Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse: MedlinePlus

Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse: MedlinePlus



A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
National Institutes of Health

Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse

Also called: Alcohol dependence 

For most adults, moderate alcohol use is probably not harmful. However, about 18 million adult Americans have an alcohol use disorder. This means that their drinking causes distress and harm. It includes alcoholism and alcohol abuse.

Alcoholism, or alcohol dependence, is a disease that causes

• Craving - a strong need to drink
• Loss of control - not being able to stop drinking once you've started
• Physical dependence - withdrawal symptoms
• Tolerance - the need to drink more alcohol to feel the same effect

With alcohol abuse, you are not physically dependent, but you still have a serious problem. The drinking may cause problems at home, work, or school. It may cause you to put yourself in dangerous situations, or lead to legal or social problems.

Another common problem is binge drinking. It is drinking about five or more drinks in two hours for men. For women, it is about four or more drinks in two hours.

Too much alcohol is dangerous. Heavy drinking can increase the risk of certain cancers. It can cause damage to the liver, brain, and other organs. Drinking during pregnancy can harm your baby. Alcohol also increases the risk of death from car crashes, injuries, homicide, and suicide.

If you want to stop drinking, there is help. Start by talking to your health care provider. Treatment may include medicines, counseling, and support groups.

NIH: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA  

• Alcohol withdrawal
• Alcoholic ketoacidosis
• Alcoholic liver disease
• Alcoholic neuropathy
• Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
• Beriberi
• Central pontine myelinolysis
• Deciding to quit drinking alcohol
• Delirium tremens
• Diet and substance abuse recovery
• 
  

  

Related Topics

• Alcohol
• Cirrhosis
• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
• Impaired Driving
• Underage Drinking
• Substance Abuse Problems

National Institutes of Health

• The primary NIH organization for research on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse is the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

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NIH MedlinePlus Magazine  

• Alcohol Use Disorders
• Alcohol Use Research Findings
• As Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) Increases, So Does Impairment
• Dr. George Koob: "Alcohol Use Disorders Are a Major Problem..."
• Importance of Drinking Patterns
• Older Adults and Drinking
• Real-Life Stories about Addiction Struggles
• Rethinking Drinking
• Science of Addiction
• Tips You Can Try to Reduce Alcohol Consumption

• Start Here

  • Alcohol Use Disorders(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
  • JAMA Patient Page: Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism(American Medical Association) - PDF
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Rethinking Drinking: Questions and Answers(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)

• Overviews

  • Alcoholism(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
  • Drinking to Excess: Recognize and Treat Alcohol Problems(National Institutes of Health)
  • Faces of Change: Do I Have a Problem with Alcohol or Drugs?(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF

• Latest News

  • Binge Drinking and High Blood Pressure(10/22/2014, HealthDay)
  • Binge Drinking May Boost Blood Pressure in Young Men(10/21/2014, HealthDay)
  • Younger Age At First Drink, Higher Odds for Problem Drinking(09/23/2014, HealthDay)
  • NIAAA to Conduct Clinical Trial of New Medication for Alcohol Use Disorder(09/09/2014, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
  • Counseling Does Little to Deter Youth Drinking, Review Finds(08/22/2014, HealthDay)

• Diagnosis/Symptoms

  • Signs of Alcohol Abuse and Addiction(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)

• Treatment

  • Alcohol and Drug Treatment: How It Works, and How It Can Help You(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Naltrexone for Alcoholism(American Academy of Family Physicians)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Road to Sobriety Is Difficult, but Possible(American Osteopathic Association)
  • Understanding Alcohol Use Disorders and Their Treatment(American Psychological Association)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • What Is Substance Abuse Treatment? A Booklet for Families(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
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• Prevention/Screening

  • CDC Vital Signs: Alcohol Screening and Counseling(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Screening Tests(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
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• Rehabilitation/Recovery

  • Alcohol Abuse: Taking Medicines Safely after Alcohol or Drug Abuse Recovery(American Academy of Family Physicians)
  • Also available in Spanish
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• Disease Management

  • Intervention: Help a Loved One Overcome Addiction(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
  • Support for Quitting: Choose Your Approach(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
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• Specific Conditions

  • Alcohol Abuse: Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome(American Academy of Family Physicians)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Overview of Alcohol Consumption(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
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• Related Issues

  • Alcohol Poisoning(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
  • Alcohol's Effects on the Body(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
  • Alcohol-Related Liver Disease(American Liver Foundation)
  • Drinking Too Much Too Fast Can Kill You(National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence) - PDF
  • Minority Health and Health Disparities(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
  • Moderate and Binge Drinking(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
  • PTSD and Problems with Alcohol Use(National Center for PTSD)
  • Smoking Cessation in Recovering Alcoholics(American Academy of Family Physicians)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary
  • What People Recovering from Alcoholism Need to Know about Osteoporosis(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
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• Pictures & Photographs

  • Motivation for Change(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
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• Health Check Tools

  • Interactive Worksheets and More(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
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• Tutorials

  • Alcohol Use and Older Adults(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
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• Videos

  • Getting Help for Alcohol Addiction(National Library of Medicine)
  • How Can I Cut Back on My Drinking?(National Library of Medicine)
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• Clinical Trials

  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium(National Institutes of Health)
  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Alcohol Withdrawal Seizures(National Institutes of Health)
  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Alcoholism(National Institutes of Health)
  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Binge Drinking(National Institutes of Health)
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• Genetics

  • Alcohol Alert: Genetics of Alcoholism(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
  • Family History of Alcoholism: Are You at Risk?(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
  • Also available in Spanish
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• Research

  • Alcohol Alert(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) - PDF
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• Journal Articles

  References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
  • Article: Doctor who stalked glamour model is reinstated.
  • Article: Advances in management of pancreatic necrosis.
  • Article: The efficacy-effectiveness distinction in trials of alcohol brief intervention.
  • Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse -- see more articles
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• Directories

  • Directory for Single-State Agency (SSA) for Substance Abuse Services(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
  • Rethinking Drinking: Info and Help Links(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
  • Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
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• Organizations

  • Al-Anon/Alateen(Al-Anon, Alateen)
  • Alcoholics Anonymous
  • Also available in Spanish
  • National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
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• Newsletters/Print Publications

  • NIAAA Spectrum(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
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• Law and Policy

  • Are You in Recovery from Alcohol or Drug Problems? Know Your Rights(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
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• Statistics

  • Adults Having Five or More Alcoholic Beverages in 1 Day(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • Alcohol Facts and Statistics(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
  • CDC Vital Signs: Binge Drinking(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • FastStats: Alcohol Use(National Center for Health Statistics)
  • Heavy Drinkers Unlikely to Receive Treatment(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
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• Teenagers

  • Coping with an Alcoholic Parent(Nemours Foundation)
  • Also available in Spanish
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• Men

  • Excessive Alcohol Use and Risks to Men's Health(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • Men's Health: Alcohol and Drug Abuse(Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
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• Women

  • Alcohol: A Women's Health Issue(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • CDC Vital Signs: Binge Drinking a Serious, Under-Recognized Problem Among Women and Girls(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Excessive Alcohol Use and Risks to Women's Health(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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• Seniors

  • Alcohol Use and Older Adults(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
  • Older Adults and Alcohol(National Institute on Aging)
  • Also available in Spanish
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• Patient Handouts

  • Alcohol withdrawal
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Alcoholic ketoacidosis
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Alcoholic liver disease
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Alcoholic neuropathy
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Deciding to quit drinking alcohol
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Health risks of alcohol use
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Risky drinking - tips for cutting back
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Return to top