Posts Tagged ‘Alcoholism’

Get Out OF The Alcohol Disease

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

Is alcoholism an incurable disease or is it something that can be overcome? For millions and millions of people this has been a topic that has been debated for years. Many people have been told that their alcoholism is something that they will always have and that by putting their faith in a higher power that they will be their only chance of recovery. Though even with this apathetic form of therapy, they are still told that relapse is part of recovery and that they will probably have slip ups on their way.

To some extent it reduced the stigma experienced by sufferers and has opened the door to treatment rather than punishment. It is the mainstay of the belief system of AA and NA groups who have been responsible for helping many to recover from a hopeless state. However there are many critics of the disease model, both on the grounds that there is little evidence to support it and that it may in fact be detrimental to recovery.One of the great controversies in respect of treatment of alcohol problems is the debate of whether alcoholism is a disease. There is little doubt that regarding alcoholism as a disease, rather than as a moral weakness, has brought benefits to alcoholics/addicts.

There are many definitions of what constitutes and what causes alcoholism. This makes it more difficult for the drinker to admit a problem and also makes it easier to argue that they don’t have a problem. For most people, even today, the word alcoholic still carries a lot of shame. It suggests a damaged person somebody who is different from the rest of society, who has a different psychological or genetic makeup and therefore can’t drink. It is very difficult for most people to admit that they are different in any way from everyone else, it is even more difficult if that difference carries with it a sense of shame. Consider how difficult it is admit being different, if that means having to give up something that most people enjoy without any problem.

Also, many people become alcoholic due to emotional reasons; they do not like how they feel when not intoxicated, so they drink excessively, just to feel alright. Some people, when experiencing loneliness, anxiety or depression turn to alcohol in order to feel more comfortable. This is because alcohol can have anxiety-inhibiting effects, if taken in sufficient amounts.Alcoholism in a person can be caused by several factors. One hypothesis is that some people have genetic predispositions which cause them to get intoxicated easier or more intensely or have fewer side effects or hangover symptoms than others. This causes them to drink more indiscriminately or carelessly than others.

Alcohol is a word that appears so much in our daily lives and culture that it is difficult for a non-alcoholic to imagine a life of alcohol addiction. Yet, no matter how much one may despise the term and the addiction, psychiatrists describe an alcoholic as one who exhibits any or all of these qualities: an irresistible thirst for alcohol, total loss of control once he or she starts drinking, and a certain tendency of relapse into the addiction after a session of rehabilitation.

Alcoholism addiction is more widely spread in today’s society in addition to smoking, either by the accessibility, cost or lack of prohibitions on the sale of alcoholic beverages. The increasing consumption of alcohol is a real problem with large economic and social impact. These range from diseases of body of the drinker to family breakdowns and changes in system productivity.

It is often difficult to detect if a person is an alcoholic because they may have been drinking and yet doing all the work and activities that any normal person does. They are called functional alcoholics as they are very unaware of their problem, having always been able to perform all the day-to-day activities. Seeking help from a trained professional is the wisest thing that you could do. To overcome this destructive disease, there are support groups, medical and alternative therapies available. With will, determination and the willingness to deal with the problems behind the addiction, you can come out of it.

Live the most precious moments your life by getting yourself treated with the malibu drug treatment . To be on the right path know about addiction treatment .

An Unpredictable High School Student Visits the School Therapist About His Drinking Problems

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

Rob is a sixteen-year-old high school junior who has been displaying numerous alcohol-related problems at school. As a result, Mr. Casey, the principal, told him that he had to see the school counselor, Miss Bradford, before he would be able to return back to class. Stated another way, Rob was kicked out of school until he made up his mind to see Miss Bradford, the school psychologist.

After Rob left the principal’s office, he stopped at an older friends house before going home. Actually, Rob was trying to delay the inevitable because he knew that he had to tell his mother and father why he was expelled from school. When Rob explained to his parents that he was suspended from school for alcohol-related problems, they informed him that even though he was an adolescent, he needed to grasp the facts that drinking is a poor game plan and is the path to ill health, problems with the law, broken relationships, financial difficulties, and poor school and work performance. What is more, his Mom and Dad were quite upset with him for drinking as well as for hanging out with his buddies who also drank.

It was clear that his parents were in total agreement with Mr. Casey, Rob’s principal. In fact, they told Rob that if he were smart, he would immediately make an appointment to see the school therapist, Miss Bradford. After some reluctance, he finally gave in, phoned the school, and made an appointment to see Miss Bradford the following morning at 8:30 AM.

When Rob got to the school he had to wait around ten minutes before seeing Miss Bradford. When Miss Bradford called Rob into her office, she introduced herself and then immediately asked him if understood why his recent drinking activities at the school were such a concern for the administrators.

Quite honestly, Rob was perplexed why Mr. Casey wanted him to see the school psychologist. As he explained to Miss Bradford, why should he see a counselor about his drinking situation when just about all of his classmates drink the same amount that he does. In short, why is the fact that he drinks such a big deal?

