Alcohol dependence is alcohol addiction.
An illness characterized by habitual, compulsive, long-term, heavy consumption of alcohol and the development of withdrawal symptoms when drinking has stopped suddenly.
A syndrome in which alcohol abuse involves a variety of significant physical, psychological, social, and behavioral problems” ( Levinthal, 201).
A disease marked by loss of control of drinking, physical dependence on alcohol, tolerance for the effects of alcohol, and cravings for alcohol.
A disease characterized by the excessive consumption of and dependence on alcohol, leading to physical and psychological dysfunction.
A maladaptive pattern of alcohol use, leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by three or more of seven conditions in a 12-month period, including the following: tolerance, withdrawal, impaired control over drinking; preoccupation with alcohol and less time spent on important social, occupational, or recreational activities; and use of alcohol despite adverse physical or psychological consequences.
Alcohol dependence, as described in the DSM-IV, is a psychiatric diagnosis describing a physical dependence on alcohol. It is differentiated from alcohol abuse by the presence of symptoms such as tolerance and withdrawal.