Alcohol Use Disorder: A Beginner-Friendly Start
Alcohol Use Disorder: the few things that matter most, and the mistakes that catch people out early.
A medical condition in which a person has trouble controlling or stopping drinking despite harm to their health, work or relationships.
Key takeaways
- US standard drink: 14 grams of alcohol: 12 fl oz of regular beer, 5 fl oz of wine or 1.5 fl oz of distilled spirits
- Heavy drinking, men: 5 or more drinks on any day or 15 or more a week
- Most useful single change: Talk to your doctor, who can screen for alcohol problems and discuss treatment.
- Commonest mistake: Stopping suddenly after long-term heavy drinking without medical advice, since withdrawal can be dangerous.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
Why bother
It is common and treatable, yet most people with it never receive treatment.
Start here
These two first. Everything else is easier once they are habit.
- Talk to your doctor, who can screen for alcohol problems and discuss treatment
- Ask whether a medicine to reduce cravings or prevent relapse is right for you
Then add these
Next, once the first two have stopped feeling like effort.
- Use the NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator to find quality care
- Call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for free, confidential referrals
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| US standard drink | 14 grams of alcohol: 12 fl oz of regular beer, 5 fl oz of wine or 1.5 fl oz of distilled spirits |
| Heavy drinking, men | 5 or more drinks on any day or 15 or more a week |
| Heavy drinking, women | 4 or more drinks on any day or 8 or more a week |
| FDA-approved medicines | naltrexone, acamprosate and disulfiram |
| Other treatment | behavioral therapies, mutual-support groups and specialty treatment programs |
Common early mistakes
- Stopping suddenly after long-term heavy drinking without medical advice, since withdrawal can be dangerous
- Drinking and driving, or riding with a driver who has been drinking
- Mixing alcohol with opioids, sleep medicines or anxiety medicines
Related topics
- Alcohol Reduction: What the Evidence Actually Says (Preventive Care)
- What the Guidance Really Says About Alcohol and Mental Health (Mental Health)
- Alcohol-Related Liver Disease: What Published Guidance Supports (Liver Health)
- The Evidence on Alcohol and the Heart, Without the Hype (Heart Health)
Where to go next
- A Working Checklist for Alcohol Use Disorder
- Popular Beliefs About Alcohol Use Disorder, and What Is Actually Published
- Alcohol Use Disorder — the reference entry
- Substance Use: The Complete Guide
- The Evidence on Cannabis Use, Without the Hype
- What the Guidance Really Says About Vaping and E-Cigarettes
When to speak to a doctor
Seek medical help before stopping if you drink heavily every day. Call 911 for seizures, confusion, hallucinations, vomiting with confusion, slow or irregular breathing or someone who cannot be woken after drinking.
Where this comes from
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism — Understanding Alcohol Use Disorder
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism — What Is A Standard Drink?
- SAMHSA — National Helpline
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarized or generalized beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to your doctor, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 911.
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