According to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 29.5 million people ages 12 and older had alcohol use disorder (AUD) in the past year.
Most people struggling with AUD are between the ages of 18 & 25. Around 13% of full-time college students ages 18 to 22 meet the criteria for AUD, according to The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (2023).
Signs of Unhealthy Alcohol Use:
- DUI
- Missing Class
- Poor Grades
- Fighting (Verbal or Physical)
- Relationship Issues (family, significant other,etc.)
Signs of Alcohol Use Disorder
Blackouts
Alcohol-induced amnesia. Blackouts are not passing out. The person is functioning, but does not remember all or parts of the evening.
High Tolerance
Takes more and more alcohol to feel the effects. An example of high tolerance is when you can drink your peers “under the table”, and perhaps you have been doing this since the first time you drank alcohol.
Withdrawal
Withdrawal can be physical and/or psychological. Do you have even the mildest shakes following a night of drinking? (Physical) Do you get diarrhea? (Physical) Do you sit in class and anticipate having a drink, or experience Hangxiety? (Psychological)
Loss of Control
Not being able to predict how much you will drink each time you drink. This person usually drinks until he or she runs out of money or the party ends or the bar closes.
Do you have a family history of alcohol use disorder?
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One’s genetics count for about half of their predisposition for an alcohol use disorder (American Addiction Centers, 2023).
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According to the NCDAS, 6.7% of the U.S. population has an alcohol use disorder (2023).