Becoming an alcoholic is not a conscious choice. Some people who decide to drink from time to time face a risk of developing this chronic and progressive disease. It affects 1 in every 8 Americans and contributes to about 88,000 deaths annually. The main reason for the abundance of deaths is a long list of health problems caused by prolonged alcohol consumption. Many of those health conditions are preventable when a person decides to get treatment for their problematic drinking.
AddictionResource authors think that it is useful to know the five stages of alcoholism shown in this infographic. Thus, you may see whether your or someone’s consumption of alcohol is already going out of control. It is crucial to understand that each of the stages is associated with more and more serious health risks.
Regardless of which stage you or a loved one is in, there is hope for recovery. Many treatment centers across the country host a variety of inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation programs for substance use disorders, as well as other related conditions. If you don’t know where to seek help, talk to your regular doctor and get a referral to a treatment specialist.
