Living With An Alcoholic » Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Youngsters Prone to Alcoholism

Daniel — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:18:00 +0000

Alcoholism is addiction to alcohol, which makes an individual dependent on alcohol to feel good. As a result, the addict graduates into excessive alcohol intake that causes fatal imbalances in his nervous system, making his body crave alcohol to feel normal. Heavy alcohol intake on a regular basis causes chemical imbalances in the individual’s brain. For instance, it alters the composition of chemicals such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA responsible for inhibiting impulsiveness) and glutamate (stimulates nervous system). Excessive drinking can also deplete these chemicals, in the absence of which the body seeks alcohol to ward off negativity. Such a condition, when left untreated, may fatally damage an individual’s health.

Alcohol addiction is predominant among youngsters. Many youngsters who do not have material obligations also take up drinking as a pastime and gradually get addicted to it. Statistics show that nearly 60% of youngsters take up drinking to feel that they are mature. They see their parents drinking and take up the habit to become like them. There are several factors that lead to alcoholism among youngsters:

Genetics: If you have a history of alcoholism in your family, you are more vulnerable to alcohol addiction.

Emotional Instability: Anxiety, high stress levels, or any emotional trauma can cause excessive drinking, as they excite the stress hormones.

Psychological factors: Low self-esteem and prolonged depression may lead to alcohol abuse. If you have alcoholics in your circle of friends, you are prone to the disease.

Social and cultural factors: Most people associate drinking with social class and believe that one cannot belong to the elites if he does not drink, as drinking is fashion. Moreover, advertisements portray drinking as a part of “belonging.”

Prevention from Addiction

Awareness on the subject can make a world of difference in terms of changing the perception of drinking among the youth. Parents must educate children on the subject and encourage them to talk to them about their friends. Since such habits are generally adopted after getting inspiration from someone, knowing that there is an unhealthy element near your child can help you to take precautionary measures.

Treating alcohol addiction may require intensive personalized treatment. There are specialized healthcare institutions providing such treatment in groups. For those who do not want group treatments, there are several treatment programs on a one-on-one basis. These sessions last for hours and are conducted by top therapists.

What is Alcoholism

Daniel — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 18:22:00 +0000

Alcoholism refers to a chronic disease that is often progressive and can cause fatal damage to an individual’s health when left untreated. The deadly disease attacks millions of people across the world that first ruins the health of an individual and then traumatizes his emotional and mental states by disrupting his family and social lives. Unfortunately, the disease is predominant in the 18-21 age group.

Types Of Alcohol Addiction

There are two types of alcohol addiction – alcohol abuse and alcoholism.

Alcohol abuse is a state in which an individual indulges in excessive intake of alcohol, which takes a toll on his health, but retains the capacity to refrain from the habit. Alcoholism, on the other hand, is a dangerous stage wherein the individual completely loses control over alcohol intake and continues to consume it in spite of suffering from severe health hazards. This state is characterized by physical dependence on alcohol, which can be attributed to various social factors as well genetic and psychological issues.

Causes Of Alcoholism

It is caused buy several factors, some of them are discussed below:

Genetics: If you have a history of alcoholism in your family, you are more vulnerable to alcohol addiction.

Emotional Instability: Anxiety, high stress levels, or any emotional trauma can cause excessive drinking, as they excite the stress hormones.

Psychological factors: Low self-esteem and prolonged depression may lead to alcohol abuse. If you have alcoholics in your circle of friends, you are prone to the disease.

Social and cultural factors: Most people associate drinking with social class and believe that one cannot belong to the elites if he does not drink, as drinking is fashion. Moreover, the advertisements portray drinking as a part of “belonging.”

Prevention Of The Deadly Disease

An interesting fact about alcohol addiction is that the person indulging in the habit feels better not while indulging in it but at the time of deciding to indulge. This suggests that there is a scope to deal with this crisis situation by exercising control over the moment the thought of indulging in the act comes to mind. Alcohol addicts should ward off the thought of indulging in the behavior when it comes to their mind.

Treating alcohol addiction may require intensive personalized treatment. There are specialized health-care institutions providing such treatment in groups. For those who do not want group treatments, there are several treatment programs on a one-on-one basis. These sessions last for hours and are conducted by top therapists.

Ways To Help Your Teen To Avoid Becoming An Alcoholic

Daniel — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 04:15:00 +0000

The first tool you need to give your teen is knowledge. Teens need to understand about drinking alcohol, about peer pressure and about saying NO. You may not be able to control everything they do, but you can give them the tools to make decisions with. If they lack these tools, their decisions will be made without knowledge, by bending to pressure and through fear of saying NO. The second tool you need to provide is concerning Peer Pressure – what it is, how to deal with it and still keep your dignity and friends. The third tool is, to show your teen how to say NO.

