Posts Tagged ‘alcohol addiction’
Sarah and Jerry have been married for four years. They wanted to have some excitement and fun before they decided to have a family and so they intentionally constructed an extraordinarily vigorous social life.
The primary issue, it needs to be highlighted, is that almost everything they do socially has something to do with drinking. For example, all of the parties with friends, sporting events, dinner engagements, happy hours, and family get-togethers they attend somehow involve drinking.
Jerry and Sarah Begin to Become Aware of Some Clearly Identifiable Alcohol Related Difficulties That are Linked to Their Hazardous Drinking
If they were casual drinkers, this wouldn’t be such a major issue. Since they drink rather heavily, however, they are beginning to become aware of some instantly recognizable alcohol-related problems in their lives.
For instance, just two days ago Jerry was placed in custody for his first DUI and has been taking time off from work because of alcohol-related health issues. In addition, Jerry’s last two or three performance reviews at the office have been less than average and he has begun to forget what he says or does the times that he drinks. Lastly, Jerry has been having sleep-related problems and his family has begun to show concern about his drinking circumstances.
Not unlike Jerry’s situation, Sarah has been feeling dejected about life and to deal with these feelings, she has been drinking more frequently than any time in the past four years. What is more, Sarah has been getting quite a few painful headaches and going through awful hangovers after drinking. Finally, Sarah has been feeling appreciably less active when she gets up in the morning, she has been getting to work late at least once per week, and she has been receiving some occasional criticism from her coworkers, friends, relatives, and family members about her abusive drinking.
Watching the TV and Going Through the Channels and Discovering A Fascinating Program About the Signs of Alcoholism
One Tuesday evening while watching TV, Jerry and Sarah without any planning at all discovered a fascinating program about the signs of alcoholism.
This television program was a real surprise to Jerry and Sarah because several of the alcoholism signs that were listed looked like they were unswervingly related to several of the alcohol-related drinking problems Jerry and Sarah had been going through.
A Frank Discussion About Drinking Behavior Discloses Alcohol Related Legal, Financial, Health, Relationship, and Employment Problems
After watching the television special, Sarah and Jerry decided to have a forthright chat about their drinking behavior. They both agreed that most, if not all, of their social functions were related to drinking, that they were drinking in an excessive manner, and that as a couple, they were beginning to see alcohol related health, relationship, legal, financial, and employment problems for the first time in their lives.
With thoughts of the television special still imprinted in her mind, Sarah asked Jerry if some of the alcoholism signs they have been manifesting could be a signal that they are addicted to alcohol or conceivably becoming alcoholic. Jerry didn’t know the answer to Sarah’s question and so he recommended that they schedule an appointment with one of the therapists at the nearby alcohol abuse treatment clinic to find out more about the seriousness of their drinking issues.
Concentrating On Your Drinking Issues Might Lower Your Trepidation and Give You Some Peace of Mind
Paradoxically, even though their drinking behavior hadn’t yet changed, it was noticeable that Jerry and Sarah were at the very least focusing on their drinking problems, they were enthusiastic about finding out more about their drinking situation, and they were interested in finding out how they could substantially cut back on or eliminate the drinking-related issues that had started to deteriorate.
When Sarah and Jerry went to bed that evening, they determined that the next morning, Jerry would call and schedule an appointment for both of them at the substance abuse rehab facility located in the middle of town. After they made a promise to one another that they would do whatever it takes to defeat the alcohol-related difficulties that had manifested themselves in their lives, they truly had the most revitalizing night’s sleep they could think of in the last eight weeks.
Just before she fell asleep, Sarah turned to Jerry and observed how painless it is to lower one’s sense of dread and truly experience some peace of mind by facing one’s problems with personal integrity and deciding to do something productive about them.
Mr. Blake was one of the health lecturers at a small countryside community college in the Midwestern part of the United States. For “Alcohol Alertness Month” he decided that he would feature the following three topics for a class assignment: alcoholism symptoms, alcoholism statistics, and alcoholic symptoms.
After Mr. Blake finalized the topics that would be allotted to his students, he decided that he would give them their assignment the following Monday morning.
When “assignment day” eventually arrived, Mr. Blake met with the members of his class, handed out some relevant statistics and facts, and then notified his class about the topics he finally selected.
