Alcohol Abuse vs Alcoholism Key Differences for Alcohol Misuse

Unlike AUD, binge drinking isn’t considered a mental health condition. Still, both patterns of drinking can lead to health concerns and affect your overall well-being and quality of life. If they don’t change their drinking habits, brain cells can change enough that they lose control over alcohol altogether. Mutual-support groups provide peer support for stopping or reducing drinking. Group meetings are available in most communities at low or no cost, and at convenient times and locations—including an increasing presence online. This means they can be especially helpful to individuals at risk for relapse to drinking.

For example, ” abuse ” may imply that the behavior is intentional and controllable and, therefore, a personal failure rather than a disease symptom. Referring to this condition as alcohol use disorder is more accurate and less stigmatizing. After completing a detox https://ecosoberhouse.com/ program, patients transition into an inpatient or outpatient rehab. Inpatient rehab is more intensive and requires patients to live on site at a treatment facility. Outpatient rehab occurs in the community and allows patients to live at home and continue to work.

What’s the Difference Between Binge Drinking and Alcohol Use Disorder?

With more than 15,000 treatment centers in the United States alone, there are a variety of options for those living with alcoholism, from alcohol detox to online rehabs and teletherapy. Finding a community of your peers who are also trying to get sober can help provide support during early recovery. “Alcoholism” is a term often used to describe someone with a severe form of alcohol dependence.

Alcohol withdrawal can be deadly if not treated and is the most dangerous type of substance withdrawal someone can undergo. Alcoholism is influenced by a number of hereditary and environmental factors. For example, if you’re genetically predisposed to addiction, you may be more likely to struggle with alcoholism. But regardless of your genetic makeup, excessive drinking can also lead to a self-perpetuating cycle of alcohol abuse, triggering physiological changes that cause a dependence to form.

What Increases the Risk for Alcohol Use Disorder?

When you call our team, you will speak to a Recovery Advocate who will answer any questions and perform a pre-assessment to determine your eligibility for treatment. If eligible, we will create a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. If The Recovery Village is not the right fit for you or your loved one, we will help refer you to a facility that is. Mortality rates are calculated using the number of deaths and mid-year population estimates provided https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/what-is-the-difference-between-alcohol-abuse-and-alcoholism/ by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Population Estimates Unit. Population estimates are based on the decennial UK census estimates and use information on births, deaths, and migration to estimate the mid-year population in non-census years. More quality and methodology information on strengths, limitations, appropriate uses, and how the data were created is available in our Alcohol-specific deaths in the UK QMI report.