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The Four Stages of Alcoholism: Pre, Early, Middle, and Late

End-stage alcoholism represents the most severe phase of alcohol use disorder, marked by profound physical and mental health challenges. This stage is characterized by chronic alcohol consumption that has led to serious, often irreversible damage to one’s health and significant disruptions in personal and social functioning. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), excessive alcohol use is a leading cause of preventable death, with more than 140,000 fatalities annually in the US alone. It is essential for individuals living with chronic stage alcoholism to seek professional help. Treatment options may include detoxification, psychotherapy, counseling, and, in some cases, medication to manage withdrawal symptoms and support long-term sobriety. Recognizing the early stage of alcoholism is crucial for timely intervention and treatment.

Despite efforts to hide their addiction, their drinking problem is quite obvious to others. Work performance usually suffers at this stage, and impairment in the workplace is common. Middle-stage alcoholics may become irritable or angry if confronted about their drinking. Even though alcohol has become a significant part of everyday life, early-stage alcoholics often deny that they have a problem and may be defensive about their drinking. They may also rationalize, or make excuses, for their behavior and insist they can stop drinking whenever they feel like it.

Stages of Alcoholism 5: Addiction to Alcohol

Alcoholism damages the body in many different ways, and it can have a severe impact on a person’s long-term health. Many people who have an addiction to alcohol may not want to attend treatment, though. The best way to help a loved one who is abusing alcohol is to get them into an alcohol treatment center that offers medically supervised detox.

This stage is often characterized by heavy drinking, and the person may suffer from binge drinking disorder. They may not be addicted to alcohol physically yet, but emotional dependence on drinking is there. The person’s physical appearance won’t change, but they may be “hung over” due to excessive alcohol use all the time. They will then explain they were just 5 stages of alcoholism looking for a good time, which involved drinking. Treatment of alcoholism in this stage is relatively challenging because of the heavy denial that is present and the psychological dependence on alcohol. The presence of alcohol use disorder (AUD) often coincides with other substance use disorders, exacerbating the challenges faced in personal connections.

Stage #1: Occasional Alcohol Use And Binge Drinking

These changes can compromise brain function and drive the transition from controlled, occasional use to chronic misuse, which can be difficult to control. The changes can endure long after a person stops consuming alcohol, and can contribute to relapse in drinking. Identifying problems with alcohol early can help prevent dependence and addiction. Medical treatment may be necessary to detoxify the body of alcohol and to obtain a fresh start. Since many people with alcoholism endure psychological problems, individual or group therapy may help in overcoming addiction. Alcohol has been found to be directly causally related to some diseases and conditions, such as mouth cancer in a person with a history of heavy chronic drinking.

• Alcoholism and alcohol abuse are both categorized as alcohol use disorders—affecting people of all ages and stages of life.
• Alcoholism was identified in 1956 as an illness by the American Medical Association (AMA).
• It is when the volume of alcohol consumed keeps increasing, and alcohol tolerance develops that problems may start to arise.
• Malnutrition is another serious concern, as alcohol can replace essential nutrients in the diet and interfere with their absorption, storage, and metabolism.

During this stage, individuals are drinking every day, usually to avoid uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. However, many people still believe they are https://ecosoberhouse.com/ “functioning” because they are able to get up and go to work. Although they still have a job, their performance is probably not what it used to be.