How Long Does It Take to Get Addicted to Alcohol? 

Alcohol addiction is a serious and prevalent issue across the world, with millions affected in the United States. Alcohol addiction is classified as an alcohol use disorder when the right criteria are met. These include withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit, high tolerance, and an inability to stop. So, how long does it take to get addicted to alcohol? The answer is multi-faceted and needs to be looked at from a number of different considerations. Therefore, let’s discuss alcohol addiction, risk factors for developing a disorder, and the benefits of substance rehab.

What Is an Alcohol Use Disorder?

As mentioned, alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a medical disorder characterized by alcohol addiction. Notably, a person is unable to quit without outside help. Individuals with AUD have often reached the place where they understand their drinking is harming them and their relationships and goals. Yet, they are incapable of quitting drinking because of the way the substance has altered their brain chemistry over time. Alcohol triggers the reward system in the body. Eventually, your tolerance increases, so you must have more to function normally. Before long, you find yourself stuck in a cycle of dependence where you must keep consuming alcohol to prevent withdrawal symptoms.

When Does Drinking Become a Problem?

Drinking excessively over a long period of time can have catastrophic effects on your body and mind. The health effects of alcohol disorder can remain long after you become sober, but the sooner you get help, the better off you’ll be in the long run. Truly, drinking becomes a big issue when it seriously affects your life, but you can’t quit. Many people realize that their relationships, finances, responsibilities, and careers are struggling due to their addiction. Yet, they aren’t able to stop drinking, no matter how hard they try. This is because of the strong effect alcohol has on the brain. At this point, you require medical treatment to effectively overcome your addiction.

Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Use Disorder

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5), the criteria for having AUD is meeting at least 2-3 of the 11 recognized symptoms. Although alcohol addiction looks different in every person, there tend to be common symptoms of AUD. The severity of the disorder is determined by the number of symptoms the individual experiences. Thus, 2-3 is considered mild, 4-5 is considered moderate, and 6-11 is severe. Additionally, the severity can increase over time. Some of the criteria include:

• Cravings
• Uncontrollable desire for more alcohol
• Drinking more than intended
• High tolerance
• Withdrawal symptoms
•  Failing at obligations due to drinking

Is Alcoholism a Mental Health Issue?

Alcohol addiction can be considered a mental health issue, yes. Alcohol use disorders are mental disorders that can’t simply be overcome by willpower. Substance disorders alter both the brain and behavior of the individual. Notably, a person can’t quit drinking because their disorder has altered their brain to function better with alcohol than without. In fact, many of the psychological symptoms of alcohol use disorder overlap with the symptoms of behavioral and mood disorders.

How Long Does It Take to Get Addicted to Alcohol?  

If you’re wondering how long it will take before you start developing an addiction to alcohol, the answer is complex. There are a number of risk factors that play a role in whether one develops an addiction and what the process looks like. It’s important to understand that addiction can happen quickly or slowly. In people with smaller body compositions, a lesser amount of alcohol will have a greater effect. Thus, if they consistently binge drink, their brain can develop a tolerance and then dependence quickly. In others, it can be a long-term process of heavy drinking, then alcohol abuse, and finally, alcohol dependence.

These risk factors can all play a role in the addiction timeline.

Genetic Factors

It must be remembered that genetic factors play a large role in the development of alcohol disorders. Some people have a higher susceptibility to developing certain illnesses, including AUD. Although environmental and situational factors can definitely drive someone towards drinking, genetic predisposition must be taken into account. In fact, between 50 and 60 percent of AUD vulnerability is inherited through genes. Some of the genetic predispositions that can lend to your relationship with alcohol abuse include metabolism, behavioral tendencies, and mental health.

Young People and Binge Drinking

Studies show adolescent drinking can increase one’s likeliness of developing an alcohol use disorder that stretches into adulthood. Because teenage drinking is often normalized and even considered a rite of passage, the possibility of early addiction remains high. Further, binge drinking is more likely in young people. Of the 12-17-year-olds who drank in the past month, half had at least one episode of binge drinking. Additionally, young adults aged 18-29 have the greatest rate of alcohol use disorder of all age demographics.

Co-Occurring Mental Health Issues

Co-occurring issues are ones that coexist in a person at the same time. It is possible to have co-occurring mental health issues, such as the existence of more than one mood or behavioral disorder. Further, it’s possible to have a mental illness and a substance use disorder (SUD) that are present together. In fact, co-occurring disorders often exacerbate each other. Sometimes, one leads to the other, such as how self-medicating a mental disorder can lead to alcohol addiction. Thus, if you have a mental health disorder, you have an increased risk of developing an SUD.