Alcohol dependence

[8] It was developed by the World Health Organization, designed initially for use in primary healthcare settings with supporting guidance.

[9] The CAGE questionnaire, the name of which is an acronym of its four questions, is a widely used method of screening for alcohol dependence.

Withdrawal from alcohol dependence can vary from mild, moderate to severe, depending on several factors such as: how long the person has been drinking, whether they are a binge drinker, whether they relapse chronically, and how much they drink daily.

Treatment for alcohol dependence often involves utilizing relapse prevention, support groups, psychotherapy,[13] and setting short-term goals.

[14] The Twelve-Step Program is also a popular faith-based process used by those wishing to recover from alcohol dependence.

[16] Types of treatments: Acceptance and mindfulness-based interventions show evidence of efficacy in being used to target Alcohol Use Disorder.

There has been considerable scientific effort over the past several decades to identify and understand the core features of alcohol dependence.

[22] This work began in 1976, when the British psychiatrist Griffith Edwards and his American colleague Milton M. Gross [23] collaborated to produce a formulation of what had previously been understood as 'alcoholism' – the alcohol dependence syndrome.

It was argued that not all elements may be present in every case, but the picture is sufficiently regular and coherent to permit clinical recognition.