alcohol addiction
Noun: A chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by a compulsive need to consume alcoholic beverages, leading to significant physical dependence and health problems. Abrupt cessation typically results in severe physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms.
This term is a formal and clinical noun used to describe a severe medical condition. It is often used in medical, psychological, and social service contexts. - The primary focus is on the state of physical dependence and the compulsive behavior, not just on the act of drinking. - It is synonymous with severe alcoholism or alcohol use disorder.
- The rehabilitation center specializes in treating alcohol addiction.
- Years of alcohol addiction had severely damaged his liver.
- She sought therapy to overcome her alcohol addiction.
- "to struggle with alcohol addiction": This phrase emphasizes the ongoing challenge of the condition.
- He has been struggling with alcohol addiction for a decade.
- In diagnostic criteria (like the DSM-5), the term is largely encompassed by Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), which is graded as mild, moderate, or severe.
- Alcoholism (n): A more common, though sometimes less formal, synonym for alcohol addiction.
- Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) (n): The current preferred medical diagnosis that includes alcohol addiction as its most severe form.
- Dipsomania (n): An archaic, less clinical term for an uncontrollable craving for alcohol.
- Addiction (n): The broader category of disorders involving compulsive substance use or behavior, of which alcohol addiction is a specific type.
- Alcoholism
- Drinking problem (less clinical)
- Alcohol dependence
- Physical dependence on alcohol: A core component of alcohol addiction, where the body requires alcohol to function normally.
- Chronic alcoholism: Emphasizes the long-term and persistent nature of the addiction.
While the core meaning is consistent, the terminology in the field has evolved. Alcohol addiction specifically implies a severe form of Alcohol Use Disorder marked by: 1. Compulsion: An overpowering desire to drink. 2. Loss of Control: Inability to consistently limit drinking. 3. Physical Dependence: Presence of withdrawal symptoms (e.g., tremors, nausea, anxiety) when stopping. 4. Tolerance: Needing increasing amounts of alcohol to achieve the same effect.
- habitual intoxication; prolonged and excessive intake of alcoholic drinks leading to a breakdown in health and an addiction to alcohol such that abrupt deprivation leads to severe withdrawal symptoms