Understanding Alcohol Use Disorder National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism NIAAA

Posted by MTC November 18, 2025

According to another study, 13.5% of deaths in the age group are caused by alcohol-related causes3. Start your recovery journey with peace of mind, knowing your care is https://www.mchukwimissionhospital.co.tz/2021/07/09/alcoholic-ketoacidosis-etiologies-evaluation-and-2/ covered. Discover affordable rehab centers near you, offering easy access and convenience. Their representatives will discuss whether their facility may be an option for you. You may need to distance yourself from negative influences and enter treatment. Alcoholics Anonymous is a 12-step facilitation group that is beneficial to your recovery.

About the Acting NIMH Director

Health experts recommend that those who choose to drink alcohol do so in moderation. If you’re Alcoholics Anonymous male, you should drink no greater than two drinks daily, and heavy drinking is considered anything more than 14 drinks in a given week or four in a given day. Females should drink no greater than one drink daily, and heavy drinking is considered anything more than seven drinks in a given week or three drinks in a given day. Updates about mental health topics, including NIMH news, upcoming events, mental disorders, funding opportunities, and research.

• According to research by the World Health Organization (WHO), heavy drinkers are up to 50% more likely to experience cognitive decline and dementia compared to non-drinkers.
• That can cause permanent changes to your personality and your ability to think and use your body.
• For more information on the relationship between alcohol and violence, refer to our article on alcohol and violence.
• Alcohol-related dementia is a type of dementia that happens when drinking too much alcohol damages your brain.

Intermediate Familial Alcoholics

Calls to numbers on a specific treatment center listing will be routed to that treatment center. For those seeking addiction treatment for themselves or a loved one, our calls are confidential and are available for 24/7 help. Your best defense against these consequences isn’t a good lawyer after you’re arrested – it’s never putting yourself in a why do people become alcoholics position to face them in the first place. Every drink you take before getting behind the wheel, every time you get belligerent in public while intoxicated, every argument you have while drunk is a roll of the dice with your entire future.

Mental Health and Loneliness

• A 2025 study by Amelia Sharp titled “What Are the Legal Consequences of Alcohol Abuse?” published by American Addiction Centers synthesizes these risks.
• Recovery.com combines independent research with expert guidance on addiction and mental health treatment.
• Many young antisocial alcoholics also have other substance use disorders, including addiction to cigarettes, marijuana, and opiates.
• This reliance on alcohol as a coping mechanism can lead to a dangerous cycle of dependency and addiction.

Many people involved in the legal system have co-occurring mental health issues. Integrated programs should address both substance abuse and mental health disorders at the same time. It may be done by family and friends in consultation with a health care provider or mental health professional such as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor, or directed by an intervention professional. It involves family and friends and sometimes co-workers, clergy or others who care about the person struggling with addiction. Kayla holds over 6 years of experience in the rehab space, including in-house content management at a leading treatment center. She believes addiction and mental health issues are universal human experiences that can serve as important entry points onto a path toward self-realization and well-being.

According to research by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the combination of alcohol and opioids accounts for 22% of all opioid-related overdose deaths in the U.S. Symptoms of alcohol poisoning include vomiting, slow or irregular breathing, hypothermia, and unconsciousness, which escalate to coma or death if untreated. Immediate emergency action, such as calling 911 and placing the individual in a recovery position, is crucial to prevent asphyxiation or respiratory arrest. The risks of alcohol poisoning and overdose are life-threatening toxicity, severe central nervous system depression, and organ failure caused by consuming large amounts of alcohol in a short period. Prolonged alcohol use reduces the production of dopamine, weakening the brain’s reward system and contributing to dependence. Studies published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) show that chronic alcohol use leads to hippocampal atrophy, impairing memory and learning.