The harmful use of alcohol is a causal factor in more than 200 disease and injury conditions. Overall, 5.1% of the global burden of disease and injury is attributable to alcohol, as measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Beyond health consequences, the harmful use of alcohol brings significant social and economic losses to individuals and society at large. Alcohol consumption causes death and disability relatively early in life. In people aged 20–39 years, approximately 13.5% of total deaths are attributable to alcohol. There is a causal relationship between harmful use of alcohol and a range of mental and behavioural disorders, other noncommunicable conditions and injuries.1
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://patient.info/doctor/mental-health/alcoholism-and-alcohol-misuse-recognition-and-assessment