Being sober is the new high because alcohol addiction is a treatable medical disorder, not a habit people have to live with. No single test confirms alcoholism. But its stages are now clearly defined, and proven treatments exist. So people who drink too much can get alcohol addiction treatment and stay sober.
Summary: Drinking is socially accepted. In many cultures, it is even a sign of being grown up. But many people start drinking too much. Some people seem prone to alcoholism. Alcoholism is a serious health problem. Yet it is still not well understood. No single test can confirm it. Still, the stages of alcoholism are now clearly defined, and there are proven ways to manage alcohol addiction. So people addicted to alcohol should seek alcohol addiction treatment and know that being sober is the new high.
Humans have drunk alcohol for ages, and drinking is socially accepted. In many societies, above all in Western nations, drinking is even seen as a sign of growing up. Some say only children must stay sober.
So millions of people drink alcohol regularly. Studies suggest almost 85% of adults in the US drink alcohol. About five to six percent of all US adults are addicted to alcohol. That means they are living with alcoholism.
One problem with alcoholism is that its edges are not well defined. It is unclear who is an alcoholic. No tests or lab markers can diagnose it. So alcoholism is mostly diagnosed from an exam and history, or indirectly.
There is good news too. Studies show that drinking is no longer seen as stylish. So heavy drinking has dropped some. Drinking has gone down even in the last few years.
That means more and more people see the dangers of heavy drinking. Many now see that drinking is not always cool.
What are the stages of alcoholism?
Today, heavy drinking is no longer seen as a habit or a lack of willpower. Medical science now sees heavy drinking as a health disorder.
In fact, medical science now defines the three stages of alcohol dependence. It starts with the first stage, when a person begins drinking often. At this stage, alcohol does not cause many problems, but the person looks for reasons to drink. For example, in the first stage, a person drinks to fight boredom, to celebrate or to fight loneliness.
During the first stage, the body starts to adapt to alcohol. So these people show few signs of drinking. They can even function well while drunk. They can also resist some of alcohol’s effects.
From the middle, or second, stage, these people start to depend on alcohol in body and mind. Their organs start to depend on alcohol. Their heart starts to beat unevenly, which damages the heart muscle. Heavy drinking changes the liver and the gut. They drink out of habit and start to act erratically. They also show withdrawal symptoms like nausea, sweating and severe irritability.
Finally, many reach late-stage alcohol dependence. It is full-blown alcohol dependency. This stage is called alcoholism. These people live with severe malnutrition, liver disease, weak immunity, heart disease and other physical and mental illness. They often have blackouts and memory loss.
Clearly, the third stage of alcohol dependence is a full-blown health disorder that needs medical treatment.
How do you overcome alcohol addiction?
It is vital to know that alcohol addiction has much in common with drug addiction. So alcohol addiction must be treated in a similar way. In the US, a 12-step program for addiction treatment is widely used. Of course, it is not the only way to treat addiction. It is one of the options.
It has some key parts. One is admitting you are helpless to beat the addiction alone. Another is believing a higher power can help, then asking that higher power for help. It also means listing your shortcomings and working to overcome them. The 12-step program also means keeping a personal inventory, admitting when you are wrong and more.
The good thing about the 12-step program is its focus on building inner strength so people can beat their addiction themselves. Of course, no single method works for everyone. Many people cannot beat addiction through this program or willpower alone. For them, specialized addiction treatment is the way forward. It is vital to know that being sober is the new high.
Frequently asked questions
What happens in late-stage alcoholism?
Late-stage alcohol dependence is full-blown alcoholism. People at this stage live with severe malnutrition, liver disease, weak immunity, heart disease and other physical and mental illness. Blackouts and memory loss are common. It is a health disorder that needs medical treatment, not a failure of willpower.
Can someone be an alcoholic and still function?
Yes, mostly early on. In the first stage the body adapts to alcohol. So the person shows few signs of drinking, can function well while drunk and resists some of alcohol’s effects. They drink to fight boredom or loneliness or to celebrate. That is why early alcoholism is easy to miss.
How is alcoholism diagnosed?
There is no single test or lab marker for alcoholism, and its edges are not sharply defined. It is diagnosed from an exam and history, or indirectly, not by a lab result. Medical science now defines three stages of alcohol dependence. Signs like withdrawal symptoms, erratic behavior and damage to the heart and liver mark the move into the later stages.
How common is alcohol addiction?
Almost 85% of US adults drink alcohol. About five to six percent of all US adults are addicted to it. There is good news too. Drinking is no longer seen as stylish. Drinking has gone down in the last few years as more people see the dangers of heavy drinking.
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