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Alcohol Use Disorder > Fact Sheets > Yale Medicine
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions. Mutual-support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and inpatient rehabilitation are common treatments for alcohol problems. Relapsing doesn’t mean that treatment has failed, though — it takes time to change behavior. You can work with a health professional to try new treatments that may work better for you.
What should I do if I think that I might have an alcohol use disorder (AUD)?
Alcohol can interfere with a person’s ability to care for their other medical conditions or make other medical conditions worse. It also is essential that the provider tailor treatment, which may include behavioral therapies and medications, to an individual’s specific combination of disorders and symptoms. It should also take into account the person’s age, the misused substance, and the specific mental disorder(s).
Alcohol & Your Health
The NIAA offers a list of a number of these support groups, including secular options. Contact your primary care provider, health insurance plan, local health department, or employee assistance program for information about specialty treatment. Certain medications have been shown to effectively help people stop or reduce their drinking and avoid a return to drinking.
- The Navigator offers a step-by-step process to finding a highly qualified professional treatment provider.
- The President’s Unity Agenda is operationalized through the HHS Overdose Prevention Strategy, the HHS Roadmap for Behavioral Health Integration, and the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.
- Alcohol intoxication causes slowed speech and reflexes, difficulty in concentration and memory, and poor decision-making.
- If you have a history of withdrawal symptoms, see a health professional before quitting.
What is the outlook for people who have alcohol use disorder?
In many cases, the longer a person abstains from alcohol, the more likely it is that sobriety will be maintained. The risk of abusing alcohol increases if individuals use drinking to numb themselves to their problems, to cope with anxiety, fears, or mood issues, or to enhance their creativity. You can visit the NIAAA Rethinking Drinking website to learn more about alcohol use disorder, including what a “standard” drink actually looks like and how much drinking may be costing you in dollars. You can also explore other tools to help you reduce your alcohol consumption.
Treatment for alcohol use disorder
Combined with medications and behavioral treatment provided by health care professionals, mutual-support groups can offer a valuable added layer of support. When someone has a SUD and another mental health disorder, it is usually better to treat them at the same time rather than separately. People who need help for a SUD and other mental disorders should see a health care provider for each disorder. As mentioned in this can an alcoholic ever drink again article, you can support recovery by offering patients AUD medication in primary care, referring to healthcare professional specialists as needed, and promoting mutual support groups. In this disorder, people can’t stop drinking, even when drinking affects their health, puts their safety at risk and damages their personal relationships. Studies show most people can reduce how much they drink or stop drinking entirely.
Other chronic diseases
Patients can and do drink while taking naltrexone, but it is less pleasurable, and they also take Naltrexone to prevent or decrease anticipated likely drinking events. Yet early indicators of alcohol issues show that if attention were paid, excessive drinking might be headed off before alcoholism develops. For example, experts now recognize a pre-addiction stage of alcohol use disorder (AUD).
You may be able to better compare your options by assessing whether and how the program or provider measures success. The three-step road map outlined in the NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator offers expert guidance to focus and support your efforts. Learn how to adult children of alcoholics find higher quality, science-backed alcohol treatment to raise your changes for success. Currently, there are three medications approved for AUD in the United States, and they are an effective and important aid in the treatment of people with this condition.
Realizing you may have an issue is the first step toward getting better, so don’t hesitate to talk to a healthcare provider. They’ll recommend treatments and resources to help you recover from alcohol use disorder. For example, if you’re receiving treatment for a condition related to alcohol use, like cirrhosis of the liver, you should ask your healthcare provider about changes in your body that may be new symptoms. If you’re receiving counseling, ask your provider about handling high-stress situations when you may feel like you need some additional mental health support. Many people with alcohol problems and their family members find that participating in support groups is an essential part of coping with the disease, preventing or dealing with relapses, and staying sober. Your health care provider or counselor can suggest a support group.
If you’re considering quitting alcohol, there are many benefits to consulting your healthcare professional about how to do so safely. They may also recommend medication that can help ease withdrawal symptoms. Various medications are available to help with alcohol use disorder recovery. They may help you stop drinking or reduce your drinking, and can help prevent relapse. Following diagnosis, a healthcare professional will work with a person to determine the best course of treatment.
Friends gather for after-work drinks, spouses have cocktails together for “date nights” or some may just be in the habit of ending the day with a beer or a glass of wine—or two—or more. It can be hard to identify the lines between casual barbiturates and occasional drinking and unhealthy alcohol use including alcohol use disorder. Based on clinical experience, many health care providers believe that support from friends and family members is important in overcoming alcohol problems.