Stages Of Alcoholism
Learn About the Stages of Alcoholism
There are stages of alcoholism you need to understand, before you can work with anyone suffering from this degenerative and progressive disease. The symptoms include loss of control, tolerance, dependence and craving.
In the first of the stages of alcoholism, drinking will no longer be social, but instead a way to escape from inhibitions or problems. During this stage, drinking can be associated with a desire to escape reality. Affected individuals begin to depend on the alcohol to alter their moods. Another characteristic of this stage is an increase in tolerance, when the individual will need ever more amounts of alcohol to reach the desired effect.
In the second stage of alcoholism, the individual's need for drinking is more intense. The drinker at this stage may start to take drinks earlier in the day than they used to. As this tolerance increases, the person will be drinking because of their dependence on the alcohol, rather than to ease stress or tension. Loss of control will begin to make its appearance in this stage, but not yet on a regular basis. At this time, too, family members and friends will begin to notice the person's overuse of alcohol.
During the second stage, the affected individual will probably start to feel more embarrassed and concerned about his drinking. During stage two, drinkers may make their first futile attempts to stop drinking. Also, hangovers and blackouts may begin to be a factor in this stage, and the drinker may begin to blame external things or other people for their drinking.
In the third of the stages of alcoholism, the individual will lose control more often, and it will be more acute and more easily observed by others. After the individual takes his first drink, he will likely not be able to stop there. During this phase, the individual may start having to cope with possibilities like losing a job, financial problems and problems legally. The person may begin to avoid friends, and may lean even more fully on alcohol to calm his nerves. As he drinks more, the affected individual will start to neglect things like meetings and work or family functions. He may make attempts at seeking medical assistance, but these are usually half-hearted.
In the fourth stage of alcoholism, the individual faces more common losses of control. He may drink earlier and earlier in the day, and he needs a good deal of alcohol to cope with what his life has become. The person may get drunk and *stay* drunk for days or weeks, unable to escape the vicious circle that has them drinking to relieve the stress that their alcoholism causes. Their hands may tremble, and they may get "the shakes" if they try to go without alcohol. The tremors are indicative of nervous system damage caused by the drinking.
Beyond that stage, he will need a support system and help like AA or some similar group. With your help, he can get his life back together.