Study Finds 5 Types Of Alcoholics

Research Also Shows More Than Half Of U.S. Alcoholics Are Young Adults

(WebMD)  New alcoholism research identifies five types of alcoholics and shows that young adults account for more than half of U.S. alcoholics.

The high percentage of young adults among alcoholics was unexpected, notes researcher Howard Moss, M.D., the associate director for clinical and translational research at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

"While we knew that many young adults had problematic involvement with alcohol from our research on college-aged drinkers, we were certainly surprised by the proportion of alcohol-dependent individuals who fell into that young adult cluster," Moss tells WebMD.

In the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, Moss and colleagues describe the five types of alcoholics. But before you read those descriptions, keep Moss' advice in mind.

"We hope that if someone suspects they may have a problem with alcohol that they talk about this with their health care provider," Moss tells WebMD. "If the health care professional is uncomfortable with assessing alcohol problems (and we hope all such professionals are comfortable with these assessments) the individual should ask for a referral to an addictions specialist for an in-depth evaluation," he says.

Moss and colleagues studied data from 1,484 U.S. adults who took part in a national survey conducted by the NIAAA from 2001 to 2002. The study focused on alcohol dependence and also included questions about personality, family history of alcoholism and other substance use.

The researchers applied the survey's findings to the U.S. population. They estimate that in the year before the study, nearly 8 million people in the U.S. met the standard for a diagnosis of alcohol dependence.

Alcoholism is the nonmedical, popular term for alcohol dependence, notes Moss.

The study describes five subtypes of alcoholics.

The young adult subtype accounts for about 32 percent of U.S. alcoholics. They're young adults who rarely seek help for alcohol dependence. About 24 years old, they became alcoholics by age 20, on average. They drink less frequently than other alcoholics, but they tend to binge drink when they drink. This is the largest subtype.

The young antisocial subtype comprises 21 percent of U.S. alcoholics. They are 26 years old, on average. More than half have antisocial personality disorder. They tended to start drinking at 15 and became alcoholics by 18 — earlier than other subtypes. They are
more likely to smoke tobacco and pot. The young antisocial subtype and the young adult subtype don't overlap, Moss tells WebMD.

The functional subtype accounts for about 19 percent of U.S. alcoholics. They're generally middle-aged, working adults who tend to have stable relationships, more education, and higher incomes than other alcoholics. They tend to drink every other day, often consuming five or more drinks on drinking days.

The intermediate familial subtype makes up nearly 19 percent of U.S. alcoholics. Nearly half have close relatives who are alcoholics. Alcoholics in this subtype typically began drinking by 17 and became alcoholics in their early 30s.

The chronic severe subtype is the rarest subtype, accounting for about 9 percent of U.S. alcoholics. This subtype mainly includes men, has the highest divorce rate, and frequently includes users of illicit drugs.

"When most people think of alcoholics, they think of middle-aged men with a profile similar to our chronic severe subtype," Moss tells WebMD. "Our data shows that alcoholism is more a disorder of youth than previously suspected."

Moss warns that while some alcoholic subtypes may function better than others, "in all cases, alcohol dependence must be viewed as a severe disease with a significant adverse impact on health and well-being."

[bfk121212]

A well done study. There is much ignorance in our society and even among some AA members about what a "real" alcoholic really is. There are many types of "real" alcoholics out there as this study suggests. If there was more awareness that alcoholism comes in many forms and a variety of types, perhaps more lives could be saved.

[matt02061987]

your not an alcoholic unless you are dependent on alcohol. meaning you cant function without it. i my self have used all deferent kinds of drugs including acohol and tabaco, and have been adicted to anything. i dont belive in addiction. only habbit.

I did not know that there were such population classifications in existance. This article enlightened and taught me about the statistical analysis and classifications of american alcoholic dependents. I am curious if this study has been done more than recently. IF so, how many years have these population groups been studied, so that the evolution of alcohol dependence in our society can be studied? Finally, It takes a scientific concensus of multiple, replicable studys over time to be able to rely on the conclusions of the researchers as reliable fact.

