According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, nearly 15 million people ages 12 and older had an alcohol use disorder in 2019. AUD is a chronic relapsing brain disease characterized by a decreased ability to control alcohol use despite social, occupational, or health consequences. Those who have alcohol addiction are often unaware of the adverse effect their drinking has on their friends, family, and loved ones, as well as their own physical and mental health.
