Alcohol use disorder (AUD) has a serious impact on your life. It can affect everything from health, to work, to family life, and beyond. If you or your loved one is living with AUD, it can be an isolating experience.
It’s important to know that you’re not alone. As of 2022, 7.6% of Floridians reported participating in heavy drinking, which is considered eight or more drinks a week for women, and fifteen for men.
Real Recovery is here to support people in the Tampa area living with AUD. We know recovery is a long-term commitment that goes beyond your time in our program. That’s why we help our clients get resources like food stamps, gym memberships, driver’s licenses, and more.
We also know that AUD exists along a spectrum. You don’t usually start out drinking all day every day. In the beginning, it can be easy to disregard symptoms. That’s why it’s important to know the different stages of alcoholism.
The Five Main Stages of Alcoholism: E. Morton Jellinek’s Model
Much of our modern understanding of AUD comes from the research done by American scientist E. Morton Jellinek. Through his research, he developed what is known as the Jellinek Curve, in which he identifies the stages of AUD and recovery.
This research demonstrates that AUD is not black and white, but exists on a spectrum. By looking at AUD as a multifaceted condition, you come to understand that it affects everyone differently. People experiencing different stages of the condition’s progression often have very different experiences from one another.
So let’s break down the five stages of AUD.
The Pre-Alcoholic Stage
The pre-alcoholic state can be difficult to identify in yourself or someone in your life. This is the stage where there are no real indicators that AUD is present, meaning that you do not have any physical or psychological dependence.
During this stage, you may just drink socially with friends. You may use alcohol as a way to relax on occasion or to deal with stress. In this phase, it is possible that you’re not experiencing negative side effects as a result of drinking, and there are not many – if any – external warning signs that you could be developing AUD.
It’s important to keep tabs on your reasons for drinking at this stage. If you’re relying on alcohol as a social lubricant, or to ease anxiety, you’re at risk for developing AUD if you continue to participate in those behaviors in the long-term.
Early-Stage Alcoholism
The second stage of AUD is when it starts to become clear to you or the people who are close to you that your relationship with alcohol has changed. It’s in this stage that you begin drinking heavily, blacking out, and spending a lot of time or money on alcohol.
Another good indicator of early-stage AUD is if you only drink to get drunk, or you try to get drunk as quickly as possible. People living with early-stage AUD do not necessarily drink every day, but when they do drink, it’s not usually casual.
At this stage of AUD, you may notice signs like lying about alcohol consumption or downplaying the amount you drink to the people in your life.
The Middle Alcoholic Stage
By the time you reach the third stage of AUD, symptoms are more obvious to you and those around you. Your drinking is affecting your ability to take care of responsibilities at work and home and getting in the way of day-to-day life. You could be isolating yourself from friends and family, or giving up hobbies that you once enjoyed so that you can afford to spend more time and money on alcohol.
At this stage of addiction, you’re not taking great care of yourself. You’re showing physical signs of AUD, like weight gain, weight loss, or difficulty maintaining your hygiene.
In the middle stage of AUD, you have built up a tolerance for alcohol, meaning you need to consume more and more alcohol to feel the same effect. At the same time, you are likely experiencing symptoms of withdrawal when you stop drinking alcohol, like shaking, sweating, headaches, nausea, and insomnia.
End-Stage Alcoholism
At the end stage of AUD, you drink every day. Alcohol takes precedence over most things in your life, including your ability to support yourself and manage basic functions.
Your relationships are suffering and you do not feel like your friends or family understand your experience. Your health has likely deteriorated to the point of liver damage or even failure. You could be at risk of cancer or even death. At this stage, you will experience severe withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking, potentially including seizures and vivid hallucinations.
Recovery
Even after you reach end-stage AUD, there is still hope. Jellinek theorized that the last true stage of AUD is recovery. This is what happens when you enter treatment where you can safely detox from alcohol.
Therapy and 12-step programs like AA are useful tools for managing AUD and staying sober long-term. In the recovery phase, many people benefit from sober living where you spend a year living with other people who are also in recovery. This fosters a supportive environment. It can also reduce the triggers you face that could lead to a return to use.
Signs of Problem Drinking: What Does AUD Look Like?
AUD looks different for everyone. This is especially true depending on the stage of AUD they are in. AUD occurs when you have a physical and psychological dependence on alcohol.
Common signs of AUD include:
- Not being able to limit the amount you drink
- Craving alcohol or getting the strong urge to drink
- Spending a lot of time or money on alcohol
- Spending a lot of time recovering from alcohol use
- Reducing the time spent on hobbies or other social activities to drink more
- Drinking to numb your feelings
- Hiding alcohol in places around your house or vehicle
- Lying to the people in your life about your drinking habits
- Drinking in places you shouldn’t – like at work or other events
- Always planning the next time you are going to drink
- Building up a tolerance to alcohol, or needing more and more alcohol to feel its effects
AUD is not always obvious. Some people are better at masking their symptoms than others. If you are concerned that a loved one has AUD, it may be time to have a conversation. Let them know about the signs you have noticed. Make it clear that you care about them and are there to offer support.
When to Seek Help for Drinking: Is It Time to Say “Enough Is Enough”?
How do you know that it’s time to find help for AUD? Here are seven telltale signs that you could benefit from a treatment program.
- You can’t stop drinking despite multiple attempts to do so.
- Alcohol prevents you from completing responsibilities at work or home.
- Your friends and family have expressed concerns about how much you drink.
- You regularly black out or can’t remember what you did while drinking.
- You make poor decisions when you drink, like having unprotected sex or drinking and driving.
- You experience withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop drinking.
- You get angry when you drink, and start fights or get aggressive with friends and family.
These are not hard and fast rules. If you’re experiencing any symptoms of AUD, treatment can improve your life. Do not wait for AUD to worsen before you find the support you need.
Get Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder in Tampa, Florida
Whether you have been living with AUD for a long time, or you have noticed that your drinking has recently increased substantially, it can have a massive impact on your life. Getting alcoholism treatment is the best way to reclaim your life, and get to the root causes of AUD.
A strong AUD treatment program will provide you with multiple options for recovery that are tailored to your unique needs. This should include options for detoxification, where medical professionals help you safely get through the withdrawals as alcohol leaves your system. In some cases, medication-assisted treatment should be used to mitigate the worst of the withdrawal symptoms. Then, in therapy, you can get to the root causes of your AUD and any co-existing mental health conditions.
Real Recovery Solutions treats AUD in the wider Tampa, FL, area. We have one of the largest sober living communities in the state. Let us get you the support you need for a real recovery, and contact us at 813-373-6762.
Real people. Real solutions. Real results.
