What Is Alcohol Use Disorder?
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a disorder characterized by the inability to control or stop drinking alcohol despite the negative consequences. AUD is a chronic brain disorder because it involves both physical and behavioral dependence
As a type of substance use disorder (SUD), AUD ranges from mild to severe. AUD requires a specific treatment plan to manage the life-threatening withdrawals. While some people with this condition may start drinking again, studies show that people can reduce or stop drinking with effective treatment.1
AUD is a serious condition, but it is treatable. Understanding what alcohol addiction looks like can increase the likelihood of early intervention and decrease the risks of long-term health effects.
What Causes Alcohol Use Disorder?
AUD doesn’t have a single cause. The disorder develops from genetic, psychological, environmental, and social influences. These risk factors can raise a person’s likelihood of developing AUD.
Key risk factors include:
- Genetics: People with a family history of alcohol addiction are two to six times more likely to develop the disorder.2
- Psychology: Depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can raise a person’s risks of AUD.3
- Environmental influences: Easy access to alcohol, alcohol marketing, and economic hardships can increase the risk of AUD. 4
- Social influences: Childhood trauma, peer pressure, and cultural attitudes toward drinking can influence a person’s relationship to alcohol.4
Having one risk factor doesn’t mean someone will develop AUD, but the chances increase significantly when multiple risk factors are present.
How Is AUD Diagnosed?
AUD diagnoses are typically made by licensed medical or mental health professionals using:
- Screening tools like the AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) or the CAGE questionnaire
- Physical examination and lab work, if needed, to evaluate organ damage or nutritional deficiencies
- Clinical interview based on The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria
The goal of using these tools is to determine how alcohol is affecting a person’s physical, mental, and social well-being. Getting a formal diagnosis is the first step toward effective treatment. It can help determine what level of support a person needs and which treatments will likely be the most effective.
Can I Prevent Alcohol Use Disorder?
AUD can be prevented and treated. While no one can fully eliminate the risks that contribute to developing an alcohol addiction, understanding what is contributing to it can reduce the chances of increasing the severity of the disorder.
Steps you or a loved one can take to reduce the risks of AUD include:
- Knowing the risk
- Reduce binge drinking
- Noticing how and why you drink
- Understanding what “too much” looks like
- Reach out for help if you’re worried.
You can’t always prevent AUD completely, but you can significantly reduce your risk with awareness, healthy boundaries, and early support.
How Much Alcohol is Too Much?
How much and how often someone drinks alcohol can influence a person’s risk of developing an addiction or other long-term health problems.
According to the 2020-2025 U.S. Dietary Guidelines, the recommended amount of alcohol for a healthy adult who chooses to drink is6:
- For men: 2 drinks or fewer per day
For women: 1 drink or fewer per day
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Alcoholism?
The DSM-5 defines AUD based on the following criteria7:
- Drinking more or for longer than intended
- Persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control use
- Spending significant time obtaining, using, or recovering from alcohol
- Craving alcohol
- Giving up important activities
- Failure to fulfill responsibilities at work, school, or home
- Continuing to drink despite social or interpersonal problems
- Continued use despite knowledge of physical or psychological harm
- Using alcohol in physically dangerous situations
- Developing tolerance
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms
If someone meets two or more of the criteria within 12 months, they may be diagnosed with AUD.
AUD severity is classified into three categories based on the number of diagnostic criteria met.
- Mild AUD: 2-3 symptoms.
- Moderate AUD: 4-5 symptoms.
- Severe AUD: 6 or more symptoms.
If you or a loved one is showing signs of AUD, the next step is to get a confidential evaluation from a healthcare provider or a team member at our treatment center.
How to Know If You Need Help
If you are wondering if your drinking is “bad enough” to start looking for treatment, then you may be ready to take the next step and ask for help.
Other factors that could indicate that it is time to reach out for help are if alcohol is impacting your health, relationships, or sense of control; that is reason enough to explore treatment options.
