Alcoholism, now clinically termed Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), encompasses a range of drinking behaviors that can lead to significant health and social problems. It’s crucial to understand the different patterns of alcohol consumption and their potential risks. This guide breaks down various definitions, from moderate drinking to AUD, providing a clearer picture of What Is Considered Alcoholism and its associated harms.
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025, moderation is key. But what happens when drinking exceeds those guidelines?
Moderate Drinking vs. Risky Consumption
Moderate drinking, as defined by the Dietary Guidelines, involves limiting intake to two drinks or less per day for men and one drink or less per day for women. Choosing not to drink is also a valid and healthy choice. However, exceeding these limits can lead to risky consumption patterns.
Binge Drinking: A Dangerous Pattern
Binge drinking is defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) as a pattern of alcohol consumption that raises blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08% or higher. This typically occurs when men consume five or more drinks, or women consume four or more drinks, within about two hours.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines binge drinking as five or more alcoholic drinks for males or four or more for females on the same occasion (i.e., at the same time or within a couple of hours of each other) on at least one day in the past month.
High-Intensity Drinking: An Escalated Risk
Taking binge drinking even further, high-intensity drinking involves consuming twice or more than the sex-specific binge drinking thresholds. This translates to 10 or more standard drinks for males and eight or more for females. Such high levels significantly increase the risk of alcohol-related harms.
Heavy Drinking: A Chronic Concern
NIAAA defines heavy drinking as consuming five or more drinks on any day or 15 or more drinks per week for men, and consuming four or more drinks on any day or eight or more drinks per week for women. SAMHSA defines heavy alcohol use as binge drinking on five or more days in the past month.
Alcohol Misuse: When Drinking Causes Harm
Alcohol misuse is a broad term referring to any drinking pattern that could potentially cause harm, either to the individual consuming the alcohol or to those around them. This includes both binge drinking and heavy alcohol use.
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD): The Clinical Definition of Alcoholism
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a medical condition characterized by an inability to control alcohol use, despite negative consequences affecting social life, work, or health. AUD ranges in severity from mild to severe, and it encompasses what many people informally refer to as alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, or alcoholism. It’s essential to recognize that AUD involves lasting changes in the brain that can make it difficult to stop drinking and increase the risk of relapse.
How Drinking Patterns Relate to AUD
Engaging in alcohol misuse, particularly binge drinking and heavy alcohol use, significantly elevates the risk of developing AUD over time. However, it’s important to note that other factors can also contribute to the development of AUD.
The Broader Harms of Alcohol Misuse
Beyond the risk of developing AUD, alcohol misuse carries numerous short-term and long-term consequences. These range from accidental injuries and worsened mental and physical health to even death. The higher the alcohol consumption, the greater the risk of harm. Even moderate alcohol consumption has been linked to certain health risks, such as an increased risk of breast cancer in women.
When to Avoid Alcohol Altogether
Certain situations require complete abstinence from alcohol. These include:
- Planning to drive or operate machinery.
- Taking certain medications.
- Having specific medical conditions.
- Recovering from AUD or struggling to control alcohol intake.
- Being under the age of 21.
- Being pregnant or potentially pregnant.
To assess your drinking patterns and potential risk for AUD, resources like Rethinking Drinking at RethinkingDrinking.niaaa.nih.gov can provide valuable insights and guidance.
References
1 NIAAA. [Internet.] Defining binge drinking. What colleges need to know now. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health; 2007 Nov. [cited 2023 Feb 20]. Available from: https://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/sites/cdp/files/documents/1College_Bulletin-508_361C4E.pdf
2 SAMHSA, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. Results from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: detailed tables: appendix A: key definitions for the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. [cited 2024 Sep 13]. Available from: https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2023-nsduh-detailed-tables
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