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

Unhealthy alcohol use includes any alcohol use that puts your health or safety at risk or causes other alcohol-related problems. It also includes binge drinking — a pattern of drinking where a male has five or more drinks within two hours or a female has at least four drinks within two hours. While end-stage alcoholism is a dire situation, it’s not a hopeless one.

At the end of the day, the person with addiction has to be willing to accept help. 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. In the unfortunate event that a chronic drinker develops a serious health condition or disease, the treating physician can explain whether alcohol was a direct cause or a component cause. The attending physician can also explain how continued drinking will impact the specific condition(s) present. A review of the 11 factors set forth in the DSM-5 regarding severe alcohol use disorder (i.e., the presence of six or more factors) provides additional insight into this condition. Having six or more of the alcohol use disorder symptoms would indicate the need for a treatment intervention to address the addiction.

The Jellinek Curve & the Stages of Alcohol Addiction

Taking an alcoholism screening quiz can help you determine whether you have the symptoms of an alcohol use disorder. Jellinek looked at the way alcoholics started in the pre-alcoholic stage, drinking in a casual, social manner. As they continue drinking, though, they move from a point where their reasons for drinking are no longer social but psychological.

• Years later, when Tommy regains his ability to see and hear, he becomes a cult leader.
• The severity of the AUD depends on how many of the symptoms they have.
• The pressures and disappointments became so great, he said, that he sank into depression and became addicted to cocaine and alcohol.
• An individual’s dependence on alcohol may also become more apparent to those around them.
• Over time, repeated alcohol exposure also alters a person’s brain chemistry.

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. 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. For those seeking addiction treatment for themselves stages of alcoholism or a loved one, the addictionresource.com helpline is a private and convenient solution. Calls to any general helpline (non-facility specific 1-8XX numbers) for your visit will be answered by American Addiction Centers (AAC). Our representatives work solely for AAC and will discuss whether an AAC facility may be an option for you.

The Stages of Alcoholism: Early, Chronic, and End Stage

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. You may start to feel sick from heavy drinking, but enjoy its effects too much to care.