The Three Stages of Alcoholism: Early, Middle, & End-Stage Alcoholism

Despite the imprecision inherent in the term, there have been attempts to define how the word alcoholism should be interpreted when encountered. In 1991, the CBS news program 60 Minutes ran a story called “The French Paradox” which suggested that drinking alcohol, or at least red wine, reduced the risk of heart disease. A person in recovery for drug addiction looks out from a substance abuse treatment center in Westborough, Mass. The fact is that recovering from an addiction to alcohol isn’t easy. These statistics are pulled from research where former alcoholics/recovering alcoholics underwent treatment.

In other words, the large majority of members didn’t drink for 80% of a year after their treatment ended. Though, this publication notes that the study didn’t compare the AA group to those attempting to recover without treatment. Plus, we have alcoholism recovery statistics on our side to back that up. Read how long do alcoholics live on to find out how evidence-based programs and strong support can help people with AUD get their life back on track. There are many claims stating that red wine is supposedly good for one’s heart. The use of alcohol in moderation may not necessarily carry the same risks as more frequent, heavy drinking.

What’s the Lifespan of an Alcoholic?

But statistically, you’re more at risk if you drink heavily on a regular basis for an extended period of time. For people assigned male, it’s about four standard drinks a day or more than 14 drinks per week. For people assigned female, it’s about three drinks per day or more than 7 drinks per week.

“We are literally surrounded by people who are in recovery from a substance-use disorder, but we don’t know it,” Kelly said. Kelly co-authored a peer-reviewed study published last year that found roughly 22.3 million Americans — more than 9% of adults — live in recovery after some form of substance-use disorder. The U.S. faces an unprecedented surge of drug deaths, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting another grim milestone this week.

How is alcohol-induced hepatitis diagnosed?

The kindling effect leads to persistent functional changes in brain neural circuits as well as to gene expression. Kindling also results in the intensification of psychological symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. There are decision tools and questionnaires that help guide physicians in evaluating alcohol withdrawal. Late-stage, or end-stage alcoholism, is a full-blown addiction to alcohol, almost always requiringalcohol detoxto start recovery. The person now spends the bulk of their time servicing the disease by drinking. In this last stage of alcoholism, the individual often exhibits both physical and mental health issues.

• Americans often see the more destructive side of addiction, drug crime, people slumped in doorways and family members who are spiraling downward.
• Because research on the effects of moderate alcohol consumption is mixed, it is important not to rely on one study or use these numbers as an excuse for your drinking habits.
• Baclofen, a GABAB receptor agonist, is under study for the treatment of alcoholism.
• Even moderate alcohol consumption has been tied to an increased likelihood of breast cancer and certain gastrointestinal cancers, Katz says, so those at increased risk for such cancers may not reap a benefit from habitual drinking.
• Alcoholics may also require treatment for other psychotropic drug addictions and drug dependencies.

For men, it is no more than four drinks per day and no more than fourteen drinks per week. It is important to remember that alcoholism is highly subjective and it is also usually very closely tied to your mental health too. A person who has a glass of wine with dinner regularly has a much less chance of becoming an alcoholic than someone who has a drink every night as a way to deal with their stress. Both can become an alcoholic, but the latter is much more likely to.