Quote:
Alcoholism Stages: The Emotional, Social, and Physical Consequences
Problems With Alcohol. Alcoholism is a progressive degenerative disease that includes the following four symptoms: craving, physical dependence, tolerance, and the loss of control.
Alcoholism is a complex topic that can be better understood when it is studied and assessed via the four alcoholism stages. As one reviews these four stages, it will become clear that one's problems with alcohol become increasingly worse as he or she continues to drink in a hazardous, abusive manner. And keep in mind that when the term "alcoholism" is used, this also means "alcohol addiction," "alcohol dependency," or "alcohol dependence."
|
....
Quote:
In the second or third stages of alcoholism the drinker's hands may have trembled slightly on mornings after getting drunk the previous night. In the fourth and last stage of alcoholism, conversely, alcoholics get "the shakes" whenever they attempt or are forced to refrain from drinking.
These tremors are an indication of a serious nervous disorder that now affects the drinker's entire body. When "the shakes" are combined with hallucinations, furthermore, the result is known as "the DTs" or delirium tremens. The DTs are a potentially deadly kind of alcoholism withdrawal that almost always takes place unless the alcoholic receives immediate alcoholism treatment.
|
http://www.squidoo.com/AlcoholismStages
dubblemonkey, if you have concerns re yr drinking you may find this article helpful. the fourth stage can also lead to death. i've witnessed this firsthand with friends. one doesn't have to go that far down the line. admitting, as you have, that you have a problem with drinking can be the first step towards recovery from this disease.
__________________
Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle.
The world you desired can be won. It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours..~Ayn Rand
|