Alcoholism
It’s estimated that about 300 million people worldwide have an alcohol use disorder. If you or someone you love are struggling with alcohol addiction, you’re far from alone.
Stigma associated with alcohol use disorder is lessening as people become better educated about the realities of alcoholism. Alcoholism is a disease. It is not a moral failure. People from all walks of life—from the most privileged to the least privileged—can become addicted to alcohol.
Why Do People Use Alcohol?
It’s important to remember that no matter how an individual’s alcohol use started, it continued because it appeared to solve one or more of their problems. It provided them with a sense of comfort, calm, or numbness, or it increased their ease or confidence in social situations.
Unfortunately, alcohol, which some people can use moderately with no ill effects, can become an immediate or eventual problem for others. Nearly everyone will try alcohol at some point. The problem comes when simple experimentation turns into dependency.
What Are the Signs of Alcoholism?
Common signs of alcoholism include the following:
- Unusual mood changes or temper outbursts
- Decline in performance in school or work
- Changes in eating habits
- Changes in sleeping habits
- Verbally or physically aggressive behavior
- Secretive or defensive behavior
Any of these signs alone could be part of the normal ups and downs of life, but if a number of these signs are present, they’re likely to indicate an issue that needs addressing.
Signs that anyone else may not be able to observe, but the individual themselves should consider warning signs are:
- Always drinking until intoxicated or until alcohol runs out
- Drinking even when at risk of getting caught
- Intending or promising to stop drinking, then drinking anyway
- Drinking until they pass out or to the point of blackout
It’s vital to stay calm in the presence of these signs. It’s also important to believe that recovery is possible. Tens of thousands of people all over the world have sought and gone on to live long, happy, productive lives without alcohol.
We’re Here to Help You
At Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge and Lakeside Academy, we provide a safe place for all to recover. For nearly 40 years, we have approached addiction recovery with empathy, compassion, and humility. We have deep expertise in helping men, women, and their families conquer alcohol addiction, but we always remember that every person is unique.
Call us today at 612-373-3366 if you’d like to talk about what’s going on that worries you. That’s what we’re here for.
Six Stages Of Alcohol Use
STAGE 1
Experimenting and Binge Drinking
The first stage of alcoholism is characterized by general experimentation with alcohol. Often times, this occurs during a person’s teen years or early adulthood. Because these drinkers are new to alcohol and are unsure of their own limits, binge drinking is common. While these individuals may not be daily drinkers, they do consume large amounts of alcohol at once.
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.
STAGE 2
Increased Tolerance to Alcohol
Once an individual begins to drink more frequently, they have entered the second stage of alcoholism. During this stage, drinkers are typically still drinking solely in social settings. However, they need to consume more alcohol in order to produce the same effect they experienced in the beginning.
Examples of regular alcohol use include drinking during a celebratory event or pairing a glass of wine with a meal. On the other hand, moderate drinkers will drink in order to relieve their negative emotions or “blow off steam”. In order to be in the second stage of alcoholism, an individual will have become a moderate drinker. Often times, people will develop a slight psychological dependence during this stage of alcoholism.
STAGE 3
Problem Drinking
The third stage of alcoholism is characterized by a person experiencing problems as a direct result of their drinking. “Problem drinker” is a term commonly used in today’s society to describe a person whose drinking has caused them emotional, physical, social, or financial issues. Similarly, this also describes the third stage of alcoholism.
The social signs of problem drinking include, but are not limited to:
- Relationship issues
- Sudden change in friends or social scenes
- Decrease in social activity due to erratic behavior
- An issue conversing with strangers
Problem drinkers may experience heightened depression, anxiety, or disturbances in sleeping patterns. Additionally, an individual may feel ill due to their drinking, however, enjoy the effects produced too much to stop. Often times, drinkers at this stage of alcoholism are more likely to experience legal issues because of their alcohol use.
STAGE 4
Physical Dependence
Commonly, people believe the misconception of alcohol dependency and alcohol addiction is one and the same. However, alcohol dependence can occur before addiction is developed. The fourth stage of alcoholism is characterized by an individual experiencing a dependence on alcohol. Alcohol dependence is defined as the point at which a person has no control over their alcohol intake.
In addition, people suffering from alcohol dependence acquire tolerance. As a result, the individual will have to consume a larger quantity of alcohol to experience the desired effect. Similarly, when a person increases their alcohol intake, they also increase the risk of damage to their body. Also, one of the main characteristics of alcohol dependence is withdrawal. Alcohol withdrawal occurs when a person becomes sober from alcohol after a long period of drinking.
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms include:
- Body tremors
- Nausea unrelated to a hangover
- Sweating
- Extreme irritability
- Increased or racing heartbeat
- Issues sleeping or insomnia
STAGE 5
Addiction or Alcoholism
The fifth and most troublesome stage of alcoholism occurs once a person is mentally and physically addicted. During this stage, individuals feel a need to drink rather than just a want. Individuals in this stage of alcoholism will never go very long without having a drink in order to avoid severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Additionally, it is common for them to abuse other substances in combination with alcohol.
Often times, alcoholics develop chronic health conditions as a result of their drinking. These conditions include heart disease, liver damage, brain damage, malnutrition, and mental disorders. Unfortunately, individuals who are addicted to alcohol are at an increased risk of suicide due to severe depression and anxiety. Additional psychological effects include dementia and paranoia.
STAGE 6
Recovery
Once stabilized, the goal is to transition from detox, to treatment, to maintenance (practicing sober living by changing your life), to transcendence—the final step in the path to recovery.
- Integrates faith based and evidenced based substance use disorder treatment approaches
* Services not available at all locations.
Our outpatient programs provide a community for those seeking flexible treatment options as well as those who may want additional support in their ongoing recovery.