You do not need to be a super parent or caring adult either, just one how can ask for help when you need help gathering tools and information for yourself and for your teen. Many organizations exist to help teens and their parents to understand about alcohol and the diseases that drinking alcohol can lead to such as Alcoholism. As with any topic, adults should check out all resources first, before giving them to their sons and daughters.

Tool #1

Here are a few online resources to get you started gathering help and information:

http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/

Alateen is a part of the organization Al-anon. The Website is set up in English, Spanish and French. Alateen has been helping teens for more than 50 years.

http://teens.drugabuse.gov/

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is a Website specifically set up to answer questions teens have about drinking and drug abuse. “Dr. Nida will answer questions teens have as they grapple with the decision to take non-prescription drugs and alcohol.

http://www.niaaa.nih.gov

This is the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s Website.

You will find Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) about alcohol, as well as up-to-date information on the very latest research concerning alcohol abuse and the disease known as alcoholism.

There are many good books that you can find in local bookstores, online retailers like Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Here are just a few ideas of titles to search for:

Buzz: A Graphic Reality Check for Teens Dealing With Drugs and Alcohol by Marcus Brotherton

Alcohol 101 by Margaret Hyde

Teens & Alcohol (Gallup Youth Survey: Major Issues and Trends) by Gail Snyder

Tool #2

Understanding how peer pressure can help or hurt us when we are faced with a decision is a very critical tool to have at any age.

First the definition: Your peers are others who are in your same age group.

Peer pressure is when you feel like you are being pushed into making a decision. The decision can have good results or bad results for you. The pressure can go both ways. Deciding if you are being pressured and if it is a good thing or not can be tricky. Your peers are others who are in your same age group.

We all deal with peer pressure, kids, teens and adults. What makes dealing with teen peer pressure a critical issue is that at this age, your children will be grappling with some very major issues in life at the same time that they are dealing with puberty and the opposite sex.. The combination can leave your teen very confused and looking for the easy way out, or be pressured into making decisions that they would not otherwise make.

You may feel anxious, sad, fearful, uncertain, nervous, disappointed over your inability to make a choice. These feelings are normal and are what makes peer pressure successful at persuading people to do things they may or may not do on there own. Teens especially bend to peer pressure because they need to fit into a group, or need to feel cool or respected by their peers. Peers often feel like respect equals conformity to the norms of the current fads and rituals.

Tool #3

Everyone has the right to say no to something or someone that is doing or asking you to do something that may be harmful to you. Learning how to be assertive when saying no is especially important for teen to learn how to do. They are often in situations where saying no may be “not cool” or even get them into trouble.

Having friends who have similar value systems can be very helpful to your teen. They will help your teen to be strong, feel like they are part of a group and give them support against the pressures that teens face.

Teens should practice saying NO with authority. Here are some suggestions:

I (we) don’t want to drink

I (we) can have fun without drinking alcohol

Just say no thanks and walk away (lingering or staying around will increase the pressure).

Ways to get over a case of alcoholism

Daniel — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:11:00 +0000

Alcoholism can be a particularly difficult disease to recover from. In a world in which we are surrounded by opportunities to drink, it can be stressful for an individual to remove themselves from their addiction. Many people who try to seek treatment for a case of alcoholism fail and relapse, allowing the problem to progress even further. There are others, however, who have been able to remain drink-free despite a past of alcoholism. In this article, we’ll cover some of the basic ways that people have been able to be successful when it comes to kicking a problem with alcohol.

One of the most commonly employed methods of trying to get over a case of alcoholism is the program that is known as Alcoholics Anonymous. It is a program that is based in spirituality, although not necessarily religion. Alcoholics Anonymous has support groups across the country and many people find it easier to deal with a problem with alcoholism when they are surrounded by people in a similar situation that can work to provide support and advice. AA coordinators work towards helping you to realize the source of your problems and the reasons that you may be prone to drinking. Alcoholics Anonymous is by and far the largest type of support group for alcoholics available and they have helped millions of people to get over their problems over the years. Since alcoholism is a problem that affects the entire family, many sons and daughters have found that participating in an Alcoholics Anonymous-sponsored Alateen program helps them to cope with the problem. For those who prefer to stay away from AA, counseling with a therapist can also be helpful in addressing a problem with alcoholism. There are plenty of therapists who deal with substance abuse problems such as alcoholism that can be immensely helpful in making you realize why you drink and things that you can do as opposed to drinking.

You may also want to consider speaking to a doctor about your problem. Many people who have been drinking for years may have a type of chemical dependency to alcohol that can be tough to conquer when you are trying to kick the habit. Doctors can help to provide detoxification methods that will make the transition to an alcohol-free life all the easier to attain. Medications can also be prescribed which help to decrease your body’s cravings for alcohol. Some people choose to go to rehabilitation clinics in order to ensure that they can clear their body of alcohol in a consistent manner.

Without a doubt, it is going to be quite difficult for you to overcome your problem with alcohol. However, if you can remain dedicated to yourself and understand exactly what kind of damage alcoholism is causing within your life, you can be successful. Many people have successfully conquered the disease in the past and many will continue to – it’s up to you to take the proper steps and give yourself to the effort. Never give up, no matter how hard it seems!

The dangers of alcoholism

Daniel — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 05:02:00 +0000

Alcoholism is a very unique type of disease. There are millions of people affected by it throughout the world directly, having problems controlling their drinking and keeping their urges at bay. However, statistics do not often mention the problems that alcoholism can have to those who are close to the alcoholic. In this article, we’ll go over some of the dangers that alcoholism causes in order to help to more clearly illustrate what types of problems it can cause.

Prolonged abuse of alcohol does a ton of bad things to the human body. Those who drink too much are at a much higher risk of developing many different kinds of cancer, as well as heart disease and strokes. It can alter hormone levels, cause women’s reproductive systems to not function properly, and cause severe cirrhosis of the liver.

Alcohol-related crashes are a major cause for concern with respects to alcoholism. Studies that have been conducted by the United States Government have shown that 12.8 percent of all drivers that died in a car accident in the year of 2001 were intoxicated. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has also contended that as many as forty percent of all freeway accidents are the result of alcohol abuse.

The family members of an alcoholic are among the most affected. Children of alcoholics may develop psychological dependencies that stay with them for life; many find themselves to be ‘Adult Children of Alcoholics’, referring to the fact that their development may have been hindered by their alcoholic parent. There are many different types of support groups that can be useful for someone who is dealing with an alcoholic to join, and AlAnon and AlaTeen are two commonly used options.

The economic impact of alcoholism is also something that needs to be considered when judging exactly how alcohol affects the world. Some estimates place between one and six percent of a country’s gross domestic product going towards alcoholism, which is a sign that the problem persists everywhere and is present in a large cross-section of the population. In the United States alone, experts have placed the number of alcoholics currently experiencing a problem at approximately 15 million.

Another important thing to remember is that alcoholism is a debilitating the disease. The longer that you let a problem with drinking go unchecked, the more damaging it will be to your life. If you are experiencing problems with drinking too much, you may want to consider speaking with a therapist or going to a form of rehab. Many people find that Alcoholics Anonymous groups can be useful when it ocmes to keeping the problem at bay. It’s not easy to keep a case of alcoholism under control, and it takes a lot of hard work and dedication in order to successfully rid yourself of the problem. It’s an important thing to remember, as many people lose faith that they can control the problem and are therefore more prone to giving up their quest for cleaning up their alcohol habits.

Read more on The dangers of alcoholism…

The Cautions about Non Alcoholic Beer

Daniel — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 20:14:00 +0000

In recent years, the development of non-alcoholic beer has made many recovering alcoholics hope for the familiar taste that they so long have wanted to experience again. In certain circles, it has been called “near beer”. It is designed to look and taste exactly like traditional beer. However, researchers are finding out that it might be nearer to beer than anyone realizes.

One reason that is given for recovering alcoholics to stay away from non-alcoholic beer is the similarities to drinking beer and the risk of reminding the person what it used to be like. This could stimulate a relapse in the strongest of personalities.

Another caution is that non-alcoholic beer does contain a small amount of alcohol. In most states, anything that is labeled to be non-alcoholic can contain no more than 5% alcohol. For the recovering alcoholic, even this small amount can be too much for them to handle. Professionals caution that even the familiar smell of the alcohol can trigger a relapse in the recovering alcoholic. Both the alcohol and the anticipation of alcohol can raise levels of dopamine in the brain that cause pleasurable feelings and feelings of elation.

In most states, it is legal for minors to drink non-alcoholic beer. There is concern, however that drinking this beverage could act as a “training beer”. This means that drinking non-alcoholic beer could actually desensitize young people to the taste, smell, and sight of alcoholic beer and lead to abuse or dependence later on in life. Similar to the theory that young people who spend many hours watching violence have a tendency toward violence, it is believed that non-alcoholic beer can do the same thing to young people. Many times young people who want to mimic adult behavior, which glamorizes the use of alcohol in their minds and again could lead to excessive alcohol use as adults, will purchase it. Researchers and mental health professionals have equated non-alcoholic beer to other “fake” drugs like candy cigarettes and strongly disapprove of their use.

Anytime an addict recovers or is in the process of stopping the use of the thing they are addicted to, they are careful to stay away from that substance. Addiction counselors are very strict when it comes to make sure that their alcoholic clients understand the importance of staying away from alcohol without fail. On the surface, non-alcoholic beer seems like a good substitute for something that the alcoholic desperately misses however, it more frequently is a painful reminder of what they have been through. Too often, the reminder is such that it sends the alcoholic back into the activity of drinking simply from the reminder of what it was like.

The best advice for any recovering alcoholic is to stay completely away from anything that even smells like alcohol in order to help stave off a relapse. In addition, it is important to continue to follow the program that is being used to quit the alcohol and consult the professionals in charge of the program to find out if non-alcoholic beer is acceptable in each individual case.

Self-Control – Key To Curing Alcohol Addiction

Daniel — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 12:15:00 +0000

Alcoholism refers to a chronic disease that is often progressive and can cause fatal damage to an individual’s health when left untreated. Regular heavy intake of alcohol causes chemical imbalances in the brain or leads to depletion of certain chemicals, which makes your body crave alcohol in order to feel good. This forces you to remain addicted for the sake of warding away negative feelings.

Types Of Alcohol Addiction

There are two types of alcohol addiction – alcohol abuse and alcoholism.

Alcohol abuse is a state in which an individual indulges in excessive intake of alcohol, which takes a toll on his health, but retains capacity to refrain from the habit. Alcoholism, on the other hand, is a dangerous stage wherein the individual completely loses control over alcohol intake and continues to consume it in spite of suffering from severe health hazards. This state is characterized by physical dependence on alcohol, which can be attributed to various social factors as well genetic and psychological issues.

Factors Leading To Excessive Drinking

Genetics: If you have a history of alcoholism in your family, you are more vulnerable to alcohol addition.

Emotional Instability: Anxiety, high stress levels, or any emotional trauma can cause excessive drinking, as they excite the stress hormones.

Psychological factors: Low self-esteem and prolonged depression may lead to alcohol abuse. If you have alcoholics in your circle of friends, you are prone to the disease.

Control The Desire To Avoid Crisis

An interesting fact about alcohol addiction is that the person indulging in the habit feels better not while indulging in it but at the time of deciding to indulge. This suggests that there is a scope to deal with this crisis situation by exercising control the moment the thought of indulging in the act comes to mind. Alcohol addicts should ward off the thought of indulging in the behavior when it comes to their mind.

Important Facts About Alcoholism

Daniel — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 23:13:00 +0000

In medical terms, alcoholism can be defined as a chronic disease that is often progressive and can cause fatal damage to an individual’s health when left untreated. Regular heavy intake of alcohol causes chemical imbalances in the brain or leads to depletion of certain chemicals, which makes your body crave alcohol to feel good.

Excessive alcohol intake may alter the composition of chemicals such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA responsible for inhibiting impulsiveness) and glutamate (stimulates nervous system). Excessive drinking can also deplete these chemicals, in the absence of which the body seeks alcohol to ward off negativity. Such a condition, when left untreated, may fatally damage an individual’s health.

Alcohol Addiction And Alcohol Abuse

Factors Leading To Excessive Drinking

Genetics: If you have a history of alcoholism in your family, you are more vulnerable to alcohol addiction.

Emotional Instability: Anxiety, high stress levels, or any emotional trauma can cause excessive drinking, as they excite the stress hormones.

Psychological factors: Low self-esteem and prolonged depression may lead to alcohol abuse. If you have alcoholics in your circle of friends, you are prone to the disease.

Social and cultural factors: Most people associate drinking with social class and believe that one cannot belong to the elites if he does not drink, as drinking is fashion. Moreover, the advertisements portray drinking as a part of “belonging.”

Avoid Falling Prey To Alcoholism

How to Set Up an Intervention for an Alcoholic

Daniel — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 02:07:00 +0000

An intervention is a confrontation by a group of concerned family and friends. The intervention should be a loving, gentle, and supportive strategy to encourage the alcoholic to admit to having a problem with alcohol and to agree to seek professional help in order to overcome the problems. The person who needs an intervention is one who is severely dependent and unable to see the severity of their addiction. Each intervention needs to be carefully organized, choreographed, and even rehearsed. The key to a successful intervention is preparation.

The participants in the intervention should be a loving and caring significant person in the alcoholic’s life and should not be an alcohol abuser themselves. Each participant should have a positive regard for the alcoholic but a negative regard for the alcohol and should validate that the alcoholism is a disease and it is not the addicted person’s fault. There should be three to eight people chosen to participate.

The first step toward planning the intervention is to have each participant in the meeting to write a letter to the alcoholic. This letter should include how much they love and care for the alcoholic but should state exactly how they feel about the alcohol abuse and how the alcohol abuse has negatively affected their life. It is important for the letter to explain that the person is not the problem but it is the alcohol that is the issue. Each person should specifically ask the alcoholic to seek treatment that day. Also prior to the actual intervention, the treatment place should be chosen and all arrangements including travel to the treatment site should be made.

The intervention should be held at a neutral place and not in the alcoholic’s home or office. The setting needs to be a private environment where the person does not feel like strangers or other people can watch or hear what is going on. The intervention should also be held when the alcoholic is sober.

When the alcoholic arrives at the pre-determined intervention site, the first step is for each person to read his or her letter. The last letter to be read should be by the person who has the closest and most significant relationship with the alcoholic. It should be someone whose letter will break his or her heart. It is very difficult for denial to hold up in this atmosphere of love and honesty.

The following is a checklist to help with the planning of an intervention:

* Set up a planning meeting to put together the intervention and to choose a team leader who will be the main spokesperson during the intervention. During this meeting is important to discuss the need to keep the alcoholic from finding out the intervention is being planned. This is also a good time for the participants to discuss ways in the past they have tried to help but in actuality ended up enabling the alcoholic. During this initial process is when the treatment plans are set up as well as a plan for payment and any other financial issues that may come up.

* Going into the intervention all of the travel and treatment plans should be made and paperwork filled out. The participants should bring along a packed bag for the alcoholic.

* During the intervention, once the letters are all read, give the alcoholic a chance to respond and to agree or disagree to going into treatment.

* If the person does not agree to seek treatment, the intervention is still considered a success because the truth has been said and many times, it leads to treatment later.

* If the person does agree to seek treatment, a person should accompany the alcoholic to the treatment facility and help with the initial check in process.

How Parents Can Recognize When Their Children are Drinking

Daniel — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:01:00 +0000

As much as parents may not like to think about it, the truth is that many kids and teens try alcohol during their high school and college years, long before it is legal for them to drink it. Some research has shown that nearly 80% of high school kids have tried alcohol. Although experimentation with alcohol may be common among kids, it is not safe or legal. To help prevent alcohol abuse in children, it is a good idea to begin discussing alcohol use and abuse with kids at an early age and to continue openly communicating about it as they grow up.

Risk Factors:

Times of transition such as puberty, changing schools, and parental divorce can lead children to try alcohol in an effort to escape from the intense feelings that they are having. It is the responsibility of the parents to teach their children that life does bring difficult times but using alcohol to deal with the challenges of life only makes things worse.

Children with low self-esteem are more likely to try alcohol to deal with problems because they do not believe that they are capable of dealing with challenges in a successful manner. Children who have a hard time believing in themselves need extra assurance and support from their parents. Children who do not have good relationships with their families and who feel disconnected in some way need to have support from some adults or they will be more likely to turn to alcohol. Research has shown that the number one reason children give for not turning to alcohol is the desire not to ruin the relationships they have with the adults around them.

Generally, there is a lot a parent can do to keep their children from using and abusing alcohol. The first and possible most important is to be a good role model. It does not matter what parents verbally teach their children because their actions will speak much louder than their words. Children are much more likely to repeat their parents’ actions than their verbal instructions. Secondly, parents need to educate themselves about alcohol and the current trends regarding children so they can better help their own children anticipate situations when alcohol will be tempting but is not feasible. Thirdly, as mentioned before, it is extremely important for parents to do everything in their power to give their children a strong sense of self and a high self-esteem. Lastly, parents need to teach their children how to handle stress. If children go into difficult situations with an understanding of the proper, ways to handle it they will be less likely to turn to something like alcohol to make the transition time smoother.

Despite the parent’s best efforts, there are times when children choose to try alcohol. Some common warning signs are:

* The odor of alcohol

* Change in mood or attitude

* Change in school performance

* Loss of interest in activities the usually enjoy

* Secrecy and withdrawal from family and friends

* Association with a totally new group of friends

Childhood and adolescence is a time of great change and can be extremely confusing for many children. It is important for parents not to jump to conclusions based on just one or two of the warning signs. The warning signs will generally come in clusters when children are using alcohol.

Living With An Alcoholic » Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Youngsters Prone to Alcoholism

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What is Alcoholism

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