According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 14.5 million adults suffer from alcohol use disorder.
What is alcohol use disorder?
Alcohol Use Disorder as defined by the DSM-V is a problematic use of alcohol resulting in significant impairment or distress. The disorder can make you miss work or other obligations, make alcohol the only thing you think about and other extreme symptoms that go beyond having a few drinks with friends on the weekend.
Alcohol Use Disorder has become so prominent that Soberlink, a leading alcohol monitoring device, and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) have partnered to create a Judge’s Bench Card regarding Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD).
The Bench Card, which includes vital information regarding the diagnosis of AUD as well as common misconceptions of the disease, provides practical guidance for judges, family law professionals, or anyone else involved in a case where parental alcohol misuse could potentially impact the wellbeing of a child.
NCJFCJ and Soberlink share the following 10 Alcohol Addiction Myths
- All people who have engaged in problematic alcohol use are addicted to alcohol
- People who misuse alcohol can quit whenever they want
- Full abstinence from alcohol use is the only way to manage AUD
- Relapse should not happen
- People need to hit “rock bottom” to get treatment
- People need to want treatment for it to work
- People need to 100% abstain from alcohol use to get treatment
- “Interventions” are the best method to get a person into treatment
- Treatment should only need to happen once
- There is only one way to get control of problematic drinking (eg. Alcoholics Anonymous, 28-day program)
If you or someone you know is suffering for Alcohol Use Disorder, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
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