It is beyond me why people drink to excess and harm their bodies and brains and get themselves into potentially dangerous and harmful situations. Is this a form of self abuse?

l belive it is a form of abuse.. Most of the time there are underlying reasons.. Addiction.

Anything to excess is a form of abuse, and addiction. Anyone who drinks to excess is an alcoholic.

Probably. But the driving force is addiction.

l think its fun ! l FEEL GREAT AFTER DRINKING

It would seem so, would not it? However, l do not think alcoholism is considered to be in the same category such as cutting and burning oneself. l mean is an over eater indulging in a form of self abuse? How about a sex addict? Drug addict? Anorexics and bulemics? How about the compulsion to judge people? All fascinating questions.

it can be

Nobody starts abusing any substance because they want to become dependant on it. Usually u do not realise u r dependant on it, u say things to keep the peace like u r going to stop or get help but whatever the substance is it controls you. l was an alcoholic for many years, l did not do it to try & cause myself problems l did it because l did not control the alcohol it controlled me. If l got into a potentially dangerous situation the first thing l thought of was having more alcohol. l did not want to abuse myself l did not see it as being that l saw it as a way of getting out of those situations.
Alcoholism is a cruel disease because it affects far more than the person who has it but it is a disease, there is no cure I've not had a drink for nearly 4 years but l know l could not have one. l can not control the alcohol it controls me!