Stages of Alcoholism

People who drink in moderation often have trouble understanding alcoholism. However, people who need alcohol to feel functional understand it all too well. There are many stages of alcoholism, and when you are ready to stop drinking, there is a treatment program to support you. Rise Above Treatment’s alcohol addiction treatment in Murrieta, CA offers a variety of options to support you in your sobriety. 

What Is an Alcohol Use Disorder and How Can Detox Help?

Often, when we think of an alcoholic, we think only of someone who appears drunk. However, alcohol use disorder is bigger than just drinking–it is truly about control of behavior. When a person cannot control their behavior and needs to drink, this is a sign of alcohol use disorder. Alcohol use disorder is typically characterized as someone preoccupied with alcohol and not caring that it presents a conflict. 

If your drinking impacts your life in a way that causes you to have problems completing daily tasks or remaining responsible for yourself and your family, this is a sign of alcoholism. Most alcoholics are physically unable to detox on their own; therefore, our Murrieta alcohol detox is available to assist.

Four Stages of Alcoholism 

Alcoholism presents challenges in drinkers’ lives that will get worse over time. For many drinkers, alcohol abuse impacts their physical and mental health as they are not able to perform daily without drinking alcohol. There are four stages of alcoholism. These include: 

Early Stage Alcoholism 

In this first phase of alcoholism, people will begin drinking heavily. For some, it might mean drinking often or large amounts of alcohol. In addition, some people will participate in repeated binge-drinking activities or have multiple drinks in a short period of time. Other early signs of alcoholism include drinking because you are bored; to relieve sadness, stress, or anxiety; achieving a higher tolerance; blacking out after heavy drinking. 

Middle-Stage Alcoholism

The second phase of alcoholism is characterized by cravings and dependence on alcoholism. In the middle stage, a person’s drinking is no longer a secret; it is obvious to family, friends, and even co-workers. It is not uncommon that people will begin to crave alcohol throughout the day and begin developing new ways to get to alcohol. This stage is also marked by greater dependency, which also means greater withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms include sweating, fast heartbeat, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, moodiness, loss of appetite, and clammy skin. 

Late-Stage Alcoholism

The third phase of alcoholism is marked by severe abuse and addiction. Drinkers’ physical dependence and addiction are hard to ignore. For people to be classified as a late-stage alcoholic, they will have had to experience at least six of these symptoms: drinking for long periods of time; having problems at work or school as a result of drinking; reducing activities you once loved; ignoring negative effects of drinking; deciding to drink despite it causing problems with family; being unable to cut down drinking. 

When a person reaches the later stages of alcoholism, they can often not maintain their job or responsibilities. Mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety are usually present, and there is less motivation to keep up with a person’s physical appearance. 

End-Stage Alcoholism

Once a person reaches the end stage of alcoholism, they have reached a point where they have no control of themselves or their drinking habits. People who reach the end stage typically experience health problems such as damage to their heart, liver, kidneys, and brain. 

It is not uncommon for people at this stage to ever believe that they will ever be able to detox. Even attempting sobriety is so difficult because their alcoholism has taken over their lives. 

Alcohol Detox Is Possible

Alcoholism might seem like it can overpower your life, but this does not need to be forever. Medical and mental health professionals at Rise Above Treatment are here to help you through your recovery–whether you are at the early stage or end-stage–of alcoholism so that you can reclaim your life and relationships. Contact our Murrieta alcohol detox by calling (877) 641-0717 and get started on restoring your life.