Some treatment programs teach problem drinkers to reduce their drinking, an approach that appeals to people who otherwise might not seek treatment.

The most important thing that friends and family can do for an alcoholic is to stop enabling the addictive behavior.

When a friend shows signs of abusing alcohol or other drugs, it's hard to know what to do or say.

You don't have to wait for someone to hit rock bottom to act. Here are steps to help an alcoholic get treatment.

It helps to understand why and when you drink if you are going to successfully reduce the amount of alcohol you consume.

Alcohol is considered a drug because it depresses the central nervous system and can disrupt mental and motor skills, as well as damage internal organs when used excessively.

Like cancer or heart disease, alcoholism is a primary chronic disease with its own symptoms and causes. The disease is progressive and often fatal if not treated.

The person in recovery may seem to have a different personality—more serious, more careful, more private—and the family may feel uncertain about how to relate.