People who consume alcohol vary quite a bit in the ways that they use it. If two people are problem drinkers, the way they abuse alcohol can be vastly different. In fact, there are two types of alcoholics, those with Type 1 alcoholism and those with Type 2 alcoholism. In the next 5 types of alcoholics sections, we’ll introduce you to these two clinically defined manifestations of alcoholism and the characteristics that describe them. Those who receive help usually gravitate towards groups, medical detox and treatment programs, or seek individual care from a private provider.

Treatment Programs

By clicking “Submit,” you certify that you have provided your legal name and phone number, agree to the terms and conditions and privacy policy, and authorize Addictionresource to contact you. You consent to receive SMS notifications and promotions from Addictionresource. Alcoholics in the workplace can be a danger to themselves and others. They can be reckless and unreliable, either drinking on the job (as their condition intensifies) or showing up for work hungover and unprepared to perform. And Hsiao-Ye Yi, Ph.D., of the Alcohol Epidemiologic Data System at CSR Inc., in Arlington, Virginia.

Intermediate familial alcoholics

About two-thirds of chronic severe alcoholics get help for their drinking. Making up just 9.2 % of all alcoholics, chronic severe subtypes are the rarest of them all.. However, those that do fall into this subtype display the most severe symptoms of chronic alcoholism. Most of this group started drinking around 15 years old and find themselves with alcohol dependence at around 29.

• About 17 percent of functional alcoholics have ever sought help for their alcohol dependence.
• Multiple different reasons can spur someone to drink until they’ve become dependent on alcohol.
• And because they don’t look or act like the stereotypical alcoholic, they’re often in denial about their drinking problem.
• About 66 percent of chronic severe alcoholics seek treatment for their alcohol dependence.
• While these facts may paint a less than hopeful portrait of this group, the NIAAA researchers also found that they are the most likely of any of their five subtypes to seek treatment.

Young Adult Subtype

• According to this study, even in highly-educated and high-functioning groups of men, alcohol abuse and dependence predicted the onset and cessation of alcohol-related problems.
• Although there are many stereotypes about what an alcoholic looks like or how they behave, alcoholism manifests differently in everyone.
• However, certain food groups also have benefits when it comes to helping with the discomfort of withdrawal symptoms and detoxification.
• Only 9% have a college degree, and they also have the lowest employment rate.

Around one-third of young antisocial alcoholics will seek treatment for problematic drinking. This group tends to start drinking at the youngest age (around 15) and also develops an alcohol dependence at the earliest age (around 18). More than 50% of this group have traits of antisocial personality disorder. They also have high rates of depression, bipolar disorder, social phobia, and obsessive compulsive disorder. This group also has the highest rates of other substance use disorders, including addiction to cigarettes, marijuana, meth, cocaine, and opioids.

Binge Drinking

Some alcoholics have insomnia, and many suffer from emotional distress. Type 2 alcoholism, in contrast to Type 1 alcoholism, usually occurs during adolescence or in the early adult years. Between these two types of alcoholics, those with Type 2 alcoholism frequently have skirmishes with the law, experiencing episodes of fighting and arrests. Their abuse of alcohol is typically moderately severe, requiring treatment. Unlike Type 1 alcoholism, however, the severity of alcohol abuse in those with Type 2 alcoholism doesn’t change over time. It is characterized by binge drinking that’s interspersed with lengthy periods of sobriety (abstinence).

Alcoholism Symptoms

• This subtype of alcoholics is the most likely to seek treatment and the most heavily represented type of alcoholic in a treatment program.
• In fact, according to a 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 29.5 million Americans ages 12 and older have alcohol use disorder (AUD).
• They come from families where alcohol dependency may be common, leading to early exposure and abuse.
• Out of all the other subtypes, this one rates the highest for abuse of other substances and other psychiatric disorders.

Around 80% of these alcoholics have a genetic link to alcoholism, with members of their immediate family has struggled with or still struggling with alcoholism. Three-fourths smoke – both tobacco and marijuana – and many have an addiction to opioids for cocaine. Unlike “Young Adults”, however, over a third of these seek professional help.

These folks may not have experienced the negative impacts of alcoholism yet, such as job loss, strained relationships or criminal charges. You might see this type of alcoholism in industries where heavy drinking is normalized like entertainment or politics. A treatment center will attempt to verify your health insurance benefits and/or necessary authorizations on your behalf. We cannot guarantee payment or verification eligibility as conveyed by your health insurance provider will be accurate and complete. Payment of benefits are subject to all terms, conditions, limitations, and exclusions of the member’s contract at time of service. Fewer than 9% of the members of this group seek help for recovery; when they do, they tend to prefer 12 Step programs over rehab clinics or private, professional practices.

What Are the Risks of Alcohol Abuse?

A study in Sweden in 1987 was the first to classify alcoholics as either Type 1 or Type 2, describing in detail alcoholism’s neurogenetic adaptive mechanisms. The typology developed from findings of adoptees and their adoptive and biological parents. This spectrum of addiction might make it more challenging to group people into even theoretical categories, though for diagnostic and other purposes, researchers and treatment professionals may try.

Outpatient treatment is less intensive than inpatient treatment but still effective for some people with AUD. It typically includes individual and group counseling and medication-assisted therapy like naltrexone (Vivitrol). Treatment typically includes individual and group counseling, medication, and other therapies. It allows you to focus on recovery in an environment free from triggers and distractions. Daily drinking can have serious consequences for a person’s health, both in the short- and long-term. Many of the effects of drinking every day can be reversed through early intervention.

People who fall into the young adult alcoholic subtype also rarely have a family history of alcoholism. Alcoholism is considered to be a heritable disease, as NIAAA reports that genetics can account for about half of the risk for developing the disease. The flip side of this coin, however, is that environmental and other factors make up the other half of the risks for the onset of addiction. Additionally, young antisocial alcoholics have a high probability of having other substance use disorders.