Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHistory of the Term ETOH AbuseETOH Abuse SymptomsDiagnosisHealth EffectsTreatment

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

History of the Term ETOH Abuse

ETOH Abuse Symptoms

Diagnosis

Health Effects

Treatment

Ethyl alcohol, often referred to as ethanol, is the active ingredient in alcoholic drinks. ETOH (ethyl alcohol or ethanol) abuse is a condition in which a person continues to drink excessively despite the harmful effects it has on their social, mental, physical, and emotional health. ETOH abuse is also referred to as alcohol abuse. It is considered a milder form of alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Both ETOH abuse and alcohol dependence refer to negative drinking patterns, but they are different and may require different treatment plans. Someone who abuses ETOH may not be dependent on it. However, someone who is dependent on alcohol needs alcohol to carry out their daily activities.

At a GlanceETOH abuse is also known as a mild form of alcohol use disorder. It includes symptoms like using alcohol to cope with difficult emotions, binge drinking, and continuing to drink despite negative consequences. Over time, these behaviors can lead to negative health outcomes, including brain damage, heart disease, cancer, and liver damage. If you or someone you love has an alcohol problem, consider treatments such as therapy, medications, and support groups.

At a Glance

ETOH abuse is also known as a mild form of alcohol use disorder. It includes symptoms like using alcohol to cope with difficult emotions, binge drinking, and continuing to drink despite negative consequences. Over time, these behaviors can lead to negative health outcomes, including brain damage, heart disease, cancer, and liver damage. If you or someone you love has an alcohol problem, consider treatments such as therapy, medications, and support groups.

In 2013, the 5th edition of the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (DSM-5) was published. The new edition combined the terms alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse into a single disorder calledalcohol use disorder(AUD) which was broken down into three subtypes:

The purpose of the change was to remove the differentiation between the terms as it implied abuse was less severe than dependence. However, alcohol abuse can be very disruptive and life-threatening.

Although the term ETOH abuse has been integrated into alcohol use disorder, it is helpful to understand the original definition of ETOH abuse.

Some physical symptoms of ETOH abuse include:

In cases where the blood alcohol level is very high, it can cause breathing issues, coma,alcohol poisoning, or death.

Examples of ETOH AbuseExamples of ETOH abuse include:Consuming ETOH while pregnantChoosing to drink even though it is causing problems with school, relationships, work and healthDrinking to cope with adversity, stress, or to numb difficult emotionsDriving while drunkParticipating in high-risk activities while drinkingDrinking under the legal age limitConsistently drinking more and longer than intendedBinge drinking

Examples of ETOH Abuse

Examples of ETOH abuse include:Consuming ETOH while pregnantChoosing to drink even though it is causing problems with school, relationships, work and healthDrinking to cope with adversity, stress, or to numb difficult emotionsDriving while drunkParticipating in high-risk activities while drinkingDrinking under the legal age limitConsistently drinking more and longer than intendedBinge drinking

Examples of ETOH abuse include:

Diagnosing ETOH Abuse

Alcohol abuse refers to excessive drinking. What is defined as excessive can vary depending on whether a person is male or female.

For males, heavy drinking is defined as drinking more than four drinks per day or more than 14 per week. Binge drinking is defined as having five or more drinks in two hours.

For females, heavy drinking is defined as drinking more than three drinks per day or more than seven drinks per week. Binge drinking is defined as having four or more drinks in two hours.

Alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence are diagnosed as AUD. AUD is classified as mild, moderate and severe. According to The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), approximately 14 million adults in the United States struggle with AUD.

An individual must experience two of the 11 primary symptoms of AUD during the past 12 months to be clinically diagnosed with an AUD.

The disorder is then classified into the following categories:

A summary of the criteria is as follows:

Long-Term Adverse Health Effects of ETOH Abuse

ETOH abuse can lead to AUD which can cause and increase the risk of severe health conditions. Some long-term health effects of alcohol abuse include:

Understanding Alcoholism and the Signs of Severe Drinking Problems

Treating alcohol abuse may be different than for those who are alcohol dependent as this depends on the severity of their disorder. Alcohol dependence is a chronic physical and mental condition where the person is unable to stop drinking without experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

Effective treatment options for alcohol abuse include a combination of the following:

Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been well-studied as a treatment for alcohol use disorder.Other types of treatment that can be helpful for treating ETOH abuse and co-occurring mental health conditions includemotivational enhancement therapy,family therapy, and brief interventions.

