For millions of Americans, alcohol is viewed as a widely acceptable and social substance, and poses no threat to their health, relationships, or overall functionality. However, for millions of other Americans, drinking alcohol is like a deadly game of Russian Roulette, never knowing which drink may be the one send someone to the emergency room. Alcoholism is a deadly, progressive disease that plagues millions of people, many of whom may not even realize the dangerous cycle that has become a part of everyday life. It is the opinion of many people in the addiction treatment field, alcoholism is the most dangerous of all addictions, including opiates and benzodiazepines (both of which have proven to be lethal for millions). Because of the acceptance and legality of alcohol, the likelihood of alcohol abuse and alcoholism is increased. People are often expected to consume alcoholic beverages at social events and very few would even raise an eyebrow to see an individual drink alcohol several times a week. However, most anyone would be immediately concerned bearing witness to another shooting heroin or taking a handful of pills just once.

Aside from it's acceptance in mainstream society, alcohol is toxic to the human body and causes a great deal of damage to major bodily organs, especially the liver. Once there has been significant liver damage, it is irreversible and the only possible treatment is a liver transplant. Many people who have suffered from severe alcoholism struggle with cirrhosis of the liver, which can be described as liver failure. But this is not the classification of many alcoholics, nor is the image of a bum on the street begging for money for alcohol. Many people might be classified as a functioning alcoholic because they are still able to pay bills, go to work, raise a family, or appear to functioning normally and this is generally overlooked by friends and family as a serious condition. Alcoholism is not just signs of failure to manage one's life because of alcohol, but the dependence on alcohol to be normal or avoid being sick. If someone is dependent on alcohol or any other substance to function properly throughout life, that is a clear sign of addiction and help should be sought immediately.

There are some very clear signs of alcoholism in it's earlier and more severe stages and it is important to be able to recognize these signs of alcoholism so proper decisions into alcohol rehab options can be made.

• Alcoholism - First Stage

  Signs of alcoholism evident in the first stage of the disease generally include more subtle signs, but are nonetheless noticeable. One sign is an increase in alcohol tolerance. The drinker will become able to consume more and more alcohol in order to obtain the same effect and this tolerance to alcohol gradually increases over time.

  Another early sign of alcoholism is the reason for consuming alcohol. Although it all began as drinking socially, the first stages of alcoholism require alcohol to escape from reality, stress, problems and inhibitions. The alcohol helps the drinker to obtain a feeling separate from reality because of alcohol's mood altering effects.

• Alcoholism - Second Stage

  The second stage of alcoholism shows slightly more noticeable signs, but still not anything completely overt and obvious. While signs of a problem drinker do become more apparent in this stage of alcoholism, it still takes a vigilant person to recognize the problems. Since alcoholism is a progressive disease, the need to consume alcohol for the drinker becomes stronger and stronger which can lead to the drinker consuming alcohol earlier in the day. As well as a continued increased in tolerance, the need to drink shifts from drinking to escape reality, to drinking because of dependence on alcohol. At this point, the drinker will typically experience more physical symptoms such as hangover, blackouts, and hand tremors (generally experienced when alcohol is absent from the body).

  The drinker may also feel more embarrassed about his or her drinking and become more withdrawn from family and friends. Although he or she is not out of control all the time when consuming alcohol, these instances may increase and become more noticeable. Attempts to cut down or quit drinking in this stage of alcoholism are often unsuccessful and the drinker will often blame others and external things and circumstances as opposed to looking at his or her own problems with alcohol.

• Alcoholism - Third Stage

  The third stage of alcoholism is one that shows more obvious signs of a problem. The tolerance to alcohol continues to increase, but the control lessens no matter the intention. Often, once the drinker has consumed the first alcoholic beverage, there is a complete loss of control to limit the amount of alcohol consumed. Also experienced during the third stage of alcoholism are drinks referred to as "eye-openers", usually consumed as soon as the drinker awakens. AT this point, the drinker experiences feelings of moderate to severe sickness and possibly delirium tremens (DTs - uncontrollable shaking and hallucinations) when alcohol is not present in their system. These are beginning signs of alcohol withdrawal.

  Aside from the physical effects, the drinker continues to become more withdrawn from family and friends and activities that used to be enjoyable are no longer of any interest. At this third stage of alcoholism, necessities such as food, water, hygiene, and income take second stage to the disease of alcoholism. Also, problems become more apparent, not only in social drinking settings, but also at work or school, in relationships, and legal status due to incarceration frequencies.

• Alcoholism - Fourth Stage

  In the fourth and final stage of alcoholism, the drinker experiences a complete loss of control as the disease takes over. Consuming alcohol is no longer a choice, as it was in earlier stages. At this stage of alcoholism, the drinker consumes alcohol because of a need to drink just to feel normal and function throughout the day.

  In the final stages of alcoholism, tolerance commonly begins to decrease, as less alcohol causes states of increased inebriation. This is a result of liver damage and the liver's inability to process alcohol through the body. Along with a decrease in tolerance for alcohol, final stages of alcoholism can lead to very severe withdrawal symptoms when alcohol is kept from the alcoholic. These withdrawal symptoms can be very dangerous, requiring medical assistance. Despite the horribly painful and dangerous consequences of alcoholism, many alcoholics make promises they can never keep to never drink again.