When Drinking Leads To Problems In Your Life That Can Cause Dating And Marital Issues
How do you know that you have a problem with your drinking? When is it obvious that you are involving yourself in hazardous drinking?
If you have unsuccessfully tried to stop drinking or if you have given your word to yourself that your drinking days are over and then you were made aware that you were drinking in an excessive manner just a few days later, the odds are quite good that you have drinking problems. The point to highlight is that if you have attempted to quit drinking and cannot do this, then your drinking is controlling you, instead of the other way around.
In a similar manner, if it takes greater amounts of alcohol to get the same “high,” you probably need to recognize the fact that you have a problem with your drinking.
You may be telling yourself that the reason for your drinking is so that you can reduce your apprehension or get rid of the agony or depression that you feel. In a similar manner, you may be trying to avoid an unsafe circumstance and may be looking for something more useful, more positive, or less mournful.
As you keep on drinking, then again, you will understand that drinking does not produce the same high and you will also understand that drinking doesn’t help get rid of whatever produced your distress in the first place. You may also notice that the more abusively you drink, the more depressed you feel.
As you continue to drink in an abusive manner, regrettably, you may become addicted to alcohol and, as a consequence, you may add another essential problem to manage rather than finding out about more successful and beneficial ways of coping with your alcohol induced difficulties.
An Alcohol Assessment is Probably Required
If you have figured out that you have a drinking problem, maybe the most beneficial thing you can do for yourself is to call your medical doctor or healthcare professional and arrange for an appointment for a complete physical and for an assessment of your drinking behavior.
If you openly feel that you have a dangerous drinking problem, it might be a good idea to get prepared to hear that you need to get alcohol reahbilitation.
At this point, what are your alternatives? You can unquestionably refuse to see your medical doctor and persist with your pattern of irresponsible drinking.
It certainly doesn’t take a rocket scientist, to the contrary, to understand that chronic, heavy drinking, if left untreated, will degenerate over time and quite probably lead to an early death. Consequently, your most practical alternative is to address your drinking situation and obtain the alcohol therapy you need.
The Pretense of the Functioning Alcohol Addicted Person
It is somewhat paradoxical to note the fact that numerous alcohol dependent people lead busy and active lives and have families, jobs, houses, vehicles, pets, and any number of material possessions just like people who are not alcohol dependent.
Many of these “functional” alcohol addicted people may have never been cited for a DUI and may have been lucky enough to avoid all alcohol generated legal predicaments. In spite of this fortunate circumstance, to the contrary, these alcohol addicted people need to drink in order to operate on a day to day basis while upholding their facade as they associate with people outside their family.
Ask anyone who has seen them when they are bingeing or in a drunken stupor or ask a family member about the problem drinker’s alcohol addiction, nevertheless, and they will be quick to affirm the authenticity of the drinker’s situation and the details about the alcohol addicted person’s drinking predicament and about his or her alcohol-related problems.
Why Do Individuals Addicted to Alcohol Fail to Deal With Their Drinking Problems?
As alcohol addiction research and statistics on alcohol abuse have underscored, no matter how obvious the alcohol induced predicaments seem to those who interact with the alcohol addicted person, alcoholic individuals characteristically deny that drinking is the origin of their alcohol-related difficulties. Not only this, but alcohol addicted individuals typically blame their alcohol induced predicaments on other people or upon other circumstances around them instead of seeing their part in the issue. In a similar manner, alcohol addicted people typically exhibit marital problems such as divorce and especially post divorce difficulties.
The origin of the issue is that alcohol addiction is a disease of the brain. Once the individual has become alcohol dependent, he or she usually resorts to denial, manipulation, and lying as a way of coping with the fact that his or her drinking is out of control. And to make things worse, the experience of alcohol withdrawal symptoms regularly counteracts the alcohol addicted individual’s rare attempts to suddenly stop drinking. As miserable as the alcoholic’s way of life is, nonetheless, the encouraging news is that professional assistance is commonly available – if the alcoholic reaches out and tries to get alcoholism counseling.
Summary
Coming to grips with the fact that drinking is causing problems in your daily functioning is conceivably the easiest way to determine if you have a problem with your drinking. More to the point, if your drinking is leading to problems with your health, with your employment, in your relationships, with your finances, at school, or with the legal system, then you have a drinking problem that needs to be tackled.
If you have a problem with your drinking, what is more, this means that you are engaging in alcohol abuse.
While some individuals may be able to pinpoint their “alcohol signs,” pinpoint their difficulties, and significantly decrease the amount and incidence of their drinking, other individuals, conversely, need to tackle their drinking difficulties by getting professional alcohol treatment. Furthermore, due to their tendency to deny the facts and warp the truth, alcoholics absolutely require professional alcoholism counseling for their hazardous drinking.
And lastly, if you feel more depressed the more you drink, you will probably need to get counseling for your drinking problem and for your depression.
How To Know When You Have A Problem With Your Drinking And When You Need To Augment Your Friendships And Relationships
How do you know that you have a problem with your drinking? When is it obvious that you are involving yourself in hazardous drinking?
If you have unsuccessfully tried to stop drinking or if you have given your word to yourself that your drinking days are over and then you were made aware that you were drinking in an excessive manner just a few days later, the odds are quite good that you have drinking problems. The point to highlight is that if you have attempted to quit drinking and cannot do this, then your drinking is controlling you, instead of the other way around.
In a similar manner, if it takes greater amounts of alcohol to get the same “high,” you probably need to recognize the fact that you have a problem with your drinking.
You may be telling yourself that the reason for your drinking is so that you can reduce your apprehension or get rid of the agony or depression that you feel. In a similar manner, you may be trying to avoid an unsafe circumstance and may be looking for something more useful, more positive, or less mournful.
As you keep on drinking, then again, you will understand that drinking does not produce the same high and you will also understand that drinking doesn’t help get rid of whatever produced your distress in the first place. You may also notice that the more abusively you drink, the more depressed you feel.
As you continue to drink in an abusive manner, regrettably, you may become addicted to alcohol and, as a consequence, you may add another essential problem to manage rather than finding out about more successful and beneficial ways of coping with your alcohol induced difficulties.
An Alcohol Assessment is Probably Required
If you have figured out that you have a drinking problem, maybe the most beneficial thing you can do for yourself is to call your medical doctor or healthcare professional and arrange for an appointment for a complete physical and for an assessment of your drinking behavior.
If you openly feel that you have a dangerous drinking problem, it might be a good idea to get prepared to hear that you need to get alcohol reahbilitation.
At this point, what are your alternatives? You can unquestionably refuse to see your medical doctor and persist with your pattern of irresponsible drinking.
It certainly doesn’t take a rocket scientist, to the contrary, to understand that chronic, heavy drinking, if left untreated, will degenerate over time and quite probably lead to an early death. Consequently, your most practical alternative is to address your drinking situation and obtain the alcohol therapy you need.
The Pretense of the Functioning Alcohol Addicted Person
It is somewhat paradoxical to note the fact that numerous alcohol dependent people lead busy and active lives and have families, jobs, houses, vehicles, pets, and any number of material possessions just like people who are not alcohol dependent.
Many of these “functional” alcohol addicted people may have never been cited for a DUI and may have been lucky enough to avoid all alcohol generated legal predicaments. In spite of this fortunate circumstance, to the contrary, these alcohol addicted people need to drink in order to operate on a day to day basis while upholding their facade as they associate with people outside their family.
Ask anyone who has seen them when they are bingeing or in a drunken stupor or ask a family member about the problem drinker’s alcohol addiction, nevertheless, and they will be quick to affirm the authenticity of the drinker’s situation and the details about the alcohol addicted person’s drinking predicament and about his or her alcohol-related problems.
Why Do Individuals Addicted to Alcohol Fail to Deal With Their Drinking Problems?
As alcohol addiction research and statistics on alcohol abuse have underscored, no matter how obvious the alcohol induced predicaments seem to those who interact with the alcohol addicted person, alcoholic individuals characteristically deny that drinking is the origin of their alcohol-related difficulties. Not only this, but alcohol addicted individuals typically blame their alcohol induced predicaments on other people or upon other circumstances around them instead of seeing their part in the issue. In a similar manner, alcohol addicted people typically exhibit relationship and friendship problems.
The origin of the predicament is that alcohol addiction is a disease of the brain. Once the individual has become an alcoholic, he or she characteristically resorts to denial, manipulation, and lying as a way of coping with the fact that his or her drinking is out of control. And to make things more problematic, the experience of alcohol withdrawal symptoms typically counteracts the alcohol dependent individual’s rare attempts to suddenly abstain from drinking. As dreary as the alcohol dependent individual’s life is, to the contrary, the positive news is that competent assistance is extensively accessible – if the alcoholic reaches out and seeks alcoholism counseling.
