children. One theory suggests that the later in history

children. One theory suggests that the later in history alcohol was introduced into a society, the higher the rate of alcoholism- American Indians have a high rate, whereas the Jewish population has a low rate.

Alcoholism is viewed as a "progressive disease" that goes from bad to worse until death. How fast the disease progresses seems to be dependent on an individuals' body chemistry.

A small minority of alcoholics display obvious symptoms from the start (an 18 year old drunk) while the majority develop symptoms gradually and subtly over many years. Usually a person drinks "alcoholically" for about ten years before others notice it. Also, alcoholics tend to socialize with other alcoholics which slows detection down.

Alcoholism is a "chronic" disease in that it doesn't go away with time. The disease has a remarkable ability to mask itself from its victim. As the disease progresses, the alcoholic increasingly sees drinking as the sole means of coping with life's challenges. Female alcoholics tend to die more quickly than their male counterparts. Like some of the other progressive illnesses (i.e. cancer) alcoholism can be arrested with abstinence from drinking. The progression resumes with a relapse back into drinking.

Like other diseases alcoholism has specific symptoms. Some of these include:

• gradually increasing "relief drinking" to reduce stress

• increased tolerance- can drink more than others without showing the effects

• an urgency for the first drink

• developing an "alibi” system"- drinks due to external reasons (i.e. wife burns the dinner; the boss hates me;