National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

There are many reasons why people choose to participate in Dry January—a time when people take a break from drinking and examine their relationship with alcohol. For some people, it may be part of a New Year’s resolution to incorporate healthy behaviors into their routine. Taking a break from alcohol for an entire month provides one with an opportunity to...

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a medical condition characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences. It encompasses the conditions that some people refer to as alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, alcohol addiction, and the colloquial term, alcoholism. Considered a brain disorder, AUD can be mild, moderate, or severe. Lasting changes...

ALCOHOL USE AND ALCOHOL USE DISORDERS IN THE UNITED STATES: Main Findings From the 2012–2013 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (NESARC-III) April 2016 National Institutes of Health National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 5635 Fishers Lane, MSC 9304 Bethesda, MD 20892-9304 Acknowledgments This publication was developed by CSR, Incorporated, under Contract No. HHSN275201300016C for the operation...

Alcohol is dually reinforcing because it can both activate the brain’s reward processing system that mediates pleasure and reduce the activity of the brain’s systems that mediate negative emotional states such as stress, anxiety, and emotional pain. Repeated, excessive use of alcohol can lead to the development of addiction, which is associated with reduced reward function and increased activation of brain stress systems. The process of becoming addicted is thus accompanied by a shift in drinking motivation from positive reinforcement to negative reinforcement, during which drinking is motivated by attempts to reduce the emotional discomfort of acute and protracted withdrawal.

ALCOHOL USE AND ALCOHOL USE DISORDERS IN THE UNITED STATES, A 3‑YEAR FOLLOW‑UP: MAIN FINDINGS FROM THE 2004–2005 WAVE 2 NATIONAL EPIDEMIOLOGIC SURVEY ON ALCOHOL AND RELATED CONDITIONS (NESARC) September 2010 National Institutes of Health National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 5635 Fishers Lane, MSC 9304 Bethesda, MD 20892‑9304 Acknowledgments This publication was developed by CSR, Incorporated, under Contract...

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM 157th Meeting of the NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL ON ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM May 11, 2021 The National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) convened for its 157th meeting at 12:16 p.m. on Tuesday, May 11, 2021, via Zoom videoconference and NIH...

Dry January is a time when people take a break from drinking and examine their relationship with alcohol. There are many potential reasons to take advantage of this time to examine your relationship with alcohol. It may be part of a New Year’s resolution to incorporate healthy behaviors into your routine. You may have overindulged during the holidays , and...

It’s always a good idea to periodically examine your relationship with alcohol. A popular way to do this is to participate in a sober month like Dry January or Sober October, which are health and wellness trends that emphasizes taking a break from alcohol for an entire month.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! Because drinking alcohol is a large part of the St. Patrick’s Day festivities for many people, this is a good time to be mindful of how alcohol can impact your celebrations and your health.

The size of the older adult population is increasing rapidly. Alcohol use among older adults is also increasing . Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health indicate that approximately 20 percent of adults aged 60-64 and around 10 percent over age 65 report current binge drinking. Older adults can experience a variety of problems from drinking alcohol...

Drinking too much – on a single occasion or over time – can take a serious toll on your health. Here’s how alcohol can affect your body: Brain: Alcohol interferes with the brain’s communication pathways, and can affect the way the brain looks and works. These disruptions can change mood and behavior, and make it harder to think clearly and...

ALCOHOL USE AND ALCOHOL USE DISORDERS IN THE UNITED STATES: MAIN FINDINGS FROM THE 2001–2002 NATIONAL EPIDEMIOLOGIC SURVEY ON ALCOHOL AND RELATED CONDITIONS (NESARC) January 2006 National Institutes of Health National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 5635 Fishers Lane, MSC 9304 Bethesda, MD 20892-9304 Acknowledgments This publication was developed by CSR, Incorporated, under Contract No. N01AA32007 for the operation...

Spring is a great time to think about your drinking patterns and how alcohol may affect your life.

Alcohol Awareness Month is a good time to reflect on drinking patterns and the role that alcohol plays in our lives.

In May 2013, the American Psychiatric Association issued the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5). Although there is considerable overlap between DSM–5 and DSM–IV, the prior edition, there are several important differences in disorder terminology, diagnostic thresholds, removal/adding criterion, and description revisions.

NIAAA promotes advancement in several critical research areas with special programs and by participating on select committees. Priority research areas include: Medications Development NIAAA’s Medications Development Program focuses on expanding safe and effective medication options for those suffering from alcohol use disorders and alcohol induced organ damage. The Medications Development Program offers funding grants and contracts to academic research institutions...

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as “a problematic pattern of alcohol use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress,” and is diagnosed as mild, moderate, or severe based on the number of symptoms, out of a possible 11, in the past 12 months.

Wed, 04/27/2022 - 12:00

In a new review article, scientists at NIAAA have released a definition of recovery from alcohol use disorder (AUD) that addresses limitations associated with prior AUD recovery definitions and lays the groundwork for future recovery-related research. As they report online in the American Journal of Psychiatry on April 12, 2022, Dr. Brett Hagman, Dr. Dan Falk, Dr. Raye Litten, and...

Alcohol addiction is a chronic relapsing disorder associated with compulsive alcohol drinking, the loss of control over intake, and the emergence of a negative emotional state when alcohol is no longer available. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a condition characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences. It is a...

People drink to socialize, celebrate, and relax. Alcohol often has a strong effect on people – and throughout history, we’ve struggled to understand and manage alcohol’s power. Why does alcohol cause us to act and feel differently? How much is too much? Why do some people develop alcohol use disorder while others do not? NIAAA is researching these and other...