Why It Is Imperative to Become Skilled at Figuring Out How to Relate Alcoholism Symptoms, Alcoholism Statistics, and Alcoholic Symptoms with Everyday Situations of Individuals Who Are Alcohol Dependent
He then gave his class a synopsis of some noteworthy alcoholism statistics and alcohol addiction signs and symptoms and highlighted how critical it is to figure out how to associate these facts, statistics, and symptoms with the real-life situations of alcohol addicted people. He then gave his students a short and to the point description about the significance of learning more about alcoholics and how they function on an everyday basis.
Mr. Blake informed his class that they could isolate on one of the three topics or discuss all three topics and how they are interconnected. In essence this would be similar to a general summary but done in a more wide-ranging way.
Another alternative that he provided for his students was the following: choose a topic such as alcohol dependency symptoms and signs, examine things in a more thoroughgoing manner, and then go over four or five symptoms and signs. Mr. Blake then pointed out the fact that the same principals apply to the other two topics, namely, alcoholic symptoms and alcoholism statistics.
The end result of their research would be a six thousand word essay and then a fifteen minute oral presentation that would be presented in front of the class.
Presenting The Outcome of An Educational Study at the Regional Drug and Alcohol Abuse Conference
As appreciation for their exceptional scholarly attainment, the students with the top three overall grades on the research project and on the oral presentation will be asked to present the results of their inquiry at the community alcohol abuse and alcoholism symposium during the last eight days of May.
After the pupils got their project information, many of them raised their hands and asked for an illustration or a demonstration of a sub-topic that they could feature for their research investigation.
In response, Mr. Blake determined that he would briefly chat about two or three alcoholism signs and symptoms that the pupils could develop.
As an illustration, Mr. Blake identified the following alcohol dependency symptoms and signs: cloudy thinking, an obsession with drinking, loss of control, and boasting and a “big shot” complex.
Discussing How Alcoholism Symptoms, Alcoholism Statistics, and Alcoholic Symptoms Show Themselves in the Life of an Alcoholic
After articulating these alcohol dependency symptoms and signs, Mr. Blake then notified the pupils in the classroom that they could do some further study on each symptom, gather some pertinent data, give a number of illustrations of each sign or symptom, and articulate how each sign or symptom is disclosed in the life of an alcohol addicted individual.
As articulated by Mr. Blake, since there are more than a few alcoholism symptoms and signs to select, he discussed the fact that he was not all that concerned about various students settling on the same signs and symptoms for their class project.
Certainly, even if two or more students were to opt for the same signs and symptoms, the illustrations that are associated with each sign or symptom would certainly add enough variety to sidestep the possibility of several pupils presenting exactly the same content.
Mr. Blake then brought up the fact that while there are more than a few alcohol dependency signs and symptoms that could be selected, the quantity of alcoholism statistics and facts that could be itemized were very nearly limitless. When the topic of alcoholic symptoms was added to the discussion, moreover, the pupils recognized rather quickly that the three topics would make available a considerable amount of data from which to pick.
Why Mr. Blake Selected Alcoholism Statistics, Alcoholism Symptoms, and Alcoholic Symptoms as the Topics For This Undertaking
Why did Mr. Blake opt for alcoholism symptoms, alcoholic symptoms, and alcoholism statistics as the topics for this research project? Mr. Blake’s aspiration was that by asking all of his students to research one or more of the three alcoholism topics, all the pupils would have a more thorough knowledge about a complicated yet significant topic such as alcohol addiction.
Mr. Blake also thought that by increasing the understanding of his students about the devastating outcomes of alcohol addiction and the grim way of life experienced by alcohol addicted individuals, his pupils might think more wisely before they get mixed up with irresponsible and abusive drinking behavior.
Miss Benning was a health instructor at the best known co-educational high school in the state. Even though she had been teaching for only two years, she had already obtained a reputation as a teacher with educational methods that motivated and stimulated her pupils to learn and to think.
As an illustration, one Friday morning at 10:30 she addressed the students in her class and announced the following: “For the next three or four days we are going to learn about some basic alcoholism facts from a more wind-ranging perspective and we are also going to learn about several of the most familiar signs of alcoholism from a less general and more explicit viewpoint.”
“Not all of these alcoholism signs will undeniably prove that a drinker with a drinking problem is an individual who is addicted to alcohol, but the more signs that a person displays, the greater the probability that he or she is an individual who is alcohol dependent.”
