ABSTRACT
Humans have consumed alcohol since early civilization, perhaps even before. Indeed, one popular idea holds that growing grains to ferment them into alcohol was one major factor driving the domestication of some early hunter-gatherers into agricultural/horticultural societies. The reasons are easy to understand; for many, intoxication is associated with euphoria, stress-relief, and sociability. However, for some others, alcohol has a dark side: injury, dependence, and regrettable decisions. According to Sussman, Lisha, and Griffiths (2011), approximately 10% of older teens and adults in the US would qualify for a diagnosis of alcohol use disorder, abuse, or dependence (based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [Fourth Edition; DSM-IV] criteria) over the course of a year.
