People in the latter category are often genetically predisposed to alcohol use disorder. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines heavy alcohol use as binge drinking on 5 or more days in the past month. Labels such as ‘alcoholic’ do nothing to help a person with the disorder get the help they need. A treatment center will attempt to verify your health insurance benefits and/or necessary authorizations on your behalf. We cannot guarantee payment or verification eligibility as conveyed by your health insurance provider will be accurate and complete.
The Past as Prologue: Whither Typology Theory?
However, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) performed a study to categorize different alcoholics to note their similarities. Only 8.7% of young adult alcohol dependents have ever sought treatment for their drinking problem. If they do choose to seek help, they tend to prefer 12-step programs over specialty treatment clinics or private professional practices. A functional alcoholic may not hit “rock bottom,” and they are often successful in relationships, employment, and life in general. Therefore, Psychology Today reports that they often deny they have a problem with alcohol and are less likely to seek professional help. Understand it often takes many conversations like these for your family member to agree to consider treatment.
- While the condition might not develop for several years in some people, it might take only a few months for others.
- A few family members, friends, or co-workers may suspect the truth, but for the most part, others are not aware of how serious the person’s drinking problem is.
- The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA) studied alcoholics and how they differ.
- Some studies found that a person diagnosed with alcohol dependence who has a specific receptor gene may be more responsive to treatment with naltrexone than those who lack this specific gene.
Tailoring Treatment f0r Different Types of Alcoholism
For example, those in the chronic and severe subgroup tend to have the lowest socioeconomic status. This means that while they may benefit most from inpatient treatment, they may not be able to financially afford the cost. One way to help remove that barrier to treatment would be to support these people in seeking affordable insurance options, treatment https://ecosoberhouse.com/ grants, scholarships, or loans. While these facts may paint a less than hopeful portrait of this group, the NIAAA researchers also found that they are the most likely of any of their five subtypes to seek treatment. When they do, they prefer specialty rehab, detox programs, self-help groups, and inpatient treatment for recovery from chronic alcoholism.
How to Support Someone Struggling With a Substance Use Disorder
Multiple different reasons can spur someone to drink until they’ve become dependent on alcohol. We surveyed 2,136 American adults who either wanted to stop drinking alcohol or had already tried to (successfully or not). To recover from AUD, seeking professional help and attending support groups is essential.
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This process begins with medical evaluation and stabilization before beginning the detox process.
- Depression and mood disorders commonly co-occur with alcohol abuse and can increase a person’s vulnerability to addiction.
- Most people falling within this type do not seek help in their dependence on alcohol and they usually come from families with little to no alcohol abuse problems.
- The good news is that treatment for functioning alcoholism or chronic alcoholism, or any subclassification of alcohol use disorder, can lead to long-term sobriety and recovery.
- Periodic inebriety is characterized by intense drinking or craving for alcohol interspersed with periods of abstinence.
- Many young antisocial alcoholics also have other substance use disorders, including addiction to cigarettes, marijuana, and opiates.
How Each User Still Needs a Unique Treatment Plan
They have the highest divorce rate — 25.1 percent — of all the alcoholic types. Only 9 percent have gone to college, and only 43 percent are employed full time. They drink more heavily than any other type of alcoholic, consuming alcohol 248 days of the year on average and drinking five 5 types of alcoholics or more drinks 69 percent of the time. Nearly 50 percent have a family history of alcoholism, and co-occurring mental illness is prevalent. Approximately half suffer from clinical depression, and about 1 in 5 has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Understanding Alcoholism: 5 Different Types of Alcoholics
Researchers found that they have the highest rates of employment among alcoholics, with 68% working full-time and an average family income of nearly $50,000 a year. Alcohol impacts brain chemistry, and regular exposure to the mind-altering substance may actually change the way the brain’s circuitry works. An individual may then suffer from cravings and withdrawal symptoms when alcohol isn’t active in the bloodstream, encouraging the person to drink more to feel better.
- Regular meetings can help you stay strong in your recovery and stick to important goals.
- This group has comparatively low rates of co-occurring mental health conditions and moderate rates of other substance use disorders and family members with alcoholism.
- To gain some clarity about what treatment may be best for you or a loved one with alcoholism contact FHE Health.
- Classifying alcoholism into subtypes can also help identify and remove barriers to professional assessment and treatment.
- According to NIAAA, around 20 percent of college students struggle with alcohol addiction.
The Intermediate Familial Alcoholic
To understand this complex and unique disorder, it’s essential to learn the different types of alcoholics. The challenges faced in this arena have provided her with a strong base of practice in assessment, treatment, and case management. Alcoholism is the common name for a medical disorder that impairs a person’s ability to stop drinking alcohol, even when they experience problems at work, have trouble relating to friends and loved ones, and damage their health. People with alcoholism need treatment to stop drinking and avoid relapsing.