Is alcohol dependence a disease or just a social problem? I would say it’s both its as a social problem and progresses into a disease. In 1957 the American Medical Association recognized alcohol use disorder as a disease, ( Maistro, p231). It is considered a disease of the brain. These brain impairments can be reversed if the individual abstains from alcohol. For heavy drinkers this cannot be done without medical observation due to the severe withdrawal symptoms associated with this disease. The psychological explanation or etiology focus is on the alcoholic personality type defined as person having certain traits or set of traits that predispose them to alcohol dependence and recent research has been able to connect certain personality