Miss Bradford thought about Rob’s statement for a moment and then told him that while his classmates may indeed drink as much or more than he, the reality is that he is the one who is getting expelled from school due to alcohol-related absenteeism, delinquency and fighting, not his friends. Then Miss Bradford emphasized the fact that that because of his drinking behavior, Rob is getting into a vicious cycle of abusive drinking that ultimately can destroy his short and long term plans and goals.

Stated in a different manner, Rob’s illegal drinking was starting to detract from his ability to conduct himself like a responsible teenager. As expressed by Miss Bradford, “Just because most of your classmates or friends drink hard liquor, wine, mixed drinks, wine coolers, or beer, does not mean that it is the responsible or the right thing for you.”

Miss Bradford made the effort to tell Rob in an understandable way that it can be relatively easy to let ones pals and buddies influence him or her in a negative manner. Ultimately, however, the individual himself or herself has to be responsible for his or her behavior so that he or she can sidestep the damaging, unhealthy, and destructive results that are typically correlated with excessive and hazardous drinking.

Miss Bradford also took the time and made the effort to clarify some of the alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse facts and statistics that were pertinent particularly to adolescents. After explaining this information, it was clear that what she had revealed to Rob stuck a sensitive nerve in him. Why? Because for the first time since he started school, someone took the time and effort to explain in an explicit and understandable way the serious risks that are involved in underage drinking, both from a short term and a long term vantage point. Furthermore, Miss Bradford also corroborated what she was articulating with graphs, facts, statistics, and charts that applied particularly to pre-teens and teenagers who engage in excessive and hazardous drinking.

To put things into perspective, what Miss Bradford explained to Rob actually made him stop and think why he should not be involving himself in hazardous and abusive drinking with or without his friends and pals any longer. What Miss Bradford said also motivated Rob to focus more clearly on his short term hopes and plans and made him understand the importance of graduating from high school. Rob thanked Miss Bradford for her concern and for the material she presented and asked if she would be able to call the principal so that he could get Rob reinstated in school.

Denny Mitchell writes about alcohol withdrawals, Christian rehab centers, alcoholism physical symptoms, alcoholic info, and about alcohol. For more information, please visit statistics on alcoholism.

How To Prevent Alcoholics From Relapsing

Sunday, June 14th, 2009

There are several methods, which can help in preventing alcoholic relapse. Alcoholism distorts your personality and prevents you from retaining a sober life. Although it is the most prevailing dilemma of the society but also the root cause of every problem. Statistics give us the evidence that one out of every forty patients abstain from alcohol in long-term.

The most imperative feature of relapse prevention is the attendance of the sufferer during the rehabilitation process. The patient must make sure his maximum attendance during the entire recovery meetings. Besides this, the patient should not dwell lonely. If you find yourself alone, call a friend to give you support or stay in the gathering of sober people, in this way you will move towards a consequential and ambitious life. Another important factor that may prove to be helpful is to have intellectual discussions with your sponsor groups.

You can also prevent from relapsing by keeping yourself occupied in optimistic deeds. Reading books on the topic of prevention from relapse will also help you. Practice meditation on regular basis, it will not only keep you consistent but also prevent you from getting despicable. Try to rationalise your anomalous approach. Attitudinal change is important to bring about an overall change in the personality and behaviour of an alcoholic. Behaviours are the representative of deeper underlying perceptions. It’s the perception which gives rise to constructive and unconstructive behaviours.

Alcoholics can be prevented from relapsing by keeping an eye on their money consumption. Usually, alcoholics find an alternative for drinking in the form of spending money uselessly. It can also cause craving for drinks, and getting back to extreme alcohol intake. Moreover, counselling should be done to the alcoholics, if obsession overcomes them.

If an alcoholic starts hurting himself or abusing others, it shows that he is getting into depression. In such conditions, doctor should be consulted about bipolar diagnosis. Do not take medicines without prescription because this is also another facet of destructive the behaviour.

Getting an adequate sleep and eating healthy foods is essential to sustain an alcohol free life. Sometimes, people keep themselves busy to have timely meals and routine sleep. This also have an effect on the process of rehabilitation thus resulting in alcoholic relapse.

The relapse rate goes along with dejection. Mostly, alcoholics get into melancholy and remorse due to the instant setbacks. The main fact aspect to be realised by alcoholics is that courage and fortitude are the only factors needed to prevent relapse. However, some alcoholics are not ready to give up drinking. It has been seen that the younger the alcoholic, the harder it is to avoid relapsing.

The surroundings also play a key role to stop alcoholics from relapsing. If an alcoholic is caught in the company of other alcoholics, then it will turn out to be difficult to quit alcoholism. Spiritual awakening should be raised in people suffering from dependence on alcohol. Long-lasting change can occur through spiritual growth. This is a key to prevent ongoing alcoholic relapse, as it is an evolution of a person from selfishness to selflessness.

About the Author: