At this point, you have an attachment to alcohol that has taken over your regular routine. You’re aware of the adverse effects, but no longer have control over your alcohol consumption. You may become more depressed, more anxious, or start losing sleep. You may start to feel sick from heavy drinking, but enjoy its effects too much to care.

• While binge drinking may seem harmless, this is far from the truth.
• In order to fully recover from alcoholism, attending a medical detoxing program, individual therapy, and group therapy sessions are vital.
• Here, the impact of alcohol on daily life becomes more apparent, with friends and family noticing changes in behavior and lifestyle.
• The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism estimates that 17 million American adults have alcohol use disorders.
• There are some warning signs that alcoholism displays and a typical pattern of how the disease progresses.
• Each stage has notable symptoms, but everyone will experience them differently.

Identifying Someone with Middle-Stage Alcoholism

Problem drinkers may experience heightened depression, anxiety, or disturbances in sleeping patterns. Additionally, an individual may feel ill due to their drinking, however, enjoy the effects produced too much to stop. Often times, drinkers at this stage of alcoholism are more likely to experience legal issues because of their alcohol use. A moderate drinker might pair a glass of wine with a meal, while a regular drinker uses alcohol to feel good in general.

Stages of Alcoholism: Early, Chronic, and End Stage

If you always drink with friends, consider meeting for coffee instead. To determine whether or not you may be in the first stage of this model, answer the following questions. If you answer “yes” to most of them, you may be in this stage along with five stages of drinking most people who drink on occasion. Close to 88,000 people in the U.S. die from alcohol-related causes every year. Only smoking, poor diet, and lack of physical activity kill more. Has been an expert in addiction medicine for more than 15 years.

Understanding Vivitrol: A Guide to Its Role in Addiction Recovery

Because of this, it is important to remain educated on the signs and symptoms of alcoholism. If you or a loved one are suffering from alcoholism, being able to identify an individual’s current stage of alcoholism will aid in finding proper alcohol treatment. Help is available for you no matter which stage of alcoholism you’ve reached. Thousands of people find a solution to their drinking through alcohol rehab each year. Alcohol addiction treatment teaches you more about the nature of your condition and provides you with the tools you need for long-term recovery. During this stage, your condition may become evident to friends and family, although some people can become highly adept at hiding problem drinking.

Stage 1: Experimenting and Binge Drinking

It is important to know the signs that develop during each stage to ensure your loved one seeks treatment for their addiction early on. The earlier they seek treatment, the better their chance of successful recovery. Throughout the following years, Jellinek conducted another study on a wider sample size which led to another piece. He published a follow-up paper in 1952, “Phases of Alcohol Addiction,” that built upon his original ideas.

• They may also rationalize, or make excuses, for their behavior and insist they can stop drinking whenever they feel like it.
• Often times, drinkers at this stage of alcoholism are more likely to experience legal issues because of their alcohol use.
• But esophageal varices are prone to rupture, and when they do, the alcoholic can bleed to death.
• This disease is characterized by cravings, loss of control, and increasing alcohol intake in order to produce the desired effect.

Some Physical Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Addiction

• This step aims to transition from drug use to detox to treatment.
• As they continue drinking, though, they move from a point where their reasons for drinking are no longer social but psychological.
• To counteract the sedating effects of alcohol, for example, the brain increases the activity of excitatory neurotransmitters, which speed up brain activity.
• The first recorded alcoholic beverage dates back as early as 7000 B.C.—and they have been consistently part of social gatherings since then.
• Many people stay in this stage their whole lives and never progress, but most of those who eventually develop an alcohol use disorder begin here.
• In 1946 he published a paper on the progressive nature of alcoholism based on a small study of members of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Help via therapy and detox can help the individual navigate these symptoms safely to begin to live without alcohol. During the middle phase of the Jellinek Curve, a person’s struggle with alcohol will have become evident to friends and family. Those around the person may have noticed specific physical changes like facial redness, weight changes, sluggishness, and stomach bloating that come from the abuse of alcohol. Other symptoms, such as missing work and increased irritability or forgetfulness, may be observed. Many may benefit from support groups if they seek help during this stage. If you or someone you know displays any of the signs above, you can get help before alcoholism develops or progresses.

Enroll in Alcohol Addiction Treatment at Ashwood Recovery

However, it is never too late to seek help and turn things around. Alcoholism is a disease that can take over a person’s life and leave them feeling hopeless. These programs organize your treatment session based on your schedule. The goal of outpatient treatment is to provide therapy, education, and support in a flexible environment. BetterHelp offers affordable mental health care via phone, video, or live-chat. The individual can stay in this stage for many years but eventually start showing more disordered behaviors.

Addiction & Alcoholism

They may feel as if they are failures and may have no idea what to do. 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. During the alcohol dependent stage of alcoholism, your mind and body become firmly attached to alcohol.