Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic brain disease characterized by an impaired ability to discontinue or control alcohol use despite adverse effects on mental, physical, and social well-being.
AUD encompasses alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, alcohol addiction, and the colloquial term alcoholism. The condition can be mild, moderate, or severe. Lasting changes in the brain caused by alcohol misuse perpetuate AUD and make individuals vulnerable to relapse.
Luckily, seeking treatment from a healthcare professional for AUD can help manage symptoms.
If you or someone you know is struggling with untreated AUD, you’re not alone. Our team at Black Horse Health can help you overcome alcohol use disorder and other co-occurring health conditions.
Drinking patterns can quickly change and escalate, leading to problems with dependency and addiction.
Occasional binge drinking can turn into increased drinking and go even further into problem drinking. This is when you may start feeling the emotional, physical, and social consequences of your drinking.
Problem drinking quickly turns into dependence and addiction. Alcohol increases the effect of GABA, making you calm, and decreases glutamate, slowing alertness. It also triggers the release of endorphins and dopamine in the brain’s reward centers, reinforcing drinking patterns.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), based on a 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 27.9 million individuals aged 12 and older were diagnosed with AUD in the past year.
That’s 1 in 10 people aged 12 and older with AUD.
The following demographics had AUD in the past year in 2024:
If you begin drinking to cope with daily life stressors, have trouble sticking to your limit, or notice friends or family commenting, this can signal a problem.
The warning signs of alcoholism include:
The 5 warning signs of AUD include:
Continuing to consume alcoholic beverages despite knowing the risks to their health or lifestyle overall.
Five personality traits commonly associated with alcohol use disorder include:
However, alcohol addiction can affect people differently, and the signs and symptoms can vary from person to person.
Some people drink alcohol to mask negative emotions, whereas others use alcohol to cope with an underlying psychiatric disorder.
For example, you may drink alcohol to decompress from a stressful day or ease anxiety linked with social interaction. You may also struggle with a predisposed mental health condition, such as bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety, and drink alcohol to manage your discomfort.
While you may use alcohol to find relief from emotional distress, over time, alcohol abuse can worsen your initial symptoms, further reinforcing alcohol use.
You may also develop mental health problems as a result of alcohol abuse and changes in the brain.
Alcohol acts as a central nervous system depressant that disrupts brain chemistry, worsening existing mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, and even inducing psychosis or worsening co-occurring mood disorders.
Alcohol alters neurotransmitters, increasing GABA and decreasing glutamate. As the immediate effects of alcohol wear off, the brain tries to compensate, leading to heightened anxiety, low mood, and irritability.
When this occurs, you may self-medicate to cope with these symptoms. However, this can lead to a cycle of dependency and worsening psychiatric conditions.
A high-functioning alcoholic is a person who regularly drinks heavily but can manage daily responsibilities such as work, school, or relationships.
However, this can be dangerous – many individuals with high-functioning alcoholism are in denial of their condition because their lives are minimally affected. But this does not mean their condition is not serious.
Alcohol abuse can still put your mental and physical health at risk. It is imperative for high-functioning alcoholics to seek professional addiction treatment.
Alcohol abuse can cause physical health complications, including:
Remaining abstinent while receiving regular checkups is crucial for managing alcohol-related disease and preventing further damage.
During withdrawal, your nervous system becomes overactive, causing uncomfortable or, in some cases, life-threatening symptoms.
Severe substance use disorder often causes more challenging, life-threatening withdrawal symptoms, in which the body can go into shock.
It is imperative to seek professional treatment when stopping the use of alcohol. Dangerous withdrawal symptoms require 24/7 medically managed detox with nurse practitioners and health professionals or physicians on staff.
Common alcohol withdrawal symptoms include:
It can be challenging to understand the effects of withdrawal at the start. Some may mistake withdrawal symptoms for stress, food poisoning, or viral illness. However, if your symptoms dissipate after drinking again, you are most likely experiencing withdrawal when not drinking.
Researchers do not fully understand the chemical mechanisms behind blackouts; however, they do know that a specific area of the brain responsible for memory no longer functions properly when someone experiences a blackout.
Blackouts are “gaps” in your memory for events that occurred while you were intoxicated. You can experience a fragmentary blackout, where you may have gaps in your memory combined with some recollection of events, or a total blackout, with no recollection of events.
Most people do not know they are blacked out, but will experience typical symptoms of intoxication when they are. Binge drinking and combining alcohol with medications such as benzodiazepines are the main causes of blackouts.
Alcohol is believed to change the way that important receptors in your brain act. This impairs steroid production, which weakens the connection between brain cells and can impact learning and memory.
Three drinks a day is typically considered too much alcohol, but not heavy drinking.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), safe moderation limits include one drink per day for women and two for men.
Consuming high concentrations of alcohol in a short period is known as binge drinking.
Binge drinking can rapidly cause high concentrations of alcohol in your bloodstream and overwhelm your central nervous system.
Excessive drinking in a short period can cause:
Binge drinking can also worsen post-drinking side effects and contribute to intense fatigue, migraines, shakiness, or sleep disturbances.
