Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: Signs, Symptoms, and Diagnosis

If you have any of these symptoms, your drinking may already be a cause for concern. Here, we briefly share the basics about AUD, from risk to diagnosis to recovery. This article introduces a number of AUD topics that link to other Core articles for more detail. Many people addicted to alcohol also turn to 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).

Tips to change your relationship with alcohol

1. With the right support and motivation, many people can stop drinking or cut down to a lower-risk level of alcohol consumption.
2. Read on to learn more about the symptoms, risk factors, treatments, diagnosis, and where to get support.
3. However, many definitions of alcoholism exist, and only some are compatible with alcohol abuse.
4. Sensitization resulting from repeated withdrawal cycles and leading to both more severe and more persistent symptoms therefore may constitute a significant motivational factor that underlies increased risk for relapse (Becker 1998, 1999).
5. Mutual-support groups provide peer support for stopping or reducing drinking.
6. Sober communities can also share relatable experiences and offer new, healthy friendships.

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. In order for treatment to work, the person with an alcohol addiction must want to get sober. 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. The contemporary definition of alcohol dependence is still based upon early research.

If you’re concerned about someone who drinks too much, ask a professional experienced in alcohol treatment for advice on how to approach that person. Many symptoms can be managed at home, but moderate to severe withdrawal should be supervised by a healthcare professional and may require inpatient treatment. Alcohol dependence causes people to keep drinking to avoid experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol abuse, on the other hand, involves drinking excessively without having a physical dependence. Alcohol dependence is characterized by symptoms of withdrawal when a person tries to quit drinking. Drinking to excess but not being physically dependent is called alcohol abuse.

Heavy drinking in this population is five or more drinks in one day or 15 or more drinks in a week. People assigned female at birth (AFAB) should limit drinking to one drink a day. Heavy drinking in this population is four or more drinks a day or eight drinks a week. This activity provides 0.75 CME/CE credits for physicians, physician assistants, nurses, pharmacists, and psychologists, as well as other healthcare professionals whose licensing boards accept APA or AMA credits.

Symptoms

There are also other support groups that don’t follow the 12-step model, such as SMART Recovery and Sober Recovery. Unlike cocaine or heroin, alcohol is widely available and accepted in many cultures. It’s often at the center of social situations and closely linked to celebrations and enjoyment.

Health Challenges

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. Whether you care for youth or adults, you are likely to encounter patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) regularly in your practice.

According to a 2022 national survey, about 1 in 7 men, 1 in 11 women, and 1 in 33 adolescents (aged 12-17) meet the diagnostic criteria for AUD.1 Thus, it is important to know how to identify this often-undetected condition, to have a plan for managing it, and to encourage patients that they can recover. Some people may drink alcohol to the point that it causes problems, but they’re not physically dependent on alcohol. People with alcohol use disorder will continue to drink even when drinking causes negative consequences, like losing a job or destroying relationships with people they love.

People with AUD represent about 20–35 percent of completed suicides. If you are drinking more than that at any one time, you may be misusing alcohol. Excessive drinking aa types of meetings is defined as 15 drinks or more a week for men and eight drinks or more a week for women. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), moderate drinking is typically defined as two drinks or fewer for men per day, or one drink or less for women. With the use of appropriate medications and behavioral therapies, people can recover from AUD.