The BasicsWhat Is Alcohol Use Disorder?

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic illness in which you can’t stop or control your drinking.

Alcohol Use Disorder: Myths and Facts

Are you falling for common misconceptions about alcohol use disorder?

The Stages of Alcoholism

No one becomes addicted to alcohol overnight. You don’t catch alcoholism the way you do the common cold.

Do I Have an Alcohol Problem?

If you've had two or three of these symptoms in the past year, that’s a mild alcohol use disorder.

What's Risky Drinking?

When is a drink just a harmless drink? When is it best not to drink at all? What are “risky” drinking and binge drinking?

Binge Drinking

Binge drinking is when you drink enough alcohol to bring your blood-alcohol content up to the legal limit for driving.

Do You Really Have to Stop Drinking?

If you have a problem with alcohol, you might have decided on your own that it’s time to stop drinking.

What to Know About Dry Drunk Syndrome

Dry drunk syndrome means a person has quit drinking but hasn't dealt with the issues that caused them to become addicted.

When to See a Doctor About Your Drinking

If you think your drinking is impacting your life negatively, accepting it as a problem is the first step toward solving it.

Screening & TestsTest for Alcohol Use Disorder

There’s no specific number of drinks that means you have AUD. The diagnosis depends on how alcohol affects your life.

What Is a Blood Alcohol Test?

To check your blood for alcohol, your doctor uses a needle to take blood from your arm and measure the amount of alcohol.

What Is a Breath Alcohol Test?

A breath alcohol test measures how much alcohol is in the air you breathe out.

Complications & ConsequencesHealth Risks of Chronic Heavy Drinking

Too much alcohol can harm you physically and mentally in lots of ways.

What to Know About Potomania

‌Potomania can happen when you drink alcohol excessively in the form of beer and don't eat a proper diet.

Alcohol Poisoning

Alcohol poisoning is when there’s too much alcohol in your blood, and it causes parts of your brain to shut down.

What to Know About Alcoholic Myopathy

Alcoholic myopathy is a muscle condition that can affect people with alcoholism or binge drinkers.

How Does Alcohol Affect Your Poop?

How much, and even the type of alcohol, you drink can cause problems with your bowel movements.

What Is Alcoholic Gastritis?

Alcoholic gastritis is caused by drinking too much, too often. The alcohol gradually irritates and erodes the stomach lining.

What to Know About Alcoholic Ketoacidosis

Alcoholic ketoacidosis can happen when you’ve had a lot of alcohol and haven't had much to eat or have been vomiting.

Alcohol and Medication Interactions

Alcohol often has harmful interactions with prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, and even herbal remedies.

What to Know About Alcohol and Mental Health

People might use alcohol to help ease depression and anxiety, but excessive alcohol use can also worsen mental health.

Alcohol-Related Deaths: What to Know

Over half of alcohol-related deaths are because of health effects from drinking too much over time.

The Cost of Alcohol Use Disorder

Heavy drinking can hit you in the pocketbook in many ways.

InterventionWorried About a Loved One’s Drinking? What to Do

When you’re concerned that someone you love drinks too heavily, it can be hard to know what to do.

How to Hold an Intervention About Someone’s Drinking

As with many other conditions, early intervention and treatment can help your loved one get better faster.

Detox, Withdrawal & TreatmentAlcohol Detox and Rehab Programs: What to Know

Detox alone isn’t treatment, but it’s the first step to getting better for people who are dependent on alcohol.

Alcohol Use Disorder: After You Quit Drinking

If you drink heavily for weeks, months, or years, you may have unwanted physical and mental symptoms when you try to stop.

What Is Alcohol Withdrawal?

If you've gone through alcohol withdrawal once, you're more likely to go through it again the next time you call it quits.

Alcohol Withdrawal: How to Get Through It

Some people choose to manage alcohol withdrawal themselves. Here are suggestions for how to get through withdrawal at home.

What to Know About Gabapentin for Alcohol Use Disorder

Gabapentin is now being reconsidered and researched as a treatment for alcohol use disorder.

Delirium Tremens

Delirium tremens, also called DTs or alcohol withdrawal delirium (AWD), is a severe type of withdrawal from alcohol.

Nutritional Therapy for Alcohol Addiction

Research shows that drinking a lot over a long time -- as in alcohol use disorder -- often leads to poor nutrition.

What to Know About Hypnosis for Alcoholism

Hypnotherapy can make a useful addition to a treatment plan for alcohol use disorders or other substance abuse issues.

Recovery & RelapseAlcohol Use Disorder: What Is Recovery?

Recovery from alcohol use disorder (AUD) is about more than avoiding alcohol. It calls for life changes.

Alcohol Use Disorder: Nutrition During Recovery

Recovering from alcohol misuse means forming new, lifelong habits, including ones related to nutrition.

Support Groups for Alcohol Use Disorder

In emotional support groups for people with alcohol use disorder, you can relate to other people with the same condition.

Alcohol Use Disorder: What to Know About Relapse

When you're recovering from alcohol use disorder, a relapse is when you start drinking again.

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