The NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator indicates that “When a person has uncontrolled and problematic drinking, he or she MAY have a health condition called alcohol use disorder (AUD), commonly known as alcoholism.” The emphasis is mine because I am dumbfounded as to what this means…and I work in the field of substance use disorders (SUD) and have done so for decades.
The Treatment Navigator goes on to say that “Health professionals use a list of symptoms to diagnose AUD. Depending on how many symptoms the person has, AUD can be mild, moderate, or severe. Even a mild disorder can lead to problems, so treatment is important.”
That is, “AUD is diagnosed when a person answers ‘yes’ to two or more of the questions” (NIAAA). Those questions can be found here or through the link above for the “list of symptoms”: https://alcoholtreatment.niaaa.nih.gov/FAQs-searching-alcohol-treatment#topic-what-is-alcohol-use-disorder-and-its-symptoms
Now, keep the explanation of an AUD, an alcohol use disorder, in mind when you consider that our government, through funding from the National Institute of Health (NIH), paid for at least one study – maybe more – that provided “heavy drinking young adults” a moderate dose of alcohol over a 36-minute period in order to determine the effects of alcohol in social bonding. There were exceptions: if people indicated that they had current or past AUD or substance use disorder treatment or a diagnosis of moderate or severe AUD (as well as some other considerations), they were excluded from the study.
When I say that we don’t treat addiction as the disease we say we believe it is, consider this study.
When I say that we have separate silos of researchers, those who treat the disease, and those who are affected individuals / loved ones, and these three populations never collaborate with one another, consider this study.
When I say that the confusing, weasel words used for the language of the field of substance use disorders or addiction or whatever you call it is doing absolutely nothing to help anyone, consider this study.
People suffering from alcohol use disorder, as defined by everyone who defines it in that two or more symptoms indicate a mild use disorder and “Even a mild disorder can lead to problems,” were given alcohol – indeed, given alcohol to the level of intoxication – in the name of research.
Consider this: A study is set up for those with early onset type 2 diabetes. The individuals get a bunch of carbs – a seriously unhealthy level – while in three-person groups in order to see if their social bonding increases. Alternatively, a study is set up for those who have stage 1 lung cancer as a direct result of their cigarette smoking. These individuals get at least six cigarettes to smoke in a 36-minute period while in three-person groups in order to see if their social bonding increases.
Basically, in the name of science, we’ve given people who suffer from disease more of what will kill them – because that’s what disease does. It is chronic, progressive, lethal. It kills. Thank goodness that funding from NIH helped demonstrate alcohol’s emotional and social rewards and we’ll find out whether those with increased sensitivity to those rewards are more likely to escalate their drinking and “develop” alcohol problems over three years. I’d contend that we already know that anyone with a mild alcohol use disorder has a problem. How anyone who works in this field – in research or treatment – could say otherwise is mind-boggling.
Next up, a study that indicates that mosquitoes bite, brought to you by your tax dollars.
References
NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator: https://alcoholtreatment.niaaa.nih.gov/what-to-know/alcohol-use-disorder
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