What is alcohol use disorder, and what is the treatment?

Posted on April 7th, 2022

Alcoholism, now known as alcohol use disorder, is a condition in which a person has a desire or physical need to consume alcohol, even though it has a negative impact on their life.

In the past, a person with this condition was referred to as an “alcoholic.” However, this is increasingly seen as an unhelpful and negative label. Health professionals now say that a person hasTrusted Source an alcohol use disorder (AUD).

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), in 2015, 15.1 millionTrusted Source American adults (6.2 percent of the population) had an alcohol use problem.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), globally, 3.3 millionTrusted Source deaths every year result from the harmful use of alcohol.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) describes alcohol use disorder as “an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences.”

A person with this condition does not know when or how to stop drinking. They spend a lot of time thinking about alcohol, and they cannot control how much they consume, even if it is causing serious problems at home, work, and financially.

Excessive or inappropriate consumption of alcohol is not necessarily the same as alcohol dependence.

Moderate alcohol consumption does not generally cause any psychological or physical harm. However, if someone who enjoys social drinking significantly increases their consumption or regularly consumes more than the recommended quantity, AUD may eventually develop.

A person who drinks excessive amounts of alcohol will often not be the first person to realize that this is so.

Some signs and symptoms of AUD include:

• drinking alone or in secret
• not being able to limit how much alcohol is consumed
• blacking out and not being able to remember chunks of time
• having rituals and being irritated if someone else comments on these rituals, for example, drinks before, during, or after meals, or after work
• losing interest in hobbies that were previously enjoyed
• feeling an urge to drink
• feeling irritable when drinking times approach, especially if alcohol is not, or may not be, available
• storing alcohol in unlikely places
• gulping drinks down in order to feel good
• having problems with relationships, the law, finances, or work that stem from drinking
• needing more alcohol to feel its effect
• experiencing nausea, sweating, or shaking when not drinking

Some people experience some of these signs and symptoms but are not dependent on alcohol.

Alcohol consumption becomes a problem when it takes precedence over all other activities. Dependence can take several years to develop.

The problems linked to alcohol dependence are extensive. The effects can be physical, psychological, and social.

Original article: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/157163#symptoms