The Different Types of Alcoholism Types of Alcohol Abuse

For men, consuming more than 4 drinks on any day or more than 14 drinks per week. For women, consuming more than 3 drinks on any day or more than 7 drinks per week. Very frequently, these patients suffer from at least one other addiction. Marijuana, cocaine, and nicotine addictions are especially common within this group.

Through individual and group therapies, people recovering from an alcohol addiction gain the essential skills to conquer their triggers and maintain their sobriety. Social drinking is often the first stage of drinking for most people. This stage can lead to heavy binge drinking before using alcohol as a source of stress relief. If you suspect that you or a loved one is facing alcoholism, there’s no time to delay. The sooner you seek treatment for yourself or someone else, the more likely you will prevent a severe accident or another devastating consequence.

The Past as Prologue: Whither Typology Theory?

If you recognize the signs or symptoms of alcoholism either in yourself or someone you care about, treatment options are available. Around 80% of people in the severe chronic subtype have a familial and genetic alcoholism link.

This group of alcoholics are the most likely to reach out for help through inpatient treatment programs, as well as through 12-Step groups and detox services. Alcoholics who fit into the young adult subtype are most likely to be male, as men are 2.5 times more likely to experience this type of alcoholism than women. More than 14 million American adults struggle with the disease of alcoholism.

Intermediate Familial Subtype

But these people might drink to excess in the privacy of their own homes every single night, and they may be unable to control how much they drink when they start drinking. The first step in getting help and building a better life is learning more about the problem itself. No matter what type of alcohol use disorder you have or what category you fall into, alcoholism gets worse over time and will not go away if you ignore it. In the following sections, we will break down the risk factors and different types of alcoholics to give you a better idea of where you stand. Many alcoholics continue to go to work, spend time with family and friends, and manage other daily responsibilities.

They don’t drink the most often but tend to take in large amounts of alcohol whenever they do. Likewise, additional addictions are shared within this group, including addictions to opioids, cocaine, and methamphetamines. EMedicineHealth does not provide medical advice, types of alcoholics diagnosis or treatment. Problematic patterns of drinking can also be troublesome in terms of relationships. Neither Alcohol Rehab Help nor AAC receives any commission or other fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a visitor may ultimately choose.

What Are the 4 Types of Drinkers?

Alpha – The person is psychologically dependent upon alcohol to relieve emotional and/or physical pain. They usually begin drinking at 18, don't become dependent until around 37. Forty-seven percent suffer from major depression, 22 percent from bipolar disorder. Young adult alcoholics are the most common type of alcoholic, making up almost 32 percent of the total. Each subtype is unique and offers a bit more insight into alcohol abuse.

The chronic severe subtype is the least prevalent, accounting for only about 9 percent of alcoholics. However, this group is the most severe, with heavy drinking occurring almost daily. Yes, there is a difference in treatment for different types of alcoholics. According to the study from NIAAA, members of the young adult and functional subtypes are more likely to seek help through 12-step programs. Lastly, chronic severe type is the rarest type and includes people who had their first drink at around age 16 but do not become dependent on alcohol until around age 29. This group has the highest divorce and separation rates, and typically includes those who use illicit drugs.