Manor House Recovery Center, which has treatment programs in Delaware, California, and many other locations in between, indicates that the most sophisticated lab test can only diagnose alcoholism 50 percent of the time. In 1974, Demmie Mayfield, MD, published a study in the American Journal of Psychiatry. He introduced a short questionnaire known as CAGE. It's now used in treatment centers everywhere, including the world famous Hazelden. CAGE can identify drinking disorders about 85 percent of the time.
CAGE
While full-blown alcoholism is easy to identify, the early stages are much less so. CAGE is an acronym that stands for cut down, angry, guilty, and eye-opener. If you're worried that you may be on your way to alcohol dependence, ask yourself these questions: Have you ever tried to cut down on your drinking? Do you get angry when people discuss your drinking? Do you feel guilty about things you have done while drinking? Do you ever need to take a drink as an eye-opener -- to get rid of a hangover or need a drink first thing in the morning? Answering yes to any one of these questions can indicate a concerning alcohol problem.
Stages
Psych Central is an independent, mental health social network founded by John M. Grohol, Psy.D., that explains the progression of alcoholism as a disease that follows several predictable phases. Social drinkers have few discerning characteristics of problem drinking that can be identified by family and friends. Binge drinking, according to State University of New York at Potsdam Professor David J. Hanson, Ph.D, describes a period of time that can last at least two days. It indicates the prolonged use of alcohol and the decision to give up any usual activities in lieu of drinking. Alcohol abusers will begin seeing an assortment of problems caused by drinking.
Social Drinker
People who drink socially can stop drinking at any time and have no preoccupation with drinking. Drinking is a secondary activity. As a social drinker, you're able to control the amount of alcohol you consume. It can, however, lead to a destructive pattern.
Alcohol Abuse
In the early stages of alcoholism, known as alcohol abuse, you may begin seeing problems associated with your drinking. You may find yourself sneaking drinks, feeling guilty about your drinking, and experience blackouts. Tolerance is also a strong indicator of a drinking problem. Tolerance occurs when your body becomes accustomed to alcohol, making you feel like you need to drink more to achieve the same level of intoxication.
Tolerance
Tolerance can appear early in your drinking. The National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism identifies several different stages of tolerance, all of which can occur prior to full-blown alcoholism. Functional tolerance is characterized by developing a resistance to the effects of alcohol, which causes a craving for more of the drug. Acute tolerance has been identified in a single drinking session. For some drinkers, impairment from drinking can be greater soon after beginning drinking than later in the drinking session, even if your blood-alcohol concentration is the same over the course of the session. Environment-dependent tolerance, especially prominent in social drinkers, describes the progression of tolerance when you drink in certain environments. Being in a bar, for example, contains visual and psychological cues that can increase your tolerance for alcohol.
