“For every family affected by drugs, there are 10 to 15 other families affected by alcohol abuse. It's a big deal. We tend to only consider part of the puzzle. (Kevin Lewis). As a society, we tend to categorize the severity of addiction in such a way that drugs are the most dangerous and alcohol is just the problem. Because alcohol addiction can be a slow-growing illness, many people don't view it in the same way as drug addiction. Drug addiction is considered a more deadly and dangerous problem than alcohol addiction because it can occur more quickly and kill more quickly. Alcohol is something easy to obtain, found in almost every restaurant. People addicted to alcohol cannot hide from alcohol as easily as a drug addict. About 7 million Americans suffer from alcohol abuse and another 7 million suffer from alcoholism. (Haisong 6) The dangers of alcohol affect everyone, from children whose parents are alcoholics, to teenagers who abuse alcohol, to citizens terrorized by drunk drivers. Alcoholism is defined as a destructive dependence on alcohol while alcohol abuse is defined as destructive abuse. of alcohol. Alcoholism is the most serious form of alcohol abuse, but many different factors contribute to a person becoming an alcoholic. Alcoholism is genetic but generally influenced by the environment a person grows up in and their current environment. Having an abusive childhood or a difficult life in general can trigger feelings that turn into a need to drink. An alcoholic cannot control his drinking because he has no control over it. There are many signs and symptoms to determine if someone is in fact middle of paper...outside of God. Internet. April 11. 2010. .Unknown. "Alcohol." KidsHealth – the most visited children's health website. Nemours Foundation, 2010. Web. April 22. 2010. .Unknown. “THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON THE BRAIN. » NIAAA Publications. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, June 2006. Web. April 12. 2010. .Unknown. “Alcoholism Facts.” Drug Addiction – Towards Recovery. Addiction Support, 2010. .Unknown. “Alcoholism Facts: Includes Signs of Alcohol Abuse Treatments.” Facts about alcoholism. Median Net, August 3, 2006. Web. April 30. 2010. .