Researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism have identified five distinct subtypes of alcoholism. This study differs from previous attempts at identifying sub-types because it includes people who don't or haven't sought treatment for their alcoholism. It's estimated that only 25% of people with alcoholism ever seek treatment.

"We find that young adults comprise the largest group of alcoholics in this country, and nearly 20 percent of alcoholics are highly functional and well-educated with good incomes. More than half of the alcoholics in the United States have no multigenerational family history of the disease, suggesting that their form of alcoholism was unlikely to have genetic causes."

The five subtypes developed by the NIAAA were: young adult, young antisocial, functional, intermediate familial, and chronic severe. Those who fall into the chronic severe subtype are the ones most likely to seek help. Read more at EMaxHealth.com.

Teen alcohol abuse is a serious condition. Research shows "that those who began drinking at an early age were significantly more likely to develop a dependence on alcohol, and the dependence is more likely to be chronic and associated with long-term health issues." Read more at www.drugrehabtreatment.com.

Labels: alcohol, alcohol_abuse, treatment