AUD is the medical diagnosis, not Alcoholism. This is dependency and addiction. Most “Alcoholics” are never diagnosed as such. They hold down jobs, have families, and function normally in society.
It gets worse… Most heavy drinkers, people who drink to get drunk, are not alcoholics.
Conclusion
Most excessive drinkers (90%) did not meet the criteria for alcohol dependence. A comprehensive approach to reducing excessive drinking that emphasizes evidence-based policy strategies and clinical preventive services could have an impact on reducing excessive drinking in addition to focusing on the implementation of addiction treatment services.