Descent into Alcoholism

There are four identified stages or signs of alcoholism that you should be aware of as you try to determine how much of a problem alcohol has become in your life or the life of someone you care about.

They are:

1. Desire to drink -- the drinker feels better if they have a drink. They feel they are better able to cope with life if they have a few drinks. Drinking makes them feel in control, able to converse with people, they feel more comfortable in social or business situations, and they feel they can stop drinking whenever they want to.
   
2. Need to drink -- the drinker has a dependence on alcohol, although they are quick to deny it. Their drinking may be noticed by family or friends, and they get defensive when asked about it. They object to any suggestion that they drink too much.
   
3. Increased loss of control -- the drinker may have good intentions to have only "a couple of drinks" but as soon as they start drinking, they cannot control their drinking behaviour and a few drinks becomes many drinks. They may drink until they are very drunk, and cannot stop themselves from continuing to drink.
   
4. Total loss of control -- the drinker must drink in order to function in daily life. Alcohol has completely taken over and in order to feel okay, as in "not hung over", the drinker has a compulsion to drink. Drinking starts earlier in the day, and lasts later at night. The drinker's job, family and health are in jeopardy. If the drinker does not get immediate treatment, an alcohol-related death is a distinct possibility.