Miss Benning then told the members in the class that each individual would be held responsible for researching three alcoholism signs and then presenting his or her results to the other class members via a ten minute oral presentation.
The Pupils are Energized About Giving An Extensive Presentation to Their Fellow Classmates About The Signs of Alcohol Addiction
After learning about the diverse signs of alcoholism for a number of days, the time had come for the student presentations. It was immediately apparent that her students were wound up about the subject matter because the information that they presented was extraordinary. To say that Miss Benning was pleasantly surprised with the enthusiasm exhibited by the students in her classroom 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 addiction signs that were presented and discussed in class and in the presentations. Miss Benning then asked the students in her class to go over the list and rank the top eight alcohol dependency signs that were most indicative of alcohol addiction. After about ten minutes, Miss Benning collected the pieces of paper and informed her students that after she studies the results, she will discuss her findings the next school day.
There was some real anticipation by the students while they were walking out of Miss Benning’s class. One could swear that her students couldn’t wait for the next day to come so that they could learn about the outcome of their in-class research.
The Pupils Compare Their Answers With the Appraisals From A Panel of Alcohol Addiction Authorities
When the next school day finally arrived, 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 included another column that was labeled “correct answer.” She then told her pupils that the numbers in the additional column she added represented the answers that were constructed by a panel of alcohol dependency professionals.
Miss Benning told the pupils in her class to look over the information she passed out and then to raise their hand if they had any concerns, issues, or questions. Within 10 or 20 seconds, almost every pupil in the class raised her or his hand. It was evident that the students had some questions, issues, or concerns about their results versus the answers given by the professionals. For example, almost every student had an issue with the highest ranked answer given by the professionals, to be exact, “Do you feel unusually ill when you abstain from drinking?”
The Principal Difference Between Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency is the Physical Addiction That is Experienced With Alcoholism and Not With Alcohol Abuse
Miss Benning then explained to the students in her classroom why this answer was the most straightforward indicator of alcoholism. She underlined the fact that the essential difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction is the physical addiction that is experienced with alcohol dependency and not with alcohol abuse.
In effect this means that when an alcohol addicted individual suddenly quits drinking, he or she will suffer through alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Miss Benning then informed the pupils in her class that alcohol withdrawal symptoms are responses by the body and by the brain to the lack of alcohol to which they had become accustomed. Stated more precisely, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are signals from the body and from the brain telling an alcohol addicted person that something is exceedingly incorrect and needs to be rectified. These signals consist of several painful, uncomfortable, and dangerous withdrawal symptoms that can potentially result in a person’s death if the appropriate therapy is not promptly received.
Miss Benning then listed the host of alcohol withdrawal symptoms that can be experienced when a person who is addicted to alcohol abruptly stops drinking.
The point that Miss Benning tried to stress was this: an individual who engages in alcohol abuse can experience almost any and every one of the alcohol dependency signs that the students had ranked, but the one sign or symptom that few, if any, alcohol abusers ever experience is alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
To articulate this as precisely as possible, Miss Benning pointed out that alcohol abusers, unlike alcohol dependent individuals, are not alcohol dependent and as a result, when they quit drinking, they almost never experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
The Students Believe They Have Discovered A Dissimilarity With the Findings From The Panel of Drug and Alcohol Addiction Specialists
The pupils also disagreed with the second ranked answer given by the alcohol dependency experts, that is, “Have you ever had a drink the first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?”
Miss Benning informed her pupils that this sign does not necessarily suggest that the problem is alcoholism, but that it does emphasize the need that people who are alcohol dependent have to drink in order to steer clear of alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
After Miss Benning explained the importance of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the life of the individual who is alcohol dependent, the students started to comprehend the essential difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency.
To add a sense of closure to the subject, Miss Benning asked her students to take out a piece of paper and answer the following question: “if every individual who is alcohol dependent knew about every one of the alcohol addiction signs and alcohol withdrawal symptoms we have studied, what percentage of them do you think would seek alcohol addiction rehab?”
After about three or four minutes, Miss Benning asked for the pupils’ responses. While many pupils figured that roughly 70 to 80 percent of people who are alcohol dependent would obtain alcohol treatment if they knew about the facts related to alcohol withdrawal symptoms and alcohol dependency signs, most of the pupils figured that this number would not be less than 70 percent.
