It is a disease that affects the brain and disrupts a person’s ability to control their drinking habits. Individuals with alcoholism often experience a strong craving for alcohol, leading to an alcoholism and anger inability to stop or moderate their intake. Because of the severity of the disease, medically monitored alcohol detox is a necessity. Between 3 and 5 percent of people withdrawing from alcohol develop grand mal seizures and severe confusion, known as delirium tremens.

Visible Signs of Alcohol Addiction Taking Hold

It can only be cured with a liver transplant, which most heavy alcohol users will not be eligible for. In the United States, Americans can expect to live to 78.6 years, while those with untreated end-stage alcoholism have an average life expectancy of 48 years. Alcohol use disorder kills 1 out of every 10 adults aged 20-64, making alcoholism more deadly than automobile crashes, opioid abuse and gun violence combined. What makes this behavior dangerous is the motivation behind your alcohol use.

• Understanding what the stages of alcohol addiction look like can help you or a loved one decide whether rehab treatment is necessary.
• The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper is committed to helping people in South Jersey with an alcohol use disorder achieve long-term sobriety.
• Drinking at this point isn’t about feeling good — it’s about not feeling bad and avoiding the uncomfortable sensations that accompany acute withdrawal.
• Late-stage alcoholism requires comprehensive medical care, detox, rehab, and ongoing support to manage these conditions and recover from addiction.
• Cravings and tolerance indicate that someone is living with middle-stage alcoholism.
• A person with early-stage alcoholism may also exhibit a high tolerance to alcohol.

The Importance of Support Systems

The Institute for Health Metrics, University of Washington, compiled an analysis of alcohol-related deaths in the U.S. between 2007 and 2017. Researchers discovered a 35 percent increase in fatalities linked to alcohol during that decade, while the overall national death rate rose by 24 percent. The disease will initially go through the early and middle stages before reaching the end stage.

• Between 3 and 5 percent of people withdrawing from alcohol develop grand mal seizures and severe confusion, known as delirium tremens.
• Stopping is impossible at this point without professional help because of the severe and potentially life-threatening withdrawal symptoms that would occur if they quit cold turkey.
• You’ll work with a team of doctors, nurses, and therapists during treatment.
• It is important to address these changes and seek support as early as possible to prevent further deterioration.
• If you’re dealing with a combination of mental health problems, physical symptoms, and relationship issues, it can be hard to conceive of recovery.
• In early stages, if you’re drinking to deal with stress or anxiety and you’re progressively drinking larger amounts of alcohol to get intoxicated, you could be in the pre-alcoholic stage.

Middle Stage Alcoholism

This will require professional treatment, rehabilitation, and aftercare. The first stage of alcoholism is increased drinking and difficulties resisting alcohol. Your doctor can diagnose you with an alcohol use disorder (AUD) and, from there, identify the stage of your alcoholism.

• This is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure FHE Health is trusted as a leader in mental health and addiction care.
• In this section, we will explore treatment options for alcoholism, discuss the importance of support systems, and highlight the steps towards recovery.
• In the short term, alcohol will reach your blood within about 5 to 10 minutes of taking a drink.
• Attempts to stop drinking can result in tremors or hallucinations, but therapy, detox, and rehab can help you get your life back.
• If you or someone you know is battling with alcoholism, do not hesitate to reach out for professional help.
• You might miss work, forget to pick up the kids, become irritable, and notice physical signs of alcohol abuse (facial redness, weight gain or loss, sluggishness, stomach bloating).

Cardiovascular issues

Drink and work don’t mix well, potentially leading to mistakes, bad interactions with customers or fellow employees and tardiness or excessive absences. It is important to note that while alcoholism can lead to employment challenges, many functioning alcoholics can work effectively. Having a job that you are successful in does not mean that you do not have a problem with alcohol. This fact alone causes alcoholism to exert a serious financial strain. Advanced alcoholism can also affect your ability to hold down employment, especially jobs that create a good income. Additionally, alcohol leads to medical complications that increase your medical expenses.