Go to an Al-Anon or Alateen meeting or set up an appointment with a mental health professional. At the end of the day, the person with addiction has to be willing to accept help. There are factors that pop up again and again when determining who might have an issue with alcoholism.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

1. Their brain is changing—and without help, there can be serious long-term consequences.
2. Alcohol use disorder is considered a progressive disease, meaning that the effects of drinking alcohol become increasingly more severe over time.
3. Heavy drinking in conjunction with other behaviors can also signala problem.
4. You should also consider attending a local AA meeting or participating in a self-help program such as Women for Sobriety.
5. Symptoms of dependence include becoming tolerant to some ofalcohol’s effects and experiencing withdrawal symptoms when alcohol is not consumed.
6. They’ll recommend treatments and resources to help you recover from alcohol use disorder.

Many people who seek treatment are able to overcome the addiction. A strong support system is helpful for making a complete recovery. Alcoholism is a treatable disease, with many treatment programs and approaches available to support alcoholics who have decided to get help. Getting help before your problem drinking progresses to severe alcohol use disorder can save your life. Treatment for alcoholism often involves a combination of therapy, medication, and support.

What’s the outlook for a person with alcohol use disorder?

Your brain adapts to alcohol over time and can become less sensitive to its effects. AUD involves the continued use of alcohol despite the adverse effects it may have on a person’s life. People with AUD may continue to drink alcohol despite it causing them to feel anxious or depressed or to experience a memory blackout. Drinking more than intended may include drinking larger amounts of alcohol or drinking longer than a person planned to. Tolerance symptoms include a need to drink more than you once did to achieve the desired level of intoxication. People experiencingthis phenomenon might even switch up their drink of choice — moving from beer or wine to hard liquor, for example, toaccommodate their need for more alcohol.

Addiction and Mental Health Resources

If you do have any symptoms, then alcohol may already be a cause for concern. The more symptoms you have, the more urgent the need for change. A health care professional can look at the number, pattern, and severity of symptoms to see whether AUD is present and help you decide the best course of action.

Alcohol use disorder

In fact, an estimated 40 million adults in America drinktoo much, and most — 90 percent — are not alcoholics. Many individuals with alcoholism are in denial or unaware that they have a problem. Others may realize something is wrongbut go to great lengths to hide their problem out of fear or shame. Hosted by Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares strategies for coping with alcohol cravings and other addictions, featuring addiction specialist John Umhau, MD. Learn new career skills while gaining an edge in today’s job market with Skills Builder for Work.

Heavy drinking in this population is four or more drinks a day or eight drinks a week. 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 liberty bells mushrooms from top institutions. Treatment may involve standard therapies used to treat other mental illnesses, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is commonly used to treat depression, among other disorders. Mutual-support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and inpatient rehabilitation are common treatments for alcohol problems.

Medical professionals can provide information about treatment, prescribe medication, and refer them to specialists. About 50% of people with AUD develop withdrawal symptoms after they stop drinking. However, not everyone has severe symptoms that require hospitalization. Your doctor can see how well your liver is functioning by testing the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanineaminotransferase (ALT). Eighty percent of patients with alcoholic liver disease have elevated liver functions and anAST that is double their ALT level. Elevated levels of gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) can also indicate excessive alcoholconsumption.

Long-term alcohol use can produce changes in the brain that can cause people to crave alcohol, lose control of their drinking and require greater quantities of alcohol to achieve its desired effects. It can also cause people to experience withdrawal symptoms if they discontinue alcohol use. The NIAAA Core Resource on Alcohol can help you each step of the way. With so many effects on the body, the usual first step in treating alcoholism is detox—or getting alcohol out of your system.

Many people with AUD do recover, but setbacks are common among people in treatment. Seeking professional help early can prevent a return to drinking. Behavioral therapies can help people develop skills to avoid and overcome triggers, such as stress, that might lead to drinking. Medications also can help deter drinking during times whats smack the dirt when individuals may be at greater risk of a return to drinking (e.g., divorce, death of a family member). Health care professionals use criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), to assess whether a person has AUD and to determine the severity, if the disorder is present.

Other ways to get help include talking with a mental health professional or seeking help from a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous or a similar type of self-help group. Though at-risk and binge drinking can result in a range of adverse consequences, not all people who engage in these kinds of unhealthy alcohol use can alcoholics eat food cooked with alcohol have alcohol use disorder. Healthcare professionals offer AUD care in more settings than just specialty addiction programs. Addiction physicians and therapists in solo or group practices can also provide flexible outpatient care. These and other outpatient options may reduce stigma and other barriers to treatment.