Alcohol use disorder is diagnosed by pattern and consequence, not quantity. The DSM-5 lists eleven criteria; meeting two in a year indicates mild AUD, four to five moderate, six or more severe. Most people with AUD do not recognize it because their drinking looks like everyone else’s — until the consequences accumulate.

The Eleven Criteria

Drinking more or longer than intended. Trying to cut down and failing. Spending a lot of time drinking or recovering. Craving alcohol. Drinking interfering with work, school, or home. Continuing despite relationship problems. Giving up activities to drink. Drinking in dangerous situations. Continuing despite health problems. Tolerance — needing more for the same effect. Withdrawal — shaking, sweating, nausea, anxiety when not drinking.

Physical Signs

Morning shakiness relieved by drinking. Facial redness and broken capillaries. Weight changes. Poor sleep. Frequent illness. Elevated liver enzymes on routine bloodwork. Blackouts — memory gaps while drinking.

Behavioral Signs

Hiding or minimizing drinking. Drinking alone or before events. Irritability when drinking is unavailable. Defensiveness about drinking. Drinking to cope with stress or emotions. Planning life around drinking opportunities.

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High-Functioning Alcohol Use Disorder

Many people with AUD maintain jobs and relationships while dependence progresses. The absence of dramatic consequences does not mean absence of disorder. See high-functioning alcoholism.

When to Seek Treatment

Withdrawal symptoms indicate physical dependence requiring medical detox. Meeting several criteria indicates AUD that treatment can address. See alcohol addiction and alcohol treatment.

Treatment at The Recovery Village Columbus

The Recovery Village Columbus, located at 3964 Hamilton Square Blvd, Groveport, OH 43125, provides the full continuum of addiction and mental health care on one campus: medical detox, inpatient residential rehab, inpatient mental health treatment, partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), outpatient care, medication-assisted treatment, and aftercare planning. Dual diagnosis treatment is integrated at every level of care. The 52,000-square-foot facility is Joint Commission accredited and physician-led, with board-certified psychiatrists providing medication management throughout treatment. Teletherapy through the Nobu app extends care to patients across Ohio.

Insurance and Admissions

The Recovery Village Columbus is in-network with Anthem BCBS Ohio, Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare/Optum, Medical Mutual, Humana, MultiPlan, Tricare East, and the Optum VA Community Care Network. Verify your insurance to confirm your coverage — the admissions team returns deductible, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket figures the same business day and handles prior authorization on your behalf. Walk-in admissions and same-day or next-day entry are available when medically appropriate. Learn more about the cost of rehab or read what to expect at The Recovery Village Columbus.

Serving Columbus and Central Ohio

The Groveport campus sits just off I-270 and US-33 in southeast Franklin County, minutes from downtown Columbus and John Glenn Columbus International Airport. Patients travel from Franklin, Delaware, Licking, Fairfield, Pickaway, Madison, and Union counties and from across Ohio. Ohio has ranked among the top five states for overdose mortality for over a decade — Franklin County alone recorded more than 700 overdose deaths in 2023, with fentanyl involved in the large majority. See the Ohio drug abuse and overdose statistics for regional data. Explore the facility or meet the care team.

Treatment at The Recovery Village Columbus

The Recovery Village Columbus, located at 3964 Hamilton Square Blvd, Groveport, OH 43125, provides the full continuum of addiction and mental health care on one campus: medical detox, inpatient residential rehab, inpatient mental health treatment, partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), outpatient care, medication-assisted treatment, and aftercare planning. Dual diagnosis treatment is integrated at every level of care. The 52,000-square-foot facility is Joint Commission accredited and physician-led, with board-certified psychiatrists providing medication management throughout treatment. Teletherapy through the Nobu app extends care to patients across Ohio.

Insurance and Admissions

The Recovery Village Columbus is in-network with Anthem BCBS Ohio, Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare/Optum, Medical Mutual, Humana, MultiPlan, Tricare East, and the Optum VA Community Care Network. Verify your insurance to confirm your coverage — the admissions team returns deductible, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket figures the same business day and handles prior authorization on your behalf. Walk-in admissions and same-day or next-day entry are available when medically appropriate. Learn more about the cost of rehab or read what to expect at The Recovery Village Columbus.

