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The majority of people don’t think anything of moderate drinking. That being said, if your drinking becomes excessive, you could be headed down a hazardous path toward alcohol addiction.
According to the World Health Organization, 3.3 million people die every year from harmful use of alcohol. Alcohol consumption is also a major cause of death and disability at an early age. In adults between 20 – 39 years, about 25 % of the total deaths are caused by alcohol.
It’s critical to keep in mind that alcoholism does not develop quickly. It results from prolonged alcohol misuse.
It can help you get treatment before your issue develops into dependence or addiction if you are aware of the warning signs and symptoms of each stage. In this article, we’ll talk about the stages of alcohol addiction and what to expect in each stage.
Generically experimenting with alcohol is the initial stage of alcoholism. These drinkers could be inexperienced with various types of alcohol and are prone to pushing the boundaries. Young adults frequently go through this experimental time.
Binge drinking is another common activity among these experimental drinkers. They may not be regular drinkers, but when they do, they pour in a remarkably enormous amount of alcohol. Medline Plus defines binge drinking as the following:
Binge drinkers often exceed this amount. This is particularly true for teenagers who go to parties where the main activity is drinking. If you only binge drink infrequently, you might believe that it’s harmless, but that couldn’t be removed from reality.
Large-scale alcohol consumption at one time is risky and can result in death or a coma. It’s also possible to develop a dependency on the high you experience from drinking and notice an increase in the frequency of these episodes.
When people drink more often, they transition out of the experimental stage. You might start drinking every weekend instead of only occasionally at gatherings. These other causes of drinking can also result from increased alcohol intake:
Moderate drinking and regular alcohol usage are not the same thing. It typically carries a stronger emotional attachment. While regular drinkers use alcohol to feel good all the time, moderate drinkers might match a glass of wine with their dinner. You run the risk of becoming an alcoholic when your drinking increases and become more dependent on alcohol.
Frequent, uncontrolled alcohol abuse eventually leads to problem drinking. While any form of alcohol abuse is problematic, the term “problem drinker” refers to someone who starts experiencing the impacts of their habit.
You may become more depressed, more anxious, or start losing sleep. You may start to feel sick from heavy drinking, but enjoy its effects too much to care. Many drinkers at this stage are more likely to drink and drive or experience legal troubles as a result of their drinking.
There are also specific social changes related to problem drinking. These include:
The two aspects of alcoholism are addiction and dependency. Someone may be reliant on alcohol yet not yet addicted. After drinking becomes problematic, dependence develops. You have become so dependent on alcohol that it is now part of your daily routine. Although you are aware of the negative consequences, you are no longer in charge of how much alcohol you drink.
You have also grown tolerant of alcohol if you are dependent on it. You might therefore need to consume more alcohol to become “buzzed” or intoxicated. The effects of increased drinking on the body are more detrimental.
Withdrawal is another trait associated with dependence. Following your sobriety, you could experience unwanted effects such as:
Addiction is the last phase of alcoholism. By now you’re not interested in drinking for enjoyment alone. The drive to drink alcohol on a bodily and psychological level is a hallmark of alcohol addiction.
People addicted to alcohol frequently experience emotional instability until they resume drinking and have a physical craving for the drug. They might also be dependent on other medicines. Alcohol addiction is characterized by compulsive habits, and its sufferers frequently drink wherever they want.
When risky drinkers don’t believe they have an issue, that is one of the main causes of concern. Alcoholism is problematic at any level. The only safe method to use alcohol is in moderation, although not everyone can safely drink alcohol in general.
Early detection of alcohol-related issues can aid in the prevention of addiction and dependency. To get a fresh start and detoxify the body from alcohol, medical therapy could be required. Given that many alcoholics experience psychological issues, getting treatment from a therapist or support group might aid in the recovery process.
The harder it is to stop drinking, the further along you are in the phases of alcoholism. The following are the long-term dangers of binge drinking:
If you have a drinking problem, there’s no need to despair; you can get out of it but you must act as soon as possible. At Wellness on Wheels, our doctors and therapists are dedicated to ensuring you live free from alcohol dependency. Click on this link for a free consultation. If you are not addicted to alcohol but want to know more about the addiction, you can also ask our in-house therapists. You don’t have to suffer the terrible consequences of alcohol addiction alone. You can receive help now!