Summary
Admitting the fact that drinking is causing problems in your daily functioning is perhaps the simplest way to determine if you have a problem with your drinking. Stated differently, if your drinking is causing issues with your health, with your employment, in your relationships, with your finances, at school, or with the law, then you have a drinking problem that needs to be tackled.
If you have a problem with your drinking, furthermore, this means that you are engaging in alcohol abuse.
While some drinkers may be able to come to grips with their “alcohol signs,” pinpoint their difficulties, and greatly diminish the amount and occurrence of their drinking, other individuals, conversely, need to address their drinking difficulties by getting quality alcoholism treatment. Moreover, due to their inclination to deny the facts and twist the truth, alcohol dependent people unquestionably need competent alcoholism rehab for their out-of-control drinking.
And finally, if you feel more depressed the more you drink, you will probably need to obtain counseling for your drinking and for your depression.
Miss Benning was a health teacher at the most financially challenged co-educational high school in the state. Although she had been teaching for only one year, she had already gained a reputation as an educator with teaching methods that inspired and motivated her pupils to think and to learn.
For instance, one Thursday afternoon at 1:30 she addressed her pupils and announced the following: “For the next three or four days we are going to learn about some basic alcoholism facts from a more wide-ranging viewpoint and we are also going to learn about a number of the most familiar signs of alcoholism from a less general and more detailed standpoint.”
“Not all of these alcoholism signs will beyond doubt validate that an individual with a drinking problem is an alcohol addicted individual, but the more signs that an individual displays, the greater the likelihood that he or she is a person who is addicted to alcohol.”
Miss Benning then told the students in the class that each pupil would be accountable for studying four alcoholism signs and then presenting his or her results to the other class members via a twenty-five minute oral presentation.
The Pupils are Enthused About Giving A Comprehensive Presentation to Their Fellow Pupils About Alcohol Addiction Signs
After learning about the different signs of alcohol dependency for a number of days, the time had arrived for the individual presentations. It was at once apparent that the pupils were energized about the subject matter because the material that they presented was first-rate. To say that Miss Benning was pleasantly surprised with the passion manifested by her students regarding this subject could not be overstated.
The day after all of the students completed their presentations, Miss Benning passed out a sheet of paper with a list of all the alcohol dependency signs that were presented and discussed in class and in the presentations. Miss Benning then asked the students in her class to study the list and rank the top seven alcohol addiction signs that were most indicative of alcohol addiction. After around five minutes, Miss Benning collected the pieces of paper and informed the pupils in her classroom that after she tallies the numbers, she will discuss her findings the next school day.
There was a real buzz by the pupils while they were walking out of Miss Benning’s classroom. One could swear that her students couldn’t wait for the next day to come so that they could learn about the results of their in-class research.
The Students Match Their Results Against the Assessments From A Council of Substance Abuse Professionals
When the next school day came, Miss Benning passed out a piece of paper that listed the top five alcohol addiction signs as per the pupils’ rankings. To the left of these results, she added another column that was labeled “experts’ response.” She then informed the pupils in her class that the numbers in the second column she added signified the answers that were generated by a council of chemical dependency authorities.
Miss Benning asked her students to look over the data on the sheet of paper she passed out and then to raise their hand if they had any issues, questions, or concerns. Within 30 or 40 seconds, just about every student in the classroom raised her or his hand. It was apparent that the pupils had some questions, concerns, or issues about their results versus the answers given by the specialists. For instance, just about every pupil disagreed with the highest ranked answer given by the authorities, specifically, “Do you feel unusually nauseous when you quit drinking?”
The Central Difference Between Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism is the Physical Addiction That is Experienced With Alcohol Addiction and Not With Alcohol Abuse
Miss Benning then explained to the pupils in her classroom why this answer was the most accurate sign of alcohol addiction. She pointed out the fact that the principal difference between alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse is the physical dependency that is experienced with alcohol dependency and not with alcohol abuse.
