A. A maladaptive pattern of alcohol use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by one (or more) of the following, occurring within a 12-month period:

(1) recurrent alcohol use resulting in a failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home (e.g., repeated absences or poor work performance related to alcohol use; alcohol-related absences, suspensions, or expulsions from school; neglect of children or household)

(2) recurrent alcohol use in situations in which it is physically hazardous (e.g., driving an automobile or operating a machine when impaired by alcohol use)

(3) recurrent alcohol-related legal problems (e.g., arrests for alcohol-related disorderly conduct)

(4) continued alcohol use despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the effects of the alcohol (e.g., arguments with spouse about consequences of Intoxication, physical fights)

B. The symptoms have never met the criteria for Alcohol Dependence.

(Note that there are no course specifiers for Alcohol Abuse. A diagnosis of Alcohol Abuse is for life--it can never be removed from your medical chart no matter how much you improve.)

from DSM-IV-TR

Please also visit our web page Alcohol Related Disorders