Approximately half of the US population describe themselves as regular drinkers, and while the vast majority of these will not suffer from alcoholism, a sizeable proportion could become addicted to regularly drinking to excess.
Figures published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that, in 2006, there were more than 13,000 deaths in the country as a result of alcoholic liver disease, while the number of alcohol-induced deaths amounted to over 22,000.
In the UK, ten times as many people die from alcohol-related causes as on the nation's roads.
These numbers could have been reduced if the benefits of alcohol addiction centers had been realised, with the facilities able to offer members of the alcohol abuse community a specifically tailored program of support, whether they are physically or psychologically addicted.
While drinking alcohol is part of the national culture, it is still a drug - meaning that it will have negative health implications for your body.
Many people will be aware of the short-term effects, most notably alcohol's ability to shrink the brain and cause dehydration.
If heavy drinking is sustained, however, than it starts to seriously damage the liver. This is when a person should start to consider an alcoholic rehab program.