Warning Signs Someone May Have AUD
Recognizing alcohol addiction in someone else isn’t always straightforward. Some warning signs that someone may have AUD include:
- They tried to stop drinking and couldn’t.
- They’ve experienced withdrawal symptoms like shaking, sweating, or anxiety.
- They need alcohol to “get through the day.”
- Their drinking is putting themselves or others at risk (e.g., driving under the influence).
- They dismiss your concern or get angry when the topic comes up.
If you are concerned about someone’s drinking, trust your gut. Tree House Recovery can help you find the support and tools you need to help someone struggling with alcohol addiction.
Read More: How to Help Someone Stop Drinking
Can Alcohol Use Disorder Be Treated?
Alcohol use disorder is treatable with the proper care. Detoxification or inpatient medical treatment could be encouraged to manage more severe withdrawal symptoms. For people with less severe symptoms, partial hospitalization programs (PHP) or less intensive outpatient treatment could support their recovery.
Most people with AUD who go to treatment can limit how much they drink or stop drinking altogether. Relapse does happen, but it is not a sign of failure. Instead, it reflects the need to strengthen prevention skills and reconnect with your support network.
Questions to Ask Healthcare Providers
If you believe that you or someone you care for is experiencing alcohol addiction, these are some questions to ask your healthcare provider or our admissions team:
- Do you think I have an alcohol use disorder?
- How serious is the disorder?
- What treatments do you recommend?
How to Help a Loved One With Alcohol Use Disorder
It can be incredibly difficult to see someone you love battle alcohol addiction. Still, your support and compassion can play a powerful role in their path to recovery.
There are several ways you can help a loved one with AUD:
- Offer compassion, not judgment: People with AUD may feel shame, denial, or fear around their disorder. Reduce the stigma by focusing on the impact of the addiction and speaking from a place of concern, not accusation.
- Educate yourself about AUD: Knowing that AUD is a medical condition and not moral failure can help you respond with empathy and find treatment options. The more you know about AUD, the better you can support without enabling.
- Set boundaries: Being supportive doesn’t mean tolerating behavior that makes you uncomfortable. Setting clear boundaries can motivate change while protecting your and your loved one’s well-being.
- Encourage professional help: While you cannot make anyone go to treatment, advocating for speaking with a professional is the first step, and often the hardest step, in the recovery process.
You can’t control someone else’s drinking, but your support can help open the door to recovery. Change becomes more possible when someone feels seen, respected, and not alone.
Next Step: Find Alcohol Addiction Treatment Near Me
Tree House Recovery provides an alcohol rehab in Orange County that offers outcome-based treatments personalized to a person’s recovery needs. AUD affects each person differently, but an approach that addresses the mental, physical, and social impact of alcoholism can teach the tools needed for long-term recovery.
Our admissions team at our Nashville rehab can answer any questions you have about alcohol use disorder, treatment, or provide any resources to aid in your recovery. Call our team today, or reach out online to learn more about our alcohol rehab.
Sources
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Treatment for Alcohol Problems: Finding and Getting Help. Nih.gov. Published February 2025. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/treatment-alcohol-problems-finding-and-getting-help
- Cotton NS. The familial incidence of alcoholism: a review. Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 1979;40(1):89-116. doi:https://doi.org/10.15288/jsa.1979.40.89
- Kessler RC, Nelson CB, McGonagle KA, Edlund MJ, Frank RG, Leaf PJ. The epidemiology of co-occurring addictive and mental disorders: implications for prevention and service utilization. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 1996;66(1):17-31. doi:10.1037/h0080151
- Chartier KG, Karriker-Jaffe KJ, Cummings CR, Kendler KS. Review: Environmental influences on alcohol use: Informing research on the joint effects of genes and the environment in diverse U.S. populations. Am J Addict. 2017;26(5):446-460. doi:10.1111/ajad.12478
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Alcohol’s Effects on the Body. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Published June 6, 2024. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohols-effects-body
- U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. December 2020.
- American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 2013;5(5). doi:https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596