Serving Columbus and Central Ohio

The Groveport campus sits just off I-270 and US-33 in southeast Franklin County, minutes from downtown Columbus and John Glenn Columbus International Airport. Patients travel from Franklin, Delaware, Licking, Fairfield, Pickaway, Madison, and Union counties and from across Ohio. Ohio has ranked among the top five states for overdose mortality for over a decade — Franklin County alone recorded more than 700 overdose deaths in 2023, with fentanyl involved in the large majority. See the Ohio drug abuse and overdose statistics for regional data. Explore the facility or meet the care team.

Treatment at The Recovery Village Columbus

The Recovery Village Columbus, located at 3964 Hamilton Square Blvd, Groveport, OH 43125, provides the full continuum of addiction and mental health care on one campus: medical detox, inpatient residential rehab, inpatient mental health treatment, partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), outpatient care, medication-assisted treatment, and aftercare planning. Dual diagnosis treatment is integrated at every level of care. The 52,000-square-foot facility is Joint Commission accredited and physician-led, with board-certified psychiatrists providing medication management throughout treatment. Teletherapy through the Nobu app extends care to patients across Ohio.

Insurance and Admissions

The Recovery Village Columbus is in-network with Anthem BCBS Ohio, Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare/Optum, Medical Mutual, Humana, MultiPlan, Tricare East, and the Optum VA Community Care Network. Verify your insurance to confirm your coverage — the admissions team returns deductible, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket figures the same business day and handles prior authorization on your behalf. Walk-in admissions and same-day or next-day entry are available when medically appropriate. Learn more about the cost of rehab or read what to expect at The Recovery Village Columbus.

Serving Columbus and Central Ohio

The Groveport campus sits just off I-270 and US-33 in southeast Franklin County, minutes from downtown Columbus and John Glenn Columbus International Airport. Patients travel from Franklin, Delaware, Licking, Fairfield, Pickaway, Madison, and Union counties and from across Ohio. Ohio has ranked among the top five states for overdose mortality for over a decade — Franklin County alone recorded more than 700 overdose deaths in 2023, with fentanyl involved in the large majority. See the Ohio drug abuse and overdose statistics for regional data. Explore the facility or meet the care team.

Treatment at The Recovery Village Columbus

The Recovery Village Columbus, located at 3964 Hamilton Square Blvd, Groveport, OH 43125, provides the full continuum of addiction and mental health care on one campus: medical detox, inpatient residential rehab, inpatient mental health treatment, partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), outpatient care, medication-assisted treatment, and aftercare planning. Dual diagnosis treatment is integrated at every level of care. The 52,000-square-foot facility is Joint Commission accredited and physician-led, with board-certified psychiatrists providing medication management throughout treatment. Teletherapy through the Nobu app extends care to patients across Ohio.

Insurance and Admissions

The Recovery Village Columbus is in-network with Anthem BCBS Ohio, Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare/Optum, Medical Mutual, Humana, MultiPlan, Tricare East, and the Optum VA Community Care Network. Verify your insurance to confirm your coverage — the admissions team returns deductible, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket figures the same business day and handles prior authorization on your behalf. Walk-in admissions and same-day or next-day entry are available when medically appropriate. Learn more about the cost of rehab or read what to expect at The Recovery Village Columbus.

Serving Columbus and Central Ohio

The Groveport campus sits just off I-270 and US-33 in southeast Franklin County, minutes from downtown Columbus and John Glenn Columbus International Airport. Patients travel from Franklin, Delaware, Licking, Fairfield, Pickaway, Madison, and Union counties and from across Ohio. Ohio has ranked among the top five states for overdose mortality for over a decade — Franklin County alone recorded more than 700 overdose deaths in 2023, with fentanyl involved in the large majority. See the Ohio drug abuse and overdose statistics for regional data. Explore the facility or meet the care team.