Just as physical health conditions worsen if you do not seek medical treatment, mental health conditions, such as alcohol addiction, also get worse over time without professional intervention from a licensed clinical psychologist. In fact, this is what makes alcoholism and other substance abuse disorders difficult to identify. Early on, their symptoms are less severe and easier to pass off as routine stress or other minor issues. However, as time goes on, alcohol addiction becomes more intense and harder to overcome. It begins to have a greater effect not just on your mental health, but on your physical health, professional life, relationships, and more.
Understanding the stages of alcoholism and the symptoms and treatments of alcohol addiction makes it easier to identify the problem and seek professional help. Learn more about how alcoholism evolves and the impact it can have on your mental, emotional, and physical well-being with this overview.
Pre-Alcoholism Behaviors
Early signs of alcoholism are not always obvious, but they are always there. This pre-alcoholism stage is where negative thought patterns lead to unhealthy habits. For example, someone who is dealing with a lot of stress and struggles to manage their negative thoughts and emotions in a productive way might turn to drinking alcohol to feel better.
As time goes on, they might see alcohol as the easiest or only way to dull emotional pain, soothe anxiety, and get rid of negative thoughts. This leads to an increase in alcohol usage, which in turn starts to increase tolerance and builds a habit of dependence on alcohol.
Early-Stage Alcoholism
An alcohol addiction occurs when the occasional use of alcohol as a coping technique has turned into an unshakeable habit. During this early stage of alcoholism, greater dependence on alcohol causes your thoughts to revolve around drinking. Alcohol becomes your go-to solution to stress and other negative emotions. Increased tolerance causes you to drink more heavily, leading to blacking out, more severe hangovers, and longer periods of inebriation.
This is also the stage where many people begin to lie about how often they are drinking. You might start hiding or isolating yourself from friends or family members or you might start hanging out more with people who intentionally or unintentionally encourage your unhealthy drinking habits.
Mid-Stage Alcoholism
By the time you reach mid-stage alcoholism, your substance abuse is affecting your entire life. You will start to struggle with responsibilities such as keeping appointments, showing up to work on time, or taking care of household chores.
You might also grow irritable and easily frustrated, leading you to continue drinking even as the people around you become increasingly worried about your well-being. Mid-stage alcoholism is when this mental health condition becomes more apparent not just to your loved ones, but to coworkers, acquaintances, and other figures in your life.
This is also the stage when the physical symptoms of alcohol addiction start to take their toll. You might experience abrupt weight fluctuations, long-lasting fatigue, bloating, redness in the face, and other issues as a result of excessive drinking.
Late-Stage Alcoholism
During late-stage alcoholism, your substance abuse starts to cause severe mental and physical health problems. Drinking takes centerstage in your life, and everything else, including your job, relationships, hobbies, and health, takes a backseat. You might lash out at people around you and damage relationships in the name of your alcohol dependence. Alternatively, you might pull away from others, stop pursuing activities and relationships you once found meaning in, and isolate yourself.
Increased dependence means that withdrawal becomes even harder during this late stage of alcoholism. Some people even experience severe detox symptoms such as hallucinations if they try to stop drinking. This creates a more significant barrier to recovery, causing many people with late-stage alcoholism to avoid seeking treatment.
Other Warning Signs
Recovery from an alcohol addiction is possible at any stage, but it is easier to pursue the earlier you seek help. Understanding some of the warning signs that occur as alcoholism develops makes it easier to identify the issue and take the steps you need to find professional intervention and treatment.
Early warning signs revolve around an increase in drinking habits. You might drink more often than you used to, or you might drink more heavily than intended whenever you have a drink. As alcoholism develops, look out for warning signs, such as relationship strain, decreased job performance, and ignoring or forgetting personal, professional, or social obligation.
Physical Symptoms and Comorbid Conditions
There are also many physical signs and symptoms of alcohol addiction that grow more common and more severe as this mental health disorder progresses, including the following:
- Rapid, unexplained weight gain or weight loss
- Decrease in coordination
- Fatigue and difficulty staying awake
- Restlessness and difficulty falling asleep
- Unexplained bruises, scars, or other marks
- Glazed or red eyes
- Clammy or shaky hands
- Redness or puffiness in the face
- Nausea or vomiting
- Excessive sweating
- Poor personal hygiene
Later stages of alcoholism can also lead to severe physical health conditions. Alcohol addiction increases your risk of alcohol-related cancers, such as cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, or liver. It can also have a long-term impact on the brain, increasing your risk of dementia and other debilitating conditions. Other physical health problems associated with alcoholism include cardiovascular disease, liver disease, pancreatitis, and a weakened immune system.
Alcoholism Recovery
Pursuing treatment for alcohol addiction is no easy feat, but it is always worth it. Working with a licensed clinical psychologist is the key to regaining control and achieving stability, positivity, and better overall well-being.
There are many different kinds of evidence-based therapies that can help with alcohol addiction. This includes Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), a treatment modality that uses the principals of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients build greater distress tolerance, emotional regulation, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness. Through DBT and other therapeutic modalities, patients can build more positive thought patterns that allow them to manage negative thoughts and emotions without relying on alcohol. In addition to helping you heal from your current addiction, this makes it easier to avoid relapse and better manage stress, anger, and other negative experiences in the future.
Finding Treatment With Blair Wellness Group
If you are looking for a licensed clinical psychologist who offers DBT Treatment in Los Angeles, Irvine, Beverly Hills, Newport Beach, Bel Air, Century City, Brentwood, Westwood, Huntington Beach, Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo, and the surrounding areas, contact Blair Wellness Group to see how our evidence-based treatment plans can help you.
