In the United States, 18 million individuals (7.4% of the 15 and older population, according to estimates from 2010) report having an alcohol use disorder (AUD), with nearly 12 million of these individuals reporting alcohol dependence (1). Recent changes to the diagnostic definition of AUDs in the updated DSM-V eliminate the clinical distinction between AUDs and alcohol dependence, opting to categorize them together under the umbrella category of AUDs and describe the broad disorder as a “… problematic pattern of alcohol use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress …” as well as requiring concurrent escalation of alcohol intake, craving for alcohol, and significant disruptions to personal and professional conduct (2). In 2011, AUDs cost the United States $223.5 billion, an estimation which includes the cost of medical treatment, judiciary involvement, and loss of productivity (3).