Primarily this means that when a person who is alcohol dependent suddenly quits drinking, he or she will experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Miss Benning then explained to her pupils that alcohol withdrawal symptoms are responses by the brain and by the body to the deprivation of alcohol to which they had become acclimated. Stated more explicitly, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are messages from the body and from the brain telling an alcohol addicted person that something is dreadfully misaligned and needs to be fixed. These messages consist of several painful, uncomfortable, and dangerous withdrawal symptoms that can potentially lead to a person’s death if the proper treatment is not immediately obtained.
Miss Benning then listed the host of alcohol withdrawal symptoms that can be experienced when an individual who is addicted to alcohol suddenly stops drinking.
The point that Miss Benning tried to underline was this: an individual who engages in alcohol abuse can experience almost any and every one of the alcoholism signs that the students had ranked, but the one symptom or sign that few, if any, individuals who engage in alcohol abuse ever experience is alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
To articulate this as plainly as possible, Miss Benning emphasized the fact that alcohol abusers, unlike alcohol addicted individuals, are not alcohol dependent and consequently, when they stop drinking, they almost never go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
The Pupils Think They Have Uncovered A Contradiction With the Findings From The Group of Chemical Dependency Specialists
The pupils also some difficulty with the second ranked answer given by the drug and alcohol abuse professionals, namely, “Have you ever had a drink the first thing in the morning to get rid of a hangover or to steady your nerves?”
Miss Benning told the pupils in her classroom that this sign does not necessarily suggest that the problem is alcoholism, but that it does emphasize the need that alcohol addicted individuals have to drink in order to keep away from alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
After Miss Benning explained the importance of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the life of the person who is alcohol dependent, the students started to appreciate the main difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction.
To add a sense of closure to the subject, Miss Benning asked the students in her class to take out a sheet of paper and answer the following question: “if every individual who is addicted to alcohol knew about every one of the alcohol dependency signs and alcohol withdrawal symptoms we have studied, what percentage of them do you think would obtain alcohol addiction rehabilitation?”
After roughly four or five minutes, Miss Benning asked for the pupils’ answers. While many students reasoned that around 85 to 95 percent of individuals who are addicted to alcohol would obtain alcohol dependency treatment if they knew about the facts related to alcohol withdrawal symptoms and alcoholism signs, most of the students reasoned that this number would not be less than 65 percent.
The Students Were Amazed to Learn That Only 25% of Alcohol Dependent People in the U.S. Ask For Alcohol Treatment
To the surprise of most of the pupils, Miss Benning mentioned that according to different scientific examinations, only 25% of the people who are addicted to alcohol in the U.S. ask for alcohol dependency treatment. This astonished most of the pupils because they figured that exposure to the disgusting facts and statistics related to alcohol dependency would motivate the majority of the people who are addicted to alcohol to seek alcohol dependency rehabilitation.
Miss Benning then explained that alcohol dependent individuals not only need alcohol on a daily basis in order to function but they also need alcohol on a daily basis so they can keep away from possible alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Evidently, the alcohol dependent person’s need to drink on a daily basis is more powerful than facts or logic. Without a doubt, due to the fact that the thirst for alcohol is “reality” to the alcohol dependent person, this is a thorny issue that is difficult to overcome.
The Combination of Mental Health Issues and Alcohol Dependency Often Leads to Relationship, Divorce, Friendship, and Marital Problems
Finally, Miss Benning told her students that it is important to realize that alcoholism and various mental health issues like depression are highly correlated. Additionally, the incidence of mental health difficulties and alcoholism frequently result in relationship, friendship, marital, and divorce problems.
The Students are Eager to Learn About Alcohol Addiction Signs and Symptoms in Today’s Society
A few minutes later the bell rang, indicating the end of the class. Based on the enthusiasm manifested by the students when they were leaving the room, Miss Benning knew that she had encouraged and stimulated her students to stop and think about an important health and social problem that exists in our culture.
Miss Benning was a health teacher at the most financially challenged co-educational high school in the state. Although she had been teaching for only one year, she had already gained a reputation as an educator with teaching methods that inspired and motivated her pupils to think and to learn.
For instance, one Thursday afternoon at 1:30 she addressed her pupils and announced the following: “For the next three or four days we are going to learn about some basic alcoholism facts from a more wide-ranging viewpoint and we are also going to learn about a number of the most familiar signs of alcoholism from a less general and more detailed standpoint.”
“Not all of these alcoholism signs will beyond doubt validate that an individual with a drinking problem is an alcohol addicted individual, but the more signs that an individual displays, the greater the likelihood that he or she is a person who is addicted to alcohol.”