The Pupils Were Amazed to Discover That Only 25% of Alcoholics in the United States Obtain Alcohol Dependency Rehab
To the amazement of most of the pupils, Miss Benning confirmed that according to different scientific examinations, only 25% of the alcohol dependent individuals in the United States obtain alcohol addiction rehabilitation. This amazed most of the students because they figured that exposure to the disgusting statistics and facts correlated with alcohol dependency would motivate most of the individuals who are alcohol dependent to obtain alcohol addiction rehab.
Miss Benning then explained that alcohol addicted individuals not only need alcohol everyday in order to function but they also require alcohol on an everyday basis so they can stay away from possible alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Evidently, the alcoholic’s need to drink on a daily basis is more powerful than logic or facts. Certainly, due to the fact that the craving for alcohol is “reality” to the person who is alcohol dependent, this is a demanding issue that is hard to negate.
A few minutes later the bell rang, indicating that the end of class had arrived. Based on the excitement displayed by the pupils when they were leaving the room, Miss Benning knew that she had stimulated and inspired the pupils in her classroom to stop and think about a noteworthy health and social problem that exists in our country.
It is fascinating to articulate something that family members who have been negatively affected by the alcohol addiction of another family member plainly do not understand. It appears that by protecting the alcohol addicted person with lies and deceit to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have actually created a circumstance that makes it easier for the alcoholic to carry on and press forward with his or her hurtful, destructive way of living.
Undeniably, rather than helping the alcohol dependent person and themselves, these family members have in truth become enablers who have inadvertently helped negatively affect the alcohol dependent person’s drinking problem even further.
Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcohol addicted individual will continue drinking in a hazardous and irresponsible manner and experience a range of “alcohol side effects.” Some of these side effects include poor health, deteriorating relationships, considerable financial problems, employment difficulties, legal issues (such as getting arrested for one or more DUIs), and diminished mental functioning.
Relapses Can and Do Occur
According to the research findings and statistics on alcohol dependency, another key alcohol addiction issue concerns alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcoholic has effectively gone through alcoholism therapy and then returns to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first glance, this situation flies in the face of rational thinking and seems so improbable that it forces one to wonder why anyone who has gone through the awfulness of alcohol addiction can return to drinking a short while after effective alcohol rehab and in turn after attaining sobriety. There are, to be sure, numerous credible reasons for this.
It should be explained, on the other hand that alcoholism research that has centered on the lasting effects of alcoholism has shown that long after the alcohol addicted person has discontinued his or her drinking, significant changes in the way in which the alcoholic’s brain works are still present. As a consequence, all a recovering alcoholic has to do to involve himself or herself in actions that correspond with the modifications that have occurred in the brain is to engage in drinking again.
The Necessity for A Critical Lifestyle Change
There are additional reasons why more than a few recovering alcohol dependent persons return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after reaching sobriety. In accordance to the alcohol dependency research literature, to make an effective recovery, the alcohol addicted person needs new ways of reacting and thinking in order to deal more successfully with taxing alcohol-related situations that will take place.
Issues such as returning to the same alcohol addictive environment or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the time when the alcohol addicted person was drinking irresponsibly; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these situations can bring forth memories that can prompt psychological stress or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol dependent person to engage in hazardous drinking once again. Unfortunately, all of these circumstances may not only get in the way of ongoing alcohol recovery for the alcohol dependent individual but they can also result in relapse and consequently go against one’s sobriety.
The Good News: First-Class Help is Available Almost Everywhere
In an attempt to “protect” the family alcoholic, family members can in fact cause inadvertent destruction by enabling the destructive drinking behavior of the alcohol dependent person.
The alcohol abuse research literature demonstrates the fact that most people who effectively complete alcohol counseling experience at least one relapse. Alcoholics and their family members need to know this so that they do not get crestfallen or beleaguered when a relapse occurs.
Luckily, participation in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up therapy and training have resulted in more effective, enduring alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction therapeutic outcomes, have helped reduce alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol addicted individuals achieve long standing alcohol recovery.
Heather is a sixty-year-old woman who is the top administrator in the human resources department at a large silver plating company. In order to decrease the costs related to excessive sick days, work related injuries, increasing absenteeism, poor employee work performance, and employee alcohol abuse and alcoholism, Heather and the other company executives instituted a number of programs that made the work environment significantly more safe, healthy, and more productive.
