Problem Drinking Vs Alcoholism: What's The Difference?

You may be suffering from AUD if you continue to drink despite physical, emotional, or social consequences.

It's not always easy to tell when you cross the boundaries of occasional or moderate alcohol use to the extent that it turns into alcohol addiction. If you often ask yourself, Do I have a drinking problem? Then, you might want to explore the difference between problem drinking and alcoholism, also referred to as alcohol use disorder (AUD.) Here, we help you understand the differences between problem drinking vs. alcoholism and how drinking problems can lead to addiction.

What Is Problem Drinking?

Problem drinkers and people suffering from alcohol use disorder (AUD) both have unhealthy relationships with alcohol, although problem drinkers aren't necessarily hooked or have an AUD consumption that leads to adverse outcomes such as marital problems or arrests; it is sometimes referred to as "alcohol misuse" distinguishes two potentially harmful drinking patterns associated with excessive alcohol consumption:

• Heavy drinking is defined as four or more drinks per day for men and three or more drinks per day for women less than 2 hours.
• Heavy or binge drinking can raise your chances of acquiring an AUD. Drinking excessively regularly, regardless of the number of days you drink each week, is a warning indication that you may have an alcohol issue.

What's Alcoholism Or Alcohol Use Disorder?

You may be suffering from AUD if you continue to drink despite physical, emotional, or social consequences. Perhaps you want to drink less or stop drinking totally but are unable to do so. In summary, your connection with alcohol may have begun to interfere with your regular activities.

A professional will assess if you meet at least two of the following criteria before diagnosing this condition:

1. Most of the time, you drink more than you meant to
2. Sometimes, you have a difficult time thinking about anything other than alcohol
3. A lot of time is spent on drinking and recovering from it
4. You have a tough time controlling your drinking habit
5. Your drinking has endangered your safety on multiple occasions, such as while driving drunk
6. Drinking disrupts your everyday tasks, such as work or family time
7. You continue to drink even though it has produced problems with friends and family
8. You've given up hobbies because they competed with your drinking
9. Even when drinking causes depression or anxiety, you can't seem to stop
10. You have to drink more than usual to obtain the same "buzz." (This is referred to as alcohol tolerance)
11. When the alcohol wears off, you experience withdrawal symptoms such as shakiness or nausea.

If you present with 2 to 3 symptoms, you are said to have mild AUD; 4 to 5 symptoms qualify as moderate and having six or more symptoms shows that you have severe AUD.