Various Stages Of Alcoholism
Alcoholism refers to a chronic disease that is often progressive and can cause fatal damage to an individual’s health when left untreated. Regular heavy intake of alcohol causes chemical imbalances in the brain or leads to depletion of certain chemicals, which makes your body crave alcohol to feel good. This compels you to remain addicted for the sake of warding away negative feelings.
Stages Of Alcoholism
Typically, there are three stages of alcoholism: early stage, middle stage, and late stage. These stages have characteristic symptoms that the patient himself must be aware of, so that he can help himself before it is too late. The sooner you identify the symptoms, the earlier you can come to your rescue.
Early Stage Of Alcoholism
In this stage, an individual drinks to merely get relaxed or to deal with temporary problems that are causing him anxiety. The “feel-good” factor encourages him to resort to drinking whenever he has a problem, which may develop into a habit at a later stage. Gradually, the patient’s tolerance to alcohol decreases. Such an individual may completely appear normal in the initial stages but loses control over his postures and tongue after some time, entering the next stage of alcoholism.
Middle Stage Of Alcoholism
If an individual does not exercise control over his alcohol intake in the early stage, when it is particularly easy to do so, he begins to become physically dependent on alcohol. His desire to consume alcohol gradually increases. He begins to lose control over alcohol intake, and his body’s ability to process alcohol reduces. As a result, he gets intoxicated very easily, even with very little alcohol intake. In this stage, an alcoholic realizes that he has a problem but has already lost control.
Last Stage Of Alcoholism
In this stage, an alcoholic becomes obsessed with drinking and desperately looking for an excuse to drink. By now, everyone around him knows that there is a major problem, as the alcoholic’s mental and physical health are severely deteriorating. Also, the body’s immunity falters and he is prone to other diseases as his appetite decreases. In fact, if the alcoholic does not sop drinking, he may even die. He has to seek abstinence and specialized medical assistance immediately to save his life. There are specialized health-care institutions providing such treatment in groups. For those who do not want group treatments, there are several treatment programs on a one-on-one basis.
Recommended Reading
- When To Seek Medical Care
- Understand the Symptoms of Alcoholism and Come to Your Rescue
- Identifying The Symptoms Of Alcoholism
