Mild F10.10
Moderate to severe: F10.20
Alcohol use disorder is grouped within the cluster of diagnoses called the substance-related and addictive disorders. Substance-related and addictive disorders are characterized by a maladaptive pattern of substance use manifested by recurrent and significant adverse consequences related to the use of substances. These problems are persistent and occur repeatedly within the same 12-month period.
The term substance can refer to a drug, a medication, or a toxin. In addition to alcohol, types of substances to which individuals may become addicted include:
Substance-related disorders are divided into two groups:
The essential feature of a substance use disorder is a cluster of cognitive, behavioral, and physiological symptoms indicating that the individual continues using the substance despite significant substance-related problems. An important characteristic of this disorder is an underlying change in brain circuits that may persist beyond detoxification, particularly in individuals with severe disorders. The behavioral effects of these brain changes may be exhibited in the repeated relapses and intense drug craving when the individuals are exposed to drug-related stimuli.
What is alcohol?
Alcohol is classed as a depressant, which slows down vital functions (resulting in slurred speech, unsteady movement, disturbed perceptions and an inability to react quickly).
Alcohol has significant impact on the mind, reducing the ability of children and adolescents to exercise normal judgment and think rationally. Although classified as a depressant, when consumed in small to moderate quantities, it may produce a stimulant effect. In other words, children and adolescents may be attracted to the use of alcohol in order to achieve a feeling of being energized or to "loosen up."
The diagnosis of alcohol use disorder is assigned to children and adolescents who are dependent on alcohol. Alcohol use disorder is a problematic pattern of alcohol use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by at least two of the following, occurring within a 12-month period:
When we consider substance use disorder, we often talk about substance dependence. Individuals are considered dependent on a substance when symptoms of tolerance and withdrawal are present:
By the time they are seniors, almost 70 percent of high school students will have tried alcohol. According to a 2013 study by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 86.8 percent of people ages 18 or older reported that they drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime; 70.7 percent reported that they drank in the past year; 56.4 percent reported that they drank in the past month. There are many reasons children and adolescents use alcohol, including the desire for experimentation, an attempt to cope with problems or perform better in school, or peer-pressure.
Many factors influence whether children and adolescents try alcohol, including whether their friends or family members use alcohol, cultural beliefs about use of alcohol, and the ease of access/availability of alcohol within the neighborhood, community, and school. Additionally, factors within the family environment may be particularly important, as the presence of violence, physical or emotional abuse, mental illness, or drug use in the household can increase the likelihood the likelihood of children and adolescents using alcohol.
The American Psychiatric Association has found there is a genetic component to alcohol use disorder. Children and adolescents' inherited genetic vulnerability (e.g. personality traits like poor impulse control or a high need for excitement; mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety) make it more likely that they will try alcohol.
Early exposure and addiction to alcohol can negatively impact brain development and overall physical health in children and adolescents. In addition, the use of alcohol puts children and adolescents at increased risk for the following types of problems:
Clinical Research suggests that treatment of alcohol use disorder in children and adolescents should address social influence/peer pressure to drink, include norm setting, include developmentally appropriate information, utilize peer-led components, be interactive, and provide parent and teacher training.
The following treatments have been proposed to be most effective:
Research additionally suggests that the following treatments are promising: