Medical Providers:
Dr. Michael Vines, MD
Alex Spritzer, FNP, CARN-AP, PMHNP
Clinical Providers:
Natalie Foster, LPC-S, MS
Last Updated: March 16, 2026
The CDC reports approximately 178,000 deaths from alcohol-related causes in the United States each year. Alcohol is the most widely used addictive substance in the country and the most socially normalized, which is part of what makes alcohol abuse so difficult to recognize and address.
Alcohol abuse is not defined by how much someone drinks. It is defined by the consequences of how they drink and by whether those consequences have stopped mattering.
Alcohol, specifically ethyl alcohol (ethanol), is a central nervous system depressant produced by the fermentation of sugars. It is the consumable form found in beer, wine, spirits, and malt liquor.
How alcohol affects the brain: Ethanol enhances the activity of GABA (the brain’s main inhibitory neurotransmitter) and suppresses glutamate (the main excitatory neurotransmitter). The combined effect slows neural activity, reducing inhibition, impairing coordination and judgment, and producing the sedating effects associated with intoxication.
Rubbing alcohol. Toxic if consumed
Industrial solvent. Toxic and causes blindness and death if consumed
The consumable form. Found in beer (~5% ABV), wine (~7–14% ABV), and distilled spirits (~40% ABV)
The liver metabolizes alcohol at a fixed rate of approximately one standard drink per hour, regardless of how much water you drink, how much food you eat, or what else you do. There is no reliable way to speed up the process.
Binge drinking is defined as a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 g/dl or higher. For most adults, this means approximately four drinks for women or five drinks for men within about two hours.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) identifies binge drinking as the most common form of excessive drinking in the U.S., with approximately one in six adults reporting binge drinking.
Alcohol abuse refers to drinking in a way that increases the risk of harmful consequences such as impaired driving, risky behavior, or continued use despite negative effects, but without the full pattern of compulsive use and dependence that defines alcoholism.
Alcoholism, clinically called alcohol use disorder (AUD), is a chronic medical condition characterized by compulsive alcohol use, loss of control over drinking, and negative emotional states when not drinking. It involves neurological changes similar to those in other substance use disorders.
Research consistently shows that approximately 50% of the risk for alcohol use disorder is inherited. While there is no single “alcoholism gene,” genetic variants affecting how the brain processes dopamine, how the liver metabolizes alcohol, and how strongly a person experiences alcohol’s rewarding effects all contribute to addiction risk.
A family history of alcohol use disorder significantly increases an individual’s lifetime risk.
Early exposure to alcohol, trauma, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and high-stress environments all increase vulnerability to alcohol abuse. People who began drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol use disorder than those who begin at 21 or later.
The ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) assessment measures the cumulative impact of childhood trauma (abuse, neglect, household dysfunction) on adult health outcomes including substance abuse.
Major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and PTSD all significantly increase alcohol abuse risk. Many people begin using alcohol to manage symptoms of untreated mental health conditions. This is a pattern called self-medication that worsens both the psychiatric condition and the alcohol problem over time.
Dual diagnosis treatment, when the psychiatric condition and alcohol use disorder are addressed simultaneously, produces significantly better outcomes than treating either in isolation.
from alcohol-related causes (CDC)
in the U.S. have alcohol use disorder
live with a parent who has alcohol problems
meet diagnostic criteria for AUD
with AUD receive treatment in any given year
Alcohol use disorder responds well to evidence-based treatment. Medical detox addresses physical dependence; behavioral therapy and medication address the underlying disorder.
Medications for alcohol use disorder:
Reduces alcohol cravings and blocks the reward response to alcohol. Available as a monthly injection.
Reduces the anxiety and discomfort of early sobriety by stabilizing neurological activity disrupted by chronic alcohol use.
Creates an unpleasant physical reaction when alcohol is consumed. Used as a deterrent in motivated patients.
The Hope House provides residential treatment for alcohol use disorder in Scottsdale, Arizona. For medical detox, Scottsdale Detox provides 24/7 medically supervised alcohol withdrawal management. For outpatient care, Arizona IOP provides intensive outpatient programming.
Call (480) 447-4252 to speak with an admissions specialist, available 24/7.
The Hope House 28901 N 114th St. Scottsdale, AZ 85262 contact@thehopehouse.com