Casual drinking with friends, family, or alone over a long period can become excessive drinking if you begin to drink more alcohol over time or are craving more alcohol to achieve your desired effect.
When this occurs, casual drinking has manifested into alcohol abuse.
Those with a family history of alcoholism, people with mental health disorders, and individuals who began heavy drinking at an early age, especially before 15, are at an increased risk of developing AUD.
Stressors and environmental factors also play a significant role in the development of AUD.
Individuals with an immediate family member who struggles with alcohol have roughly three to four times greater chance of developing AUD themselves.
This elevated risk is driven by a combination of inherited genetic predispositions and environmental factors.
Genetics accounts for roughly 50% to 60% of the overall risk for developing alcohol dependence. However, this does not guarantee you will have substance abuse problems in the future.
Beyond genetics, early childhood substance exposure and frequent family gatherings with substance use can influence your chance of developing alcohol dependence. Learned behavior, early exposure, and home environment all play a role in the development of addiction.
At Black Horse Health, we help you target the underlying cause of alcohol abuse. Our various treatment options are designed to best align with your personal needs.
Yes, many people use alcohol to decompress after a long day of stress.
A stressful day can turn into a stressful week. Recurrent alcohol use can contribute to alcoholism. Prolonged alcohol abuse can turn into AUD. Continuing to drink alcohol despite knowing the risks to your mental or physical health can manifest as severe AUD.
Yes, some people drink alcohol to enhance the sedative properties of other drugs.
Some individuals enjoy the dual effect, often resulting in polysubstance abuse. Polysubstance abuse is the act of abusing two or more substances. This is a dangerous pattern of substance use and can increase your risk of overdose or death.
You should seek help from a health professional the moment you recognize the first signs of alcohol abuse.
If you do not recognize the signs yet but notice a shift in your memory, mood, or overall health, reach out to a healthcare provider to report your symptoms. A specialist will ask about your medical history, substance use, and symptoms to determine whether AUD is present or identify a co-occurring mental health disorder.
At Black Horse Health, we offer a wide range of evidence-based treatments to help you overcome AUD.
We offer state-of-the-art amenities and a high level of care to mature 40+ adults, professionals, and families facing problems with alcohol use disorder.
Our board-certified clinicians support:
12-Step groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) give you a space to share openly about your struggles and receive support from peers who are also in recovery from alcoholism.
Many people find relief and long-term recovery from working the Twelve Steps with a sponsor and regularly attending meetings. AA meetings are everywhere around the world, easy to find, and completely free to attend.
Family members can watch for behavioral changes, physical signs, social changes, or neglected responsibilities.
If family members do recognize alcohol use disorder, they can reach out to our admissions department for support.
Family follow-up counseling support is also available to families struggling with the effects of alcohol use disorder. Our recovery specialists at Black Horse Health meet every Wednesday night on Zoom to provide family support and promote improved family bonds.
The moment you notice your drinking has affected your health or overall quality of life, you should talk to a close loved one or professional for support.
It can be challenging to open up and remain honest about your alcohol use. However, doing so can ensure you receive the help you need to gain your life back from alcohol use disorder. Speaking up can also aid in relapse prevention for long-term recovery.
Our comprehensive family treatment programs include multiple components designed to address the diverse needs of families supporting loved ones through recovery.
We can help you heal through:
Our family support program extends beyond direct therapeutic interventions to also include a wealth of resources for continued learning and support. You or your loved ones have access to educational materials, community connections, and online resources.vvvvv
Yes, you can have alcohol use disorder if you do not consume alcohol daily.
Alcohol use disorder is based on the unique pattern of use and the amount of alcohol that you consume, rather than how often you drink in general. Your addictive behaviors also play a role in alcohol use disorder, even if you do not drink daily.
Drinking two to three alcoholic beverages or more in a day is considered too much alcohol.
Binge drinking, heavy drinking, or any amount of repetitive drinking that causes mental, physical, or life problems is considered too much. Remaining abstinent is best to overcome AUD and achieve wellness in all aspects of life.
Yes, alcohol addiction can be treated successfully.
Developing a strong support network, staying in touch with your alcohol addiction treatment recovery team, receiving outpatient alcohol addiction treatment, and following a set of sober living skills can also help you achieve sustained sobriety.
Five signs of alcohol poisoning include experiencing intense confusion, vomiting profusely, having shallow or irregular breathing, having seizures, or having clammy, pale, or deep blue skin discoloration.
It is important to learn to identify these symptoms, as you could save your own life, a loved one’s, or a stranger’s.
Heavy drinkers drink a significant amount of alcohol, whereas alcoholics drink despite the negative consequences on their lives.
Risks involved with substance use disorder include impaired work or school performance, poor relationships, or co-occurring physical or mental health complications.
Our team of experts at Black Horse Health has over 100 years of combined experience. Whether you’re struggling with addiction to alcohol, prescription medications, or illicit drugs, our substance abuse recovery services in Houston are designed to help you break free and rebuild your life. With expert clinical care, lasting healing is within reach. Reach out to us to learn more about our levels of care.
