What are the Early Stages of Alcoholism

They may even start to rely on drinking to cope with problems that they are facing in their lives. For example, they may depend on a drink to help them get through a stressful day. Some people may start to get addicted to alcohol after a week of continuous drinking. While others may be able to drink responsibly for up to a year before they develop an addiction. The time that it takes to go from being a problem drinker to an alcoholic is actually quite short.

You may also need to commit to an inpatient recovery program for sixty to ninety days. Attending a substance abuse treatment program can give you the tools you need to stay sober and resist cravings once you return home. In terms of diagnostic criteria, individuals may display 7 or more symptoms of alcohol use disorder. Some people may experience all 11 symptoms of the condition during this stage, making it imperative for them to get professional treatment for alcoholism.

Find Hope for Addiction

This is a life-threatening disease that involves permanent scarring of the liver. It is perhaps one of the most common and serious disorders seen amongst end-stage alcoholics. Anywhere from 10% to 20% of heavy drinkers will develop cirrhosis after 10 or more years of drinking. It’s easiest to identify alcohol addiction in an individual with middle-stage alcoholism. For example, the individual in question may have difficulties sleeping or may be nauseous all the time. Our alcohol rehab in Pennsylvania offers detox, substance-specific treatment, and therapy to address the physical and psychological side effects of alcohol abuse.

Even in early civilizations, there were people who struggled to control their alcohol consumption. For a long time, people who struggled with drinking were thought to have a moral failure or lack of willpower. It wasn’t until the mid-1900s that scientists started to delve a little deeper into the factors that contributed to harmful, habitual drinking. Binge drinking is described as around four drinks within two hours for women and five drinks within two hours for men. If an individual is consistently drinking this much, they are most likely in the early stages of alcoholism.

How to Tell if a Loved One May Be Struggling with Alcoholism

They may only feel well when they maintain a consistent level of alcohol in their bloodstream. In most cases, alcohol addiction is a condition that progresses gradually over time. Little sober house by little, a person’s drinking can progress from what was once experimental or casual drinking to an addiction that has negative effects on many important aspects of their life.

• At this point, alcohol has taken priority over other responsibilities in your life, possibly including your family, spouse, kids, career, and bills.
• Alcoholism progresses in many different alcoholism stages, and there are different symptoms for each stage.
• There are also more subtle signs like itchy skin, fluid retention, fatigue, and bleeding.