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Symptoms of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)

by Cynthia M. Johnson, MA
En Español (Spanish Version)
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Some people may not have symptoms or may try to hide them from others. People who do have symptoms may have:

  • Problems with relationships
  • Missing work or school
  • Loss of control over drinking
  • Craving alcohol
  • Needing larger amounts of alcohol to have the same effects
  • Physical symptoms when alcohol is stopped, such as:
    • Problems sleeping
    • Shaking
    • Restlessness
    • Nausea
    • Sweating
    • Rapid heartbeat
    • Seizures
    • Perceiving something that is not real
REFERENCES:

Alcohol use disorder. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/condition/alcohol-use-disorder. Accessed September 3, 2020.

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/condition/alcohol-withdrawal-syndrome. Accessed September 3, 2020.

Day E, Copello A, Hull M. Assessment and management of alcohol use disorders. BMJ. 2015 Feb 19;350:h715.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). American Psychiatric Association; 2013.

Last reviewed March 2020 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Adrian Preda, MD  Last Updated: 2/19/2021