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Someone who drinks to excess on a regular basis can face very real health problems due to ongoing alcohol abuse. The British website DrinkAware points out that people who drink heavily over a period of several weeks or months can develop very high levels of alcohol-related enzymes in the gut. That means people who drink heavily often need to keep drinking heavily to feel the impact of alcohol.
However, if someone who is usually very mild-mannered suddenly begins to exhibit this characteristic of an alcoholic, there is a reason for concern. When someone constantly drinks, it is a clear sign that they may have a physical and psychological urge to drink. This is because as the body adjusts to constant drinking, it begins to require alcohol to function normally.
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Nearly half of them have a close family member who is also an alcoholic. They have an average age of 38 years, began drinking at almost age 17, and developed alcohol dependence at an average age of 32 years. Intermediate familial alcoholics drink on an average of 172 days a year, consuming five or more drinks on 54% of those days with a maximum of 10 drinks. Young antisocial alcoholics have a high rate of psychiatric disorders and other substance abuse.
But some college students reach for a drink
whenever they’re stressed about anything, and that isn’t such a good idea. If you
rely on alcohol to deal with stress, you could be setting yourself 5 types of alcoholics up for alcohol
dependence. Using alcohol as a means to forget daily hassles or “deal with” one’s
problems is one of the strongest predictors of developing long-term alcohol problems.
The 5 Types Of Alcoholics
In many countries, alcoholism emerged as a major public health problem during the 19th century, just when medicine and psychiatry were developing as modern professional guilds. Thus, it is no coincidence that some of the leading physicians in countries such as France, England, Germany, and the United States devoted considerable attention to studying alcoholism. According to a review of the world alcohol literature, 39 classifications of alcoholics were developed between 1850 and 1941 (Babor and Lauerman 1986).
The largest percentage of alcoholics fall into this group, as NIAAA publishes that 31.5 percent of all alcoholics in the United States fit this subtype. This group is typically in their late teens or early 20s, and either just of legal drinking age or slightly younger. Many young adult alcoholics are likely college students who are away from home for the first time, and who are surrounded by a culture that promotes and encourages excessive social drinking. Some groups may not even realize that their drinking is a problem. But no matter your age, status, family, or subtype, alcoholism can create long-term problems that damage your health and relationships. According to the federal government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025, individuals who do not drink alcohol should not start drinking for any reason.
Understanding the Five Types of Alcoholics
The two types also differ with respect to treatment outcome, with type B alcoholics more likely to relapse to heavy drinking. The chronic severe subtype makes up the smallest percentage of alcoholics, with only 9.2%. This group tends to start drinking at a young age (around 15) but typically develops an alcohol dependence at an intermediate age (around 29). Seventy-seven percent of this group have close family members with alcoholism, the highest percentage of any subtype. And 47% of the members of this group exhibit antisocial personality disorder, the second highest rate of any subtype. This subtype is the most likely of any to experience major depression, dysthymia, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, and panic disorder.
Physicians should use terms such as “person with an alcohol problem” rather than “alcoholic” or “addict,” which are commonly used but demeaning shorthand terms. You could be a drunkorexic—a growing
group of mostly college-aged women who starve all day to make up for the calories
they consume in alcohol. Never mind that drinking on an empty stomach is a sure
invitation to trouble.
The Classification of Alcoholics
Because their alcohol addiction has fewer obvious negative consequences, an important aspect of dealing with an alcoholic is getting them to recognize that they have a problem. In addition, Moss said it is crucial for functional alcoholics to focus on abstinence or return https://ecosoberhouse.com/ to less dangerous drinking levels. Most are smokers, and they’re more likely than other subtypes to use other drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, opioids and amphetamines. More than three-quarters of young antisocial alcoholics are male, and about 15 percent are married.
These types of assessments will give you the opportunity to ask questions, get clarification, and have a truly personalized experience in determining your level of addiction. This subtype of alcoholism has the highest divorce rate, the lowest employment rate, and the highest day-to-day frequency of drinking than any other subtype. One of the main differentiators of this type of alcoholism is the fact that people who fall into this subtype are more prone to having antisocial behaviors.
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This subtype of alcoholics is generally in their mid-20s and started drinking young. Early episodes of binge and heavy drinking (binge drinking on five or more days in the same month) can elevate the risk for struggling with alcohol-related issues later in life. People who fall into the young adult alcoholic subtype also rarely have a family history of alcoholism. Alcoholism is considered to be a heritable disease, as NIAAA reports that genetics can account for about half of the risk for developing the disease. The flip side of this coin, however, is that environmental and other factors make up the other half of the risks for the onset of addiction.
This is especially true for people who hide their alcoholism under the guise of drinking while out. What seems like a normal action—getting a drink at the bar—can be a way for an alcoholic to make their alcohol consumption seem normal. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans define moderate drinking as one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men, among legal drinking-aged adults. As with most questions related to a specific individual’s cancer treatment, it is best for patients to check with their health care team about whether it is safe to drink alcohol during or immediately following chemotherapy treatment.
Additionally, binge drinking and other forms of alcohol abuse can cause a person to develop debilitating alcohol addiction. This subtype comprises around one-fifth of all alcoholics in the United States – 21%. They are typically in their middle-twenties and possess a history including an early initiation of alcohol abuse. Over 50% have a family history of AUD and half have also been diagnosed with an Antisocial Personality Disorder. Many Young Antisocials also struggle with anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder. They have the highest divorce rate — 25.1 percent — of all the alcoholic types.
- That is why alcohol detox and alcohol withdrawal treatment is administered by medical professionals.
- The motivational model of alcohol use was developed to help treat alcohol dependence and suggests people drink because they expect a change in how they feel after drinking.
- They have the highest divorce rate — 25.1 percent — of all the alcoholic types.
- This group of alcoholics are the most likely to reach out for help through inpatient treatment programs, as well as through 12-Step groups and detox services.
- Nearly 32 percent of alcoholics fall into the young adult category, making it the most prevalent subtype in the U.S.