The first time someone takes a drink of alcohol it’s pretty safe to say they weren’t setting out to become an alcoholic. In fact, many adults only drink socially on weekends but unfortunately there are those that drink more frequently. Some even drink more than they can handle and become an alcoholic. Is it by choice or chance?
While genetics play a role in determining if you will become an alcoholic, there are also outside influences as well that can contribute to it. Many times people who suffer from physical or mental illness turn to alcohol to ‘numb the pain’. But then before they know it they need more and more alcohol to be effective in numbing their pain than they previously did. Everyone reacts to alcohol differently, amount tolerated, level of impairment, and number of drinks needed to feel inebriated will vary among people to a great degree.
There are currently many levels, or stages, of alcoholism and the symptoms of alcoholism can vary greatly within each. The early stage, or adaptive stage is where outside observers may start to notice symptoms of alcoholism in a friend or family member. Including increase amounts, times of drinking, and starting drinking outside social events or alone. Many times the person doing the drinking won’t even realize they are slowly becoming an alcoholic and will deny it if anyone says they are.
The second stage is more severe and drinkers are starting to exhibit loss of control of drinking. They drink more to get drunk than for any other reason. Because this stage is a late stage, a person who excessively drinks can suffer a severe reaction if they miss a few days of drinking. This stage sees many health problems if the person drinking doesn’t get help to quit before or at least during this stage.
The final stage of alcoholism is somberly termed “the end stage.” There’s two ways alcoholism will end in this stage. The alcoholic deciding to get help and quit and those that die before getting help. Either way it ends. If you or someone you know is showing symptoms of alcoholism get help, call a friend, a parent, or even a priest. Doesn’t matter who you call for help, as long as you do.
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