When an individual abuses or becomes dependent on alcohol they can be diagnosed as having a progressive disease which is known as alcoholism.
There are several ways in which a person may become dependent on alcohol such as succumbing to peer pressure by frequently drinking in social situations among people who they may feel will not accept them otherwise.
Individuals who turn to alcohol as way of dealing with the stress in their life may also become addicted as they see this as a way to cope by making themselves feel good temporarily pushing their problems aside.
When a person abuses alcohol by purposely drinking excessive amounts to reach a high level of intoxication, they increase their chance significantly of becoming addicted to alcohol.
A person may be diagnosed with alcoholism by a physician during an office visit based on several factors.
The physician will first inquire about the patient's medical history and ask them questions about their usage of alcohol such as how often they drink and the volume of alcohol consumed over a certain period of time.
They may also ask about a person's social habits and how they function in places such as work or home.
A physician will also inquire about any emotional problems such as depression or other psychiatric problems and may also have a questionnaire for the patient to fill out related to their alcohol consumption.
The doctor will also do a physical examination looking specifically for any health related issues which can be caused by alcohol abuse.
Lab tests may also be run to determine if any organs are showing signs of damage related to heavy alcohol consumption.
However, many times alcoholism even when present is not diagnosed as most alcoholics are in denial of their condition and are not completely honest as to their alcohol consumption with their physician who then may not perform any screening tests for this disease.