Alcoholism is a disorder characterized by excessive drinking and repeated and uncontrollable drinking of alcoholic beverages. In simple terms, alcoholism is a pure dependence on alcohol. Alcoholism is a combination of psychological, sociological, and emotional disorder causing diverse problems to the patient. This may include loss of job, loss of wealth, and even loss of family relationship. An online source characterizes alcoholism as follows.

             Craving: A strong need, or compulsion, to drink. .

             Loss of control: The frequent inability to stop drinking once a person has begun. .

             Physical dependence: The occurrence of withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety, when alcohol use is stopped after a period of heavy drinking. These symptoms are usually relieved by drinking alcohol or by taking another sedative drug. .

             Tolerance: The need for increasing amounts of alcohol in order to get "high." .

             Nature and Extent of Alcoholism.

             There are many nature of alcoholism. It can be caused by influence of friends, by personal problems causing a person to drink too much, or just by habitual drinking. However, there is not much proof as to where alcoholism in a person originates as there is also no standard measure to determine whether a person is alcoholic or not. Some researches and studies suggest that alcoholism results from a mixture of different factors of human. In his article Understanding the Nature of Alcoholism, Doug Kelly (2001) indicates that.

             "The alcoholic appears to be using alcohol to solve his problems. His drinking appears to be an effort to drown his depression, forget work or marriage difficulties, obliterate loneliness and insecurities, and ease mounting tensions. The reality, however, is very different from the appearance. In reality, an abnormal physiological reaction is causing the alcoholic's increasing psychological and emotional problems. Something has gone wrong inside.