Miss Benning then told the students in the class that each pupil would be accountable for studying four alcoholism signs and then presenting his or her results to the other class members via a twenty-five minute oral presentation.
The Pupils are Enthused About Giving A Comprehensive Presentation to Their Fellow Pupils About Alcohol Addiction Signs
After learning about the different signs of alcohol dependency for a number of days, the time had arrived for the individual presentations. It was at once apparent that the pupils were energized about the subject matter because the material that they presented was first-rate. To say that Miss Benning was pleasantly surprised with the passion manifested by her students regarding this subject could not be overstated.
The day after all of the students completed their presentations, Miss Benning passed out a sheet of paper with a list of all the alcohol dependency signs that were presented and discussed in class and in the presentations. Miss Benning then asked the students in her class to study the list and rank the top seven alcohol addiction signs that were most indicative of alcohol addiction. After around five minutes, Miss Benning collected the pieces of paper and informed the pupils in her classroom that after she tallies the numbers, she will discuss her findings the next school day.
There was a real buzz by the pupils while they were walking out of Miss Benning’s classroom. One could swear that her students couldn’t wait for the next day to come so that they could learn about the results of their in-class research.
The Students Match Their Results Against the Assessments From A Council of Substance Abuse Professionals
When the next school day came, Miss Benning passed out a piece of paper that listed the top five alcohol addiction signs as per the pupils’ rankings. To the left of these results, she added another column that was labeled “experts’ response.” She then informed the pupils in her class that the numbers in the second column she added signified the answers that were generated by a council of chemical dependency authorities.
Miss Benning asked her students to look over the data on the sheet of paper she passed out and then to raise their hand if they had any issues, questions, or concerns. Within 30 or 40 seconds, just about every student in the classroom raised her or his hand. It was apparent that the pupils had some questions, concerns, or issues about their results versus the answers given by the specialists. For instance, just about every pupil disagreed with the highest ranked answer given by the authorities, specifically, “Do you feel unusually nauseous when you quit drinking?”
The Central Difference Between Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism is the Physical Addiction That is Experienced With Alcohol Addiction and Not With Alcohol Abuse
Miss Benning then explained to the pupils in her classroom why this answer was the most accurate sign of alcohol addiction. She pointed out the fact that the principal difference between alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse is the physical dependency that is experienced with alcohol dependency and not with alcohol abuse.
Primarily this means that when a person who is alcohol dependent suddenly quits drinking, he or she will experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Miss Benning then explained to her pupils that alcohol withdrawal symptoms are responses by the brain and by the body to the deprivation of alcohol to which they had become acclimated. Stated more explicitly, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are messages from the body and from the brain telling an alcohol addicted person that something is dreadfully misaligned and needs to be fixed. These messages consist of several painful, uncomfortable, and dangerous withdrawal symptoms that can potentially lead to a person’s death if the proper treatment is not immediately obtained.
Miss Benning then listed the host of alcohol withdrawal symptoms that can be experienced when an individual who is addicted to alcohol suddenly stops drinking.
The point that Miss Benning tried to underline was this: an individual who engages in alcohol abuse can experience almost any and every one of the alcoholism signs that the students had ranked, but the one symptom or sign that few, if any, individuals who engage in alcohol abuse ever experience is alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
To articulate this as plainly as possible, Miss Benning emphasized the fact that alcohol abusers, unlike alcohol addicted individuals, are not alcohol dependent and consequently, when they stop drinking, they almost never go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
The Pupils Think They Have Uncovered A Contradiction With the Findings From The Group of Chemical Dependency Specialists
The pupils also some difficulty with the second ranked answer given by the drug and alcohol abuse professionals, namely, “Have you ever had a drink the first thing in the morning to get rid of a hangover or to steady your nerves?”
Miss Benning told the pupils in her classroom that this sign does not necessarily suggest that the problem is alcoholism, but that it does emphasize the need that alcohol addicted individuals have to drink in order to keep away from alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
After Miss Benning explained the importance of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the life of the person who is alcohol dependent, the students started to appreciate the main difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction.
To add a sense of closure to the subject, Miss Benning asked the students in her class to take out a sheet of paper and answer the following question: “if every individual who is addicted to alcohol knew about every one of the alcohol dependency signs and alcohol withdrawal symptoms we have studied, what percentage of them do you think would obtain alcohol addiction rehabilitation?”
