- Alcohol is often consumed in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended
- There is persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control alcohol use
- A great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain or use alcohol
- Craving, or a strong desire to use alcohol
- Recurrent alcohol use resulting in failure to fulfill major role obligations
- Continued alcohol use despite persistent social or interpersonal problems
- Important social or recreational activities are reduced or ceased because of the use
- Recurrent alcohol use in hazardous situations
- Alcohol use is continued despite knowledge of having a problem
- Tolerance and/or withdrawal symptoms
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:
- Tolerance is a need for markedly increased amounts of a substance to achieve its desire effect.
- Withdrawal is the development of substance-specific maladaptive behavioral changes, with physiological and cognitive concomitants, that is due to the cessation or reduction of substance use.