This article was very informative. People who read studies in the news tend to take them as true fact, when they are only an indicator of truth. In order for scientific studies to have validity that reasonable people can use to make judgements, there needs to be what is called a scientific concensus. That is, many studies that tend to indicate the same findings. Statistical studies are somewhat different than experiments, yet they are no more indicative of fact. I never knew the types of alcoholics until today. The article seems right on the money to me in classifying the types of alcoholics. Much more research in this area will surely continue in the coming years. Thanks for teaching some tools about alcohol dependence that I did not know!

This article was very informative. People who read studies in the news tend to take them as true fact, when they are only an indicator of truth. In order for scientific studies to have validity that reasonable people can use to make judgements, there needs to be what is called a scientific concensus. That is, many studies that tend to indicate the same findings. Statistical studies are somewhat different than experiments, yet they are no more indicative of fact. I never knew the types of alcoholics until today. The article seems right on the money to me in classifying the types of alcoholics. Much more research in this area will surely continue in the coming years. Thanks for teaching some tools about alcohol dependence that I did not know!

[bbailey642]

"I like beer, it makes me a jolly good fellow..."

[toldyouso21]

***Posted*** ***by*** ***somebloke*** ***at*** ***04***:***18*** ***PM*** : ***Jul*** ***01***, ***2007***


***Your*** ***decade*** ***of*** ***schooling*** ***was*** ***remiss*** ***in*** ***teaching*** ***you*** ***that*** ***no*** ***body*** ***of*** ***knowledge*** ***is*** ***either*** ***absolute***, ***finite***, ***static*** ***or*** ***defintive***. ***Learn*** ***to*** ***take*** ***new*** ***information*** ***and*** ***learn*** ***from*** ***it*** ***instead*** ***of*** ***dismissing*** ***it*** ***because*** ***of*** ***what*** ***you*** ***were*** ***told*** ***10*** ***years*** ***ago***. ***If*** ***all*** ***fields*** ***reacted*** ***like*** ***you***, ***we***'***d*** ***still*** ***be*** ***sacrificing*** ***people*** ***for*** ***rain***, ***using*** ***leeches*** ***to*** ***stop*** ***disease*** ***and*** ***scared*** ***to*** ***sail*** ***anywhere*** ***because*** ***we***'***d*** ***fall*** ***off*** ***the*** ***earth***. ***Grow*** ***up***. ***They*** ***did*** ***not*** ***teach*** ***you*** ***all*** ***you*** ***ever*** ***need*** ***to*** ***know*** ***about*** ***anything*** ***in*** ***college***. ***Every*** ***knowledge*** ***base*** ***is*** ***flawed*** ***in*** ***that*** ***very*** ***little*** ***information*** ***is*** ***so*** ***factual*** ***and*** ***absolute*** ***that*** ***continual*** ***study*** ***and*** ***information*** ***cannot*** ***debunk*** ***a*** ***former*** ***generations*** &***quot***;***truths***&***quot***;. ***So*** ***now*** ***you*** ***have*** ***been*** ***exposed*** ***to*** ***something*** ***that*** ***is*** ***different*** ***from*** ***your*** ***10*** ***years***--***the*** ***trick*** ***is***: ***can*** ***you*** ***learn*** ***from*** ***this***--***or*** ***will*** ***you*** ***discard*** ***everything*** ***that*** ***does*** ***not*** ***underline*** ***what*** ***you*** ***thought*** ***you*** ***already*** ***knew***?

[toldyouso21]

Soft love doesn't work with these people. Let them learn on their own. Most want attention in some way. They'll get all the attention they want when they end up homeless.
Posted by californiar at 03:45 AM : Jul 01, 2007


Bad idea. For one, too much alcohol in one setting can kill a person, and another, a person who is allowed to drink can kill other people. Your rationale only makes sense if you let a relative drink and live out their entire life in a padded room not interacting with others. Like overeaters, the damage from the addiction does not end with the drinker. In the case of both, the resulting damage cause numerous health problems that raise the taxes and health care costs for everyone else. And in the case of the drinker, they can also drive and kill someone, get loaded and rape or shoot someone (or be raped) A lot of impaired judgement going on--so not a live and let live and learn proposition.

[toldyouso21]

I don't have the answer, but for me it's the simple realization that there's no need, no good use for alcohol, and then just stop, not think about it, and move on.
Posted by incog-nito at 03:10 AM : Jun 30, 2007

Probably you stopped before the true addiction kicked in--you were blessed/lucky. I was the same way. I used to drink in college for money, could drink football players under the table...drinking 151 or tequila or vodka. Did that until I was almost 20. Used to come home after classes and drink 2 or 3 glasses of gin --straight. Not on the rocks--just straight--but I put it in a glass so I thought that meant I did not have a problem. Even tried white lightning--but it left so many blisters in my mouth--Lord only knows what I was drinking. Then one day, before I turned 20, I decided this was not for me. I just quit. I only found out years later how narrowly I escaped--when my mom shared with me that my dad had had a drinking problem as had my grandfather. I dodged a bullet and now, rarely drink more than a glass of wine and that, about twice a year if at all.

[dmk3]

toldyouso,
did you type that verbatim, if so which magazine and article. you seem to have an answer (a lengthy on at that) no harm just wondering are you a philosopher of all things?

[toldyouso21]

Possibly it is called a disease becausse of what alcohol does to your body. Just a guess. I think there is one type of alcoholic, the one who can't control the drinking. Not because of lack of discipline, just can't control it.
Posted by dmk3 at 03:47 PM : Jul 02, 2007

One of the commonalities of alcoholics is not only an addiction disorder, but often there is an obsessive compulsive component. What ever they do, they tend to do to the extreme and do a lot of it. Often those with such a problem would simply switch addictions if they could not practice their one of choice. A study in the late 1980s showed those with addictive personalities were just as apt to do drugs or have sexual or gambling addictions as have an alcohol dependency. The theory is that there is some sort of biochemical imbalance that incorrectly latches on to the fixation and fix of a stimuli and then pursues it to excess and cannot stop. This is why it is considered a disease. The cirrhosis of the liver and other diseases are the end result of alcoholism but the disease is the obsessive nature of wanting to do something so much and so often, until it is destructive to one's life.

[dmk3]

Possibly it is called a disease becausse of what alcohol does to your body. Just a guess. As far as not doing any of those things when you are high from weed.YOU CAN'T! YOU ARE HIGH! POSSIBLY HAVE NO CLUE OF WHERE YOU ARE!YOU WILL NEVER HAVE A CAR ACCIDENT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T FIND YOUR KEYS (THAT ARE IN YOUR POCKET) AND IF YOU DO YOU CAN'T FIND YOUR CAR BECAUSE YOU ARE IN YOUR BATHROOM LOOKING FOR IT! AND I HAVE 2ND HAND OBESITY BECAUSE I LIVE WITH SOMEONE WHO EATS ALL OF THE TIME AND I AM GREEDY.

I think there is one type of alcoholic, the one who can't control the drinking. Not because of lack of discipline, just can't control it.

[Kitty Lady]

I have had as many alcoholics in my family as teetotalers. The worst one is a nephew whose father dropped dead in front of him when he was 9 years old. He had no counseling because in those days, he was not even considered. He is now 37 and is a complete mess. He does not think he has a problem, but the entire rest of the family does, and none of us are rich enough to have him hospitalized. He no longer drives because they took awaay his license years ago. He is an excellent craftsman, but cannot keep a job. One of life's losers, I guess. Tis sad, but true.

