Author: James Anderson

Understanding Alcohol Use Disorder National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism NIAAA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three medications for treating alcohol dependence, and others are being tested to determine whether they are effective. Certain medications have been shown to effectively help people stop or reduce their drinking and avoid relapse. Many people struggle with controlling their drinking at some time in their lives. More than 14 million adults ages 18 and older have alcohol use disorder (AUD), and 1 in 10 children live in a home with a parent who has a drinking problem.

Sober communities can help someone struggling with alcohol addiction deal with the challenges of sobriety in day-to-day life. Sober communities can also share relatable experiences and offer new, healthy friendships. And these communities make the person with an alcohol addiction accountable and provide a place to turn to if there is a relapse. Three medications are currently approved in the United States to help people stop or reduce their drinking and prevent relapse. They are prescribed by a primary care physician or other health professional and may be used alone or in combination with counseling.

These complications are reasons why it’s important to treat alcohol addiction early. Nearly all risks involved with alcohol addiction may be avoidable or treatable, with successful long-term recovery. Some are surprised to learn that there are medications on the market approved to treat alcohol dependence. The newer types of these medications work by offsetting changes in the brain caused by AUD. If you have any of these symptoms, your drinking may already be a cause for concern. A health professional can conduct a formal assessment of your symptoms to see if AUD is present.

Regardless of how the addiction looks, someone typically has an alcohol addiction if they heavily rely on drinking and can’t stay sober for an extended period of time. It can cause changes to the brain and neurochemistry, so a person with an alcohol addiction may not be able to control their actions. Alcohol addiction, also known as alcoholism, is a disease that affects people of all walks of life. Experts have tried to pinpoint factors like genetics, sex, race, or socioeconomics that may predispose someone to alcohol addiction. Psychological, genetic, and behavioral factors can all contribute to having the disease.

Stepping up activity if winter slowed you down

A  causal relationship has been established between harmful drinking and incidence or outcomes of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV. When is it common in society, it can be hard to tell the difference between someone who likes to have a few drinks now and then and someone with a real problem. Alcohol use disorder can include periods of being drunk (alcohol intoxication) and symptoms of withdrawal.

Your health care provider or counselor can suggest a support group. Individual factors include age, gender, family circumstances and socio-economic status. Poorer individuals experience greater health and social harms from alcohol consumption than more affluent individuals. Your health care provider or mental health provider will ask additional questions based on your responses, symptoms and needs. Preparing and anticipating questions will help you make the most of your appointment time. Regardless of the type of support system, it’s helpful to get involved in at least one when getting sober.

Self-testing: Do I misuse alcohol?

Other ways to get help include talking with a mental health professional or seeking help from a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous or a similar type of self-help group. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other 12-step programs provide peer support for people quitting or cutting back on their drinking. Combined with treatment led by health professionals, mutual-support groups can offer a valuable added layer of support.

Unhealthy alcohol use includes any alcohol use that puts your health or safety at risk or causes other alcohol-related problems. It also includes binge drinking — a pattern of drinking where a male has five or more drinks within two hours or a female has at least four drinks within two hours. Alcohol use disorder is a pattern of alcohol use that involves problems controlling your drinking, being preoccupied with alcohol or continuing to use alcohol even when it causes problems.

1. Psychological, genetic, and behavioral factors can all contribute to having the disease.
2. Research shows that about one-third of people who are treated for alcohol problems have no further symptoms 1 year later.
3. They may know that their alcohol use negatively affects their lives, but it’s often not enough to make them stop drinking.
4. Understanding the available treatment options—from behavioral therapies and medications to mutual-support groups—is the first step.
5. A common initial treatment option for someone with an alcohol addiction is an outpatient or inpatient rehabilitation program.
6. Alcoholism has been known by a variety of terms, including alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence.

When asked how alcohol problems are treated, people commonly think of 12-step programs or 28-day inpatient rehab but may have difficulty naming other options. In fact, there are a variety of treatment methods currently available, thanks to significant advances in the field over the past 60 years. Friends and family members of people who have an alcohol addiction can benefit from professional support or by joining programs like Al-Anon.

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When you drink too much, your liver has a harder time filtering the alcohol and other toxins from your bloodstream. Alcohol use disorder develops when you drink so much that chemical changes in the brain occur. These changes increase the pleasurable feelings you get when you drink alcohol. Societal factors include level of economic development, culture, social norms, availability of alcohol, and implementation and enforcement of alcohol policies. Adverse health impacts and social harm from a given level and pattern of drinking are greater for poorer societies.

Based on clinical experience, many health providers believe that support from friends and family members is important in overcoming alcohol problems. But friends and family may feel unsure about how best to provide the support needed. The groups for family and friends listed below may be a good starting point.

Severity is based on the number of criteria a person meets based on their symptoms—mild (2–3 criteria), moderate (4–5 criteria), or severe (6 or more criteria). As a loved one of someone with an alcohol addiction, try to be encouraging and provide emotional support. Ultimately, sobriety is the responsibility of the person who has the alcohol addiction. It’s important to not enable destructive behaviors and to maintain appropriate boundaries if the person with the alcohol addiction is still drinking. This can mean cutting off financial assistance or making it difficult for them to fulfill the addiction.

Fatal alcohol-related injuries tend to occur in relatively younger age groups. The Healthline FindCare tool can provide options in your area if you need help finding a mental health specialist. Because denial is common, you may feel like you don’t have a problem with drinking.