is the difference between alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse?

When someone has a drinking problem, there are two types of mental health diagnoses that the person can receive: alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence. Both alcohol abuse and dependence can lead to long-term consequences.

Both

• Drinking interferes with work or school, family, and socially with someone who is diagnosed with alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence. With both diagnoses, the person may find himself in legal trouble due to drinking and puts himself in dangerous situations such as drinking and driving.

Alcohol Abuse

• Someone who is abusing alcohol is drinking too much too often.

Alcohol Dependence

• A person who is dependent on alcohol feels like she can't stop drinking. She's physically dependent on drinking. If she stopped drinking, she would experience physical withdrawal symptoms, such as vomiting and tremors.

Increased Tolerance

• With alcohol dependence, a person has to drink more and more to feel the affects of alcohol. With alcohol abuse, the person may drink the same six glasses of wine each day.

Drinking Everyday

• Many times alcohol abuse can lead to alcohol dependence. Someone abusing alcohol doesn't have to drink every day, but someone who is dependent does and probably drinks throughout the day.