Stages Of Alcoholism

Few people take their first dose of a drug-- illegal or legal-- with the hope of getting addicted. Yet for 2009, the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that 23.5 million people sought some form of treatment for drug and alcohol problems. Of course, individual physiology and psychological makeup have much to do with how rapidly addiction can take hold and with the amount consumed prior to passing the unseen threshold from freedom to slavery.

While every individual case may be different in time frame and intensity of dependence, certain patterns are standard among the complete pool of substance abusers. From the statements of addicted people and those who treat them, clinicians are able to single out benchmarks for the stages of drug addiction.
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Experimenting With Substances

Addiction need not start in youth. Even the elderly might use alcohol or substances to soothe being lonely. Without a honest self-assessment-- a truthful analysis of the signals of drug addiction-- a user can pass unwittingly into the more acute stages of drug addiction.

Regular Use
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Taking a drug or other people substance on a regular basis does not always lead an individual into addiction. Some people are able to consume a substance regularly for a period and then end its use with little or no discomfort. The likelihood of addiction is based upon the duration of the consumption and the potency of the dosages. Should the duration continue indefinitely and the potency of dosage also increase, regular use might become substance addiction. An additional cautionary sign is particular adjustments in tendencies. If speech and conduct adjustment significantly, particularly a raised propensity toward aggressiveness and risky behavior, it is necessary to cease using the drug.

Hazardous Use

While the stages of drug addiction are traveled through, the person's personal decisions and tendencies become progressively more dangerous, both to himself or herself and others. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that 28.4 percent of young adults between the ages of 21 and 25 drove under the influence of illegal substances in 2009.

• Driving a vehicle while under the influence of a depressant
• Spending money foolishly to obtain the drug
• Defensiveness in conversation
• Hiding things
• Adjustments in look.
Adjustments in desire for food, memory failure and worsening coordination are also manifestations of drug abuse. The line of demarcation between hazardous use and dependence is thin and difficult to distinguish. Securing help for yourself or someone you care about should not be delayed at this phase.

Dependence

Of all the stages of drug use, addiction and dependence are the hardest to demarcate. The destructive consequences of substance abuse are clearly noticeable in dependency.
Through it all, though, the dependent differs from the addict by meeting sufficient responsibilities to preserve the basic structure of his/her life. Although the trajectory of drug abuse phases remains headed downward, the appearance of functionality lingers.

Addiction

If changes are not initiated-- and help is not found-- the stages of drug addiction lead to the most dangerous phase: addiction itself. Now Onset Of Alcohol Withdrawal Normally Starts 6 Hours-- 24 Hrs After The Last Alcoholic Beverage is mentally and physically bonded to continual usage of the substance or alcohol. The point of brain disorder is reached and the patient is susceptible to many destructive results of long-term drug abuse.
At this depth, the individual desiring freedom from addiction should go through detoxing. Because the addiction is of both body and mind, withdrawal symptoms are best managed and remedied by seasoned doctors. After the addictive substance has left the physical body, the substance abuser can work with psychotherapists to isolate the origins and character of the addiction. Honest and systematic therapy with mental health professionals, coupled with consistent participation in a support group has helped numerous outwardly irreparable addicts to lives devoid of chemical abuse.
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Without a candid self-assessment-- an sincere assessment of the signs of drug addiction-- an individual could pass unwittingly into the more acute stages of drug addiction.
Using a drug or other chemical substance on a regular basis does not inevitably entrap someone into addiction. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that 28.4 percent of young adults between the ages of 21 and 25 drove a vehicle under the influence of illicit drugs in 2009. Of all the stages of drug addiction, use and dependence are the most challenging to separate. If changes are not initiated-- and counsel is not gotten-- the stages of substance addiction draw a person to the most grievous stage: addiction itself.

Structure and Statistics from:
http://www.projectknow.com/research/stages-of-drug-addiction/
http://www.samhsa.gov/