How Long Does It Take To Become Addicted to Alcohol? Understanding the Timeline and Influences

Many of us look forward to having a drink after a harrowing week at work or to celebrate special occasions with friends. But at what point does alcohol become our enemy? How much alcohol is too much? When does it start to claim more control over us than we have over it?

Answering these questions for ourselves requires deep self-awareness, an attentiveness to our own habits and psychological dynamics. Answering them for others requires careful listening and a more-than-superficial acquaintance.

Dove Recovery can help our clients determine whether they are dealing with alcohol addiction. Here, we point out what characterizes alcoholism and what circumstances play a role in its development. Beyond that, we seek to help people navigate their way out of alcoholism.

Table of Contents

• What Is Alcohol Addiction?
• What Is the First Stage of Alcoholism?
• 5 Factors That Influence the Addiction Timeline
• Warning Signs of Developing Alcohol Addiction
• Dove Recovery: Compassionate Alcohol Treatment Center in Columbus, OH

Alcoholism, or alcohol addiction, is referred to clinically as alcohol use disorder (AUD). Patients with AUD drink compulsively, have frequent or constant alcohol cravings, and have difficulty controlling how much they drink.

AUD is a condition with strong mental and physical components. The short-term physical consequences of alcohol consumption may constitute a reward that a person then seeks to reproduce. If the person does so often enough, it can lead to physical dependence on alcohol, wherein the body suffers acutely, even dangerously, from alcohol withdrawal. 

It may also strengthen psychological dependence on alcohol, such that the person becomes addicted. Someone who is addicted exhibits compulsive behavior to achieve the temporarily relieving effects of alcohol on the brain, despite being aware of its negative effects on their health and relationships.

For intervention to be effective, it needs to be customized to fit the afflicted person’s needs. At Dove Recovery, we understand that the treatment of alcoholism is a deeply personal and challenging endeavor. If you or a loved one need assistance of this nature, do not hesitate to contact us.

Initially, alcohol addiction may not present as such. It may easily be passed off as “social drinking” or “weekend drinking.” At this beginning stage, the positive aspects of intoxication are the most salient. 

The prospect of reward in the mind of the addict encourages repeated use of alcohol that results in changes to the basal ganglia within the brain and thus the formation of new habits, such as compulsive drinking. 

The length of each of the following stages is different for every person.

#1: Early Stage

At this stage, drinking may appear to be casual (no big deal!), but it is actually tending toward habitual use. As occasional drinking becomes more frequent, the body develops a tolerance for a given amount of alcohol. Thus more alcohol is needed to experience the same effects. 

Signs of early alcoholism include:

• Drinking socially but in greater quantities, possibly resulting in a hangover
• Relying on alcohol to relieve stress or improve mood
• Justifying overdrinking

#2: Middle Stage

At this point, the social drinker may not wish to wait for a social occasion to drink. Drinking becomes even more frequent, and the person begins to rely on alcohol to cope with life, indicating that a mental and physical dependence has begun. Signs include:

• Memory lapses (blackouts)
• Drinking more frequently, perhaps at odd times
• Feeling guilty about drinking, which may lead to drinking secretly

#3: Late Stage

Late-stage alcoholism is an unmistakable addiction, wherein a person feels little control over one’s drinking habits and experiences symptoms of withdrawal. This stage significantly disrupts quality of life because the person is visibly intoxicated and drinking occurs daily. 

At this point, the person’s health may seriously suffer, and drinking helps mainly to prevent the unpleasantness of severe withdrawal but doesn’t bring the “reward” that it used to. Symptoms of late-stage alcohol addiction are:

• Neglect of responsibilities (or even nutrition and hygiene)
• Mood swings or irritability
• Other behaviors to cover up drinking habit, including lying or sneaking
• Failure to not drink or to drink less
• Nausea, sweating, and tremors (or — in more serious cases — hallucinations, seizures, and tremors) during longer periods of abstinence

There is no strict timeline for progression through the stages of alcoholism because there are several different factors at play in the life of every person who uses alcohol. Some people can drink for months without becoming addicted, whereas some can develop dependency and addiction within a matter of weeks. 

#1: Genetics and Family History

There is not a single gene responsible for susceptibility to alcoholism. Rather, there are several whose cumulative effects contribute to a greater likelihood of developing the condition. Genes linked to the following effects, for example, are believed to be involved in people’s decisions surrounding alcohol use:

• Personality traits like impulsivity and novelty seeking
• Mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety
• Enhancement of dopamine’s effect on the body and thus a greater sensation of “reward” from alcohol use

Although children of alcoholic parents are 4 times more likely to develop an addiction to alcohol, genes are not determinative. Many other factors are at work, including inhibitory factors that offset those leading to more alcohol use.

#2: Quantity of Alcohol Consumption

The more frequently a person drinks and the greater the amount consumed, the faster they can develop an addiction. When someone drinks enough to raise their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 g/dL, they are considered to have been binge drinking. 

For men, it takes about 5 drinks in 2 hours to raise the BAC to this level. For women, it takes 4 drinks in the same time frame. Of course, it may take fewer or more drinks, depending on the person’s size.

#3: Age and Gender

Although men have historically been more likely to consume alcohol and engage in binge drinking, putting them at higher risk for developing AUD, statistics reveal a narrowing of the gap between men and women in this regard.

It may be social, environmental, or cultural changes causing the rise in alcohol use by females, but does being male or female make someone more likely to develop AUD? A Harvard medical study indicated that women tend to move more quickly from substance abuse to dependence and are more likely to suffer harmful medical side effects than men, even if they drink less.

People who begin alcohol consumption early in life (in the teen years) tend to be at higher risk for developing AUD and becoming addicted more quickly and at a younger age.

#4: Mental Health Conditions

Alcoholism and mental health struggles frequently occur together. Each condition can feed off the other, depression and anxiety making a person more prone to alcoholism, and vice versa. What began as a way to try to relieve depression, for instance, may contribute in the long term to more deeply depressive episodes when one is not under the influence of alcohol.

Also, having a history of trauma or a traumatic event can cause someone to become addicted more easily. Alcohol use may be the victim’s attempt to cope with the symptoms of trauma. There may also be a combination of neurobiological changes in trauma victims that make them more vulnerable to developing AUD.

#5: Social and Environmental Influences

Living in a milieu that normalizes alcohol use as a form of entertainment or stress management can reinforce habits that lead to alcoholism. Pressure of this kind may come from peers, parents, or the culture at large.  

Victims of abuse, especially emotional abuse, are at greater risk of abusing alcohol and becoming severely dependent.

Signs that you or a loved one are becoming addicted to alcohol include:

• Increased tolerance and cravings
• Drinking more than intended
• Using alcohol as a coping mechanism
• Withdrawal symptoms and failed attempts to quit

If you or someone you know is showing these signs, call Dove Recovery today. We can help you on your journey toward sobriety.

Dove Recovery helps patients overcome addiction to a variety of drugs in our luxury rehab center. Our compassionate care team applies evidence-based research in their care and understands the complexity of alcohol use disorder, especially when combined with mental disorders.

Depending on your needs, we offer a variety of treatment options, including:

• Regular or intensive outpatient programs
• Partial hospitalization program
• Counseling and therapy services
• Ambulatory detox

Besides providing medical support, if necessary, we teach our patients to prevent relapses by using positive coping strategies. Call us today to learn how you or your loved one can overcome alcohol addiction.