{"id":21891,"date":"2024-03-29T04:32:14","date_gmt":"2024-03-29T08:32:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lantanarecovery.com\/?p=21891"},"modified":"2024-03-29T04:32:14","modified_gmt":"2024-03-29T08:32:14","slug":"what-is-alcohol-use-disorder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lantanarecovery.com\/what-is-alcohol-use-disorder\/","title":{"rendered":"Unpacking What Is Alcohol Use Disorder: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options"},"content":{"rendered":"
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), also known as \u201cwhat is alcohol use disorder,\u201d is a medical condition characterized by an inability to stop or control alcohol despite adverse consequences. This article explores the intricacies of AUD, including its causes, prevalent symptoms, and effective treatment methods, providing essential knowledge for understanding and tackling this widespread challenge.<\/p>\n
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AUD, or Alcohol Use Disorder, is characterized by a pattern of alcohol use that involves problems with controlling drinking and continuing to drink despite negative social, occupational, or health consequences. The severity of AUD can range from mild to severe, depending on the number of criteria met. However, understanding AUD involves more than its definition; it requires distinguishing between casual and unhealthy drinking, and recognizing AUD as a chronic condition that significantly alters the individual\u2019s brain function, often leading to alcohol dependence.<\/p>\n
Casual drinking is characterized by low-risk consumption of alcohol in moderate amounts, perhaps on rare occasions. This is in stark contrast to unhealthy drinking, which involves frequent overconsumption of alcohol, leading to adverse actions or health consequences. The standard drink, as defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, varies depending on the type of alcohol consumed:<\/p>\n
But what separates a problem drinker from someone with AUD? Problem drinkers frequently consume alcohol, often more than intended, with some health effects. However, they can usually quit on their own. Those with AUD, on the other hand, are unable to control their alcohol consumption, often drink daily, and face various life problems because of their drinking habits, usually requiring external support or rehabilitation. Unhealthy drinking is marked by alcohol consumption that harms health or safety, leads to other alcohol-related problems, or involves binge drinking.<\/p>\n
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AUD is not simply a habit that can easily be broken, but rather a chronic condition. Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to lasting changes in the brain, which may enhance vulnerability to relapse. It alters the normal function of brain areas involving pleasure, judgment, and behavior control. This can interfere with brain function, affecting mood and behavior, impairing cognitive abilities, and leading to a craving for alcohol to restore good feelings or reduce negative ones.<\/p>\n