Apart from having an enormous craving for alcohol, an alcoholic often yields to that craving at the worst possible times. The alcoholic knows neither when nor how to stop drinking. Definition-an alcoholic is a person, while alcoholism is the illness.An alcoholic suffers from alcoholism. Alcoholism is a long-term (chronic) disease. Alcoholics are obsessed with alcohol and cannot control how much they consume, even if it is causing serious problems at home, work, and financially.part from having an enormous craving for alcohol, an alcoholic often yields to that craving at the worst possible times. The alcoholic knows neither when nor how to stop drinking. Definition-an alcoholic is a person, while alcoholism is the illness. An alcoholic suffers from alcoholism.