Alcoholism affects millions of people in the United States.

We've all seen the stereotypical "drunk" in movies and television shows: He's the one staggering down the street, clothing askew, slurring his words and tripping over his own feet. But in the real world, alcoholism is often much more difficult to spot. Alcoholics may hide their drinking problem from friends, family -- even from themselves.

In the United States alone, alcoholism affects millions of people and costs the country billions of dollars each year.

In this article, we'll learn the difference between heavy drinking and alcoholism, find out how alcohol affects the body, discover the genetic, social and physiological factors that lead individuals down the path to alcoholism and learn how alcoholics can get treatment for their addiction.

But first, what is alcoholism?

Do You Need Help?If you or someone close to you is (or may be) an alcoholic, here are a few online resources that can help you or your loved one: Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) - program to help people overcome alcoholism AA: Twelve questions only you can answer - questions to help you determine whether you need help Al-Anon/Alateen - program to help people whose lives are affected by an alcoholic Adult Children of Alcoholics - program to help people who grew up in homes affected by alcoholism