Understanding the 5 Stages of Addiction

The road a person takes to addiction may vary, because each person and experience is different. But ultimately, there are five stages of addiction. Understanding these different stages—beginning with basic substance use and ending with full-blown addiction—can be helpful for family members and friends to watch for worrisome signs in their loved ones. Take action at any of these stages to help your loved one get back on the road to sobriety.

Magnolia Farm is a women’s sober living home offering a safe, temptation-free environment outside of Charleston, SC to work through the 12-steps. Contact us to learn more.

Experimentation

Experimentation is the first stage during which a person tries a substance they’ve never used before, whether it’s drugs or alcohol. At this stage, it’s difficult to know if the substance will become a problem, because it’s the person’s first exposure to it. This also includes when a person first begins taking prescription medication that has been given to them for a medical reason.

Using Regularly

At the second stage, substance use has gone from merely “trying” the substance to using the substance regularly. Drugs, alcohol, or prescription drugs become a part of daily life for the person. It still may be hard to tell if the substance is a problem, as many people remain high-functioning when using substances regularly.

However, slight behavioral changes can begin at this stage. Family and friends will be able to determine if the substance has become a daily habit. It starts to become clearer that the person is using the substance because they want to, need to, or like how they feel using the substance.

Risky Use / Tolerance

At this stage, the user’s behavior begins to change more noticeably. This is because they have begun to take greater risks both with the substance and in other situations. Ideally, this is when treatment should be suggested and come into the picture before the addiction progresses.

This step is also called tolerance, because by this point, the body has gotten used to the previous amounts of the substance. This means it requires more and more to get the same high/feeling from the substance.

Dependence

At this stage, the person’s body and mind are fully dependent on the substance in order to function with some normalcy. Behavior changes are definite and noticeable, as well as dangerous. At this stage, simply quitting isn’t an option because the person’s body will experience flu-like withdrawal symptoms that can often be severe. This is because the body has become so accustomed to the substance that it needs it to function.

Addiction

Beyond dependence, addiction is recognized when a person cannot stop using a substance because it makes them feel sick. They constantly need to consume the substance just to feel normal. In addition, it’s a sign of addiction when a substance has created major life problems relationally, financially, and otherwise. The substance takes up more and more time and space in a person’s life until it threatens to ruin them completely.

Get Help As Early As Possible

Now that you have a better understanding of the five stages of addiction, it’s important to get help for your loved one as early as possible. Professional addiction treatment can be a life-saving intervention. Here at Magnolia Farm, we are a women’s sober living community committed to providing a quiet atmosphere to promote sobriety. Intervene if you see a family member going down these 5 stages toward addiction—you may save their life. Contact us today.