Treating excessive alcohol use

Image of Caring Young male physician Comforting distressed Patient During doctor visit.

Guidance for screening, diagnosing and treating excessive alcohol use in primary care settings.

Understanding excessive alcohol use

Excessive alcohol use remains a leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States and is associated with negative health consequences. Alcohol use during pregnancy can cause Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), a range of lifelong conditions that include physical and behavioral problems, as well as intellectual disabilities.

Excessive alcohol use includes the following behaviors:

  • Binge drinking
    • Woman: 4 or more drinks on occasion
    • Man: 5 or more drinks on occasion
  • Heavy drinking
    • Woman: 8 or more drinks per week
    • Man: 15 or more drinks per week
  • During pregnancy

    Any consumption of alcohol by a pregnant person

  • Underage drinking

    Any consumption of alcohol by a person under the legal drinking age

Screening and assessment

Patients often use alcohol along with other substances such as tobacco, marijuana and illicit drugs, so it’s important to screen for these substances as well as alcohol. You can address alcohol and other substance use behavior using the Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) technique.

These resources can help you develop strategies for screening to recognize and address excessive alcohol use through prevention, treatment and counseling.

Screening and assessment resources

More resources from the AAFP

Policies and recommendations

Journal articles and research studies