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The world we live in is characterized by a myriad of challenges that have led to the prevalence of alcohol addiction as a disease affecting millions of people across the globe. As a progressive condition typically occurring over time and influencing various aspects of an individual’s life, we often conceptualize alcohol addiction as the same, which cannot be further from the truth.
This blog is designed by our professional team at Taylor Recovery in Houston, Texas, to help you understand the five types of alcohol addiction as established by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Helping you gain an understanding of these types is focused on helping you recognize the type of alcohol addiction affecting you or your loved one and recognize the best alcohol addiction treatment care offered at our Taylor Recovery in Houston, Texas.
The 5 Types of Alcohol Addiction.
- Young Adult Subtype.
This is the most predominant subtype of alcohol addiction, encompassing young adults on the verge of becoming independent from their parents and making their decisions independently. It manifests as a result of the notion of alcohol drinking as fun and the peer pressure that guides the interactions between these young adults with peers at the same stage of life.
Characteristics:
- Age Range: 18 to 25 years
- Drinking Patterns: Less frequent but high-quantity binge drinking
- Average Max Drinks: 14 on drinking days
- Least likely to get alcohol addiction treatment
- Young Antisocial Subtype.
The young antisocial subtype differs from the young adult subtype in several ways, but mainly with their prevailing mental health issues apart from antisocial personality disorder, such as high rates of depression, bipolar disorder, social phobia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Characteristics:
- Start drinking at the youngest age (around 15)
- Develop alcohol dependency at a young age (around 18)
- Often have antisocial personality disorders and other mental health issues
- High risk for engaging in dangerous behaviors
- Functional Subtype.
This alcohol addiction encompasses individuals whose addiction appears to be somewhat less prevalent. Due to this appearance, these individuals appear to have some degree of alcohol addiction despite it being a significant problem in their lives. Specifically, this subtype goes about their daily lives normally, with the alcohol addiction manifesting through their excessive drinking at the end of the day.
Characteristics:
- Middle-aged adults (around 41)
- Develop alcohol dependence later in life (at around 37)
- Appear to manage life successfully despite heavy drinking
- Often drink to cope with stress or self-medicate
- Intermediate Familial Subtype.
Individuals in this alcohol addiction subtype often hail from families with members who have struggled with alcoholism. This group has high education levels, not as higher as the functional type, and is engaged in full-time jobs with lower income levels compared to the functional subtype. Specifically, this subtype is highly susceptible to mental issues, such as antisocial personality disorder, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and bipolar disorder, and addiction to other substances, such as cigarettes, marijuana, and cocaine.
Characteristics:
- Start drinking at a young age (around 17)
- Develop alcohol dependency earlier (around 32)
- Strong family history of alcohol addiction
- High incidence of depression and other mental health issues
- Chronic Severe Subtype.
This subtype entails the smallest percentage of alcohol addicts. Similar to the intermediate familial subtype, most individuals in this subtype come from families with members suffering from alcohol addiction. As the most problematic subtype, individuals in the category tend to drink excessively on a daily basis, making them most vulnerable to alcohol dependency and subject to many adverse health and social issues associated with alcohol addiction.
Characteristics:
- Start drinking at a young age (around 15)
- Develop alcohol dependency at an intermediate age (around 29)
- Drinking Patterns: excessive daily drinking
- Most vulnerable to major depression, dysthymia, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, and panic disorder
Seek Help For All Types Of Alcohol Addiction At Taylor Recovery In Houston, Texas.
Are you living in Houston, Texas? Do you or your loved one fall under any of these categories of alcohol addiction? Do not hesitate! Seek alcohol addiction treatment in Houston from Taylor Recovery today.