As an example, ten years ago Heather and the other company administrators established an Employee’s Assistance Program so that all the employees had access to professional therapy for their personal problems that could adversely affect their personal well-being, health, and their work performance.
Top Management Erects a Forward-Looking Exercise and Workout Room Complete With Exercise Charts, a Personal Trainer During Business Hours, Exercise Equipment, Mirrors, Weights, and Scales
As another illustration, roughly eight-and-a-half years ago Heather and the other company leaders constructed a technologically advanced workout and exercise room complete with weights, a professional trainer during business hours, many different types of exercise equipment, scales, mirrors, and exercise charts.
Moreover, approximately four years ago Heather and the other company administrators invested in a purification system that filters all the drinking water that is obtainable anywhere in the main building. Similarly, three years ago, Heather and the other company leaders started a “walking club” that is essentially intended for employees who want to improve upon their cardiovascular system.
Upper Management Puts Into Operation a Weight-Watchers Class and Signs Up a Weight-Loss Professional to Oversee the Program
As another example, nearly a year-and-a-half ago, Heather and the other VIPs established a “Weight-Watchers” class that presently meets every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 5:00 PM until 6:00 PM. Moreover, the company leaders employed a weight-loss healthcare professional to supervise the program.
In much the same way, a year-and-a-half ago Heather and the other VIPs established a “Stop Smoking Club” for employers who want to learn how to stop smoking.
In the last eight months, in a joint venture with the Employee’s Assistance Program, Heather and the other company administrators initiated an “Anger Management” class for employees who want to control their anger.
Top Management Institutes An Alcohol and Drug Testing Program
In the last four months, Heather and the other VIPs started a drug and alcohol testing program that is linked with their drug and alcohol abuse prevention program. Indeed, Heather is the primary person in the company responsible for getting the message out to all the workers about the drug and alcohol testing program as well as the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program.
One of the essential components of the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcoholism and Depression” that meets every Tuesday after work. The main idea with this class is informing employees that abusive drinking and depression commonly happen in the same individual. It is hoped that realizing this information can help a person address both medical issues and get the alcohol treatment and mental health therapy he or she needs.
Upper Management Launches an Alcohol Statistics and Facts Class
Another relatively recent addition to the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcohol Statistics and Facts.” The rationale behind this alcohol statistics facts class is the reality that more than a few individuals fail to recognize the total impact of the effects of alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse without first hearing about some of the alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse statistics and facts that are available. As a result, one of the goals of this class is to provide a variety of alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse statistics and facts in order to help employees gain a better comprehension of the multitude of problems that are linked to irresponsible and excessive drinking and how they can avert these issues from happening.
Most recently, Heather and the other VIPs, via comments from workers, developed a class that focuses directly on severe drinking entitled “What is Alcoholism”? This class meets every Monday morning a half hour before work and focuses generally on the differences between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency, on the stages of alcoholism, and on the different types of rehab that are available for people who have alcohol drinking problems such as people who drink in a hazardous manner.
Even though every single one of these preventative maintenance and health programs was anything but easy on the pocketbook, upper management believes that they are many thousands of dollars ahead by providing all of their employees with a safe, healthy, and more productive work environment.
Jennifer is a thirty-four-year-old preschool teacher who has been consuming alcohol in an abusive and excessive manner since her fiancée and she broke up their relationship. In point of fact, for the past six months she has been drinking very nearly two bottles of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking a number shots throughout the day. In short, Jennifer has been drinking so excessively and abusively that it’s a miracle that she hasn’t suffered from alcohol poisoning.
After feeling disheartened because she was beginning to disregard her health, Jennifer at last told herself that enough is enough, that it’s time to quit feeling sorry for herself, that it’s time to stop the abusive and hazardous drinking, and time to get on with her life. So the next Saturday morning at 9:30 AM, she determined that she would quit drinking suddenly and completely without planning or preparation.
When She Stopped Drinking She Felt Dreadful, She Was Extremely Moody and Nervous, Her Head Was Throbbing, She Started to Sweat Profusely, She Had Absolutely No Appetite, and She Vomited a Number of Times
When Jennifer stopped drinking, she figured that she would more likely than not be tempted to take a couple of drinks, but she never supposed that she would feel so dreadful. More directly, roughly four hours after she quit drinking, she was extremely moody and uptight, she had utterly no appetite, her head was aching, she started to perspire extensively, and she vomited numerous times.
