In ancient Greece the festival of Anthesteria was a four-day long celebration of feast and worship in honor of Dionysus, the god of wine. This time of merriment included the consumption of wine as well as the welcomed effects of intoxication. The festival would end on a more sobering note as the ancient Greeks made atonement and rejoiced in the resurrection and return of Dionysus.

In modern times, people have continued this tradition of consuming alcohol in celebration on holidays or at other joyous occasions, such as weddings. However, for many people alcohol is a source of misery and pain. For these individuals, alcohol is not a symbol of merriment, but rather a vice and an obsession that consumes them.

In the United States alone, approximately 14 million people combat some form of alcohol abuse. Alcohol abuse is broadly defined as a destructive pattern of alcohol use. Under this...