Alcohol Use Disorder: What It Is, Symptoms & Treatment

Alcohol is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, contributing to approximately 178,000 deaths annually. Over time, alcohol use takes a toll on your body and increases your risk of over 200 health conditions. Chronic alcohol use and binge drinking damage the heart muscle, making it harder for the heart to pump blood effectively. Alcohol can also contribute to arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) and hypertension (high blood pressure), increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. This article discusses the long-term effects of alcohol, including the risks to your physical health and mental well-being.

Symptoms

That’s because your body already has processes in place that allow it to store excess proteins, carbohydrates and fats. So, your system prioritizes getting rid of alcohol before it can turn its attention to its other work. Steatotic liver disease used to go by the name fatty liver disease. Your liver detoxifies and removes alcohol from your blood through a process known as oxidation. When your liver finishes that process, alcohol gets turned into water and carbon dioxide. Dr. Sengupta shares some of the not-so-obvious effects alcohol misuse that alcohol has on your body.

• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or other 12-step programs can offer that social support.
• The high level of alcohol has a depressant effect on both your mind and body, which makes you drowsy.
• Drinking large amounts of alcohol for many years will take its toll on many of the body’s organs and may cause organ damage.

When to contact a doctor

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 need to continue to receive treatment on an outpatient basis. The American Medical Association recommends a two-drink daily limit for people assigned male at birth (AMAB). Heavy drinking in this population is five or more drinks in one day or 15 or more drinks in a week. People assigned female at birth (AFAB) should limit drinking to one drink a day.

• The first is to help stop withdrawal symptoms and is given in reducing doses over a short period of time.
• These and other outpatient options may reduce stigma and other barriers to treatment.
• It’s important that each person get involved in a recovery program that will support long-term sobriety.
• Regardless of the type of support system, it’s helpful to get involved in at least one when getting sober.
• The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) recommends screening adults aged 18 years or older for alcohol misuse.
• Your health care provider or counselor can suggest a support group.

Cancer risk

In people assigned male at birth, alcohol consumption can decrease testosterone production and sperm quality. In people assigned female at birth, alcohol use can interfere with regular ovulation and menstrual cycles and make it difficult to get pregnant. If you drink every day, or almost every day, you might notice that you catch colds, flu or other illnesses more frequently than people who don’t drink. That’s because alcohol can weaken your immune system, slow healing and make your body more susceptible to infection. Having a glass of wine with dinner or a beer at a party here and there isn’t going to destroy your gut. But even low amounts of daily drinking and prolonged and heavy use of alcohol can lead to significant problems for your digestive system.

What is alcohol use disorder?

Severity of AUD is determined by the number of symptoms present. The excess amount of alcohol in your system can also upset your digestion, leading to symptoms of nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and indigestion. People who https://ecosoberhouse.com/ have a dependence on alcohol exhibit some or all of the following characteristics.

Support for People With Alcoholism

Excessive alcohol use is a term used to describe four ways that people drink alcohol that can negatively impact health. Drinking heavily over long periods of time may lead to changes in how the brain functions, from memory slips to more debilitating conditions. The impact depends on when a person started drinking, how long they’ve been drinking, and how often and how much they drink.

Research and Statistics: Who Has Alcohol Use Disorder?

Or a doctor could prescribe drugs to assist with other emotions common in recovery. In order for treatment to work, the person with an alcohol addiction must want to get sober. Whether you care for youth or adults, you are likely to encounter patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) regularly in your practice. You’re likely to start by seeing your primary health care provider. If your provider suspects that you have a problem with alcohol, you may be referred to a mental health provider. Treatment of AUD focuses on relieving symptoms of alcohol withdrawal in the short term and then suppressing alcohol cravings in the long term.

Public Health

Referring to this condition as alcohol use disorder is more accurate and less stigmatizing. Alcohol abuse refers to continuing to use alcohol, often excessively, even though it creates problems in a person’s life, including health, relationship, and work-related consequences. Alcohol dependence refers to being unable to stop drinking without experiencing symptoms of withdrawal. People often continue drinking to alleviate these unpleasant symptoms. While the two are no longer differentiated in the DSM, understanding their original definitions can still be helpful. This article discusses alcohol dependence, alcohol abuse, and the key differences between them.

What are the symptoms of alcohol use disorder?

Now, a drug called naltrexone – referred to as ‘Ozempic for drinkers’ – has gone viral on social media, and being praised for helping those struggling with alcohol overconsumption to cut down. Alcohol has a suppressing effect on the brain and central nervous system. Research has shown that when alcohol is removed from the body, it activates brain and nerve cells, resulting in excessive excitability (hyperexcitability). Long-term alcohol misuse can weaken your immune system, making you more vulnerable to serious infections. It can also weaken your bones, placing you at greater risk of fracturing or breaking them.

Friends and family members of people who have an alcohol addiction can benefit from professional support or by joining programs like Al-Anon. These complications are reasons why it’s important to treat alcohol addiction early. Nearly all risks involved with alcohol addiction may be avoidable or treatable, with successful long-term recovery. As an addiction tends to get worse over time, it’s important to look for early warning signs. If identified and treated early, someone with an alcohol addiction may be able to avoid major consequences of the disease.