Alcohol abuse is a disease that is characterized by the sufferer having a pattern of drinking excessively despite the negative effects of alcohol on the individual’s work, medical, legal, educational, and/or social life.

Alcohol dependence has no one single cause and is not directly passed from one generation to another genetically. Rather, it is the result of a complex group of genetic, psychological, and environmental factors.
There is no one test that definitively indicates that someone has an alcohol-use disorder. Therefore, health-care practitioners diagnose these disorders by gathering comprehensive medical, family, and mental-health information.

There are numerous individual treatments for alcoholism, including individual and group counseling, support groups, residential treatment, medications, drug testing, and/or relapse-prevention programs.
Some signs of a drinking problem include drinking alone, to escape problems, or for the sole purpose of getting drunk; hiding alcohol in odd places; getting irritated when you are unable to obtain alcohol to drink; and having problems because of your drinking.

While some people with alcohol dependence can cut back or stop drinking without help, most are only able to do so temporarily unless they get treatment.

There is no amount of alcohol intake that has been proven to be generally safe during pregnancy.

The long-term effects of alcohol abuse and alcoholism can be devastating and even life threatening, negatively affecting virtually every organ system.

Codependency is the tendency to interact with another person in an excessively passive or caretaking manner that negatively affects the quality of the codependent individual’s life.
Adequate supervision and clear communication by parents about the negative effects of alcohol and about parental expectations regarding alcohol and other drug use can significantly decrease alcohol use in teens

Clinical depression, Dysthymic disorder, Major depressive disorder, Unipolar depression.

Depression is a serious medical illness that involves the brain. It’s more than just a feeling of being “down in the dumps” or “blue” for a few days. If you are one of them who has depression, the feelings do not go away.

They persist and interfere with your everyday life. Symptoms can include

• Sadness

• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities you used to enjoy

• Change in weight

• Difficulty sleeping or oversleeping

• Energy loss

• Feelings of worthlessness

• Thoughts of death or suicide depression is a disorder of the brain.

• There are a variety of causes, including genetic, environmental, psychological, and biochemical factors.

Depression usually starts between the ages of 15 and 30, and is much more common in women. Women can also get postpartum depression after the birth of a baby.

Some people get seasonal affective disorder in winter. Depression is one part of bipolar disorder.

There are effective treatments for depression, including antidepressants and talk therapy. Most people do best by using both.