Having to drink more than normal to get the desired effect (to feel “buzzed” or drunk)Experiencing withdrawal symptoms after the effects of alcohol wear offHaving occasions when you drink more or longer than intendedTrying and failing to cut down on — or stop — drinking more than onceWanting to drink so much you can’t think about anything elseSpending a lot of time drinking and experiencing the after-effects of drinkingNoticing that drinking or the after-effects of drinking caused problems at home, work, or schoolGiving up on other activities you enjoy to drink insteadContinuing to drink even after experiencing psychological or physical health problems (like anxiety or depression symptoms), or after having a memory blackoutContinuing to drink even if it’s causing problems with your family and friendsGetting into situations more than once where alcohol could have increased your risk of getting hurt (driving while under the influence, having unprotected sex, etc.)
What’s Considered Excessive Alcohol Use?
Binge Drinking is having 4 or more drinks during a single occasion for women and 5 or more drinks for men (see below for the definition of a drink)Heavy Drinking is having 8 or more drinks per week for women and 15 or more drinks per week for men
12 ounces of beer8 ounces of malt liquor5 ounces of wine (this is about one glass)1.5 ounces (one shot) of 80-proof distilled spirits or liquor, such as gin, rum, vodka, or whiskey
History of emotional or other traumaMental illnesses and mood disorders, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophreniaSocial and cultural pressure, including having a partner who drinks regularly (or a parent who does, for adolescents)Starting to drink — especially to binge drink — at an early ageRegularly drinking too much over a long period of timePersonality disorders, including antisocial personality disorder and borderline personality disorder
Mild AUD 2 to 3 symptomsModerate AUD 4 to 5 symptomsSevere AUD 6 or more symptoms
Prognosis of Alcohol Use Disorder
Alcohol can affect nearly every organ in the body. In many organs, the effects of alcohol increase over time, and the damage becomes apparent only after years of abuse. The brain experiences the effects of alcohol right away, resulting in changes in mood, behavior, and judgment. The more alcohol you drink, the higher your blood alcohol levels and the greater your level of alcohol intoxication.
Blurred visionReduced inhibitionsUnstable moodsInappropriate behaviorPoor coordinationMemory loss or blackouts (where you don’t remember events)Coma or death, in severe casesIncreased risk of intentional or unintentional injury or death — for example, suicides, drownings, falls, and assaults and violenceIncreased risks of complications and potentially death from interactions with both over-the-counter and prescription medicationsComa or death, in severe cases
Alcohol withdrawal after periods of excessive drinking can cause debilitating symptoms hours to days later. According to the NIAAA, symptoms may include trouble sleeping, restlessness, nausea, sweating, a racing heart, increased blood pressure, tremor (or shakiness), anxiety, feeling low, or just a general sense of malaise. Moderate and severe withdrawal syndromes can include hallucinations, seizures, or delirium tremens; the latter two can be life-threatening. Relapsing doesn’t mean that treatment has failed, though — it takes time to change behavior. You can work with a health professional to try new treatments that may work better for you. Receiving treatment improves your chances of recovering from AUD. If you think you need help with alcohol use, talk to your doctor. They can assess whether you have a risky drinking pattern, evaluate your overall health, help create a treatment plan, and refer you to programs or other healthcare providers if necessary.
Support Groups and Rehabilitation Programs
Mutual-support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and inpatient rehabilitation are common treatments for alcohol problems. Mutual-support groups teach you tactics to help you overcome your compulsion to drink alcohol. AA is a 12-step program that provides peer support and applies 12 spirituality-based principles. The NIAA offers a list of a number of these support groups, including secular options.
Counseling
Counseling can help you identify and change behaviors that lead to drinking, build a stronger support system, develop attainable goals, learn healthy coping skills, and handle triggers that lead to relapses. Treatment may involve standard therapies used to treat other mental illnesses, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is commonly used to treat depression, among other disorders. In addition to CBT, another type of therapy called Motivational Interviewing, which focuses on empowering the subject to identify their issues and take action, has also demonstrated effectiveness, according to research from 2020.
Medications
Naltrexone (Vivitrol) helps people stop heavy drinking by blocking the euphoric effects and feelings of intoxication.Disulfiram (Antabuse) helps you avoid drinking alcohol by blocking the metabolism of alcohol in your body. If you do drink, it causes nausea, skin flushing, and other unpleasant symptoms.Acamprosate (Campral) can help you continue to abstain from drinking and is thought to work by restoring brain chemical imbalances caused by heavy drinking.
Prevention of Alcohol Use Disorder
Adolescents are also likely to binge drink, which can lead to serious consequences, including injury and death. You can help prevent alcohol abuse in your children by setting a good example and using alcohol responsibly, talking openly with them and being involved in their lives, and setting expectations and consequences for their behavior. RELATED: 9 Different Types of Depression Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a degenerative brain disorder that causes mental confusion, vision problems, lack of coordination, and memory problems, among other symptoms.
Cardiovascular problems, such as arrhythmias, stroke, high blood pressure, or cardiomyopathy (impaired function of the heart)Liver problems, including steatosis (fatty liver), hepatitis, and or cirrhosis (scarring of and permanent damage to the liver)Pancreatitis (pancreas inflammation)Cancer, including of the mouth, esophagus, throat, liver, breast, and colonIncreased risk of infections, particularly pneumonia and tuberculosisBone damage, including osteoporosis, as alcohol can interfere in new bone productionBirth defects in your baby, if you drink while pregnant, due to fetal alcohol syndrome (this applies to anyone who drinks alcohol while pregnant, and not just those with AUD)Reproductive problems, including erectile dysfunction in men and irregular or missed periods in women
RELATED: What Experts Want BIPOC Women to Know About Menopause Psychological disorders including anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disease have been associated with AUD. They may be a contributing factor to AUD, and alcohol use itself may worsen the symptoms of these conditions. AUD may also be associated with sleep problems, including disrupted sleep and poor sleep quality, and it may worsen sleep apnea, according to a meta-analysis from 2018. Learn more about AUD from the government organization in charge of studying alcohol use and abuse in Americans. The website offers in-depth information on the treatment for AUD, tips to find a treatment program, links to support groups, and a tool to find specialty programs, therapists, and doctors who are located near you or offer their services via telehealth. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) This peer-run, international fellowship is open to anyone who wants to address a drinking problem. Research has suggested that the program can be successful in helping some people cut back on or eliminate alcohol from their lives. Check out the website to learn more about how AA works, find a chapter near you, and download e-books to help with your journey. Rethinking Drinking This blog-style website includes engaging articles, tools, tips, and more — and it’s all powered by the NIAAA and the National Institutes of Health. Helpful tools like a calculator to measure the amount of alcohol in different drinks and a free 20-page guide via download make this a highly useful, user-friendly resource. Additional reporting by Joseph Bennington-Castro.
