While functional alcoholics may not binge drink, they do drink more alcohol than the average person. In the U.S., the young antisocial subtype comprises 21% of all alcoholics. The young antisocial alcoholic subtype starts drinking at 15 and develops an AUD around 18. Most young antisocial alcoholics are also male (about three-quarters of the group).
An alcoholic is someone who has developed an alcohol dependence and is experiencing physical and psychological cravings, tolerance, and withdrawal symptoms when trying to cut down or quit. The work shows that different genes and proteins are involved in various drinking behaviors. The researchers further suggest their results highlight the need for more research surrounding the genetics involved with people drinking alcohol. Findings from such studies could help lead to new treatments and strategies to reduce AUD and harmful drinking. Prior research and anecdotal evidence have shown that not only do people have different alcohol consumption habits, but they behave differently after consumption.
A study by scientists at the NIAAA, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), analyzed 1,484 survey respondents who met specific diagnostic criteria for alcohol addiction. The study included people both in treatment and not seeking treatment. Additional alcohol research information and publications are available at Many people with alcohol use disorder hesitate to get treatment because they don’t recognize that they have a problem. An intervention from loved ones can help some people recognize and accept that they need professional help. 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.
Learn how to find higher quality, science-backed alcohol treatment to raise your changes for success. Overall, gather as much information as you can about a program or provider before making a decision on treatment. If you know someone who has firsthand knowledge of a program, it may help to ask about their personal experience. Given the diverse biological processes that contribute to AUD, new medications are needed to provide a broader spectrum of treatment options. Alcohol use disorder is considered a brain disorder, affecting the functioning and structure of the brain, and symptoms can range from mild to moderate to severe.
BetterHelp can connect you to an addiction and mental health counselor. The effort was made to categorize different types of alcoholics, partly to dispel the myth that there is a typical alcoholic. Identifying the specific type of alcoholic makes it easier to understand and treat people’s problems.
Behavioral therapies can help people develop skills to avoid and overcome triggers, such as stress, that might lead to drinking. Medications also can help deter drinking during times when individuals may be at greater risk of a return to drinking (e.g., divorce, death of a family member). Behavioral treatments—also known as alcohol counseling, or talk therapy, and provided by licensed therapists—are aimed at changing drinking behavior. For serious alcohol use disorder, you may need a stay at a residential treatment facility. Most residential treatment programs include individual and group therapy, support groups, educational lectures, family involvement, and activity therapy.
The good news is they’re more likely to seek treatment than those in other groups at 66%. They are also the most likely to participate in detox programs at inpatient treatment centers with private health care providers. Your health care provider or mental health provider will ask additional questions based on your responses, symptoms and needs. Preparing and anticipating questions will help you make the most of your appointment time. Just as some people with diabetes or asthma may have flare-ups of their disease, a return to drinking can be seen as a temporary setback to full recovery and not as a failure. Seeking professional help can prevent a return to drinking—behavioral therapies can help people develop skills to avoid and overcome triggers, such as stress, that might lead to drinking.
Adolescence is a particularly risky time due to the developing, not-yet-mature brain. Thus, drug use causes changes in the brain that can result in a lack of self-control and poor decision-making and judgment. Setbacks can be common, so you will want to know how they are addressed. For more information on a return to drinking, see An Ongoing Process. Couples and family counseling incorporates spouses and other family members in the treatment process and can play an important role in repairing and improving family relationships. Studies show that strong family support through family therapy increases the chances of maintaining abstinence (not drinking) compared with people going to individual counseling.
Treatment can be outpatient and/or inpatient and be provided by specialty programs, therapists, and health care providers. Primary care and mental health providers can provide effective AUD treatment by combining new medications with brief counseling visits. When seeking professional help, it is important that you feel respected and understood and that you trust the person, group, or organization to help you. However, remember that relationships with health care providers can take time to develop. Also known as “alcohol counseling,” behavioral treatments involve working with a health care provider to identify and help change the behaviors that lead to alcohol problems. Mutual-support groups provide peer support for stopping or reducing drinking.
Support groups provide social support, encouragement, and accountability which can be beneficial during recovery. People in recovery from AUD who share their experiences, coping skills, and strategies typically facilitate these groups. It typically includes medically monitored withdrawal, which helps reduce symptoms of withdrawal. It can also help prevent seizures or other complications that may arise.
Treatment may involve an inpatient or outpatient program depending on each person’s situation. Your provider may also be able to suggest an online self-guided program. Such e-health tools have been shown to help people what drugs was eminem addicted to overcome alcohol problems. Your health care provider can help you evaluate the pros and cons of each treatment setting. Many people with AUD do recover, but setbacks are common among people in treatment.
