This will ensure you maintain your sobriety and allow you to meet other peers who have overcome alcohol abuse. While there’s no specific blood test that can diagnose an alcohol use disorder, certain lab results can point to chronic alcohol abuse and possible alcohol addiction. The most severe form of alcohol withdrawal is known as alcohol withdrawal delirium or delirium tremens, often referred to as the DTs. Symptoms (which are typically experienced in addition to others caused by alcohol withdrawal) include delirium (confusion), high blood pressure, and agitation. Though at-risk and binge drinking can result in a range of adverse consequences, not all people who engage in these kinds of unhealthy alcohol use have alcohol use disorder.

And medications and behavioral therapies can help people with AUD reduce alcohol intake or abstain from alcohol altogether. For many people, alcohol seems inextricably linked with a social life. Friends gather for after-work drinks, spouses have cocktails together https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/alcohol-overdose-symptoms-and-antidote/ for “date nights” or some may just be in the habit of ending the day with a beer or a glass of wine—or two—or more. It can be hard to identify the lines between casual and occasional drinking and unhealthy alcohol use including alcohol use disorder.

Visible Signs of Alcoholism

Because denial is common, you may feel like you don’t have a problem with drinking. You might not recognize how much you drink or how many problems in your life are related to alcohol use. Listen to relatives, friends or co-workers when they ask you to examine your drinking habits or to seek help. Consider talking with someone who has had a problem with drinking but has stopped. Some people seem to be just fine even though they misuse alcohol. You may hear them called “functional” or “high-functioning” alcoholics. But those aren’t official medical terms.

They may know that their alcohol use negatively affects their lives, but it’s often not enough to make them stop drinking. No matter how hopeless alcohol use disorder may seem, treatment can help. If you think you might have a problem with alcohol, call SAMHSA or talk to your healthcare provider.

How do you know if you have AUD?

Options may include a combination of psychiatric support, medication, or alcohol misuse support groups. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, which means it can slow down brain activity. This can affect a person’s mood, self-control, and behavior.

This means they can be especially helpful to individuals at risk for relapse to drinking. Combined with medications and behavioral treatment provided by health signs of alcoholism care professionals, mutual-support groups can offer a valuable added layer of support. There are various warning signs to help detect potential alcohol abuse.

Diagnosis and Tests

Drinking alcohol too much or too often, or being unable to control alcohol consumption, can be a sign of alcohol misuse and, in some cases, alcohol use disorder (AUD). Some people may drink alcohol to the point that it causes problems, but they’re not physically dependent on alcohol. If you want to know more about alcohol use disorder, including treatment options and what counts as a “standard drink” in the United States, you can visit the NIAAA Rethinking Drinking website. But genetics on their own don’t control whether a person has an alcohol use disorder. Environmental factors, such as lifestyle and role models, are also important influences. If you think you or a loved one may have alcohol use disorder, knowing the symptoms and behaviors of this condition can help you know if you may need to consider reaching out for help.