Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)

What alcohol use disorder means

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is the clinical term for a pattern of drinking that a person finds hard to control and that continues despite causing problems with health, relationships, work or safety. It is recognized in the DSM-5-TR, the diagnostic manual used by many clinicians, and the ICD-11 describes related conditions under disorders due to alcohol use. Clinicians describe AUD on a range from mild to severe rather than as a single fixed state.

Psychologists study AUD from several angles: how habits and reward learning develop, how stress, genetics and social environment contribute, and how people change their drinking over time. Many people recover, and research supports a range of psychological, social and medical approaches.

Talking to a professional

Whether a drinking pattern meets the criteria for a disorder, and what kind of help fits, can only be judged in a confidential assessment that takes physical and mental health into account. Stopping after a long period of heavy drinking can carry medical risks, which is one reason health services recommend speaking with a doctor before making major changes.

Helpful starting points include a primary care doctor (GP), specialist alcohol or addiction services, addiction psychiatrists, licensed counselors and psychologists, and peer-support groups. Many regions also have free, confidential helplines that can explain local options.

Before an appointment, it can help to note down your questions, what you have noticed and any medicines you already take. It is reasonable to ask about the options available, what the research says about them and what happens next. Good clinicians welcome questions and explain things in plain language.

Learn more

To learn more, see our pages on the psychology of addiction, motivational interviewing and how to find a therapist. Our guide to types of mental health professionals explains who does what.