Many people don't really consider alcohol a drug.  After all, it is legal to drink - as long as you're of age.  But the real truth is that alcoholism is a form of drug addiction just as serious and harmful as addiction to other drugs.  Because alcohol is legal to drink, many people just think of alcohol as another beverage.

Drug addiction is defined as an uncontrollable craving for a substance that a person feels they must have in order to live.  Alcoholism is defined in much the same way.  When a person has an addiction to alcohol, they can't see their life without drinks in it.  The presence of alcohol has become a "given" and they are not willing to give that crutch up without a fight.  The cold harsh reality is that people with alcoholism are drug addicts plain and simple.

Alcoholism causes a person to think that they cannot live without the "buzz" that alcohol gives them.  Alcohol has been classified as a drug by the Food and Drug Administration, so a person with alcoholism does suffer from a drug addiction.

The good news is that there is help for people who are suffering.  Perhaps the most well-known organization that helps people with alcoholism is Alcoholics Anonymous.  This is a private group that meets several times a week and centers on twelve steps of recovery.  Making it through the twelve steps leads to a full recovery from alcohol addiction although it is still a struggle to stay sober.

People who have a drug addiction to substances such as heroin and cocaine suffer from withdrawal symptoms.  People with alcoholism do too.  The far-reaching effects of drug addiction and alcoholism can stay with a person for years making it obvious that the similarities between the two evident.

When you decide to seek out help for your alcoholism, it's important that you acknowledge the fact that you are also suffering from an addiction to a powerful drug.  Once you face that fact, you can really start on the road to recovery.

Alcoholism is a serious disease just as drug addiction is.  While you may not think that being addicted to alcohol is as serious as being addicted to heroin, it can still affect your body in ways you never even thought of.  Do a little research and pay attention to what the experts say about your problem.

If you think you have an addiction to the drug that causes alcoholism - alcohol - it's important that you seek help as soon as you can.  You deserve to be healthy and live a long, clean life.  The time to start is now.