Alcohol Abuse Vs Alcoholism: Whats The Difference?

Alcohol Abuse Vs Alcoholism: Whats The Difference?

Today, they have been combined and are known as alcohol use disorder. While no longer separate diagnoses, it can be helpful to understand the differences between the two. “Dependence” refers to being unable to stop drinking without experiencing withdrawal symptoms while “abuse” refers to continuing to consume alcohol despite adverse consequences. A dependence on alcohol and alcohol abuse are similar conditions that involve alcohol consumption. Ultimately, the difference is that alcohol dependence occurs when someone is unable to quit drinking.

The CDC defines excessive drinking as drinking behavior that includes binge drinking, heavy drinking, and any drinking by pregnant women or anyone younger than age 21. Binge drinking for women is consuming four or more drinks on one single occasion, for men it’s five or more. Heavy drinking for women is eight or more drinks in a week, while for men it’s fifteen or more. Reuters also notes that a key difference between alcoholics and alcohol abusers is the dependency. While the CDC reports that 90% of people who abuse alcohol don’t fit the criteria for alcoholism, it’s still a serious concern in the United States.

What Is Alcohol Use Disorder?

This could include detoxification, medical treatment, professional rehab or counseling, and/or self-help group support. When treating alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse, the goal is to help someone stop drinking alcohol. For alcoholism, inpatient rehab and detox are necessary if the case is severe.

In fact, depression in older adults often aligns with drinking too much. Being without alcohol for any period of time can make you feel physically ill. Symptoms of withdrawal include headaches, nausea, tremors, and in severe cases, hallucinations and seizures. At work, employers should provide training on responsible drinking and resources that help employees recognize signs of alcohol misuse and get help for themselves or others. Employers can also help employees balance their work and leisure time, and offer healthy alternatives to drinking. In addition, people who chronically abuse alcohol are at an increased risk for developing cirrhosis of the liver and other liver diseases, nutritional deficiencies, and pancreatitis.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment Programs

People may try to overcome their tolerance whenever they drink by consuming more alcohol. Someone with an alcohol abuse problem may not experience withdrawal symptoms. Heavy alcohol use is a form of alcohol abuse in which a person drinks a lot of alcohol over a longer period of time—or binging at least five or more days in the past month. According to the NIAAA, “Approximately 7.2 percent or 17 million adults in the United States ages 18 and older had an AUD in 2012,” including both alcohol abuse and dependence.

• However, they are at an increased risk for developing an alcohol addiction down the line.
• Access award-winning, comprehensive primary and specialty care for your whole family.
• Alcohol poisoning is a dangerous condition that leads to death, coma, and hospitalization.
• If you spend most workdays hungover, daydreaming of the glass of wine you’ll have as soon as you get home, that’s still a concern.
• Essentially, alcoholism is the point at which alcohol abuse becomes alcohol addiction.

The individual turns to alcohol for comfort of some type or as a way to dull pain or anguish. Informed by her personal journey to recovery and support of loved ones in sobriety, Jessica’s empathetic and authentic approach resonates deeply with the Addiction https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/what-is-the-difference-between-alcohol-abuse-and-alcoholism/ Help community. While this may be a difficult conversation, they can provide further testing to determine whether you need professional help for alcohol and drugs. As the saying goes “consume alcohol as much as you like, but don’t let alcohol consume you”.

Difference Between Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

A person might need to be sedated “until withdrawal is complete” if it is extremely intense. Someone who just abuses alcohol regularly will not have to go through this, though they will probably need some treatment of their own. Alcohol is addictive because it alters brain chemistry by interacting with GABA neurotransmitters.

Everyone’s experience with alcohol is different, but effective treatments are available, whether your condition is mild, moderate, or severe. Many symptoms can be managed at home, but moderate to severe https://ecosoberhouse.com/ withdrawal should be supervised by a healthcare professional and may require inpatient treatment. When a person experiences consequences from their drinking habits then they are abusing alcohol.

People often continue drinking to alleviate these unpleasant symptoms. Vertava Health offers 100% confidential substance abuse assessment and treatment placement tailored to your individual needs. Here are the key differences between alcoholism and alcohol abuse.

On the other hand, inpatient rehab and detox are not typically necessary for alcohol abuse. The treatment for alcohol dependency is different from the treatment for alcohol abuse. Treatment for alcohol dependence focuses on alcohol addiction with therapy, medications, and inpatient rehab. However, alcohol abuse is treated with outpatient therapy and counseling (on average).

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