This damage can inhibit functioning, including reaction times, decision-making, and even the ability to learn new things. Many of the same treatment approaches and therapies are used to address substance use and mental health disorders. In fact, many treatment professionals are integrated providers, trained in both addiction and mental health treatment.

Like depression and other mental illnesses, addiction is a very real medical disorder that is rooted in brain changes—but the condition is so much more complex than that. An alcohol use disorder is a medical diagnosis to describe a person or persons with an alcohol problem. Alcoholism is a non-medical term used to self-diagnose an individual who lacks consumption restraint. It is rare for a medical professional to diagnose a patient as an alcoholic. Instead, they will seek to determine whether someone has mild, moderate, or severe alcohol use disorder .

Understanding The DSM-5 Criteria For Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)

In many cases, AUD increases the chances of having a co-occurring mental health condition. For example, AUD may triple your chances of experiencing major depressive disorder (MDD). The intoxication and withdrawal cycle can also cause MDD and other mental health concerns. In addition to being a diagnosable mental health condition, AUD is also a medical disease.

• Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic illness in which you can’t stop or control your drinking even though it’s hurting your social life, your job, or your health.
• Your doctor may screen you for this condition by asking you questions about your drinking habits, including how much and how often you drink and whether or not you feel drinking alcohol has interfered with your life negatively.
• Alcoholism is an outdated term used to describe what’s now called AUD.
• You can search for an empathetic mental health professional using our Healthline FindCare tool to get more information and help finding the right treatment for you.
• No matter how hopeless alcohol use disorder may seem, treatment can help.

It can be difficult to pinpoint when social drinking progresses into problematic alcohol abuse. Licensed medical professionals use criteria listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) to find out whether a person has alcohol use disorder and determine its severity. If you or someone 5 Tips to Consider When Choosing a Sober Living House you know is struggling with anxiety and/or depression and drink alcohol to cope, the alcohol may be actually wind up contributing to some of these symptoms. So, if you are seeking professional help for other mental health issues, it is a good time to accurately report your alcohol use to the person trying to help you.

Mild, Moderate, & Severe AUDs

If you or a loved one is battling a substance use disorder and wants to receive help, our team is ready to help. A person may feel compelled to drink for many reasons; this includes trauma, depression, stress, coping, anxiety, or shame. For someone suffering from an alcohol use disorder , the presence of any one of these triggers could lead them to experience their disorder on a much larger scale. There are gender differences in alcohol-related mortality and morbidity, as well as levels and patterns of alcohol consumption. The percentage of alcohol-attributable deaths among men amounts to 7.7 % of all global deaths compared to 2.6 % of all deaths among women. Total alcohol per capita consumption in 2016 among male and female drinkers worldwide was on average 19.4 litres of pure alcohol for males and 7.0 litres for females.

• Disease management requires acceptance of a problem, follow-through with treatment, and an understanding that a person can have periods of symptom flare-ups or relapse (but this doesn’t mean hope is lost).
• If you do choose to drink alcohol, follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans on moderate alcohol consumption (no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men).
• The DSM is an authoritative guide that mental health professionals in the US use to diagnose mental health disorders.
• Alcohol withdrawal can usually be treated outside of the hospital, but some severe cases do require hospitalization.

Poverty and physical or sexual abuse also increase the odds of developing alcohol dependence. According to a 2020 study, alcoholism often co-occurs with other mental health conditions such as mood disorders, anxiety disorders, thought disorders, or substance use disorders. In other words, it describes a person or persons who suffer from a severe form of alcohol dependence or exhibits a formal inability to manage drinking habits.

Graduate School of Addiction Studies

Mental health treatment often focuses on and exploration of a person’s thoughts, feelings and behaviors, focusing on ways to improve those feelings through one-on-one counseling or group therapy. This type of treatment often includes medication paired with psychotherapy. Alcohol-related disorders severely impair functioning and health. But the prospects for successful long-term problem resolution are good for people who seek help from appropriate sources. The sooner you recognize there may be a problem and talk to your healthcare provider, the better your recovery chances. Alcohol use disorder can include periods of being drunk (alcohol intoxication) and symptoms of withdrawal.