[missingamerica]

People who deal in absolutes are a drain on society and should be put in prison. ('Cept me.)

[iceman_1960]

"alcoholics are a drain on society and should be put in prison"
- Posted by markjessup at 01:29 AM : Jul 02, 2007

On what charge ?

And how would you define "alcoholic" so precisely that you would have enforeable laws about it ?

Or should we just bring back Prohibition ?

[acauble1]

alcoholics are a drain on society and should be put in prison
Posted by markjessup at 01:28 AM : Jul 02, 2007
............

AGREED!

And replace all those marijuana users that are currently in prison! Why?? Here's a pop quiz:

1. When was the last time someone stoned was accused of beating the krap out of their spouse and/or children?

2. When was the last time someone stoned caused a major car accident, killing one or more innocent people!

3. When was the last time a group of stoned people started a riot that caused thousands of dollars in damage to public or private property?

4. When was the last time a group of stoned people started a bar fight?

ANSWERS:

1. NEVER
2. EXTREMELY RARE
3. NEVER
4. NEVER

Now anyone who knows the business of politics knows exactly why alcohol is legal and marijuana is not.

And that's just how FVCKED UP our society is in this country.

[acauble1]

I weigh just a few pounds shy of 300. Yet people accuse people like me of causing so many ills of society. Granted, not to my face, but in their minds (tiny as they may be).

These hypocrates, usually healthy looking younger adults, (college aged), are the ones that strike me as having livers that are more pickled than most cucumbers at a salad bar. They're the ones who are more likely to binge drink and/or smoke cigars, cigarettes, or joints at various social functions to gain acceptance among their piers.

Last I checked, there is no such thing as "driving while obese" or "second-hand obesity".

So if there's any vice that is less harmful to others, (other than yourself), it is unhealthy food and unhealthy food intake.

Given a choice of addictions... food addictions are far less harmful to a society than alcohol and other drug addictions... by a wide margin (no pun intended).

No, this is not an excuse to make a midnight run to Krispykreme, but this is just an FYI to the hypcrates who look down on others with severe weight problems as 'less-than-human'.

The younger people with alcohol addictions do not tend to have the physical appearances that advertise their addiction. They tend to look healthy, energetic, sometimes with a trendy/preppy appearance. On the other hand, people who suffer from food addiction are quite noticeable as their waist-line clearly shows their addiction.

[erasmus6]

somebloke

"If you're 21 and life is peachy, but you sometimes get buzzed with your buddies from the fraternity or sorority...you're not an alcoholic, you're just an average college student."

"...don't be afraid to let your hair down and have a cold one with your friends."

WRONG. If you have an addictive personality this is how it starts.

People need to start having fun by doing other things besides drinking. It is like an epidemic.

It seems like everybody has a drinking problem these days. Where I used to live I was surrounded by people that drank. The neighbors on one side were always drinking. I went over and knocked on the door one day and the wife came to the door, she was drunk and her kids were running around everywhere. The neighbors on the otherside, the husband had a wine room outside, where he made wine. He spent most of his nights there drinking it. The neighbors across the street, the husband had his beer every night. These people were all alcoholics.

A friend of mine and my two sisters-in-law started drinking wine when they got home from work. What started out as a glass or two ended up being the whole bottle. I have to give them credit, they figured out they had a problem before it got out of control.

What starts out as a few drinks with the buddies, for some that is all it will be, for others it is the road to being full blown alcoholics.

[incog-nito]

bohdawg: Except for certain hard drugs like heroin, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are nowhere near extreme (don't ask me how I know). Nobody ever died from the effects of quitting alcohol. I had much more trouble trying to quit caffeine, each time getting a massive headache, feeling groggy all day, unable to function well for at least a week. Why don't they call caffeine addiction a disease too? Then again maybe they will in the future too.

[bohdawg]

I only think they label it as a disease because it has those withdrawal symptoms when its extreme. Normal habits don't have those. i'm no doctor.