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5 Of The Most Common Signs of Late-Stage Alcoholism

If the alcoholic makes it through the first four days without a seizure, chances are reduced by 90% that he or she will have one. There are three stages of alcoholism, each characterized by a significant identifier that suggests an individual’s alcohol use has progressed. While each stage of alcoholism is treatable, early intervention is always preferred.

Medical detoxification and outpatient rehabilitation or intensive outpatient programs may be necessary to help the individual overcome their physical alcohol dependence. Alcoholism is a disease that can take over a person’s life and leave them feeling hopeless. However, with proper treatment and support, most people with alcoholism can recover and lead healthy, productive lives. Alcoholism often starts as just having a little bit of fun—but without controlling the amount and frequency it’s consumed, it can quickly progress to addiction. Alcoholism treatment is possible at any stage of its progression, but understanding how it works is important so you can get help sooner rather than later.

What is the final stage in the development of alcoholism?

Even in early civilizations, there were people who struggled to control their alcohol consumption. For a long time, people who struggled with drinking were thought to have a moral failure or lack of willpower. It wasn’t until the mid-1900s that scientists started to delve a little deeper into the factors that contributed to harmful, habitual drinking. During this stage, the person has no control over any aspect of their life and may suffer extreme, irreparable damage to their physical, emotional, and social health.

Excessive or chronic use, for purposes of the study, was considered eight or more drinks for women and 15 or more for men. The line in which it passes from a harmless pastime to a life-threatening problem can sometimes be blurry. By examining behavior and possible signs of an alcohol use disorder, one can get a clearer picture if they have a problem, or to help a friend or loved one who may not see the signs in themselves.

What Are the Different Stages of Alcoholism?

Trying to find their “sweet spot” in a drink preference is typically accomplished through experimentation. They could fall from a surface or get into a fight with somebody. Our new outpatient facility is located in Boise, and will serve The Boise Metropolitan Area. It will provide a safe & therapeutic environment for both our staff and patients.

They will also experience the fullest extent of withdrawal symptoms should they try and stop. Many people will seek out treatment once they reach this stage either on their own accord or through the help of their family and friends. Reaching the late-stage of alcohol use disorder poses serious consequences to a person’s physical and mental wellbeing. Many people at this point become unable to maintain a job or function normally in their usual routine.

End-Stage Alcoholism And Health Complications

The individual may have isolated themselves, lost their job, or damaged major organs in the body. Another consequence is the risk to their overall health as the organs shut down. You are no longer drinking for pleasure now, but because you feel a physical and psychological need to drink.

• When the liver can no longer metabolize the alcohol quickly enough, it will send it back into the bloodstream.
• Individualized treatment programs delivered in a comfortable, relaxed setting promote healing in your recovery journey.
• When a person enters this phase, the long-term effects of heavy drinking start to become impossible to hide.
• Heroin addiction is life-threatening and scary for all parties involved.
• Men often experience erectile dysfunction and testicular atrophy, while women can have painful swelling in one or both breasts.

Treating the alcohol use disorder, along with the health problems caused by chronic, heavy drinking, may be possible. The first step will likely be a medically supervised detox, which will help rid your body of toxins and manage the symptoms of withdrawal. Before the drink takes one of your loved ones away from you, know the warning signs of alcohol addiction, and do what you can to help them quit drinking while there’s still time to recover. From there, he reported, alcohol misuse progressed into alcohol addiction and eventually to the point of chronic, uncontrollable alcohol use disorder.

Some historians argue alcoholic beverages helped to further human civilization by providing a much-needed source of hydration to early people when there was no access to clean water. Alcohol use disorder treatment does not just keep a person from using alcohol, ring a bell, and declare the person cured. Or maybe a college student gets stuck early on in their drinking exposure. They might increase their use of alcohol from the occasional drink or two at get-togethers to having more get-togethers for an excuse to drink. If there are any concerns about content we have published, please reach out to us at

If they can’t stop with or without intervention, the disease progresses to the next stage. If the person starts to habitually drink alcohol as a way to cope with the difficulties of sober house everyday life, this is a good sign they may be in the pre-alcoholic stage. People in the pre-alcoholic stage may drink more or more often than others, but it’s not always obvious.