THERE ARE TWO GENERAL TYPES OF ALCOHOLICS: One type of alcoholism basically makes up 95% of all alcoholics afflicted with the disease. This type of person will start drinking around the age of 18-20 years old. About the college age. They may start drinking at football games or social functions. They may start out drinking only once or twice a week. Drinking will be a planned and fun event. They will not develop a problem with alcohol until about 6-10 years after they first started drinking.

The other type of alcoholic will start drinking in their early teens and become hooked on alcohol almost instantly. This type of alcoholic has one or both parents who also have a severe addiction to either alcohol or drugs. If a person starts drinking or using drugs in their early teens, they are 5 times more likely to become a problem alcoholic and 6 times more likely to have a diagnosable psychological disorder. So the very likelihood is that they will be dually diagnosed. They usually get into trouble with the law more often and become a burden on society. This type of alcoholic is not to be considered a rotten person. They are this way because of genetic and social factors mostly stemming from a a dysfunctional family. For this severe type of alcoholic to stabilize they will need advanced counseling and a lot of moral support along with extensive psychological counseling.

Although I do not consider myself from a fully dysfunctional family, (I was raised with a lot of love and a stable roof over my head) I was among this 5% of alcoholic in that when I was 15 years old I had started drinking, and instantly I was a heavy alcoholic. Without a doubt a trained psychologist/addiction counselor can predict with a degree of certainty whether a pre-teen will become an alcohol or drug addict based on certain criteria that they may possess. 


                              Stages of Alcoholism
                              Alcoholism