Alcohol Use Disorder

Discover Recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder

One in 10 Americans age 12 years or older had alcohol use disorder in 2023.

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Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences. It is a spectrum disorder and can be mild, moderate, or severe and encompasses the conditions that some people refer to as alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, or the colloquial term alcoholism. AUD can cause lasting changes in the brain that make patients vulnerable to relapse. The good news is that no matter how severe the problem may seem, most people with AUD can benefit from treatment with behavioral therapies, medications, or both. From Health Topics: Alcohol Use Disorder | National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

Each day is an opportunity to raise awareness, reduce stigma, recognize signs, share information... or seek help. Several initiatives and campaign tools can help such as Drink Less, Be Your Best Campaign (CDC), National Recovery Month Toolkit (SAMSHA), and Faces & Voices of Recovery.

Let NNLM help, too. Read a Reading Club book selection, find quality information and resources, and discover a pathway to recovery for you or someone you love.

Discover MedlinePlus

MedlinePlus is a service of the National Library of Medicine, the largest biomedical library in the world. Use MedlinePlus.gov anywhere, anytime, on any device - for free - to discover high-quality health and wellness information that is reliable, easy to understand, and free of advertising, in both English and Spanish.

Discover information on:

• Alcohol
• Alcohol Use Disorder
• Alcohol’s health effects: What you need to know | NIH MedlinePlus Magazine
• How much is too much? 5 things you need to know about binge drinking | NIH MedlinePlus Magazine

Also discover MyHeathfinder.gov to find ideas to talk with someone about cutting back or quitting drinking and to find other easy-to-read Substance Use and Misuse information.

Discover NIH

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s medical research agency — making important discoveries that improve health and save lives. NIH is made up of 27 Institutes and Centers, each with a specific research agenda, often focusing on particular diseases or body systems.

• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) advances research alcohol's impact on health. Their website holds many resources to learn about Alcohol's Effects on Health including Multilingual Resources, information about stigma Words Matter When Discussing Alcohol Issues: A New Stigma-Free Vocabulary for Better AUD Outcomes – National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and information about treatment with Find Your Way to Alcohol Treatment | Navigator | NIAAA
• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is the largest supporter of the world’s research on substance use and works with NIAAA. The agency also sponsors National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® (NDAFW) to stimulate educational events in communities so teens can learn what science has taught us about drug use and addiction. 
• National Institute of Mental Illness (NIMH) researches and transforms the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery, and cure. [Source] People with a Substance Use Disorder (SUD) may also have other mental health disorders, and people with mental health disorders may also struggle with substance use. [Source]
• The Network of the National Library of Medicine is an education outreach program of the National Library of Medicine, the largest biomedical library in the world. The outreach efforts of the NNLM assure that researchers, health professionals, the public health workforce and the public are aware of and have access to quality health information.
  • Substance Use Disorders (SUD) Guide is a collection of trusted, high-quality resources on substance abuse. The guide is broken down by audience and includes specific resources for a general audience, libraries, educators, community-based organizations, public health, resources by age and population. The guide also includes recordings of SUD focused webinars that were sponsored by the NNLM.

Discover More

• FindTreatment.gov is a confidential and anonymous resource for persons seeking treatment for mental and substance use disorders in the United States and its territories.
• Find Support | SAMHSA provides a variety of supporting resources.
• SAMHSA has many Resources to Support Individuals and Families such as Talking to Kids About Alcohol and Other Drugs: 5 Conversation Goals [SAMSHA PDF 2 pages] 
• National Drug and Alcohol IQ Challenge
• Drugs of Abuse videos by Learn. Genetics

This quick assessment to check your alcohol use: www.cdc.gov/alcohol/checkyourdrinking.

• People Recover tells the story of living with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders [SAMSHA PDF 36 pages]
• Supporting a Loved One Dealing with Mental and/or Substance Use Disorders: Starting the Conversation [SAMSHA PDF 1 page]

• Reducing Stigma: Understanding Addiction and Supporting Recovery [CDC] 

  For more information related to substance use disorder, visit our Reading Club Page Substance Use Disorder | NNLM.