Author: John Carter

Understanding the Five Types of Alcoholics Get Help For Alcohol Addiction

It is determined that roughly 31.5% of alcoholics fall into the category of young adults, which is the largest single group. This group tends to begin drinking at an early age (around 19) and also develops an alcohol dependence early (around 24). This group has comparatively low rates of co-occurring mental health conditions and moderate rates of other substance abuse disorders and family members with alcoholism. Most likely what a person pictures when the term alcoholic is used, the chronic severe alcoholic subtype only accounts for about 9 percent of the entire US alcoholic population. A chronic severe alcoholic likely started drinking and struggling with alcohol-related issues and problematic drinking at a young age and is currently middle-aged. This subtype also battles antisocial personality disorder at high rates and regularly has issues with the law and therefore criminal or legal troubles as well.

This subtype of alcoholics is generally in their mid-20s and started drinking young. Early episodes of binge and heavy drinking (binge drinking on five or more days in the same month) can elevate the risk for struggling with alcohol-related issues later in life. In the U.S., chronic severe alcoholics comprise 9% of all alcoholics.

The number of times an individual answers “yes” to one of those questions helps to determine the severity level — mild (2–3 criteria), moderate (4–5 criteria), or severe (6 or more criteria). However, certain food groups also have benefits when it comes to helping with the discomfort of withdrawal symptoms and detoxification. If you find that the above descriptions resemble you or a loved one, you’re not alone. At The Recovery Village, we offer evidence-based treatment methods that can address every aspect of each client’s treatment needs.

Inpatient Treatment

In the U.S., the intermediate familial alcoholic subtype comprises 19% of all alcoholics. Intermediate familial alcoholics are similar to functional ones but are more likely born with a genetic predisposition to alcoholism. An alcohol use disorder (AUD) is characterized by the chronic, compulsive use of alcohol despite the negative consequences on a person’s life. Alcohol is one of the most widely used addictive substances in the U.S., with 84% of adults aged 18 and older having tried it in their lifetimes. If you or someone you know suffers from alcohol use disorder, seek treatment as soon as possible.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) publishes that co-occurring mental health disorders and addiction are common, as about 8 million adults in America battled both in 2014. They are not meant as a diagnostic to determine if someone is suffering from alcoholism. Rather, they are meant to further the study of alcoholism and guide future research and prevention efforts. Chronic severe alcoholics often smoke and may also suffer from cocaine, opioid, and/or marijuana dependence in addition to alcohol addiction.

Ways to Treat Risk Factors of Alcoholism

The chronic severe subtype is the smallest but most severe of all the categories of alcoholism. This group has one of the lowest education levels of any subtype and also has the lowest employment rate. This group drinks more frequently than any other, although their total alcohol intake is less than the young antisocial subtype. Two-thirds of this subtype have sought help for their alcoholism at some point, making them by far the most likely to have done so. They often seek help at self-help groups, rehabilitation programs, and detox programs.

1. It is determined that roughly 31.5% of alcoholics fall into the category of young adults, which is the largest single group.
2. Nearly half of them have a close family member who is also an alcoholic.
3. If you find that the above descriptions resemble you or a loved one, you’re not alone.
4. Alcohol use disorder is a multifaceted issue that affects individuals differently.
5. Therefore, Psychology Today reports that they often deny they have a problem with alcohol and are less likely to seek professional help.
6. While binge drinking doesn’t necessarily equate to alcoholism, it can be a precursor or warning sign.

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. Many young antisocial alcoholics also have other substance use disorders, including addiction to cigarettes, marijuana, and opiates.

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.

Functional Subtype

Before we dive into the different types of alcoholics, let’s first establish what actually defines an alcoholic. Support groups provide social support, encouragement, and accountability which can be beneficial during recovery. People in recovery from AUD who share their experiences, coping skills, and strategies typically facilitate these groups. This type of treatment allows you to receive help in an outpatient setting while still attending to your everyday responsibilities. This is a great option for people with mild to moderate addiction and those who have already gone through inpatient treatment. This post discusses five distinct categories of people who suffer from alcoholism.

As many as three-fourths of this subset also smoke marijuana and/or cigarettes, and many also struggle with opioid or cocaine addictions as well. Polydrug abuse, and co-occurring disorders combined with alcohol abuse, increases the risk for addiction and can interfere with treatment measures. Around one-third of young antisocial alcoholics will seek treatment for problematic drinking. The intermediate familial subtype accounts for 18.8% of alcoholics. This group tends to start drinking younger (around 17) and also develops an alcohol dependence earlier (around 32). This subgroup is very likely to have had immediate family members with alcoholism.

It can happen on individual occasions (binge drinking) or habitually. Functional alcoholics consume alcohol daily or at least several times per week. Alcoholism is a complex and pervasive issue affecting millions of people in America. In fact, according to a 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 29.5 million Americans ages 12 and older have alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Types of Alcoholics According to the NIAAA

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA) studied alcoholics and how they differ. Each subtype is unique and offers a bit more insight into alcohol abuse. Functional alcoholics are more likely to smoke but usually aren’t addicted to other substances. They typically drink every other day, consuming five or more drinks on average, and they often surround themselves with others who drink heavily. The young adult alcoholic may not seek help for their problematic drinking, as drinking to excess at this age is often considered “normal” and part of a phase of life.

Luckily, there are several treatment options for all types of alcoholics. Functional alcoholics make up 19.4% of alcohol-dependent individuals. They also have a later age of first drinking (average of 19 years) and a later onset of alcohol dependence at an average of 37 years. They tend to drink alcohol every other day, an average of 181 days per year, and they consume five or more drinks on 54% of those days.

Determining Your Alcoholic Type

They have the highest rates of attendance at self-help groups, detoxification programs and specialized rehabilitation programs, and the highest rates of treatment in inpatient programs. When seeking treatment, they tend to turn to social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists and private physicians. Only 17% 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. More than 50 percent of young antisocial alcoholics have a psychiatric diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder, a mental condition characterized by antagonism and a callous disregard of others and the law. Many also suffer from other mental illnesses, including major depression, bipolar disorder, social phobias and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder.

Researchers found that they have the highest rates of employment among alcoholics, with 68% working full-time and an average family income of nearly $50,000 a year. About 64% are male, while around 38% are married and 21% are divorced. Over 6 percent of American adults battled an alcohol use disorder (AUD) in 2015, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) publishes. Less than 10 percent of adults in the United States who struggled with alcoholism in 2015 received professional treatment for the disease, NIAAA further reports.