Alcoholism is a serious disease in which people have an overwhelming desire for the mental and physical effects of drinking alcoholic beverages. The formal term for alcoholism is alcohol dependence. Alcohol is one of the most widely used drugs in the history of the world. Many adults drink alcoholic beverages on social or ceremonial occasions but have no wish to consume large amounts regularly. People with alcoholism, who are called alcoholics, feel a strong, continuing urge to drink.