According to the
DSM in
psychology, there are three stages of alcoholism:
- Prealcoholic Phase: This includes social drinking, an increase in tolerance, and alcohol is primarily used as a release from anxiety, boredom and stress.
- Initial Alcoholic Phase: Studies have shown that alcoholics in this phase actually take bigger swigs of alcohol when drinking. There is a switch to harder liquors and disruptive behaviors start to occur. Tolerance increases. The alcoholic tends to feel a lack of self esteem and depression over his or her behavior.
- Chronic Alcoholic Phase: There is now a lack of ability to control drinking. The alcoholic gets inadequate nutrition, and even after a few short hours without alcohol, they begin to show withdrawal symptoms.
Alcohol is involved in half of all car deaths, and is a factor in one third of suicides, homicides, rapes, and accidental deaths.