Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), also known as alcoholism, is a chronic relapsing brain disease characterized by compulsive alcohol use, loss of control over alcohol intake, and a negative emotional state when not using. It is estimated that 16 million people in the United States have AUD, with men outnumbering women with this disorder 2 to 1. This disorder plays a role in more than one-third all suicides, homicides, assaults, rapes and accidental deaths, including 29% of all fatal automobile accidents in the United States. AUD leads to interference with one’s social behaviors and the ability to think and work. MRI scans of chronic heavy drinkers revealed damage in multiple brain structures. This damage can lead to impairments in memory, speed of thinking, attention skills and balance. AUD can also lead to the development of a condition called Cirrhosis. Cirrhosis develops when the liver becomes scarred and dysfunctional, often leading to liver failure and death. AUD can also cause damage to the heart and lower the immune system’s ability to fight of cancer, bacterial infections, and AIDS (Comer, 2015).

Tolerance and Withdrawal

People with AUD often will experience symptoms of tolerance and withdrawal. As bodies build up a tolerance, individuals will need to drink in larger amounts to feel the effects of alcohol. These individuals will also experience symptoms of withdrawal when they stop consuming alcohol. Symptoms of withdrawal include sweating, the shaking of an individual’s hands and eyelids, and the feeling of being weak and nauseated. Individuals suffering from alcohol withdrawal will often become anxious, irritable, depressed and unable to sleep. A small percentage of people with alcohol use disorder go through a very serious form of withdrawal called Delirium tremens (DTs). DTs consists of confusion, terrifying visual hallucinations and clouded consciousness. DTs often occurs after three days of withdrawal symptoms and lasts over a span of 2-3 days. Very severe cases of withdrawal can include seizures, strokes, loss of consciousness, and death (Comer, 2015).