The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism recently launched a new website that can help people assess whether or not they have a drinking problem. All they need to do is answer a list of questions on the website.
Alcohol Treatment Navigator
The site called Alcohol Treatment Navigator provides users with a list of questions such as "Had times when you ended up drinking more, or longer, than you intended?" and "More than once wanted to cut down or stop drinking, or tried to, but couldn't?"
According to the website, if a person answers yes to two or more of these questions, then the person may be diagnosed with alcohol use disorder or AUD.
What Is Alcohol Use Disorder?
Alcohol use disorder, previously known as alcohol abuse or alcoholism, refers to a drinking pattern that involves problems controlling alcohol intake, being preoccupied with alcohol, and continuing to drink even when it causes problems, among other things.
AUD can be mild, moderate, or severe. According to George Koob, the head of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 90 percent of American adults with AUD don't get any treatment whatsoever.
The good news, however, is that most people with AUD can actually benefit from treatment with medication and behavioral therapies. Allison Aubrey of the National Public Radio said in an interview that a lot of people don't know where to go for help. Also, a part of the problem is that the perception of problem drinking in general is really outdated.
Drinking Pattern
People who want to find out or are curious about their own "drinking pattern" are invited to take a quiz found on the website.
In addition to the questions and the quiz, the site also provides users with all the information they need to know about alcohol treatment, how they can find it, and how much it might cost.
Also, users need not worry, as the site provides complete privacy.
Drinking Patterns In The United States
According to a recent study published in the journal Jama Psychiatry, researchers discovered that alcohol consumption among American adults has increased from 65 percent to 72 percent between 2002 and 2013.
They also found that high-risk drinking among American adults has also increased from 9 percent to 12.6 percent during the same period. This suggests, according to the study, that nearly 30 million Americans now suffer from alcohol addiction.
The increase was notable among older adults, women, racial minorities, people with low income, and people living in urban areas.
