Stages of Alcoholism: Early, Chronic, and End Stage

You’ll need to Twelve-step program drink more to achieve the same effects you used to feel and often pass out from alcohol. Changes in your body such as facial redness, stomach bloating, shaking, sweating and memory lapses start to affect you. If you notice they continue drinking heavily and blacking out, you have a right to be concerned. Keep an eye on their drinking behaviors to see whether they progress further. Even if they never progress past this stage, regular binge drinking is not a healthy way to consume alcohol.

• AUD is diagnosed as mild, moderate, or severe according to the number of symptoms that present.
• This is why detoxing should be done with a medical professional’s supervision at an addiction treatment center.
• During this stage, an individual cannot function without a drink because they begin to experience physical symptoms like sweating and tremors without one.
• The most important thing to remember is that this doesn’t have to be the end of the story.

Rehabilitation Phase

Of course, relapsing does not eliminate the possibility of overcoming an alcohol addiction. Frequently, relapses are triggered by predictable factors and reflect a need for further attention to one’s current mental state, lifestyle, and past patterns of alcohol use. An alcoholic then enters the “late stage” of the disease, characterized first by a worsening of the 5 stages of alcoholism physical withdrawal symptoms of earlier stages. Serious health damage and more substantial memory loss also present themselves.

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These criteria help health professionals determine the severity of the disorder and the appropriate course of action. Are you worried about how alcohol use is affecting you or a loved one? Understanding the stages of alcoholism can help you identify signs of the disorder early and seek the right help. This article walks you through the early, middle, and end stages of alcoholism, highlighting key symptoms and treatment options at each stage.

Your Action Plan: Stopping Addiction Early

Exposure to alcohol at this stage can disrupt neurotransmitter function, elevate blood pressure, and set the stage for insomnia, irritability, or even risky behaviors that result in injury. The severity of early-stage alcoholism varies widely among individuals but generally increases over time. It doesn’t start causing harm until it results in frequent intoxication or withdrawal symptoms.