Most alcoholics untreated, stigmatized

People do not recognize alcoholism as a disease but instead think of it as a moral weakness. This keeps people who suffer from alcoholism from seeking treatment.

Researchers have determined alcoholism is a physical disorder in the brain. Yet due to shame, embarrassment and a perceived lack of willpower, fewer than 1 percent of Americans dealing with an alcohol addiction receive treatment -- despite the fact it works.

The person must make a decision to change. Behavior therapy and medication can help the motivated person overcome alcoholism. There are effective drugs that can help. One that has been around for half a century, called Antabuse, works by making a person nauseated whenever alcohol is imbibed, and newer drugs have been discovered that can block the high that alcohol produces.

Delaying exposure to alcohol in the first place may also help.

Every day in the United States, 7,000 children under 16 pour their first alcoholic drink. With that first sip, a child will become five times more likely to develop alcohol problems than if they'd waited until 21 years of age.