Alcoholism - Last Stage

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The fourth and final stage of alcoholism is characterised by a chronic loss of control.  In the earlier stages of alcohol dependency, the alcoholic had a choice whether he or she would take the first drink.  

In the last stage of alcoholism, however, an alcoholic no longer has a choice: he or she must drink in order to function in his or her daily activities.  It almost goes without saying that immediate medical attention is needed when the alcoholic reaches this alcoholism stage.

In The Last Stage of Alcoholism, Alcoholics "Must" Drink

In the earlier stages of the disease, the individual might have been relatively successful in maintaining regular employment.

Now, however, drinking starts earlier in the day and usually continues throughout the day.

Not surprisingly, very few, if any, full-time positions can be maintained once an individual has reached this regrettable set of circumstances. In the earlier stages of dependency, the alcoholic had a choice whether he or she would take the first drink.

Once the alcoholic had the first drink, he or she usually lost all control and would then continue drinking.  In the last stage of alcoholism, however, alcoholics no longer have a choice. 

More to the point, in the last and final stage of alcoholism, unfortunately, alcoholics must drink in order to function.

Benders:  Last Stage Flights Into Oblivion

During the last stage of alcoholism, benders are typical.  That is, in this stage, the alcoholic gets helplessly drunk and may remain in this condition for days at a time.  The unattainable goal for the alcoholic at this time is to find the feeling of euphoria they once experienced.  

In this stage, the alcoholic manifests an utter disregard for everything, including food, shelter, family, and job.  Ironically, these occasional flights into oblivion are best described as drinking to get away from the problems caused by drinking.

In the second or third stages of alcoholism the alcoholic's hands may have trembled slightly on mornings after getting drunk.  In the final stage of alcoholism, however, alcoholics get "the shakes" whenever they try or are forced to abstain from drinking.  These tremors are an indication of a severe nervous disorder that now affects the entire body of the alcoholic. 

Delirium Tremens

When "the shakes" are combined with hallucinations, the result is known as "the DTs" or delirium tremens, a potentially fatal form of alcohol withdrawal if the alcoholic does not receive medical attention.  After an attack of the DTs, many alcoholics promise to never drink again.  Sadly, most of them do not and can not fulfill their promise, and so they eventually return to drinking, and the process starts all over again.

The Need For an Easily Accessible Supply of Alcohol

In the final stage of alcoholism, having an easily accessible supply of alcohol close at hand (to avoid "the shakes") becomes the most important thing in the life of the alcoholic.  During this stage, the alcoholic will do almost anything to get the alcohol they require.  Once the alcohol is secured, the alcoholic will usually hide their bottles so that they can get a drink whenever they need it, which usually means any hour of the day or the night.

Alcoholism - Last Stage Symptoms

When an individual reaches the 4th and last stage of alcohol dependence, he or she is in the phase that is also known as "chronic alcoholism."  The following represents some of the key symptoms of the 4th stage of alcoholism:

• Benders, or lengthy intoxications
• Continual loss of control
• Obsession with drinking
• Vague spiritual desires
• "The shakes"
• Moral deterioration
• The "DTs"
• Impaired thinking
• Devaluation of personal relationships
• Persistent remorse
• Loss of tolerance for alcohol
• The realization of being out of control
• Unreasonable resentments and hostility toward others
• Nameless fears and anxieties such as feelings of impending doom or destruction
• Auditory and visual hallucinations
• The collapse of the alibi system
• Indefinable fears
• The possibility of alcoholic psychosis

Alcoholism Last Stage:  Conclusion

Alcoholism - Last Stage.  The fourth and last stage of alcoholism is characterised by an almost total loss of control regarding drinking behavior.  In the earlier stages of the disease, the person may have been successful in maintaining a job.  Now, however, drinking starts earlier in the day and usually continues throughout the day.  As a result, few, if any, full-time jobs can be sustained once a person has reached this last stage of alcoholism.

In the earlier stages of the dependency, the alcoholic had a choice whether he or she would take the first drink.  Once the alcoholic had the first drink, he or she usually lost all control and would then continue drinking.  In the last stage of alcoholism, however, an alcoholic no longer has a choice: he or she must drink in order to function.

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