After roughly four or five minutes, Miss Benning asked for the pupils’ answers. While many students reasoned that around 85 to 95 percent of individuals who are addicted to alcohol would obtain alcohol dependency treatment if they knew about the facts related to alcohol withdrawal symptoms and alcoholism signs, most of the students reasoned that this number would not be less than 65 percent.
The Students Were Amazed to Learn That Only 25% of Alcohol Dependent People in the U.S. Ask For Alcohol Treatment
To the surprise of most of the pupils, Miss Benning mentioned that according to different scientific examinations, only 25% of the people who are addicted to alcohol in the U.S. ask for alcohol dependency treatment. This astonished most of the pupils because they figured that exposure to the disgusting facts and statistics related to alcohol dependency would motivate the majority of the people who are addicted to alcohol to seek alcohol dependency rehabilitation.
Miss Benning then explained that alcohol dependent individuals not only need alcohol on a daily basis in order to function but they also need alcohol on a daily basis so they can keep away from possible alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Evidently, the alcohol dependent person’s need to drink on a daily basis is more powerful than facts or logic. Without a doubt, due to the fact that the thirst for alcohol is “reality” to the alcohol dependent person, this is a thorny issue that is difficult to overcome.
The Combination of Mental Health Issues and Alcohol Dependency Often Leads to Relationship, Divorce, Friendship, and Marital Problems
Finally, Miss Benning told her students that it is important to realize that alcoholism and various mental health issues like depression are highly correlated. Additionally, the incidence of mental health difficulties and alcoholism frequently result in relationship, friendship, marital, and divorce problems.
The Students are Eager to Learn About Alcohol Addiction Signs and Symptoms in Today’s Society
A few minutes later the bell rang, indicating the end of the class. Based on the enthusiasm manifested by the students when they were leaving the room, Miss Benning knew that she had encouraged and stimulated her students to stop and think about an important health and social problem that exists in our culture. It was clear to see that her pupils also learned how to increase their positive attitude, personal success and happiness, and self esteem.
When Irresponsible Drinking Leads To Serious Health Problems And Relationship And Friendship Problems
For a number of years alcohol addiction research has demonstrated the fact that there is strong linkage between alcohol dependency and serious health conditions and mental health issues such as depression.
For instance, in 2005, medical research and alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics demonstrated the fact that that alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction cost the United States an estimated $220 billion on an annual basis. It may be noted that this enormous alcohol-related cash disbursement was significantly more than the cost linked with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion). While it is pertinent to emphasize these facts, it is also noteworthy to point out that an interrelationship exists between all three of these health conditions.
Stated another way, chronic alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction are also highly interrelated with obesity and with cancer.
Definitely, substance abuse research has shown that alcoholism can augment the risk for different kinds of cancer, particularly cancer of the liver, voice box (larynx), kidneys, colon, esophagus, rectum, and the throat. Hazardous and recurring drinking can also lead to immune system issues and harm to the fetus during pregnancy.
Heavy and Hazardous Drinking Enfeebles the Drinker’s Systems and Organs
Furthermore, if alcoholism continues over a period of years, the individual’s body organs will probably be affected in an unhealthy manner. For instance, long-term, abusive drinking is especially damaging to the liver since the liver does most of the work of processing the alcohol that has been ingested. Extreme amounts of alcohol kills liver cells and eradicates the ability of liver cells to redevelop. This medical circumstance leads to a progressive inflammatory injury to the liver that can sooner or later lead to cirrhosis of the liver, a dangerous and possibly deadly medical problem. Excessive, long-term drinking not only can lead to dangerous liver damage, but it can also lead to damage to the heart and to the brain. Physical damage this serious may be unalterable and may, in turn, result in severe ill health or an early death.
The Importance of Alcohol Rehab
It is vital, consequently, to know how to recognize the different alcoholism symptoms and the “alcohol signs” so that the alcohol dependent person can be given the opportunity to get the professional alcohol treatment he or she requires.
Alcohol Addiction and Technologically Advanced Brain Exploration
Fortuitously, scientific examination is relentlessly unearthing innovative and important information. Recent alcoholism research supplies a high-quality example. Stated differently, for approximately the last ten years, sophisticated brain-imaging scanning devices have demonstrated that continuous and long lasting hazardous drinking modifies the constitution of the brain to a substantial extent, consequently resulting in brain disease that can last months, years, or possibly as long as the person exists.
