Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol addiction is a medical condition that involves compulsive drinking despite the negative consequences it has on a person’s life.¹ Medical professionals diagnose alcohol addiction as an alcohol use disorder, or AUD.¹

AUD can have varying degrees of severity, ranging from mild to severe. The severity depends on the level of a person’s alcohol misuse and how many diagnostic criteria they meet as outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the tool professionals use to assess whether a person has an AUD.¹

What Causes Alcohol Addiction?

There are many potential causes of alcohol addiction. Addiction is influenced by a variety of risk factors, which can increase the chances of developing an alcohol use disorder (AUD).¹  Some of these factors include:

• Biological factors, such as genetics, which account for around 60% of a person’s risk of developing an addiction or having a parent who engages in unhealthy drinking patterns.¹
• Environmental factors, such as exposure to alcohol at an early age, easy access to alcohol, or community poverty.^{1, 4}
• A history of trauma or having a mental health condition, such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).¹

Alcohol Withdrawal

People who chronically misuse alcohol can develop alcohol dependence, which is a physiological adaptation that can occur due to the ongoing presence of alcohol.⁹ When a person who is dependent on alcohol stops drinking, they can suffer from alcohol withdrawal.⁹ Dependence is not the same as addiction, but it is often a feature of alcohol use disorder (AUD).^{1, 9}

Alcohol withdrawal can be very uncomfortable and potentially dangerous, but medical detox is available to help people undergo withdrawal as comfortably and safely as possible while they return to a medically stable state.¹⁰ It can also address potential complications.¹⁰ Detox may involve different interventions, such as FDA-approved medications for safe withdrawal management, medical monitoring, and professional support to help people through this challenging phase of treatment.^{1, 10}

How Do I Get Help for Alcohol Addiction?

If you or a loved one are concerned about alcohol addiction problems, you should know that treatment can help. Treatment may include:

• Detox. This is often the first step in the recovery process to help you undergo withdrawal from alcohol with medical supervision and support.¹⁰
• Inpatient rehab. You’ll live onsite at a rehab for the duration of treatment and can focus on recovery without distractions from the outside world.¹¹
• Outpatient treatment. You can continue to live at home or in a sober living facility but attend treatment on a regular schedule during the day.¹¹
• Aftercare. This involves various elements of continuing care that help support a person’s recovery after they’ve completed a more formal rehab program; it can include different components, such as individual counseling, support groups, or regular check-ins with a treatment provider.¹¹