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Alcohol dependence is known to be the most severe form of alcohol abuse. A person becomes so dependent on alcohol consumption that he/she loses sight of all the other important things going on around him/her. Family matters and social responsibilities become secondary worries to his/her primary concern for existence, which is drinking (Stephens, 2007). Nearly fourteen million Americans are somewhat dependent on alcohol. Alcohol dependence is more prominent in men, and young adults ages 18-29 (Stephens, 2007). According to a study done by Saitz "85,000 deaths, along with substantial disability from medical and psychiatric consequences, injuries and "secondhand" effects (ex: motor vehicle crashes) are attributed to the use of alcohol" (Saitz, 2005). .
Studies have shown that the amount of drinking that goes on in colleges is higher than anywhere else and that alcohol is the underlying cause in 50% of date rape cases. There is a strong negative correlation between low GPA scores and the amount of alcohol consumption in college students. The drinking age has been raised in many states in an effort to curtail the number of car accidents; this movement has reduced the number of car accidents (Barlow and Durand, 2006). .
Alcohol dependence has a much more pronounced medical effect on women than on men. Medical problems due to alcohol dependence, involving brain, heart and liver damage are more severe and advance quicker in women than men (Stephens, 2007). .
The symptoms of alcoholism include all of the following: a strong craving for alcohol consumption, a loss of control and inability to limit one's drinking on any occasion, physical dependence such as evidence of withdrawal symptoms and significantly higher tolerance level to alcohol. Withdrawal symptoms include nausea, vomiting, sweating, shaking, hallucinations (visual or auditory), anxiety and seizures (Barlow and Durand, 2006).
