Phases of Addiction

There are no absolutes in the addictions field. There is no single pathway of addiction. The phases contain symptoms generally found within that phase but not always found in that phase. There are various patterns of drug dependence, and these patterns change across the life span of an individual depending on internal and external stressors. There are addicts who get clean on their own. There are others who clean up through self-help groups alone. And then there are the people who need treatment. The signs and symptoms of addiction can be found in numerous resource books. Research has found patterns to the appearance of symptoms and progression of the disease in terms of increasing dysfunction. The following descriptions of the four phases are.

Pre-addiction Stage

This is the initial phase, in which the user is socially motivated. The person experiences psychological relief in the drug use and seeks out occasions where drugging will be present. A conscious connection is made between drugs and psychological relief. Drugging then becomes the means of dealing with stress. Despite these internal signs of addiction, the pre-addict looks no different from the social user from the outside. This phase may last several months to two or more years as the increase in tolerance to the chemical develops. The increase in tolerance is progressively built up to the point that it takes more and more of the drug to get the same level of relief.

Warning Phase

The warning phase signals the onset of the disease of addiction. A warning signal of this phase is blackouts (drug-induced memory loss). Other evidence that drug use is no longer just a “want” but a “need” and includes sneaking extra hits before parties, using more and more, and feeling guilty about the drug use. Consumption of drugs is heavy but not necessarily conspicuous, but to look “okay” to the outside world requires effort. The addicted individual begins hiding drug consumption and camouflaging heavy drugging in an effort to avoid facing negative consequences. There is an increased dependence on the chemical with more and more areas of life becoming associated with the use of the chemical.

Crucial Phase

This phase includes the key symptom of loss of control. The addict cannot control the amount of use, yet he can control whether he will take that first hit. With loss of control, the drugging is now obviously different from that of social users. Then rationalization begins so as to find excuses/explanations for the drug use and there are attempts to regain control of the drug use. The addict comes up with reasons or rational explanations for his drugging and drugging related behaviors. This is actually a form of denial. The addict will also attempt to make external changes to control the drugging, such as: periods of abstinence; change in type of drug they will use; change in drugging patterns; geographical changes; change of job; and the like. All these attempts are doomed to failure and the addict responds to this failure by feeling even worse about himself, and angry at others.

The addict is now beginning to recognize that there is something wrong, but he does not understand what is happening and begins to feel guilty. Personal values are being violated. Blackouts increase as do the problems caused by these blackouts. The inability to stop drugging becomes apparent to an increasing numbers of other people. There is a great need to prove to others that all is okay. Then as the person loses more and more control of his/her life, there are more and more promises to do better. But the promises are broken.

Losses continue to rise in all life areas: personal, work/school, financial, family, friends, legal, and health. Drugging begins pushing everything else out of the person’s life. Life now has become drug-centered; family life and friendships deteriorate. Isolation sets in. Then sometimes the first drug-related hospitalization starts.

Chronic Phase

This phase starts with drugging starting earlier in the day, and becomes intoxicated almost daily. The person needs a drug to get going in the morning, and sometimes tremors and anxiety become noticeable. Drug use reduces the tremors and anxiety and helps the person become functional. There is loss of ordinary will power. The ability to determine direction and control of life situations decreases. The person starts to feel physically ill most of the time. Health problems become obvious, and organ system diseases develop. Drug tolerance suddenly increases with larger quantities needed to produce a high. The addict no longer gets relief, but cannot stop and stay stopped.

There is moral deterioration, and the addict can no longer maintain their value system. Binges become more common and interfere severely with maintaining a lifestyle. As feelings of self deteriorate, the addicted person always makes sure that he is in the company of someone who is worse off than he is. Impaired thinking is evident in memory, problem-solving abilities, and psychomotor skills which produces high levels of anxiety and panic. The addict can no longer rationalize that his/her behavior is normal.

If these signs have become obvious to you or with regards to a person dear to you, then something should be done and help should be looked for. I am very lucky to still be alive today and have found a recovery program that has saved my life. A lot of other addicts that I knew were not as lucky. Are you going to wait until it has reached the Chronic Stage? I started to drug and drink at the early age of eleven. For more information on what to do, or what can be done, please contact Recovery House at 32-2315229 or 32-2331881, or email us at recoveryhousecebu @yahoo.com.ph.