Medications

Medications have helped many people reduce the harm that excessive alcohol causes. Sometimes the medications are used along with group or psychological therapy, but they can also be used alone.

Support Groups

The Dangers of Quitting Drinking AbruptlyIt is important to note that if you have been drinking excessively for a long duration of time, it can be dangerous to stop drinking immediately. Please consult with a healthcare provider before doing so.

The Dangers of Quitting Drinking Abruptly

It is important to note that if you have been drinking excessively for a long duration of time, it can be dangerous to stop drinking immediately. Please consult with a healthcare provider before doing so.

Takeaways

If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

12 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Alcohol use disorder: A comparison between DSM–IV and DSM–5.National Cancer Institute.Alcohol dependence.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Understanding alcohol use disorder.Korlakunta A, Reddy CMP.High-risk behavior in patients with alcohol dependence.Indian J Psychiatry. 2019;61(2):125–130.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Drinking levels defined.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Alcohol and the brain: An overview.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Alcohol’s effects on the body.Osna NA, Donohue TM Jr, Kharbanda KK.Alcoholic liver disease: Pathogenesis and current management.Alcohol Res. 2017;38(2):147-161.Sundström C, Kraepelien M, Eék N, Fahlke C, Kaldo V, Berman AH.High-intensity therapist-guided internet-based cognitive behavior therapy for alcohol use disorder: a pilot study.BMC Psychiatry. 2017;17(1):197. doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1355-6Medline Plus.Disulfiram.SAMHSA.What Is Naltrexone?.Medline Plus.Acamprosate.

12 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Alcohol use disorder: A comparison between DSM–IV and DSM–5.National Cancer Institute.Alcohol dependence.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Understanding alcohol use disorder.Korlakunta A, Reddy CMP.High-risk behavior in patients with alcohol dependence.Indian J Psychiatry. 2019;61(2):125–130.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Drinking levels defined.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Alcohol and the brain: An overview.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Alcohol’s effects on the body.Osna NA, Donohue TM Jr, Kharbanda KK.Alcoholic liver disease: Pathogenesis and current management.Alcohol Res. 2017;38(2):147-161.Sundström C, Kraepelien M, Eék N, Fahlke C, Kaldo V, Berman AH.High-intensity therapist-guided internet-based cognitive behavior therapy for alcohol use disorder: a pilot study.BMC Psychiatry. 2017;17(1):197. doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1355-6Medline Plus.Disulfiram.SAMHSA.What Is Naltrexone?.Medline Plus.Acamprosate.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Alcohol use disorder: A comparison between DSM–IV and DSM–5.National Cancer Institute.Alcohol dependence.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Understanding alcohol use disorder.Korlakunta A, Reddy CMP.High-risk behavior in patients with alcohol dependence.Indian J Psychiatry. 2019;61(2):125–130.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Drinking levels defined.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Alcohol and the brain: An overview.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Alcohol’s effects on the body.Osna NA, Donohue TM Jr, Kharbanda KK.Alcoholic liver disease: Pathogenesis and current management.Alcohol Res. 2017;38(2):147-161.Sundström C, Kraepelien M, Eék N, Fahlke C, Kaldo V, Berman AH.High-intensity therapist-guided internet-based cognitive behavior therapy for alcohol use disorder: a pilot study.BMC Psychiatry. 2017;17(1):197. doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1355-6Medline Plus.Disulfiram.SAMHSA.What Is Naltrexone?.Medline Plus.Acamprosate.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Alcohol use disorder: A comparison between DSM–IV and DSM–5.

National Cancer Institute.Alcohol dependence.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Understanding alcohol use disorder.

Korlakunta A, Reddy CMP.High-risk behavior in patients with alcohol dependence.Indian J Psychiatry. 2019;61(2):125–130.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Drinking levels defined.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Alcohol and the brain: An overview.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Alcohol’s effects on the body.

Osna NA, Donohue TM Jr, Kharbanda KK.Alcoholic liver disease: Pathogenesis and current management.Alcohol Res. 2017;38(2):147-161.

Sundström C, Kraepelien M, Eék N, Fahlke C, Kaldo V, Berman AH.High-intensity therapist-guided internet-based cognitive behavior therapy for alcohol use disorder: a pilot study.BMC Psychiatry. 2017;17(1):197. doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1355-6

Medline Plus.Disulfiram.

SAMHSA.What Is Naltrexone?.

Medline Plus.Acamprosate.

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