Alcohol Use Disorder: Natural History, Definitions, and Stigma

Authors

Gerald S. Winder, Henry Ford HealthFollow
David C Fipps

Recommended Citation

Winder GS, and Fipps DC. Alcohol Use Disorder: Natural History, Definitions, and Stigma. Clin Liver Dis 2025;30(1):1-15.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-1-2026

Publication Title

Clinics in liver disease

Keywords

Humans, Social Stigma, Alcoholism, Liver Diseases, Alcoholic, Alcohol-Related Disorders

Abstract

Liver clinicians commonly encounter patients exhibiting hazardous patterns of alcohol use, including alcohol use disorder (AUD). Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) consists of severe psychosocial and biomedical hazards that necessitate clinicians' broad understanding of the natural history of this multifaceted chronic and relapsing condition. AUD involves myriad behavioral phenomena and data whose interpretation can be more subjective than biomedical data, thus requiring particular clarity in clinical terminology. ALD triggers strong emotional and moralistic reactions in clinicians, which can be the basis for stigma and other unproductive interactions that adversely affect clinical care and research.

Medical Subject Headings

Humans; Social Stigma; Alcoholism; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic; Alcohol-Related Disorders

PubMed ID

41266009

Volume

30

Issue

1

First Page

1

Last Page

15