Am I an "alcoholic"?

 Not according to me (Dr Andrews), but it's sort of a trick question.

As an addiction medicine specialist I no longer use the word "alcoholic". 

I think it is harmful, and not scientific.

However, if you and/or a loved one found your way to this website you might be someone who wants to take more control over your alcohol intake. So, you came to the right place.

Scientific evidence shows that words like alcoholic and addict are not just stigmatizing, they lead people to concentrate too much on the alcohol and its consumption. When this happens, we tend to lose sight of the whole person. That doesn't usually help people.

People labeled my own father as an "alcoholic", yet I could tell there was more to the story. There usually is. This is probably why I became a board-certified specialist in addiction medicine. I now recognize that my father's use of alcohol, in part, was a very common response to "trauma"; in his case it was adult trauma. 

Before becoming a wonderful father Tom Andrews was a US Navy pilot of a torpedo-bomber in World War II. His ship got bombed, which led to the loss of his foot, and his best friend. Other adult "traumas" followed. Such events cause changes in the brain, and increase the chance that a person will become dependent on one substance or another. The widespread availability of alcohol and cigarettes meant that these would be his "substances of choice". 

The genes we get from our parents explain about half of our "tendency to dependency".  Even before his adult traumas Dad was already known as someone who could drink more than most other people around him. I suspect he had a combination of genes that made a reliance on alcohol more likely.

My father's drinking pattern was not one of drinking heavily every day. He was more of a binge drinker -- this usually laid-back guy would become the life of the party when he had downed a few beers.

Fortunately, effective treatment is available for this very common binge-drinking pattern of alcohol use. It involves taking a pill called naltrexone. But only when you need it -- you can take control.

I treat adult patients (18 years and older) with alcohol dependence, and this website is mostly for binge-pattern drinkers. I have a Texas medical license and therefore I only treat patients who are in Texas at the time of our appointment.

You can schedule your appointment right from this website. 

Folks who are in other states or countries should search in their areas for "Sinclair method" and "naltrexone" to find a prescriber for themselves.

See my separate discussion of the "Sinclair Method" for a detailed description of the treatment. 

What is alcohol dependence?

Alcohol dependence is also known as alcohol use disorder (AUD), and that encompasses the feelings quite well — misusing alcohol because you’ve come to depend on it. The idea of giving it up may make you feel isolated or anxious.

Dr. Andrews understands that addiction is a complex issue. Instead of expecting perfection, he aims to help you reduce your physical and psychological reliance on alcohol to experience a better quality of life.

What are the symptoms of alcohol dependence?

Alcohol dependence can come with psychological and physical signs like:

• Needing more alcohol to achieve the same effect
• Withdrawal symptoms when not drinking
• Drinking despite clear negative consequences
• Shaking, sweating, or nausea when not drinking
• Needing alcohol in the morning or throughout the day to “feel normal”
• Constant preoccupation with drinking
• Inability to cut back or stop, no matter how hard you try
• Drinking to cope with depression, stress, or anxiety
• Neglecting work, school, or responsibilities
• Damaged relationships due to drinking behavior
• Risky behavior (such as driving buzzed or drunk)

Over time, alcohol dependence can lead to serious health consequences such as liver disease, heart problems, brain damage, and mental health issues such as depression or anxiety.

Having AUD doesn’t mean you don’t have willpower. Rather, it’s a complex brain disorder that alters how your brain handles motivation, reward, and decision-making. Dr. Andrews helps you regain control of these processes.

How is alcohol dependence treated?

To help you manage your alcohol consumption, Dr. Andrews can prescribe naltrexone, which is FDA-approved to treat AUD. It works by reducing the “feel-good” effects of alcohol. Drinking while on naltrexone becomes less rewarding, helping to weaken the brain’s craving-reward loop.

By altering how you respond to alcohol, naltrexone can decrease your urge to drink. It’s also a flexible treatment that you can use as a part of daily maintenance to avoid relapse, or as part of the Sinclair Method. With the Sinclair Method, you take naltrexone only before drinking to decrease your dependence gradually.

Dr. Andrews may also recommend resources to support your social and psychological needs, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or support groups like SMART Recovery, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), or therapy with a counselor who specializes in addiction.

Alcohol dependence is treatable with the right support. Schedule your telehealth appointment online with Dr. Andrews today to pursue your freedom from addiction.