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Alcohol use disorder, or AUD, is a common condition. In recent times studies show a growth in this disorder because, for many people, alcohol is a medium to socialise. This starts as casual drinking and then turns into a habit.
AUD has a risk of developing chronic brain disease that can go into remission but not get completely cured. This article will discuss AUD and its causes, symptoms, risks, and management.
Another term for AUD is alcoholism. This chronic medical condition involves a problem with drinking extensive alcohol. Many people think it is caused due to a lack of self-control or discipline, but it is a severe brain disease. In addition, this can be hereditary as well.
Nevertheless, the condition of a patient suffering from this disorder varies as it can be mild, moderate, or severe. Therefore, treatment for alcohol use disorder is possible only if identified at an earlier stage using the correct medication and therapies.
The National Institutes of Health came up with data stating 16 million individuals in the United States have AUD. In addition, recent studies highlighting problematic drinking conclude that there are five types of excessive drinking in alcohol use disorder.
Each of these profiles has unique symptoms, and these are specific to age groups. Before we get into the types, we need a quick idea about the experiment.
5,402 participants, aged between 18 and 64, participated in this study. Researchers used latent class analysis to understand the profiles of AUD. They collected information on who shared those same symptoms, thus, the five types.
These are the following signs and symptoms of AUD.
When someone with AUD tries to reduce alcohol consumption, they may face certain withdrawal symptoms of alcohol use disorder. For example:
There is no single cause that leads to this disorder. Instead, as experts suggest, it can be a combination of genetics, any childhood incident, and an attempt to treat emotional pain.
Nonetheless, here are some common causes of alcohol use disorder:
As mentioned in the above section, the root cause of alcohol use disorder is not known. However, some risk factors can aggravate the situation. Check the list of common risk factors below:
One could be at greater risk if:
A doctor only performs a diagnosis for alcohol use disorder if alcohol consumption interferes with your health. Then, they would ask several questions to understand your condition and prescribe some tests.
Questions you may have to answer are the following:
There are multiple ways of treatment for alcohol use disorder. These are broken-down into three major sections.
Although these are very effective medicines, doctors prescribe counselling along with this medication for better results.
Talking to a professional psychologist and sharing your thoughts has shown significant results in curing alcohol use disorder. In addition, a mental health counsellor can teach ways to change your behaviour. Cognitive-behavioural, motivational, contingency, and 12-step facilitation are some standard therapies.
You can share your experiences with people undergoing similar conditions in many such groups. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings are mostly free, and anyone going through this phase can join them. Sometimes a psychologist dealing with more than one AUD patient brings them together and forms a support group.
You can consult a doctor if you feel that your alcohol consumption is causing problems in your daily life. Furthermore, if your families show concern about your condition, get help from a professional.
In alcohol use disorder, denial is very common. Therefore, you may not identify when this has become a serious health threat. So, when anyone asks you to check your problem with a professional, listen to them.
If you want to manage and prevent AUD from becoming worse, you can refrain from high-risk drinking.
Those who want to cut back on alcohol but do not know how to do it must seek professional help.
Sometimes drinking within an acceptable limit is okay, but there is a minute gap between occasional drinking and making it a habit. Hence, being aware of the risk factors of alcohol use disorder is necessary. If you ever come across someone who seems to be struggling to refrain from alcohol consumption, ask them to visit a counsellor and join a rehabilitation centre at the earliest.
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Disclaimer #2: This information is added only for informative purposes and collected from different sources across the Internet. Digit Insurance is not promoting or recommending anything here. Please verify the information before making any decisions.
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