Stages of Alcoholism: Know the Warning Signs and Symptoms

Alcoholism is a dangerous and life-altering disease that can seriously affect your health and well-being. Furthermore, support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) can provide a supportive community for individuals in early recovery. Contact The Recovery Village Palmer Lake if you have questions about treatment or if you’re ready to get on the path to recovery and end your addiction to alcohol. There are a variety of different approaches that have proven helpful, including medications, mutual support groups, and behavioral therapies tailored to individual needs.

• It’s often difficult to determine whether someone is in the pre-alcoholic stage.
• Moderate drinking is the only safe way to consume alcohol, but drinking in general isn’t safe for everyone.
• It should not be used to replace the suggestions of your personal physician or other health care professionals.
• This means that anyone who feels like they’re on the path to addiction in one of these four stages can create a whole new fifth stage – recovery.

Stage #1: Occasional abuse and binge drinking

They see severe impacts on their health, relationships, employment, finances, and overall satisfaction with life. Early-stage alcoholism is easier to notice than the pre-alcoholism stage. Your friend or family member in early-stage alcoholism will regularly binge drink or drink to the point of blacking out. They’ll likely joke about their blackouts or mention they won’t drink that much again. Over time it becomes a cycle of binge drinking, blacking out, swearing to cut back, and then starting again. Early-stage alcoholism, or the prodromal phase, is when people begin binge drinking regularly and may even black out occasionally.

Comprehensive Alcohol Addiction Treatment Approaches

Addiction Resource is not a healthcare provider, nor does it claim to offer sound medical advice to anyone. Addiction Resource does not favor or support any specific recovery center, nor do we claim to ensure the quality, validity, or effectiveness of any particular treatment center. No one should assume the information provided on Addiction Resource as authoritative and should always defer to the advice and care provided by a medical doctor. Here, the impact of alcohol on daily life becomes more apparent, with friends and family noticing changes in behavior and lifestyle. Individuals in this stage meet at least four to five criteria from the DSM-5 list, indicating a progression toward severe alcohol use disorder. People used to refer to alcohol use disorder as alcoholism, and the people with it as alcoholics.

Stage 5 – Addiction to Alcohol

• Because these drinkers are new to alcohol and are unsure of their own limits, binge drinking is common.
• An end-stage alcoholic will experience life-threatening withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking.
• Understanding the progression of alcoholism is important so you’re able to recognise the early signs and take action before it gets worse.
• The psychological dependence on alcohol means the individual feels that alcohol is necessary to help them feel normal.
• If you notice an increase in your drinking frequency, secretive drinking or memory lapses, it’s a sign that the situation might be escalating.
• Chances are, their family members have already noticed their alcoholic tendencies and may have had multiple talks with them, but still, they may be resistant to reach out for help.

However, alcohol dependence can occur before addiction is developed. The fourth stage of alcoholism is characterized by an individual experiencing five stages of drinking a dependence on alcohol. Alcohol dependence is defined as the point at which a person has no control over their alcohol intake.

As these changes persist even after zero alcohol intake, the risk of relapse is present. With advanced-stage alcohol misuse, a person’s body may feel as though it physically needs alcohol in order to function as it usually would. In this stage, a person may begin to experience cravings for alcohol. An individual’s dependence on alcohol may also become more apparent to those around them.

• Examples of regular alcohol use include drinking during a celebratory event or pairing a glass of wine with a meal.
• Drinking large amounts of alcohol at one time is dangerous, and can even lead to coma or death.
• Overall, a personalized approach that considers the individual’s unique needs, including any co-occurring disorders, is essential for effective alcohol addiction treatment.

Stage 4: Alcohol Dependence

• The former causes people to relax while the latter is excitatory and makes them more active.
• The third stage of alcoholism is characterized by a person experiencing problems as a direct result of their drinking.
• This stage of alcoholism is difficult to notice, even for the person misusing alcohol.
• This stage is often the result of prolonged alcohol misuse and is marked by a variety of debilitating health conditions.