When she called her best girlfriend and told her that she had quit drinking and that after a few hours she suddenly started to experience flu-like symptoms, Julia, her best pal, told Jennifer to call her doctor and discuss what she was going through.
She Admits to Her Healthcare Professional That She Has Been Drinking In an Excessive and Irresponsible Manner, That She Just Tried to Stop Drinking, and That She is Going Through Awful Flu-Like Symptoms
So Jennifer called her healthcare practitioner, told him that she has been drinking excessively for a number of months and that when she honestly tried to abruptly quit drinking earlier in the day, within a few hours she felt as if she had the worse flu-like symptoms that she had ever experienced.
Her healthcare practitioner told her that she may be experiencing symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and that she should have a neighbor or relative drive her to the emergency room as soon as humanly possible.
As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a relative to take her to the hospital. Interestingly, as sick as Jennifer was, all she could think about all the way to the hospital was whether or not she might be an alcoholic.
It seems that her family doctor had phoned ahead and informed the emergency room personnel to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by a nurse and a paramedic who immediately asked her to lie down on the portable bed they had with them. After getting moved to the emergency room and undergoing a few necessary tests, it was confirmed that Jennifer was in actual fact suffering from alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detox.
An emergency room doctor administered some meds to reduce her flu-like symptoms and also gave her some medications to help get rid of the alcohol that was still in her circulatory system.
A Chemical Dependency and Substance Abuse Healthcare Professional Explains That She is an Alcoholic and Then Goes Over What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcohol Dependency Stages Are
After two or three hours, Jennifer was removed from the emergency room and transported to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for just about an hour-and-a-half, Doctor Gordon, an alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction specialist, came to visit her. He took his time and explained in a clear fashion that Jennifer had gone through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she stopped drinking because she had become dependent on alcohol.
He then stated that with repeated and excessive drinking, the drinker’s brain in a step-by-step fashion becomes accustomed to the alcohol in order to carry out tasks and operations in a “semi-normal” fashion. When the drinker then abruptly quits drinking alcohol, however, the brain responds by generating alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Moreover, her doctor also went over the various alcoholism stages that an alcohol dependent person usually goes through as the disease gets worse over time.
It is Confirmed that Jennifer is in the Earliest Stage of Alcoholism and She Obtains a Favorable Diagnosis For a Complete Recovery if She Gets the Alcoholism Rehab She Needs
Fortunately for Jennifer, it was verified that she was in the first stage of alcohol dependency and, as a consequence, she obtained a good projection for a complete recovery if she gets the alcoholism therapy she needs.
Jennifer told the healthcare practitioner that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to get back her health and her life. She also articulated that she has an excellent hospitalization policy that will quite possibly pay for most of the costs needed for rehabilitation. It was obvious that Jennifer was extremely pleased with her optimistic medical prognosis and felt free from anxiety knowing that she will be able to get the alcohol dependency rehabilitation she needs so that she can start on the road to recovery.
Jerry and Sarah have been married for eight years. They wanted to have some excitement and fun before they made up their minds to have a family and so they deliberately constructed a very vibrant social life.
The main problem, it needs to be stressed, is that almost everything they do to have fun includes drinking. For example, all of the dinner engagements, happy hours, sporting events, family get-togethers, and parties with friends they patronize are related to drinking.
Jerry and Sarah Start to See Some Definite Alcohol Related Difficulties That are Without a Doubt Related to Their Irresponsible Drinking
If they were occasional drinkers, this wouldn’t be such a difficult situation. Due to the fact they drink quite abusively, nevertheless, they are starting to notice some noticeable alcohol-related difficulties in their lives.
For example, just five days ago Jerry was placed in custody for his first DWI and has been ignoring responsibilities at work because of alcohol-related health issues. What is more, Jerry’s last two or three performance reviews at his place of employment have been less than passable and he has begun to forget what he says or does when he drinks. Finally, Jerry has been experiencing sleep-related problems and his family is starting to agonize over his drinking circumstances.
In a similar manner, Sarah has been feeling disheartened with life and to handle these feelings, she has been drinking more often than any time in the past three years. What is more, Sarah has been getting a lot of throbbing headaches and experiencing dreadful hangovers after drinking. Lastly, Sarah has been feeling substantially less energetic when she awakens, she has been getting to work late at least every other day, and she has been getting some unsympathetic criticism from her friends, relatives, family members, and coworkers about her irresponsible drinking.
