Alcohol Use Disorder: What It Is, Symptoms & Treatment

AUD encompasses the conditions that some people refer to as alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, alcohol addiction, and what most people simply refer to as alcoholism. Diagnosed AUD can have mild, moderate, and severe sub-classifications. It may lead to liver diseases, such as fatty liver disease and cirrhosis. Alcohol also increases the risk of death from car crashes, injuries, homicide, and suicide. A doctor or substance abuse expert may be able to help a person look at the consequences of drinking. If an individual is beginning to think about alcohol as a problem worth trying to solve, educational groups may provide support for weighing the pros and cons of drinking.

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Even though alcohol related disorders are very common, relatively few individuals recognize the problem and get help. Therefore, screening is very important, whether primary care physicians or friends and family do it. To learn more about alcohol treatment options and search for quality care near you, please visit the NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator.

Diagnosing alcohol use disorder

In an alcohol use disorder (AUD, commonly called alcoholism), excessive alcohol use causes symptoms affecting the body, thoughts and behavior. A hallmark of the disorder is that the person continues to drink despite the problems that alcohol causes. There is no absolute number of drinks per day or quantity of alcohol that defines an alcohol use disorder, but above a certain level, the risks of drinking increase significantly. If you’re receiving counseling, ask your provider about handling high-stress situations when you may feel like you need some additional mental health support. After detoxification, many people with alcohol disorders need some form of long-term support or counseling to remain sober.

What is considered 1 drink?

Excessive alcohol intake can disrupt the balance of microbes in the gut. Administration of probiotics may improve intestinal function and help prevent liver disease. Research is ongoing to determine the benefits of natural therapies on the prevention of complications from AUD. People should not try to use natural remedies on their own, but use them in conjunction with medical treatment and therapy options.

What is alcohol use disorder (AUD)?

Getting help as early as possible can keep you from drinking again. Your doctor might suggest talk therapy to help you learn how to deal with triggers that might cause you to want to drink. And some medications can help when situations come up that may put you at risk for drinking again, such as the death of a family member, the loss of a job, or divorce. Not everyone gets the same access to screenings for alcohol use. A study involving almost 1,000 people found that Black and Latino people and other ethnic groups were less likely than White people to get “quality” alcohol screenings. These screenings are when health care professionals ask people not only if they drink, but also how much they drink.

• Too much alcohol affects your speech, muscle coordination and vital centers of your brain.
• Even if your case of AUD is mild, it can have a serious effect on your physical and mental health.
• But as you continue to drink, you become drowsy and have less control over your actions.
• An estimated 28.9 million people — adults and adolescents — in the U.S. have alcohol use disorder.
• The goal of an intervention is not to force change; it’s to establish boundaries and plant a seed to open a person’s mind to the idea of treatment.

A doctor may order additional tests to find out whether alcohol-related damage to the liver, stomach or other organs has occurred. A healthy diet with vitamin supplements, especially B vitamins, is helpful. Screening is important, because early detection and treatment can prevent dangerous complications. During an office visit, a health care professional will likely focus on the following. As much shame as symptoms may trigger, drinking problems are an understandable human predicament. The best strategy is to be frank in response to a doctor’s questions.

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Alcohol use disorder can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the number of symptoms you have. A trained therapist can assist you to find the right time to talk to your loved one about alcohol use. As a screening test, the single question about drinking patterns is as good as slightly more detailed ones, such as the CAGE questions.

Group meetings are available in most communities at low or no cost, and at convenient times and locations—including an increasing presence online. This means they can be especially helpful to individuals at risk for return to drinking. Combined with medications and behavioral treatment provided by health care professionals, mutual-support groups can offer a valuable added layer of support. Other names for AUD include alcohol misuse, alcohol dependence, alcohol addiction, and alcoholism. Risk factors for developing AUD include a family history of alcohol misuse, mental health conditions, and starting alcohol use at a young age.

It may be in an inpatient or outpatient setting, and may require detoxification to manage withdrawal symptoms. A treatment plan may involve medication, therapy, or both. For most adults, moderate alcohol use is probably not harmful.

• A doctor may order additional tests to find out whether alcohol-related damage to the liver, stomach or other organs has occurred.
• They also help people identify and avoid their triggers for drinking.
• It is very important to get treatment for such disorders if they are contributing to the problem.
• For most people who have an alcohol use disorder, the first alcohol-related life problems usually appear in the mid-20s to early 40s.
• With the support of a doctor, people can develop a treatment plan that is individualized for them.

Typically, a diagnosis of alcohol use disorder doesn’t require a diagnostic test. However, a doctor may order blood work to check your liver function if you have symptoms of liver disease. Your doctor may ask about your drinking habits and want to talk with your family and friends.

Among the surest signs of alcoholism is the toll on your physical and mental health. Physical health issues related to alcoholism can include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and damage to the brain, nervous system, pancreas, heart, and liver. Alcoholism is referred to as alcohol use disorder (AUD) in clinical settings and is a complex and often misunderstood condition that affects physical and mental health. Characterized by liquor usage that leads to significant personal and relational stresses, alcohol use disorder is a chronic condition that’s dangerous when left untreated. Alcohol use disorder increases the risk of liver disease (hepatitis and cirrhosis), heart disease, stomach ulcers, brain damage, stroke and other health problems. If your pattern of drinking results in repeated significant distress and problems functioning in your daily life, you likely have alcohol use disorder.

For a man, this usually happens after having 5 or more drinks within a few hours. For a woman, it is after about 4 or more drinks within a few hours. Not everyone who binge drinks has an AUD, but they are at higher risk for getting one. A person with alcohol use disorder has come to rely on alcohol physically, psychologically and/or emotionally. The brain adapts to the presence of alcohol and undergoes persistent changes.

If you have any of these symptoms, your drinking may already be a cause for concern. The more symptoms you have, the more serious the problem is. No content Alcohol use disorder on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.