by Kenneth Gregory Smith

Created on: July 03, 2010

     Alcoholism is a progressive bio-psycho-social illness that often passes through fairly predictable stages.

     The "Jellinek curve" describes the progression and stages of alcoholism as well as rehabilitation and the recovery stages. E. M. Jellinek was an alcoholism researcher who actually refuted some of his own work before his death in 1963. However, his description of the stages of alcohol addiction and recovery are still widely used today.

     The alcoholic begins by gaining some type of relief from drinking. Whether for the purpose of relaxation, stress management, or escape, the alcoholic begins to focus on what drinking can do positively. This lead to increase of alcohol tolerance, that is it takes more and more drinking to gain the same affect. This brings on guilt, but that feeling usually is managed through more drinking.

    The alcoholic then moves into the phase that addiction counselors call "drinking despite the negative consequences."  For example, the alcoholic continues to drink despite memory blackouts, agitated moods, missing work, and others being annoyed by the drinking. The drinking becomes problematic and the alcoholic, despite the continued guilt and shame, gets to the point where efforts to stop or curtail the drinking fail.

    The next stage involves the alcoholic revolving their life around drinking. Increasing amount of time is spent thinking about, focusing behavior on, and participating in the act of drinking alcohol. By this time, the alcoholic has usually lost interest in any other activities and their family is totally neglected.

    According the Jellinek, obsessive drinking continues in vicious circles until the alcoholic admits defeat and commits to an honest desire for help. Rehabilitation and recovery is open for the alcoholic who desires it. The first stage of rehabilitation involves the alcoholic admitting their powerlessness, that is their inability to stop drinking on their own.

    When that happens, the alcoholic needs to learn how to be sober with the help of fellow recovering alcoholics, supportive friends and family, and professionals. The alcoholic needs to practice proper self care and evaluate what their drinking was all about. Jellinek stressed the importance of the alcoholic establishing physical, emotional, spiritual, and family stability. This is not easy, but can be achieved when the alcoholic experiences a  rebirth of their morals, values, and self-awareness.

   According to Jellinek, alcoholism is an illness that cannot be cured, but can be arrested. Therefore, there is hope for the alcoholic.

   Source: E.M. Jellinek's curve (1960)

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