This type is more prone to binge drinking, where a great amount of alcohol is consumed in a short period of time, resulting in alcohol poisoning and even death. This type also drinks less frequently, perhaps one or twice a week. The second type is the young antisocial drinker, generally between 25 and 30 years of age. These types are usually seen as having an antisocial personality and began drinking in their early teen years. They also tend to use illegal drugs more often, especially marijuana. The third type is the functional drinker who is generally between 35 and 45 years of age and holds down a good job and provides for his/her family. They also tend to be better educated than the first two types and are employed in high-paying positions, such as bankers, stockbrokers, lawyers and even physicians. This type does not generally consume alcohol on a daily basis and prefers to drink only on special occasions or a dinner with perhaps two or three glasses of wine or cocktails. The fourth type is the familial type who drinks in a family environment and almost always at home. Most of the time, this type of drinker has close family members who also drink, either on a daily basis or during special occasions, often to excess.

The fifth type is by far the worse of the five, known as a chronic severe drinker which includes persons who drink to excess on a daily basis. This type is almost exclusively male, is either unmarried or divorced and uses illegal drugs like marijuana, cocaine and other illicit drugs. Under most conditions, this type of drinker has a long history of consuming alcohol and may often experience alcohol withdrawal or even the delirium tremens. Wit the type of drinker, the outcome over a lifetime of consuming...

For example, drinking and driving causes the deaths of thousands of persons every year, most of whom are young people under the age of 30. The cost to families in which innocent drivers and passengers are killed is overwhelming, not to mention increases in insurance rates which affects everyone regardless of their driving record.
As to criminal activity, some studies have shown that those who commit violent crimes like murder, rape, armed robbery and child abuse were either drunk when they committed the offense or had been drinking prior to the criminal act. But what is most disturbing is that many babies are born each year with either physical or mental problems related to alcohol, caused by the mother drinking while pregnant or because the mother has a long history of alcohol abuse.

Overall, alcoholism is one of the greatest problems in today's modern world and continues to wreck havoc on the lives of not only the drinkers but also on those in their social environments, such at home and at work. As to solutions to alcoholism, people should be made aware of the possible consequences of heavy drinking both to themselves and to society, but exactly how to do this remains a question which cannot be answered without the involvement of all concerned.