Another complication is alcohol withdrawal syndrome, which may occur after you stop drinking and can cause symptoms such as nausea, shaking, and sweating. It can also lead to serious symptoms like seizures, fever, or hallucinations, and can be a medical emergency. For example, any alcohol consumption by a pregnant person can be considered alcohol misuse, as well as drinking under the legal age of 21. However, since alcohol affects people in different ways, recognizing AUD in yourself or in others can be subjective and challenging. Read on to learn more about the symptoms, risk factors, treatments, diagnosis, and where to get support. Drinking alcohol too much or too often, or being unable to control alcohol consumption, can be a sign of alcohol misuse and, in some cases, alcohol use disorder (AUD).
There is a difference between alcohol abuse and dependence, but what separates these alcohol use disorders does not come down to just one difference or one issue. It is important to assess your situation as an individual and decide which factors you recognize as being a part of your alcohol abuse. The cardinal features of alcohol dependence are compulsion (inability to refrain from taking that drink), loss of control over alcohol (can’t quit) and continued drinking no matter what the consequences. Whether you want to address your long-term relationship with alcohol or break a pattern of binge drinking, a recovery professional can offer guidance and support. Alcohol detox facilities help alcoholics separate from the drink in a monitored and safe environment.
Treatment for AUD
People who abuse alcohol may have repeated run-ins with the law, such as frequent DUIs. They may struggle to maintain their relationships or to hold down a job as a result of their drinking. If you or someone you love is struggling with an alcohol use disorder, the Orlando Recovery Center can help. Contact us today to begin the admissions process and start your recovery journey.
Tolerance is when they need to increase the amount of alcohol they drink to experience the same side effects. As their tolerance to alcohol increases, the more of it they’ll consume. Increased tolerance then gives way to physical dependence, which is when an individual physically needs to consume alcohol to feel normal. Alcohol use disorder is a diagnosis used by medical professionals to describe someone with an alcohol problem to varying degrees. Alcoholism is a non-medical term used most often in everyday language and within the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. One size does not fit all and a treatment approach that may work for one person may not work for another.
The evolution to alcohol use disorder (AUD)
Alternatively, call The Recovery Village to speak with a representative to learn how alcohol rehab treatment is possible, with or without insurance coverage. There are many signs of alcohol use disorder, but you will know your loved one has developed this condition if you can no longer get through the day or week without drinking. With time, this means they what is the difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism increase the overall amount they drink in each instance and over a period of time. A person with alcoholism may drink every day, multiple times a day, may start their day with alcohol, end it with alcohol, and may not be able to go a day without drinking. Binge drinking is a pattern of alcohol abuse in which a person quickly consumes a lot of alcohol.
This individual would experience withdrawal symptoms if they were to stop drinking, which is one of the most important distinctions to remember. AUD exists on a spectrum that ranges from mild to severe, while alcoholism has often been used to describe alcohol dependence in more black-and-white terms. Binge drinking and heavy drinking refer only to a person’s drinking patterns.
Is Alcohol Misuse the Same as Alcohol Abuse?
Group meetings are available in most communities at low or no cost, and at convenient times and locations—including an increasing presence online. This means they can be especially helpful to individuals at risk for relapse to drinking. Combined with medications and behavioral treatment provided by health care professionals, mutual-support groups can offer a valuable added layer of support. When your body becomes dependent on a substance like alcohol, it can react negatively when that substance is withheld. If you abstain from drinking for a few days and experience anxiety, depression, headaches, insomnia, or nausea, there’s a possibility you’re suffering from alcohol-related withdrawals.
Alcohol is a toxic substance even in small levels so it’s better to avoid it if you can. If you do choose to drink, though, remain within moderate drinking limits to avoid serious health risks. You also avoid developing more serious problems like alcoholism and alcohol abuse.
Recovery starts here
Alcohol abuse, also called problem drinking, occurs when drinking alcohol becomes an issue that creates negative consequences for a person. The difference of the two issues may be clear, but that does not mean exhibiting the signs of alcohol abuse should cause you to breathe a sigh of relief. You will only get worse if you continue on the way you are going, likely to become dependent before long. 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. Knowing the difference between the disorders can help you take stock of your situation and decide what you must do next.
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