More specifically, medical exploration has demonstrated that individuals who have been drinking in an excessive manner for a considerable length of time increase their risk for developing long lasting and serious alterations in the brain.
This type of damage may be directly related to the alcohol’s effects on the brain, to severe liver disease, or might be indirectly associated with the drinker’s poor overall health.
Malnutrition, Abusive Drinking, and Mental Disorders
As a final example of assorted health problems that are substantially associated with alcohol addiction, take into consideration the fact that according to scientific exploration, the abusive and repeated abuse of alcohol can result in erosive gastritis, a health problem that decreases the absorption of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
This type of organ malfunctioning is linked to malnutrition and to an assortment of critical neurological and mental disorders including sleep disturbances, memory loss, and psychosis such as Wernicke’s Encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome. This latter medical problem is an enduring incapacitating condition that is typified by persistent memory and learning complications.
Abusive Drinking Also Results in Friendship and Relationship Problems
In addition to major health problems, thoughtless drinking also leads to relationship and friendship difficulties. For example, people who involve themselves in hazardous drinking frequently experience marital difficulties, affairs, sexuality problems, and divorce.
Conclusion: The Relevance of Education
It is plain to see that repetitive, abusive drinking is directly or indirectly related to a variety of serious medical conditions that can and do lead to dangerous diseases and premature death. Such information needs to be underlined and presented to everyone in our society, especially to all students, so that a large number of individuals will be able to refrain from abusive drinking while other individuals who have a drinking problem will get the professional rehabilitation they need.
Let us look at this pragmatically. Yes, alcohol therapy is significant, but alcohol counseling is something that is frequently done AFTER the fact. Education, to the contrary, is something that is done BEFORE the problem emerges. Stated differently, whereas alcohol rehab is “reactive,” education is “proactive.” It is asserted that both approaches are needed when discussing alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency.
Samuel was a forty-year-old loan officer who was sick of feeling depressed everyday of his life and sick of his hazardous and excessive drinking behavior. In a word, he missed his old motivation for doing various things he liked, he was sick of feeling weary every morning, he was tired of going through broken relationship after broken relationship due to his habitual drinking, he hated the hangovers he experienced on a regular basis, and he was annoyed with himself for spending his hard-earned money on a useless habit.
In addition he was irritated with the many times he failed an alcohol test at his place of employment, he was fed up with paying for alcohol-related attorney fees, he was disgusted with how out-of-shape he was, he was bored with his drinking buddies, and he detested the fact that he had to go to court for his first DUI.
In addition to the observable alcohol-related health problems he now experienced, perhaps the worst part of his drinking routine was the undependable and deceitful person he had become. In his heart he realized that he had been dishonest about his drinking behavior to his relatives, family, and friends and he also knew he had been lying to himself about the “healthy” effects of drinking. Not only this but he made excuses for guzzling two or three drinks before going to social events and he also rationalized needing two or three drinks the first thing in the morning so that he could manage the “anxiety” at his job.
His Depression and His Hazardous and Irresponsible Drinking Result in Significant Life Changes
It was apparent that Samuel was sick of putting up with the negative consequences of his depression and his abusive and careless drinking and decided that something significant had to change in his life. So he decided that he would stop drinking, start focusing on becoming a more healthy person, involve himself in some worthwhile hobbies, develop a new circle of friends, get professional counseling, and start exercising. In a word, Samuel got to the point in his life during which he realized that he hit a low point in life and was now ready to begin the gradual and slow path that leads to recovery.
One of the ways that Samuel initiated his “plan” was by asking for a transfer at his workplace. When his request was approved, he moved 400 miles away to a new city. If nothing else, this definitely made making new pals and detaching himself from his old friends simpler. Then he went to see a healthcare professional in his new city and made an appointment for a thorough physical exam.
Samuel Meets With a Doctor About His Abusive and Hazardous Drinking and His Depression
After meeting with the doctor and going through a number of laboratory tests, it was decided that Samuel had made the unfortunate change from alcohol abuse to dependency on alcohol and as a result was in need of alcohol rehab and alcohol detox. At this time, the doctor made it a point to go over the diverse signs of alcoholism, the symptoms of alcoholism, and information about long term effects of alcohol with Samuel. The doctor then told Samuel that it was decided that he was clinically depressed and in need of treatment for this medical condition.