Watching the Television and Inadvertently Discovering A Remarkable Program About the Signs of Alcohol Dependency
One Thursday evening while watching TV, Sarah and Jerry inadvertently found a captivating documentary about the signs of alcoholism.
This TV documentary was a real bombshell to Sarah and Jerry because more than a few of the alcoholism signs that were highlighted seemed like they were unquestionably associated with more than a few of the alcohol-related drinking problems Sarah and Jerry had been experiencing.
A Forthright Chat About Drinking Situations Uncovers Alcohol Related Health, Legal, Financial, Employment, and Relationship Problems
After watching the TV documentary, Sarah and Jerry decided to have a forthright dialogue about their drinking circumstances. They both concurred that most, if not all, of their social functions included drinking, that they were drinking in a hazardous manner, and that as a married couple, they were beginning to make note of alcohol related relationship, health, legal, employment, and financial problems for the first time since they were married.
With thoughts of the television program still running through her mind, Sarah asked Jerry if some of the alcoholism signs they have been exhibiting could be a warning that they are alcohol dependent or possibly becoming alcohol dependent. Jerry didn’t know the answer to Sarah’s inquiry and so he suggested that they make an appointment with one of the healthcare practitioners at the local substance abuse rehab clinic to find out more about the severity of their drinking difficulties.
Addressing Your Drinking Difficulties Just Might Reduce Your Anxiety and Give You Some Serenity
Strangely enough, even though their drinking circumstances hadn’t yet changed, it was obvious that Jerry and Sarah were at the very least facing their drinking difficulties, they were excited about finding out more about their drinking circumstances, and they were concerned about how they could notably lessen or do away with the drinking-related problems that had begun to worsen.
When Sarah and Jerry went to bed that night, they made up their minds that the next morning, Jerry would call and make an appointment for both of them at the alcohol abuse rehab clinic located in the next town. After they made a promise to one another that they would do whatever it takes to triumph over the alcohol-related problems that had become apparent in their lives, they actually had the most energizing night’s sleep they could bring to mind in the last seven months.
Just before he fell asleep, Jerry turned to Sarah and mentioned how painless it is to decrease one’s sense of dread and in point of fact experience a sense of calm by dealing with one’s problems with conviction and deciding to do something positive about them.
For more than a few years alcohol dependency research has revealed the fact that there is strong association between alcohol addiction and serious health conditions and mental health issues such as depression.
As an illustration, in 2005, scientific investigation and alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics revealed that alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency cost the United States an estimated $220 billion on an annual basis. Interestingly, this substantial alcohol-related cost was substantially more than the cost associated with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion). While it is pertinent to emphasize these facts, it is also important to point out that an interrelationship exists between all three of these health issues.
More accurately, chronic alcohol abuse and alcoholism are also highly associated with obesity and with cancer.
Definitely, substance abuse investigation has revealed that alcohol addiction can augment the risk for various types of cancer, especially cancer of the kidneys, rectum, colon, voice box (larynx), esophagus, throat, and the liver. Heavy and recurring drinking can also result in immune system difficulties and abnormality to the fetus during pregnancy.
Abusive and Excessive Drinking Enfeebles the Individual’s Systems and Organs
Additionally, if alcoholism continues over a period of years, the person’s body organs will likely be affected in a harmful manner. As an illustration, repeated, abusive drinking is especially dangerous to the liver since the liver does most of the work of processing the alcohol that has been consumed. Extreme amounts of alcohol kills liver cells and destroys the ability of liver cells to redevelop. This medical circumstance results in a progressive inflammatory disease of the liver that can at the end of the day lead to cirrhosis of the liver, a grave and potentially terminal medical problem.Abusive, long-term drinking not only can lead to critical liver damage, but it can also result in damage to the heart and to the brain. Physical damage this critical may be irreparable and may, in turn, result in severe disease or an early death.
The Significance of Alcohol Therapy
It is important, therefore, to know how to identify the different alcoholism symptoms and the “alcohol signs” so that the alcohol addicted individual can be given the opportunity to get the professional alcohol rehabilitation he or she requires.
