Individuals who have a problem with excessive drinking that turns severe are given a medical diagnosis known as “ alcohol use disorder” or more commonly known as AUD. In the year 2012, around 17 million people residing in the U.S over 18 years of age had some form of AUD. This estimate includes 5.7 million females and 11.2 million males.
In order to for one to be diagnosed with AUD,their is specific criteria that must be met according to the DSM ( Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Under the latest version of this DSM, any person who meets up with 2 or more criteria out of the 11 over a period of 12 months will be diagnosed with AUD. AUD is categorized as mild to moderate to severe. This is based according to the criteria.
The questions asked to assess if one has AUD will go as follows: In the last 12 months have you:
- Where there times that the individual drank for longer or more than they intended to?
- Have tried numerous times to stop drinking or cut down without success?
- Spend too much time drinking or are sick for a long time from the after effects of drinking?
Experience either a strong urge, need, or craving to drink?
- Find that being sick from drinking has started to interfere with the up keep of a family or home, caused job problems or school troubles?
- Continue to carry on drinking even after it has caused problems with friends or family?
- Find that on numerous occasions drinking has increased the individuals chances of getting into danger with activities such as participating in unsafe sex, driving or operating machinery?
- Continue to carry on drinking even when the alcohol has started to make the individual anxious, depressed or causes memory blackouts.
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