You may also begin to notice drinking has become their preferred way to unwind after a long day of work or a difficult week. In this first stage, a person may drink as an activity that helps them relax, sleep, or feel more comfortable in social situations. Because drinking is a very common part of American adult activities, the pre-alcoholic stage can be very difficult to spot.

Alcoholism is a chronic disease that progresses through early, middle and late stages. In 2019, it affected 14.5 millionAmericans aged 12 and older, or 5.3% of the population. Whether you are currently in stage one of alcoholism or experience end-stage alcoholism, recovery is possible. If alcohol is being consumed in large quantities or has adverse effects on a person’s life, they may be experiencing an alcohol use disorder.

Short- & Long-Term Effects of Alcohol Addiction

Being aware of the three stages of alcoholism can help many people recognize when their drinking or that of a loved one becomes problematic. During the middle phase of the Jellinek Curve, a person’s struggle with alcohol will have become evident to friends and family. Those around the person may have noticed specific physical changes like facial redness, weight changes, sluggishness, and stomach bloating that come from the abuse of alcohol. Other symptoms, such as missing work and increased irritability or forgetfulness, may be observed. Many may benefit from support groups if they seek help during this stage.

During this stage, the person is probably going to great lengths to hide the severity of their problem, such as stashing alcohol and sneaking around to get it. Initial use of alcohol often occurs in the teenager or early adult years. Often, in the first stage of experimentation, it may be just a drink or two.

The Five Stages of Alcoholism

In order to be considered a binge drinker, men must consume 5 drinks every 2 hours while women must consume 4. However, many binge drinkers will exceed this amount substantially. While binge drinking may seem harmless, this is far from the truth. In fact, binge drinking can lead to serious health concerns such as alcohol poisoning, comas, and even death. Additionally, drinking in large amounts can lead to alcohol dependency or addiction – making it the first stage of alcoholism.

• Binge-drinking is characterized by having multiple drinks at a time within a small window.
• It’s difficult to identify because alcohol has yet to cause any problems and drinking has not become compulsive.
• While every alcoholic will have an individual experience, varying in severity, there are 5 stages of alcoholism.
• Despite this, as AUD progresses, there are certain patterns, symptoms, and behaviors to look out for that suggest a person may be heading down the negative road toward severe AUD.

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. In fact, recent research by The Recovery Village has found heavy drinking can increase your risk of cancer by 48% by itself. When most people drink to their tolerance level, they exhibit signs of intoxication. Those signs include slurring words, loss of balance and poor physical coordination. Sadly, many people use alcohol to heal trauma, for courage in areas where they are insecure, or in combination with other drugs.

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These unhealthy coping mechanisms only complicate and worsen an alcohol use disorder. Get professional help from an online addiction and mental health counselor from BetterHelp. Alcohol addiction can begin before an individual starts drinking—due to genetic predispositions or attitudes and perceptions consistent with those who suffer from addiction. Instead of just using it socially, they are beginning to feel like they cannot cope with their life without using the substance.

While some people believe that a person must hit rock bottom to be successful in treatment, this is a harmful and dangerous myth. This means that they require more and more of the substance to feel an effect. After a while, mental dependency becomes accompanied by physical dependency. When they attempt to quit or cut back on their alcohol consumption, they will experience symptoms of withdrawal. Once someone is abusing alcohol to cope with their emotions, they are in the beginning stages of psychological dependency.

If you or a loved one are suffering from alcohol addiction, we’re here to help. Contact us today and speak with one of our trusted recovery Selecting the Most Suitable Sober House for Addiction Recovery advisors. Like all addictions, alcohol addiction is a chronic brain disease which affects the reward-related pathways of the brain.

Everything from your genetics, your background, your peers, your mental health, and more can play into an AUD. Yes, your genetics can make you more susceptible to developing an alcohol use disorder, though having those genetics will never guarantee that you develop one. Early-stage alcoholism is the beginning of the person’s chronic alcohol use. They may not appear like they have a problem despite having a higher tolerance. Alcohol addictions are the most common addictions in the US, with recent research finding that 14.5 million adults live with alcoholism.

While each person is unique, there are some typical stages that many struggling with drinking go through. Morton Jellinek in the 1950s, the Jellinek Curve describes and details these, illustrating how alcoholism progresses for most of those with the disease. The chart also shows how alcohol addiction becomes a vicious cycle that continually repeats unless the person attempts to break the cycle by seeking help. Physical signs like weight gain or bloating, facial redness, shaking, sweating, and memory loss are good ways to identify a person in this stage of alcohol use disorder.