There is no cure for the disease of alcohol addiction although it can be successfully treated and managed with professional help from an alcohol rehab treatment center. Many of those in the grips of alcoholism choose not to seek help, but it doesn’t have to be that way. If you or a loved one fall into one of these types of alcoholism, know that there are options. What others don’t know is that getting help early can reduce health problems and in some cases, reverse organ damage. So if you or your loved one is exhibiting symptoms of ANY of these types of alcoholism, don’t wait too long!
The characteristics of alcoholics in the young adult subtype include drinking less than other types of alcoholics, but when they do use, they engage in binge drinking. Co-occurring disorders are optimally treated with an integrated program that can help to manage both disorders at the same time. Around one-quarter of intermediate familial alcoholics seek treatment for drinking-related problems. Around 19.5 percent of the alcoholic population https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/5-alcoholic-types-in-alcoholism/ in the United States falls into the functional alcoholic subtype. Someone who is considered a functional alcoholic may lead a kind of double life, compartmentalizing their drinking from the rest of their life. Young brains do not have a fully developed prefrontal cortex, meaning that young people may have more difficulties controlling emotions and impulses, and are therefore more likely to take bigger risks without fear of consequences.
Delta Alcoholism
The survey also included responses from individuals in treatment as well as those not seeking treatment. “Delta alcoholic” is a term used by physiologist Elvin M. Jellinek to describe a person who cannot stop drinking once they start. They have a physical dependence on alcohol and experience withdrawal symptoms if they try to quit.
- In the following sections, we will delve into the five types of alcoholics, including the young adult subtype, young antisocial subtype, functional subtype, intermediate familial subtype, and chronic severe subtype.
- It’s important to note that alcoholism is not simply a matter of drinking excessively or frequently.
- In addition, this type of alcoholism can co-occur with smoking cigarettes, marijuana, and/or cocaine abuse.
The young adult subtype also often abuses other substances besides alcohol and rarely seeks treatment. The presence of any two symptoms within a one-year period can result in a diagnosis of alcohol addiction. As previously mentioned, however, there are multiple types of alcoholic subtypes. The following checklists for each type can help you determine which subtype you might fall into. NIAAA reports on a national survey that found that 60 percent of college students between the ages of 18 and 22 drank alcohol in the past month, and nearly two out of every three of these students binge drank during that month. Binge drinking is a pattern of excessive alcohol use that increases the risk for developing tolerance and then physical dependence on alcohol that can then lead to addiction.
Intermediate familial alcoholics
The most recent data1 also show a high prevalence of antisocial personality disorder among individuals with an alcohol addiction. This aligns with the NIAAA subtype3 of the young antisocial alcoholic. If you feel that you sometimes drink too much alcohol, or your drinking is causing problems, or if your family is concerned about your drinking, talk with your health care provider. Other ways to https://ecosoberhouse.com/ get help include talking with a mental health professional or seeking help from a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous or a similar type of self-help group. By tailoring treatment to the subtypes of alcoholics, emphasizing individualized care, and providing support and resources, individuals can find the help they need to overcome alcoholism and embark on a path of recovery and wellness.
This comprehensive approach ensures that individuals receive the support and resources they need to achieve long-term recovery. A history of alcoholism in first-degree relatives also has been used frequently as a typological criterion in the post-Jellinek period. About 77 percent of chronic severe alcoholics have family members with alcohol dependency. Of the five types of alcoholics discovered in the study, they have the lowest education levels and employment rates of all.