What are the Five Types of Alcoholism?

These individuals frequently have a history of legal trouble, unstable relationships, impulsivity, or aggression. Many are also diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder or similar behavioral disorders. Let’s break down the 5 most commonly recognized types of alcoholics—and explore how you can identify them and support recovery. Learn the 5 types of alcoholics—each with unique patterns, risks, and needs. Understand the signs and discover support options that fit the person, not the label.

Binge Drinking

Detoxification usually lasts a few days to a week, depending on the severity of your addiction. Detoxification helps you withdraw from alcohol safely and comfortably. This process begins with medical evaluation and stabilization alcoholism treatment before beginning the detox process.

Tailoring Treatment f0r Different Types of Alcoholism

Researchers found that 21.1 percent of alcoholics fall into this category. Their alcoholism usually manifests by the time they https://ecosoberhouse.com/ are 18 or 19, and more than half come from families with alcoholism. Only17%of functional alcoholics have ever sought help for their alcohol dependence. Those who do tend to make use of 12-step programs and private health care professionals. Chronic severe alcoholics include the highest percentage of people struggling with co-occurring psychiatric disorders and other substance abuse issues. This group also experiences the highest alcohol-related emergency room visits, work and social problems, and withdrawal.

Mental Health Resources

Classifying alcoholism into subtypes can also help identify and remove barriers to professional assessment and treatment. For example, those in the chronic and severe subgroup tend to have the lowest socioeconomic status. This means that while they may benefit most from inpatient treatment, they may not be able to financially afford the cost. One way to help remove that barrier to treatment would be to support these people in seeking affordable insurance options, treatment grants, scholarships, or loans. Nearly 50 percent have a family history of alcoholism, and co-occurring mental illness is prevalent.

Few seek help for their drinking, but when they do, they gravitate toward 12-step groups as opposed to private treatment. About31%of functional alcoholics have a close family member who also has alcohol dependence. Almost35%of young antisocial alcoholics have sought help for their alcohol dependence problems.

• A large portion of individuals in this subtype do not seek alcohol treatment, primarily due to the belief that they control their drinking without professional help.
• Theaverage age of dependent young adultsis almost 25 years old, and they first became dependent at an average age of around 20 years old.
• They tend to drink less frequently than people of other types (an average of 143 days a year).
• Most functional alcoholics are middle-aged (around 41) who started drinking around age 18.
• They have anaverage age of 38 years, began drinking at almostage 17, and developed alcohol dependence at anaverage age of 32 years.

Because their alcohol addiction has fewer obvious negative consequences, an important aspect of dealing with an alcoholic is getting them to recognize that they have a problem. In addition, Moss said it is crucial for functional alcoholics to focus on abstinence or return to less dangerous drinking levels. They tend to be well-educated, high-income earners with a relatively stable home life.

There are, however, five identified subtypes of alcoholics as identified by the National Institute of Health. It’s a chronic disease marked by an inability to control alcohol consumption. If you or someone you know suffers from alcohol use disorder, seek treatment as soon as possible. Outpatient treatment is less intensive than 5 types of alcoholics inpatient treatment but still effective for some people with AUD.

Mental Health Treatment

They are generally middle-aged, with a mean age of approximately 41 years. More than a quarter have sought help for their drinking at some point through self-help groups, treatment programs, alcohol detox programs and health care providers. Nearly 19 percent of alcoholics in the U.S. fall into the intermediate familial category.

Alcoholism Treatment Options

They are also young (average age 26 years) and have the earliest age of onset of drinking (average is under 16 years old) and the earliest age of alcohol dependence (average of 18 years). Young antisocial alcoholics drank an average of 201 days in the last year, binge drinking (consuming five or more drinks) on an average of 80% of their drinking days. When they drink, their maximum number of drinks is 17, the highest of any subtype of alcoholic. In terms of treatment, individuals in this subtype are more likely to seek help for their drinking problems compared to other subtypes. Comprehensive treatment approaches that address both alcohol dependence and co-occurring disorders are essential. This includes a combination of behavioral therapies, medication-assisted treatment, and support groups to manage the complex needs of this population effectively.