Yes, there are different types of alcoholism that people suffer from, that have been classified, keeping in mind various factors. This classification has been provided in the following WellnessKeen article, take a look.
As ironic as it may sound, it is a fact that alcoholism is an extremely serious issue, but one that is taken very lightly. What starts off as ‘one sip’ turns into ‘social drinking’, followed by ‘binge drinking’, and then full-fledged alcohol addiction.
The stages of alcoholism may affect different individuals differently, however, they affect every addicted individual nonetheless. What is interesting to note, is that, alcohol addiction is an issue that most youngsters are dealing with, as against the perceived middle aged adults as victims of the same. In fact, there are different types of alcoholism that have been defined on the basis of the various factors that lead to this condition.
5 Types of Alcoholism
In the year 1960, E. M. Jellinek defined five types of this condition based on the nature of the drinking pattern of individuals that may lead to physiological problems.
| Type | Description |
| Alpha Alcoholism | Affected individuals drink in order to drive away depression, stress, or anxiety. It is a type of alcoholism that is rooted in psychological and emotional problems. |
| Beta Alcoholism | Affected individuals develop an excessive drinking pattern, that leads to the development of various physical as well as numerous psychological symptoms. |
| Gamma Alcoholism | This type of alcoholism refers to the development of sudden cravings for alcohol after an episode or two of ‘social drinking’, leading to continual drinking, drunkenness, and full-fledged alcoholism. |
| Delta Alcoholism | It describes the habit of drinking small amounts of alcohol throughout the day, without ever really getting drunk. |
| Epsilon Alcoholism | Affected individuals consume alcohol at regular intervals, a condition known as dipsomania. Such individuals need to consume alcohol until they pass out completely. Such individuals are drinkers, who are sober more often than they are drunk. |
5 Types of Alcoholics
Several researches in the medical field have resulted in another classification of alcoholics, in terms of the behavior such drinkers exhibit, and the drinking patterns they resort to.
| Type | Description |
| Young Adult Subtype | Such alcoholics are young adults, who take to alcoholism by age 20, but refuse to seek help or support to quit the habit. They are occasional binge drinkers, who may otherwise not drink very often. |
| Young Antisocial Subtype | These are individuals, who have an average age of 26 years, who took to alcoholism by the age of 18. It has been found that most of these drinkers suffer from antisocial personality disorder, and are prone to drug addiction along with addiction to alcohol. |
| Functional Subtype | Stable middle-aged individuals, who drink occasionally (but in large amounts) belong to the functional subtype of alcoholics. Such individuals are emotionally and financially sound, and also have healthy relationships. |
| Intermediate Familial Subtype | This category refers to individuals, who become alcoholics by age 30. Most have relatives, who are also alcoholics. |
| Chronic Severe Subtype | Most often, such drinkers are men, who are also drug addicts. Most men in this category are found to be divorced. |
The perception of alcoholism may vary from one individual to another, however, it is a fact that when one does get addicted, its effects can get fatal, unless one tries to reduce and completely stop drinking alcohol before any serious damage is done.
With this information, you will be able to identify what you or a loved one is suffering from, and deal with the issue at hand, as early as possible. Take care of your health, mind, and body. These are the only weapons you have to battle with all that life throws at you!
