Self-Medicating on the Spectrum: Autism, Alcoholism & Overcoming

People with autism are twice as likely to misuse alcohol for a variety of reasons connected to the disorder, and there’s a greater risk of it becoming habitual. For anyone with ASD, controlling alcohol use is essential and 100% possible.

What You’ll Learn:

• The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder.

• Research findings about alcohol use among the autistic.

• Why adults with autism are at greater risk for alcohol use disorder.

• Why drinking quickly becomes problematic for people on the spectrum.

When most people think of autism, alcoholism isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. The sad truth is that being on the spectrum makes you twice as likely to struggle with alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects millions of people. It’s estimated that 1 in 45 adults and 1 in 36 children are on the spectrum. Many are high functioning individuals, and the disorder presents in many different ways. Something that many people with autism have in common is misusing alcohol as a result of the disorder.

Co-occurring ASD and AUD isn’t addressed like it needs to be, but there are things that can be done to get drinking under control while also finding relief from autism.

Research That Connects Autism Spectrum Disorder With Alcohol Use Disorder

Studies from all over the world have found a correlation between autism and alcoholism. Despite this, the problem is often underdiagnosed. Taking a closer look at ASD and AUD makes it more clear why this is and why this group is more at risk of problematic drinking.

A hallmark study that found people with ASD have twice the risk of alcohol abuse discovered that this is due to a variety of factors that are unique to the disorder. It was a large-scale study that involved 6,599 autistic people giving merit to the findings. One discovery is that people who have ASD with a co-occurring disorder like ADHD are at the most risk. This makes sense given that the co-occurring disorders that are most common with autism are also closely linked to alcoholism.

Another study looked at a specific cause - sensory processing and alcohol use among people with autism. It found that sensory sensitivity correlated with alcohol consumption. The more sensory sensitivity an autistic person has, the more likely they are to misuse alcohol.

Another key finding from the study was that non-drinkers and hazardous drinkers had higher levels of autistic traits compared to non-hazardous drinkers. This suggests that people who have noticeable symptoms are more likely to avoid alcohol completely or abuse it.

Why Adults With Autism Are at Greater Risk For Alcohol Use Disorder

When someone has ASD they are more likely to become overwhelmed by their emotions and have difficulty in social settings, especially in places they’re unfamiliar with. This can lead to self-medicating with alcohol because it temporary provides:

Social Masking and Social Lubrication

Being social can be uncomfortable and draining for someone with autism. On top of that many people spend a lot of energy masking their symptoms in an attempt to act “normal” in social settings. Alcohol increases feelings of confidence and lowers inhibition making it easier to socialize when you’re on the spectrum.

Sensory Regulation

Some people with autism experience sensory overload really easily. Drinking can help calm that down by dulling the senses, especially in public places with a lot going on.

Anxiety and Depression Relief

ASD also increases the likelihood of anxiety and depression. It’s been known for some time that alcohol can provide short-lived depression and anxiety relief.

Propensity For Habitual Behaviors

One effect of autism is engaging in routine, rigid and repetitive behaviors. Drinking alcohol can quickly become part of the regular routine and habitual.

Emotional Dysregulation

Being on the spectrum often comes with emotional dysregulation difficulties. They can be easily overwhelmed by emotions and seek an emotional release through alcohol.

Undiagnosed Autism

Alcohol misuse is most notable among people who were late-diagnosed with ASD or are undiagnosed and haven’t had intervention or professional help managing it. It’s also harmful for undiagnosed individuals because alcohol can mask symptoms of autism and delay diagnosis.

Why Drinking Can Quickly Become Problematic For Those With Autism

The big problem is that using alcohol to self-medicate or ease symptoms is short-lived. It does not fix the problem, it only masks it. In order to get relief again the person will have to use alcohol again. With time a person can develop tolerance and have to increase the amount they drink to feel the same effects.

In addition to the risk of addiction forming, it’s known that drinking alcohol makes anxiety and depression worse. There’s even a condition called hangxiety that is a pronounced anxiety for a day or two after drinking heavily.

People with autism may also have more difficulty recognizing that habitual drinking is harmful. It’s masking a lot of other issues, so to some it can seem like it’s serving a purpose. But no amount of alcohol is going to change that autism is still there driving the symptoms that are leading to the problematic drinking.

What is more likely is the person won’t reach out to get the professional help they need for both ASD and AUD. They will continue using alcohol as an unhealthy crutch that provides no lasting relief.

What Can Be Done to Break the Autism/Alcoholism Connection

So, what should someone with autism do instead? To find meaningful relief people on the spectrum need to address their disorder instead of masking it to the point that other disorders form.

Get Properly Diagnosed

Breaking the connection between autism and alcoholism starts with having the conditions properly diagnosed if you haven’t already. Many autistic people who abuse alcohol are undiagnosed. They are struggling and they don’t understand the root cause. Without that understanding it’s extremely difficult to improve quality of life in a healthy way.

Get Treatment For ASD

There are methods for addressing the symptoms of ASD in healthy ways that can help make them more manageable over the long term. It’s also much easier to avoid drinking alcohol when you have other coping mechanisms already in place.

Use Medication-Assisted Treatment Instead of Self-Medicating

If you are dealing with a disorder like autism and potentially co-occurring disorders that are common with autism, ending the alcohol self-medication can be particularly difficult. Therapy can help with the psychological connections, and medications can help with the physical connection.

Naltrexone medication has been used for decades to curb alcohol cravings by altering its effect on the brain’s reward system. By eliminating the pleasant and relaxing buzzed feeling from drinking alcohol, naltrexone is able to help the brain disassociate alcohol with feelings of relief. Once that is gone a person is less likely to self-medicate with alcohol. It now appears that GLP-1 semagultide medications have a similar effect.

If you have autism and feel like you can benefit from medication-assisted treatment Choose Your Horizon can help. Take the Alcohol Use Assessment to provide information on your drinking habits. From there you can schedule a time to talk with a knowledgeable clinician that can provide more information specifically for your situation.