Episode 3: When a Drink Becomes a Problem - Alcohol Use Disorder Explained | Carolina Center for Recovery

Alcohol is deeply ingrained in social culture, which can make it difficult to recognize when drinking crosses the line from casual to harmful. In this episode of The Behavioral Health Answers Podcast, we break down Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) — what it is, how it develops, and how recovery begins — using educational insights from Carolina Center for Recovery.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why alcohol use is so normalized in society
• What Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) actually is from a clinical perspective
• How moderate, heavy, and binge drinking are defined
• CDC guidelines for alcohol consumption and what counts as “one drink”
• Why numbers alone don’t tell the full story
• Behavioral warning signs of Alcohol Use Disorder
• How loss of control shows up in daily life
• The long-term health consequences of chronic alcohol abuse
• How alcohol affects the liver, brain, and cancer risk
• Why Alcohol Use Disorder is a medical condition — not a moral failure
• What recovery from alcohol addiction looks like
• Why detox, personalized treatment, and ongoing support matter

This episode emphasizes an important truth: recognizing a problem isn’t about blame — it’s about awareness. And recovery isn’t just about stopping drinking, but about starting a healthier, more meaningful life.

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, mental health, or addiction treatment advice.