Alcoholic: Definition, Symptoms, Traits, Causes, Treatment

Individuals in recovery are able to return home or to other living situations outside of treatment hours. If you are having difficulties related to drinking, or if your friends or family have mentioned that you might want to quit or cut down your drinking, it’s time to take an assessment. However, if you do have a problem, you should find out and address it as soon as possible.

Get Help For Alcoholism

• An alcoholic is known as someone who drinks alcohol beyond his or her ability to control it and is unable to stop consuming alcohol voluntarily.
• They can ask you further questions and help you figure out if you have an alcohol use disorder.
• That is why alcohol detox and alcohol withdrawal treatment is administered by medical professionals.
• We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals.

There are various types of alcoholics, and not everyone with an alcohol problem fits a stereotype. American Addiction Centers (AAC) is committed to delivering original, truthful, accurate, unbiased, and medically current information. We strive to create content that is clear, concise, and easy to understand.

Mild Alcohol Use Disorders

If you have been drinking often, you should talk to your healthcare provider about how to safely detox from alcohol. Typically, alcohol withdrawal symptoms happen for heavier drinkers. Alcohol withdrawal can begin within hours of ending a drinking session. This is the rarest subtype, making up only 9% of people addicted to alcohol in the United States. Most individuals in this subtype are middle-aged and started drinking early. Of the five subtypes, they rate highest for other psychiatric disorders and abuse of other substances.

How to Sober Up From Alcohol, Cocaine, and Other Substances

But the questions above can help you reflect on your relationship with alcohol and may give you insight into whether you have a problem. If you answered “yes” to any of the questions above, speak with a healthcare provider to better understand your drinking. Drinking alcohol Top 5 Advantages of Staying in a Sober Living House is widely accepted and even encouraged in society. However, if you are drinking frequently or have problems because of alcohol you may wonder if you have a problem. Anyone who experiences concerns or troubles due to alcohol use may likely have a drinking problem.

• It also includes binge drinking — a pattern of drinking where a male has five or more drinks within two hours or a female has at least four drinks within two hours.
• In some people, the initial reaction may feel like an increase in energy.
• Alcohol use disorder can include periods of being drunk (alcohol intoxication) and symptoms of withdrawal.
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which equips you with the tools to turn negative habits into positive ones, is often used.
• Alcohol use disorder can cause serious and lasting damage to your liver.

Individuals in the intermediate familial subtype are, on average, age 38 and are usually employed. About 50% of these individuals are from families with multigenerational alcoholism, and almost all have experienced clinical depression. Alcohol use disorder has been identified as something that happens when a person drinks so much or so often that it changes the chemical makeup of their brain. Screening tests are available to help you assess your drinking habits and relationship with alcohol. Not everyone with alcohol use disorder experiences it in the same way. Lists 12 questions to ask yourself if you think you may be an alcoholic.

This assessment was created by the World Health Organization and consists of 10 multiple-choice questions. Treatment programs and online alcohol rehab are available if you are facing an alcohol problem. Altogether, a first-time DUI offense could potentially cost an individual anywhere from $10,000 to $25,000 when all is said and done. There may be major barriers to your recovery including the denial that there’s a problem, social stigma, having limited help, and lack of education.

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You may need to seek treatment at an inpatient facility if your addiction to alcohol is severe. These facilities will provide you with 24-hour care as you withdraw from alcohol and recover from your addiction. Once you’re well enough to leave, you’ll https://virginiadigest.com/top-5-advantages-of-staying-in-a-sober-living-house/ need to continue to receive treatment on an outpatient basis. 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.

John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine. For over 20 years Dr. Umhau was a senior clinical investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). If alcohol is getting in the way of keeping up with different areas of your life, then it is a problem. Please read the following 11 yes or no questions carefully and answer as honestly as you can. Many of this type also have other substance addictions, anxiety problems, bipolar disorder and major depression.

And when you’re ready, learn about alcohol detox or other treatment programs or get started with online rehab. Alcohol misuse can impact every aspect of your life in ways you may not expect. Consider seeking professional assistance if you answered yes to two or more questions. Some people with mild symptoms can cut back or quit on their own, but others may need medical treatment and support to achieve long-term sobriety. Each question you answered relates to a symptom of alcohol use disorder. As your number of symptoms increases, so does the severity of the risks if you continue drinking.