Toward the Operationalization and Examination of “Hitting Bottom” for Problematic Alcohol Use: A Literature Review

“Hitting bottom” among individuals with alcohol use disorders (AUDs) has empirical and theoretical support; however, it has never been operationalized and, therefore, remains largely unexplored. To operationalize and evaluate hitting bottom, it is important to understand the emergence of the construct, how it is used by researchers, and how it is perceived by individuals recovering from AUDs. Accordingly, the authors review extant literature on hitting bottom for individuals with AUDs. Specifically, the authors discuss historical evolution of “hitting bottom” to inform future research efforts to operationalize and evaluate the concept of hitting bottom for individuals with problematic alcohol use.