Alcohol and Young Adults Ages 18 to 25 National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism NIAAA

This means they can be especially helpful to individuals at risk for relapse to drinking. Combined with medications and behavioral treatment provided by health care professionals, mutual-support groups can offer a valuable added layer of support. 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.

Using one or more of several types of psychological therapies, psychologists can help people address psychological issues involved in their problem drinking. A number of these therapies, including cognitive-behavioral coping skills treatment and motivational enhancement therapy, were developed by psychologists. Additional therapies include 12-Step facilitation approaches that assist those with drinking problems in using self-help programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). People in this group tend to be middle-age, working-class adults with stable relationships, more education and higher incomes than other alcoholics.

Types of Alcoholics

This article reviews the findings of the Stockholm adoption study on which this typology was based and summarizes characteristics of both type I and type II alcoholics as identified in these and subsequent analyses. Finally, the article presents data from a recent replication of the Stockholm adoption study in a different population of Swedish adoptees. A psychologist https://ecosoberhouse.com/ can begin with the drinker by assessing the types and degrees of problems the drinker has experienced. The results of the assessment can offer initial guidance to the drinker about what treatment to seek and help motivate the problem drinker to get treatment. Individuals with drinking problems improve their chances of recovery by seeking help early.

• For some alcohol abusers, psychological traits such as impulsiveness, low self-esteem and a need for approval prompt inappropriate drinking.
• The functional subtype, which makes up about 19.5% of alcoholics, is just that.

Yet just because someone doesn’t fit the stereotypical profile of an alcoholic doesn’t mean there isn’t a problem. Intermediate familials make up 18 percent of alcoholics, and nearly half have a family member with an alcohol problem as well. Their average age is 38, and they have the highest rates of employment and a family income of over $50,000 a year. A review of the 11 factors set forth in the DSM-5 regarding severe 5 types of alcoholics alcohol use disorder (i.e., the presence of six or more factors) provides additional insight into this condition. Having six or more of the alcohol use disorder symptoms would indicate the need for a treatment intervention to address the addiction. A study by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) establishes five different types of alcoholics.

What Is Alcohol Use Disorder?

Each person is unique and needs a plan that’s personalized and customized to their individual needs. So, while there are many ways to categorize alcoholism, the best treatment outcomes stem from a plan that’s created purposefully for them and evolves and respects their needs, goals, and progress every step of the way. Type 1 alcoholism and Type 2 alcoholism are but two distinct aspects of alcoholism that exist along a spectrum. The genetic backgrounds of people with alcoholism shouldn’t be expected to be the same in those with mild or severe abuse of alcohol, while the genetic backgrounds of those with moderate abuse of alcohol differ. Having a system and perspective that classifies alcoholism into Type 1 alcoholism and Type 2 alcoholism can simplify the development of a treatment plan. Alcohol withdrawal can begin within hours of ending a drinking session.

• This group also drinks more at once and more overall than other groups, although they drink slightly less frequently.
• Along with the abuse of alcohol, many young antisocial alcoholics also form dependencies on tobacco and marijuana.

However, these numbers can vary depending on your alcohol tolerance and other biological responses. Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition. The unitary disease concept, as illustrated in “The Drunkard’s Progress,” by Nathaniel Currier. Typology theorists believe this is an inadequate representation of the heterogeneity of etiologies and drinking patterns. © Alcohol Research Documentation, Inc., Rutgers University Center of Alcohol Studies. To learn more about alcohol treatment options and search for quality care near you, please visit the NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator.

Coping and support

Babor and colleagues (1992) based their typology on the assumption that the heterogeneity among alcoholics is attributable to a complex interaction among genetic, biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors. Consequently, no single characteristic distinguishes alcoholics from non-alcoholics, and separate homogeneous subtypes differ by more than just one defining characteristic. The researchers therefore reviewed the alcoholism typology literature since the mid-19th century to identify defining typological characteristics that combined could accurately describe alcoholic subtypes.

• In addition, extensive records exist documenting a person’s history of alcohol abuse.
• The young adult subtype is the most prevalent subtype, making up 31.5% of people who are alcohol dependent.
• The third of the five different types of alcoholics accounts for approximately 19% of those who have a dependency on alcohol in the U.S.
• For most adults, moderate alcohol use — no more than two drinks a day for men and one for women and older people — is relatively harmless.
• Depression and mood disorders commonly co-occur with alcohol abuse and can increase a person’s vulnerability to addiction.