Content
Sadness, boredom, or loneliness also become excuses to drink, rather than seeking out other activities. Or maybe a college student gets stuck early on in their drinking exposure. They might increase their use of alcohol from the occasional drink or two at get-togethers to having more get-togethers for an excuse to drink.
The chances of getting liver disease go up the longer you have been drinking and more alcohol you consume. Alcoholic liver disease is damage to the liver and its function due to alcohol abuse. Support groups, such as AA are also a great way to help recover from this stage of alcoholism. These support groups are particularly helpful once treatment 5 Tips to Consider When Choosing a Sober Living House has been completed and you return to your normal, daily life. Like with any other substance abuse issue, the first step is to enter into a detox program. By entering into a detox program, it allows you to go through all the stages of withdrawal and rid your body of any and all harmful substances in a safe and comfortable manner.
Is there treatment for early-stage alcoholism?
Sometimes, someone may feel out of place at a teen party if they don’t drink like others or a friend pressures them to join in the fun. Because alcohol is orally ingested, it’s processed through your digestive system and liver, leading to rapid absorption into your blood. As this alcohol-rich blood is pumped throughout your body, the alcohol affects every single organ and cell, leading to dramatic changes in how your body functions. Alcohol is classified as a sedative-hypnotic drug, a substance that depresses the central nervous system, especially when consumed in high doses.
- Heavy alcohol use for prolonged periods of time can lead to inflammation of the liver, called hepatitis, that eventually leads to permanent scarring of the liver, called cirrhosis.
- Alcoholism is often ranked on a four-stage scale, ranging from pre-alcoholism to late alcoholism, end-stage alcoholism, and finally, death.
- Alcoholism can take everything away from a person, especially if the person doesn’t seek help in due time.
- Contact us today to learn more about our detox program and read other addiction resources.
Because everyone is unique, no two people will develop AUD in the same way. Particular triggers, causes, and timelines for the development of alcohol addiction will vary from person to person. Despite this, as AUD progresses, there are certain patterns, symptoms, and behaviors to look out for that suggest a person may be heading down the negative road toward severe AUD. Binge drinking takes the concept of social drinking to the next level. While binge drinking is more serious, it can still be done without always resulting in a drinking problem developing.
Symptoms of End-Stage Alcoholism
Alcoholics develop a serious physical dependency on the drug as well as the psychological dependence, which makes them particularly hard to treat. This also comes with a host of symptoms that are unique to the alcoholic in the late stage of alcoholism. Liver failure is a common consequence in the end stage of alcoholism. Look out for specific symptoms like fluid retention, fatigue, itchy skin, and bleeding. Liver disease is just one of many diseases that may arise after long-time, frequent drinking.
But the most common cause of death from alcoholism is a disease. Alcohol-related liver disease occurs from excessive consumption. It can cause the liver to fail, resulting in organ failure and death. The term, “end-stage,” leads many people to believe that end-stage alcoholism is terminal. It is true that advanced alcohol consumption can cause a person’s death. Make no mistake about it, alcohol withdrawal in an end-stage alcoholic can absolutely be fatal, and should be done under medical supervision.
End Stage Alcoholism: Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment
However, once the cirrhosis and its complications develop, which can include fluid accumulation in the abdomen and bleeding in the digestive tract, the prognosis is much worse. In fact, only about half of the individuals experiencing these complications will live for another five years after their diagnosis. Individuals who stop drinking may live slightly longer than those who don’t stop. Has been an expert in addiction medicine for more than 15 years.
