The Three Stages of Alcoholism: Early, Middle, & End-Stage Alcoholism

In addition to getting professional treatment and support, there are things that you can do to help feel better and improve your chances of recovery. In the DSM-5, alcohol use disorder https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/stages-of-alcoholism-early-middle-end-stages/ is further classified into categories of mild, moderate, and severe. AddictionResource aims to present the most accurate, trustworthy, and up-to-date medical content to our readers.

At the end of the day, the person with addiction has to be willing to accept help. There are factors that pop up again and again when determining who might have an issue with alcoholism. If you’re in the “at-risk” population, it doesn’t take much to become dependent on alcohol or other drugs. If someone increases their drinking significantly, there could be a problem. Heavy drinking is a threatening practice which can easily transition into alcoholism or an alcohol use disorder. If you or a loved one denies alcohol abuse or cannot cut back on drinking, there may be a danger of alcoholism.

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Once you quit drinking, your body can begin to recover from some of the damage or, at the very least, prevent it from getting worse. By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website. We do not receive any commission or fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a caller chooses.

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. During this period, you can expect to develop new skills you may have never learned that made you more susceptible to AUD in the first place. You nor your loved one are under any obligation to commit to an Ark Behavioral Health treatment program when calling https://ecosoberhouse.com/ our helpline. All Addiction Resource content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible. They will quickly grow tired of making excuses for the addicted person who is missing work, getting arrested, or showing up intoxicated to social functions. This article will use the terms “male,” “female,” or both to refer to sex assigned at birth.

Stages of Alcoholism: Identifying The Dangers

Early-stage alcoholism, often a precursor to more severe addiction, can manifest through various signs and symptoms that may initially be subtle. Understanding these early indicators is crucial for timely intervention and prevention of progression to chronic alcoholism. When casual drinkers move into early-stage alcoholism, their tolerance begins to rise. They can often hold conversations without stuttering or slurring.

They may appear to maintain coordination and motor skills to some degree. A person with a higher tolerance may not look intoxicated, despite drinking a large amount of alcohol. Others who have had less to drink may look more intoxicated than a person with a high tolerance. Many factors affect alcohol tolerance, including a person’s biochemistry, race, ethnicity, body mass and how an individual consumes alcohol. As mentioned in this article, you can support recovery by offering patients AUD medication in primary care, referring to healthcare professional specialists as needed, and promoting mutual support groups.

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To identify this, one needs to be familiar with all the stages of alcoholism, so it is easier to pinpoint which stage applies to each person and how the habit can be curbed before it becomes a serious problem. It is crucial to understand each of the four stages of alcoholism, the long-term health risks of alcohol abuse, and what to do if you believe your loved one is abusing alcohol. Effective treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD) is not a one-size-fits-all solution. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) emphasizes the importance of evidence-based treatment options. It offers resources for health professionals to recommend the most suitable patient interventions.

No matter the stage of the disease, if you or someone you love is struggling with alcohol addiction, seek professional help to achieve the benefits of quitting alcohol and learn how to live a healthier life. Later, it can cause fatigue, bleeding and bruising, itchy skin, yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes and fluid accumulation in the abdomen known as ascites. Fluid buildup in end-stage liver disease is a particularly ominous sign. Fifty percent of patients with ascites typically die within two years if they don’t have a liver transplant. As alcohol consumption increases, the liver adapts to break down alcohol more quickly.

It’s often difficult to determine whether someone is in the pre-alcoholic stage. People in the pre-alcoholic stage may enjoy drinking more frequently than those around them but it isn’t overtly noticeable in most people. Additionally, no two individuals have identical reasons that lead them to develop alcohol use disorder.