Markedly differing views can be found among both clinicians and resear
chers regarding whether alcohol withdrawal is a phenomenon of any prac
tical or theoretical importance. Evidence has mounted that alcohol wit
hdrawal, even in a severe form, is rarely life-threatening and the gre
at majority of cases can be managed in non-medical settings, including
the home. There is also a widely held view among clinicians that with
drawal symptoms have little motivational significance and may be best
regarded as but epiphenomena of prolonged heavy drinking. There are al
so experimental data from both human and animal laboratory studies to
the effect that withdrawal symptoms do not readily trigger further alc
ohol consumption. Against this most unpromising background a case is p
resented for alcohol withdrawal being but one manifestation of importa
nt biological and psychological adaptive processes which occur almost
whenever alcohol is consumed with any regularity. It is proposed that
understanding this more general phenomenon is critical to a better und
erstanding of the factors which maintain heavy and problematic drinkin
g. Recent evidence also suggests that minor alcohol withdrawal symptom
s are far more common in the general population than had previously be
en realized, and that this has important implications for prevention p
olicy.