Learning the Signs of AUD

Exceeding a certain number of drinks can become severe drinking. It should be managed by an addiction medicine physician. The specialist may tell you that you have “alcohol use disorder,” or AUD for short. 
The defining criteria, by the DSM 5, states, “AUD is a chronic relapsing brain disease characterized by compulsive alcohol use, loss of control over alcohol use intake, and a negative emotional state when not using alcohol.”
“How can something that tastes so good be so bad for me?” said a patient of Dr. Brunson.
“Loved one, according to medical authorities, you may be a problem drinker and at risk for AUD. Let’s get help.”
Problem Drinking: Unhealthy drinking that puts your health at risk, or binge drinking. The blood alcohol concentration goes to 0.08, and to get it that high means to consume five drinks or more. For women, four or more drinks in two hours in one sitting. Binge drinkers usually do not drink daily. It could be weekly or monthly.
At risk or heavy drinking: For men, it is more than four drinks daily or 14 drinks weekly. For women, more than three drinks daily or seven weekly. 
Think you may have a drinking problem?
There are many signs of problem drinking or unhealthy drinking, but one has to believe that he/she has a drinking problem first. If one surrenders to “what is true,” they will get better.
sources:
-www.nih.gov
-www.niaaa.nih.gov
-www.asam.org
In the U.S., 16 million people have AUD – more men than women. The number for adolescents and pre-adults (you are a pre-adult before reaching the age of 27 ) in 2015, estimated to be 623,000.  Here are some questions to ask yourself:
Do you drink more than you originally intended?
Made attempts to cut down or to stop drinking but couldn’t?
Do you spend a lot of time drinking or being sick or in withdrawal from alcohol?
Do you get strong urges or cravings to drink?
Dr. Rodney Brunson is located at 201 Tilton Rd., Northfield, NJ 08225. Call (609) 484-7000 for more information.