End Stage Alcoholism: Signs, Symptom Timeline & Treatment

By The Recovery Village | Editor Melissa Carmona
Medically Reviewed By Erika Krull, LMHP A licensed behavioral health or medical professional on The Recovery Village Editorial Team has analyzed and confirmed every statistic, study and medical claim on this page. | Last Updated: August 09, 2024

Alcoholism is a progressive condition affecting over 14 million people every year. It can lead to serious health problems, but it is treatable.

Article at a Glance:

Early-stage alcoholism is the beginning of the person’s chronic alcohol use. They may not appear like they have a problem despite having a higher tolerance.

After ongoing heavy use, the body may develop a physical dependence in middle-stage alcoholism, where they’ll experience withdrawal symptoms if they stop drinking.

Late-stage, or end-stage alcoholism, is a full-blown addiction to alcohol, often with damaging physical and mental health effects. Alcohol detox and treatment are nearly always necessary at this stage.

The 3 Stages of Alcoholism

Alcoholism is a chronic disease that progresses through early, middle and late stages. In 2019, it affected 14.5 millionAmericans aged 12 and older, or 5.3% of the population.

Medical Disclaimer: The Recovery Village aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.

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