Types of Alcoholics

In this section, we will explore the medical implications and the social and psychological effects of alcoholism. The impact of alcoholism extends beyond the individual, affecting their relationships, career, and overall well-being. The Grove Editorial Team is committed to educating, supporting, and empowering individuals and families on their journey toward a healthier, substance-free life. The Grove Editorial Team is a dynamic group of professionals at The Grove, a leading addiction treatment center in Indianapolis, Indiana. Mutual support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) offer peer support for individuals aiming to quit or reduce their drinking. Behavioral therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), involve working with healthcare providers to change drinking behaviors through counseling.

Young adult alcoholics are the most common type of alcoholic. Although there are many stereotypes about what an alcoholic looks like or how they behave, alcoholism manifests differently in everyone. And yet, his “chronic severe” subtype of alcoholism is actually the most rare, making up only 9% of the total.

• Intermediate familial alcoholics have a notable family history of alcohol problems.
• Binge pattern alcoholics don’t drink daily.
• Consumption exceeds functional types but hasn’t yet reached chronic severe levels.
• The drinking patterns in this group are severe, with frequent episodes of binge drinking and other substance use disorders, including cigarettes, cannabis, and other illicit drugs.
• Booze can become a go-to way to manage stress, social anxiety, or the pressures of life as a young professional.

Direct treatment can be followed by a treatment program for alcohol dependence or alcohol use disorder to attempt to reduce the risk of relapse. Psychiatric disorders are common in people with alcohol use disorders, with as many as 25% also having severe psychiatric disturbances. The most common type of alcoholic is the young adult subtype, accounting for about 31.5% of individuals with alcohol use disorder in the United States. In contrast, young antisocial alcoholics are more apt to recognize their condition, as research by Moss et al. (2007) in Drug Alcohol Dependence indicates this group has the highest rate of seeking treatment among all subtypes.

• Electrolyte and acid-base abnormalities including hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, hyponatremia, hyperuricemia, metabolic acidosis, and respiratory alkalosis are common in people with alcohol use disorders.
• In many cases, you may not expect a functional alcoholic to have a problem.
• The five types of alcoholics deal with one or more alcohol problems.

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Binge episodes account for 73% of their drinking days, with some consuming 14 drinks per session. Most started drinking around 19 and developed dependency by their mid-twenties. The average age sits around 24 to 25 years old. And those struggling with alcohol dependency can finally see themselves reflected in the research—perhaps for the first time. Family members gain insight into why their loved one’s drinking pattern looks so different from someone else’s. Treatment that works brilliantly for one subtype may fail completely for another.

Personality traits may include impulsivity, risk-taking, and social thrill-seeking. This subtype consists of young adults, typically in their mid-twenties. This group has the highest rates of co-occurring substance use, mental health issues, and relationship breakdowns. Despite their external stability, they often drink heavily and may not recognize their dependence. Alcoholism is more common than you think, and you’re not alone.

Most treatments focus on helping people discontinue their alcohol intake, followed up with life training and/or social support to help them resist a return to alcohol use. Those who approach alcoholism as a medical condition or disease recommend differing treatments from, for instance, those who approach the condition as one of social choice. Because alcohol is often used for self-medication of conditions like anxiety temporarily, prevention of alcoholism may be attempted by reducing the severity or prevalence of stress and anxiety in individuals.

What are the key factors to consider when categorizing various types of alcoholics?

Alcohol use monitoring (both by self report or by biomarkers) is very important to the success of treatment of alcohol misuse. GGT levels remain persistently elevated for many weeks with 5 types of alcoholics according to the niaaa continued drinking, with a half life of 2–3 weeks, making the GGT level a useful assessment of continued and chronic alcohol use. Various biological markers are used to assess chronic or recent use of alcohol, one common test being that of blood alcohol content (BAC).

Genetic variation

Here are the six types of alcoholics encountered in addiction treatment settings across Canada. Research has identified six distinct types of alcoholics, each with different traits, risks, and treatment needs. There are many types of alcoholism, including functional alcoholics, young adult alcoholics, and chronic severe alcoholics. Despite having fewer co-occurring mental health disorders than other subtypes, their sheer prevalence and risky patterns of consumption make them a major focus for public health interventions. While those classified as functional alcoholics are generally not inclined to pursue treatment, they are also the least likely to acknowledge alcohol-related issues compared to other subtypes. The functional subtype and young antisocial subtype are the categories of alcoholics with a greater likelihood of recognizing their own alcoholism.

Intermediate familial alcoholics are similar to functional ones but are more likely born with a genetic predisposition to alcoholism. In the U.S., the intermediate familial alcoholic subtype comprises 19% of all alcoholics. Functional alcoholics have an average household income of almost $60,000 and the lowest rates of legal issues. While functional alcoholics may not binge drink, they do drink more alcohol than the average person.

Young Antisocial Subtype: Sarah’s Struggles

While AUD has many common features, research by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has pinpointed five different types of drinkers, each with unique characteristics and needs. Findings from the NIAAA study indicate that those in the young adult and functional subtypes are more inclined to participate in 12-step programs for support. People from different subgroups often turn to self-help groups, 12-step programs, and professional care from healthcare providers as part of their treatment strategies. These individuals maintain employment, stable relationships, and often have higher education and income levels, which allows them to hide their addiction from others, and sometimes from themselves. According to the NIAAA, this subtype has the highest rate of emergency room visits, unemployment, legal problems, and family estrangement. A typical example is someone consuming alcohol at hazardous amounts that severely disrupts many aspects of life.

More Addictions

Dependence upon and withdrawal from sedative-hypnotics can be medically severe and, as with alcohol withdrawal, there is a risk of psychosis or seizures if not properly managed. Dependence on other sedative-hypnotics such as zolpidem and zopiclone as well as opiates and illegal drugs is common in alcoholics. Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy is under study for the treatment of patients with alcohol use disorder.

What are some signs that someone may be a functional alcoholic?

They often begin drinking around age 19 and typically develop alcohol dependence by 24. Each subtype reveals how alcohol use disorder can manifest in different ways depending on life stage, psychological profile, and genetic background. As you can see, there are several different types of alcoholics, and not every person experiences alcohol addiction in the same way. About 77 percent of chronic severe alcoholics have family members with alcohol dependency. Nearly half of intermediate familial alcoholics (47 percent) suffer from depression, and other mental health conditions are also fairly common.

Understanding the Five Stages of Alcoholism

Their research led to the development of five different subtypes. By exploring each category in depth, you’ll better understand the complexities surrounding alcoholism. Receive encouragement from people worldwide who know exactly what you’re going through! This group is most likely to seek help due to the severe and apparent nature of their disorder.

On average, they drink alcohol every other day, and they consume five or more drinks on an average of 98 of those drinking days. About half of functional alcoholics are married, 62 percent work full-time, and 26 percent have a college degree. This type of alcoholic can balance their personal and professional responsibilities while living with addiction. They began drinking the earliest of all five types, at around 15 years-old, with the average age of dependency starting at age 18.

Chronic Severe Alcoholics

This group has a high rate of family addiction history. Their average age is 26, and they begin drinking at 15. They’ll connect you to an addiction and mental health counselor It’s also responsible for the death of 2,586 people in the same age group.1

Functional alcoholics often delay seeking help until a crisis occurs—like a health scare, DUI, or relationship breakdown. This can be one of the most dangerous types of alcoholics, precisely because it’s so well-hidden. This group tends to begin drinking at a young age—often before 15—and is at high risk for developing chronic alcohol dependency.