Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
Also called: Alcohol dependence
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Summary
For most adults, moderate alcohol use is probably not harmful. However, about 18 million adult Americans have an alcohol use disorder (AUD). This means that their drinking causes distress and harm. It includes alcoholism and alcohol abuse.
Alcoholism, or alcohol dependence, is a disease that causes
- Craving – a strong need to drink
- Loss of control – not being able to stop drinking once you’ve started
- Physical dependence – withdrawal symptoms
- Tolerance – the need to drink more alcohol to feel the same effect
With alcohol abuse, you are not physically dependent, but you still have a serious problem. The drinking may cause problems at home, work, or school. It may cause you to put yourself in dangerous situations, or lead to legal or social problems.
Another common problem is binge drinking. It is drinking about five or more drinks in two hours for men. For women, it is about four or more drinks in two hours.
Too much alcohol is dangerous. Heavy drinking can increase the risk of certain cancers. It can cause damage to the liver, brain, and other organs. Drinking during pregnancy can harm your baby. Alcohol also increases the risk of death from car crashes, injuries, homicide, and suicide.
You may have an AUD if you can answer yes to two or more of these questions:
In the past year, have you
- Ended up drinking more or for a longer time than you had planned to?
- Wanted to cut down or stop drinking, or tried to, but couldn’t?
- Spent a lot of your time drinking, or recovering from drinking?
- Felt a strong need to drink?
- Found that drinking – or being sick from drinking – often interfered with your family life, job, or school?
- Kept drinking even though it was causing trouble with your family or friends?
- Given up or cut back on activities that you enjoyed just so you could drink?
- Gotten into dangerous situations while drinking or after drinking? Some examples are driving drunk and having unsafe sex.
- Kept drinking even though it was making you feel depressed or anxious? Or when it was adding to another health problem?
- Had to drink more and more to feel the effects of the alcohol?
- Had withdrawal symptoms when the alcohol was wearing off? They include trouble sleeping, shakiness, irritability, anxiety, depression, restlessness, nausea, and sweating. In severe cases, you could have a fever, seizures, or hallucinations.
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. If you think you might have an AUD, see your health care provider for an evaluation. Your provider can help make a treatment plan, prescribe medicines, and if needed, give you treatment referrals.
NIH: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Start Here
Symptoms
- What are symptoms of an alcohol use disorder
(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
Diagnosis and Tests
- Blood Alcohol Level
(National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
- Screening Tests
(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Signs of Alcohol Abuse and Addiction
(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)Also in Spanish
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Drinking Levels Defined
(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
Treatments and Therapies
- Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) Treatment: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
- NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator
(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
Living With
- Children of Alcoholics (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) – PDFAlso in Spanish
- Intervention: Help a Loved One Overcome Addiction(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)Also in Spanish
- Support for Quitting: Choose Your Approach
(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Taking Medicines Safely After Alcohol or Drug Abuse Recovery(American Academy of Family Physicians)Also in Spanish
Related Issues
- Alcohol Poisoning (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Alcohol’s Effects on the Body
(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Minority Health and Health Disparities
(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- PTSD and Problems with Alcohol Use (National Center for PTSD)
- Smoking Cessation in Recovering Alcoholics (American Academy of Family Physicians)Also in Spanish
- Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
- What People Recovering from Alcoholism Need to Know about Osteoporosis
(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
Genetics
- Alcohol Alert: Genetics of Alcoholism
(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Genetics Home Reference: alcohol use disorder
(National Library of Medicine)
Health Check Tools
- Alcohol Use Screening (Department of Veterans Affairs)
- Calculators
(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Interactive Worksheets and More
(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
Statistics and Research
- Alcohol Facts and Statistics
(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- Biology of Addiction: Drugs and Alcohol Can Hijack Your Brain
(National Institutes of Health)Also in Spanish
- CDC Vital Signs: Binge Drinking a Serious, Under-Recognized Problem Among Women and Girls (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- CDC Vital Signs: Alcohol Poisoning Deaths (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Also in Spanish
- CDC Vital Signs: Alcohol Screening and Counseling (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Also in Spanish
- CDC Vital Signs: Binge Drinking (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Increases in Problem Drinking
(National Institutes of Health)
- US Adults Drink 17 Billion Binge Drinks a Year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Also in Spanish
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium
(National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Alcoholism
(National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Binge Drinking
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Routine health checks can provide opportunities for alcohol health promotion in…
- Article: Community reinforcement and family training (CRAFT) – design of a cluster…
- Article: Effectiveness of two psychological intervention techniques for de-addiction among patients with…
- Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse — see more articles
Find an Expert
- Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Services Locator(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- The South Suburban Council on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Mental Health
- Getting Help
(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
- Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
Teenagers
- Coping with an Alcoholic Parent (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
Men
- Excessive Alcohol Use and Risks to Men’s Health (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Women
- Excessive Alcohol Use and Risks to Women’s Health (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Older Adults
- Facts About Aging and Alcohol
(National Institute on Aging)Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Alcohol use disorder (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- Alcohol withdrawal (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- Alcoholic ketoacidosis (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- Alcoholic liver disease (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- Alcoholic neuropathy (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- Deciding to quit drinking alcohol (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- Health risks of alcohol use (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- Helping a loved one with a drinking problem (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- When you are drinking too much – tips for cutting back (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish