Like many other diseases, alcoholism is chronic, meaning that it lasts a person's lifetime. Individuals may require treatment a few times before they successfully stop drinking. They may also need continuing help to maintain their recovery. Treatment often must be extensive and sustained in order to be effective.

Alcoholism results in chemical and biological changes in the brain. People with alcoholism have a strong need or urge to drink, an inability to stop drinking even if there are serious family, health or legal problems, withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking, and the need to drink greater amounts of alcohol to get “high” or even feel normal.

The risk for developing alcoholism is influenced both by a person's genes and by his or her lifestyle. Relationships, the amount of stress in one's life, and the availability of alcohol are other factors that may increase the risk for alcoholism. However, anyone who drinks can develop the disease.