Author: Gary Jackson

The Stages of Alcoholism Explained Early, Middle and End-Stage

For those who love someone living with an addiction, it is very difficult to sit back and let the crisis play out to its fullest extent. It’s common for someone with AUD to try to blame their drinking on circumstances or others around them, including those who are closest to them. It’s common to hear them say, “The only reason I drink is because you…” If you have ​​low agreeableness, low conscientiousness, and poor emotional stability — numbers 2, 3, and 4 in the list above — you tend to drink more.

Alcohol clouds your judgment and leads to communication problems. This is especially true if the other person is also under the influence. When you drink alcohol, it is absorbed by your stomach and intestines before being passed into your bloodstream.

Don’t Accept Unacceptable Behavior

At this stage, it’s still possible for your partner to cut back or quit drinking altogether with support and encouragement. Despite efforts to hide their addiction, their drinking problem is quite obvious to others. Work performance usually suffers at this stage, and impairment in the workplace is common. Middle-stage alcoholics may become irritable or angry if confronted about their drinking.

While every person’s alcohol addiction is unique, alcohol affects people in similar ways. Most people with an alcohol use disorder progress through three typical stages. But some people who drink face a risk of developing this chronic and progressive disease, which affects roughly 1 in every 8 Americans and contributes to about 88,000 deaths annually. If these drinkers stop or reduce their alcohol consumption, this tolerance could be lost. Taking care of yourself is just as important as supporting your loved one through their journey towards recovery.

The Impact of Living with an Alcoholic on Children and Other Family Members

These symptoms can show up while you’re drinking or during alcohol withdrawal. 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. At this stage, the alcoholic may appear to be functioning normally and is unlikely to have performance problems at work, school or in other settings. In fact, they may mistakenly believe that drinking actually helps them to function better. This is because familiar “cues” – such as your home setting – are repeatedly paired with alcohol’s effects. This response counters alcohol’s impairing effects, and we may not feel as “intoxicated” as a result.