Author: Charles Frank

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

It’s just as addictive as drug substances, and its use causes various physical, psychological, social, and financial problems. By working together effectively, the negative health and social consequences of alcohol can be reduced. Using alcohol during adolescence (from preteens to mid-20s) may affect brain development, making it more likely that they will be diagnosed with AUD later in life. However, most people with AUD—no matter their age or the severity of their alcohol problems—can benefit from treatment with behavioral health therapies, medications, or both.

The changes can endure long after a person stops consuming alcohol, and can contribute to relapse in drinking. Many people with AUD do recover, but setbacks are common among people in treatment. Behavioral therapies can help people develop skills to avoid and overcome triggers, such as stress, that might lead to drinking. Medications also can help deter drinking during times when individuals may be at greater risk of a return to drinking (e.g., divorce, death of a family member).

Alcohol use disorder can include periods of being drunk (alcohol intoxication) and symptoms of withdrawal. Many people addicted to alcohol also turn to 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). There are also other support groups that don’t follow the 12-step model, such as SMART Recovery and Sober Recovery. Whether or not we accept terms like ‘alcoholic’ or ‘addict’, it is important to be cautious about how we use them. Believing that problems with alcohol only happen to certain people who are ‘alcoholics’ or ‘addicts’ can be a convenient way to brush aside what may be quite serious alcohol issues in our own lives. The truth is that any of us who drink to excess may cause problems for ourselves and others, and may need help to overcome those problems – whatever words we chose to use to describe ourselves.

Some people may have difficulty controlling their alcohol consumption, while others may emotionally rely on certain types of food. Gradually, this craving becomes habitual, resulting in automatic, unthinking repetition. One size does not fit all and a treatment approach that may work for one person may not work for another. Treatment can be outpatient and/or inpatient and be provided by specialty programs, therapists, and health care providers.

Exploring Addiction: Why is Alcohol Addictive?

Total alcohol per capita consumption in 2016 among male and female drinkers worldwide was on average 19.4 litres of pure alcohol for males and 7.0 litres for females. Behavioral treatments—also known as alcohol counseling, or talk therapy, and provided by licensed therapists—are aimed at changing drinking behavior. 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). Typically, a diagnosis of alcohol use disorder doesn’t require any other type of diagnostic test.

At that time, it was certainly a much more compassionate idea than the widespread belief that heavy drinkers were weak or immoral. Alcohol is a very simple chemical that can bring about big changes in the complex functions of the human brain. When we drink alcohol, it triggers the release of other chemicals in the body that make us feel more content and less sensitive to pain. So, it is no surprise that once we start drinking, we often want to carry on. This question has no definitive answer since both can be addictive depending on the person.

Can People With Alcohol Use Disorder Recover?

There’s a chance your doctor may order blood work to check your liver function if you show signs or symptoms of liver disease. Although the exact cause of alcohol use disorder is unknown, there are certain factors that may increase your risk for developing this disease. Some people may drink alcohol to the point that it causes problems, but they’re not physically dependent on alcohol. 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.

1. These complications are reasons why it’s important to treat alcohol addiction early.
2. If your pattern of drinking results in repeated significant distress and problems functioning in your daily life, you likely have alcohol use disorder.
3. As an addiction tends to get worse over time, it’s important to look for early warning signs.
4. It can help someone handle withdrawal symptoms and emotional challenges.
5. Nearly all risks involved with alcohol addiction may be avoidable or treatable, with successful long-term recovery.
6. According to the NCADD, 17.6 million people in the United States suffer from alcohol dependence or chronic alcohol abuse.

If your pattern of drinking results in repeated significant distress and problems functioning in your daily life, you likely have alcohol use disorder. However, even a mild disorder can escalate and lead to serious problems, so early treatment is important. Alcoholism has been known by a variety of terms, including alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence. Drinking alcohol stimulates the release of dopamine and endorphins within the brain. These are the chemicals that produce feelings of pleasure and satisfaction and act as a natural painkiller. Studies have shown that genetic factors come into play when determining how alcohol reacts in the brains of different people.

As an addiction tends to get worse over time, it’s important to look for early warning signs. If identified and treated early, someone with an alcohol addiction may be able to avoid major consequences of the disease. 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.

You should also consider attending a local AA meeting or participating in a self-help program such as Women for Sobriety. The idea that someone is suffering from ‘alcoholism’ (and is ‘once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic’) has been enshrined since the 1930s in the work of Alcoholics Anonymous. Although there is very little scientific basis for it, it is an idea that has helped millions of people to turn their lives around. The Healthline FindCare tool can provide options in your area if you need help finding a mental health specialist. 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.

Factors affecting alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm

Someone with an alcohol addiction who has remained sober for months or years may find themselves drinking again. They may binge drink once or drink for a period of time before getting sober again. It’s important that the person get back on track and resume treatment. An increase in tolerance marks the second stage—people drink larger doses of alcohol to experience the same effects. This leads to decreased pleasurable effects and alcohol dependence, as the person needs alcohol to feel normal. Excessive alcohol consumption continues to be a serious threat to a person’s health.

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. Alcohol can damage the organs, disrupt communication between brain cells, and weaken your immune system. It affects mental health, increases the risk for certain cancers, and can cause addiction. It also increases the risk of injury and death due to impaired judgment.

Avoiding withdrawal is a strong motivator for an alcoholic to continue to drink. This can create a vicious cycle, where the alcoholic drinks to avoid the stress of withdrawal. A variety of factors which affect the levels and patterns of alcohol consumption and the magnitude of alcohol-related problems in populations have been identified at individual and societal levels. Alcohol use disorder can cause serious and lasting damage to your liver. When you drink too much, your liver has a harder time filtering the alcohol and other toxins from your bloodstream. Alcoholism, referred to as alcohol use disorder, occurs when someone drinks so much that their body eventually becomes dependent on or addicted to alcohol.

What Makes Alcohol Addictive?

This means they can be especially helpful to individuals at risk for relapse to drinking. Combined with medications and behavioral treatment provided by health care professionals, mutual-support groups can offer a valuable added layer of support. If you feel that you sometimes drink too much alcohol, or your drinking is causing problems, or if your family is concerned about your drinking, talk with your health care provider. 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.

Alcohol is a psychoactive substance with dependence-producing properties that has been widely used in many cultures for centuries. The harmful use of alcohol causes a high burden of disease and has significant social and economic consequences. See your doctor if you begin to engage in behaviors that are signs of alcohol use disorder or if you think that you may have a problem with alcohol.