Samuel Makes up His Mind to Build Up His Body by Eating Nutritious Foods, Drinking Distilled Water, Going to the Gym, Living an Alcohol-Free Lifestyle, and Taking Vitamins
Due to his readiness to follow through with the therapy protocol, after nine weeks of residential rehabilitation, Samuel was ready to begin rehab on an outpatient basis. At this point, he began working at his new job and over the weeks began fortifying his body by eating nutritious foods, working out, drinking distilled water, taking vitamins, and living an alcohol-free lifestyle. Samuel also came to grips with his spiritual life by joining the local Congregational church and going to regular services.
After nearly eight weeks of outpatient rehabilitation during which time he never suffered through an alcohol relapse, Samuel quit going to alcohol therapy and instead began going three times per week to local AA meetings. Attending these meetings helped Samuel continue his alcohol-free lifestyle, they provided him with the support he sought after, and they served as a continual reminder of the adverse results that are associated with hazardous and excessive drinking.
After going to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings around two months Samuel felt that he was ready for a relationship and so he started dating Esther, a young lady he met at church. It simply surprised Samuel how much more prepared he was for a dating relationship now that he had his abusive and careless drinking under control. Indeed it also astonished Samuel how much better life was now that he wasn’t under the control of his hazardous and abusive drinking. Life was now pleasant and loaded with promise that he could have never yearned for or accomplished when he was involved in excessive and abusive drinking less than a year ago.
A Success Story That is a Testament to the Relevance of Alcohol Treatment and the Power of Positive Thinking
Samuel’s success story is a tribute to the value of alcohol rehabilitation and the power of change. As Samuel thought about his newfound self-respect and drive for involving himself in healthy, worthwhile activities, he was actually thankful that he decided to do something productive about his hazardous drinking rather than giving into his depression and into the lure of his alcoholism. The result: his life now has a positive direction, he is involved in a loving relationship, he likes his new job responsibilities, he has more energy now compared with any time in his adult life, and he is in charge of his life rather than letting himself deteriorate under the control of his alcohol dependency.
When I was a sophomore in high school, I enrolled into a substance abuse class. At that age, I did not grasp the fact that alcohol abuse in truth was a sub category of drug abuse. While taking this class and learning more about drug and alcohol abuse and especially about alcohol side effects, I read a lot about Alcoholic Anonymous, their meetings, how their programs have twelve steps, and how successful the Alcoholics Anonymous recovery program has been for individuals all over the world. I also learned quite a bit about alcohol rehabilitation and the various alcohol rehab clinics that are often available to individuals who engage in heavy drinking.
Negative Effects That are Associated With Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
Some of the detrimental outcomes associated with alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class unquestionably alarmed me. The ruined lives and many difficulties experienced by most alcoholics made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. Stated briefly, I did not want to face the wreckage and ruination that alcohol addicted people almost always encounter.
Think about this for a moment. What fifteen-year-old person wants to face premature death due to his or her drinking behavior? What young person wants to become so out-of-control regarding his or her drinking that consuming alcohol becomes the object of one’s life? What teenager wants to go to one of the local alcoholic rehabilitation centers to deal with alcohol-related problems before he or she becomes an adult?
What young person wants to encounter alcohol withdrawals when he or she tries to quit drinking? Why would an individual engage in drinking to such an extent that it would cause difficulties in every area of his or her life? Drinking later in life after a person has a career, a family, and develops personal responsibilities makes sense. But why would an adolescent want to sacrifice his or her education, employment, finances, and relationships for a life that centers on abusive drinking?
These issues were so significant that I discussed some of them in class throughout the school year. What was entirely unbelievable to me was the number of students who basically didn’t care about the injurious results of hazardous drinking that I talked about. It was almost as if they couldn’t be troubled with the truth and how these results can wreck their lives. For the first time in my life I started to appreciate a saying that my grandfather used to say to me all through my younger years: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t force it to drink.
It’s Beneficial, Important, and Liberating to Keep Yourself From the Unhealthy and Damaging End Results of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
And even at my young age, I also began to understand how important, energizing, and beneficial it is in life to stay away from the destructive and unhealthy outcomes of alcohol and drug abuse. And realizing this not only gave me the inspiration and motivation to further develop my self esteem and self worth, but it also helped shape the friendships and relationships I made in school.