Alcoholism and Sophisticated Brain Exploration
Fortunately, medical research is persistently generating new and significant information. Recent alcoholism exploration provides a first-rate illustration. More precisely, for roughly the last ten years, sophisticated brain-imaging scanning devices have confirmed that repetitive and recurring abusive drinking modifies the constitution of the brain to a significant extent, thusly resulting in brain disease that can last months, years, or conceivably as long as the individual lives.
More to the point, medical investigation has revealed that people who have been drinking excessively for a sizeable length of time increase their risk for developing permanent and serious transformations in the brain.
This type of damage may be directly related to severe liver disease, to the alcohol’s effects on the brain, or might be indirectly associated with the drinker’s poor overall health.
Mental Disorders, Malnutrition, and Abusive Drinking
As a final illustration of different medical conditions that are considerably related to alcoholism, take into consideration the fact that according to scientific exploration, the hazardous and repeated abuse of alcohol can lead to erosive gastritis, a health problem that diminishes the absorption of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.
This kind of organ breakdown is related to malnutrition and to a variety of serious mental and neurological maladies including memory loss, sleep disturbances, and psychosis such as Wernicke’s Encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome. This latter health problem is a lasting debilitating health problem that is epitomized by continual learning and memory difficulties.
Summary
It is clear that repetitive, excessive drinking is directly or indirectly related to a variety of severe medical problems that can and do lead to dangerous ailments and premature death. Such information needs to be underlined and presented to everyone in our society so that most individuals will be able to abstain from abusive drinking while other people who have a drinking problem will get the professional rehabilitation they need.
Daniel had been engaging in fairly heavy drinking behavior since her freshman year in college. Now, ten years later, she drank more than ever. One Thursday evening when she was feeling ill, Daniel decided to stay home, lighten up, and watch television.
While seeking to find a special program to watch that she would find fascinating, she immediately got interested in a program about teenage and young adult drinking stumbling blocks.
When Common Alcohol Dependency Symptoms and Signs are Exhibited by Alcohol Dependent People
The spokesperson defined the difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency and then got into the topic of alcoholism symptoms and alcoholism warning signs. When the speaker discussed a person’s alcoholic behavior and some of the more normal alcohol addiction signs and symptoms that alcohol addicted individuals reveal, Daniel got quite troubled because it basically seemed as if the speaker was talking explicitly to her.
After watching the television documentary, Daniel promised herself that she would call her health care professional the next business day and make an appointment to discuss her drinking circumstance.
When the next workday arrived, true to her word, Daniel called her health care professional and made an appointment. While she was waiting for the day of her appointment to arrive, she went on the web and did a search for alcoholic symptoms. Especially difficult were the following signs or symptoms: increasing stress, sneaking extra drinks before social events, making excuses to drink at virtually every opportunity, sleep problems, and serious relationship and work-related problems.
Simply put, since Daniel displayed all of these symptoms she went further in her online search and found quite a lot of websites and blogs that discussed diverse alcohol addiction symptoms and warning signs.
One of the signs that really caught her attention was the following: “Do you frequently drink after promising yourself that you won’t?” While Daniel never concluded that she may have a serious drinking problem, after reading about the diverse alcohol addiction warning signs and symptoms, she couldn’t reject the fact that for the past seven or eight months, she again and again tried but was unsuccessful at significantly diminishing her drinking or stopping entirely.
When Friends and Neighbors Hassle You by Disapproving of Your Hazardous Drinking Behavior
Another alcohol dependency symptom that took hold of her interest was the following: “Have friends pestered you by disapproving of your drinking behavior?” When Daniel read this she instantly remembered a recent quarrel she had with her nephew about her hazardous drinking behavior. Not only this but, Daniel clearly remembered a recent spat she had with her parents about her hazardous drinking. Since Daniel sincerely believed that she didn’t have a drinking issue, when others pointed out her drinking behavior she as you would expect got disturbed and irritated.
A third alcoholic warning sign was the following: “Do you need a drink when you first get up in the morning?” Until now, Daniel had been deceiving herself about her drinking behavior. After reading about the aforementioned alcoholism warning symptoms, nonetheless, she knew if she was really frank with herself that she was facing a severe drinking problem, especially given the fact that she now thought that she required a drink the first thing when she woke up to diminish her anxiety.
What is more, the next alcohol addiction symptom really got her thinking about her drinking behavior: “Do you drink to avoid reality of trouble?” When she reflected on her life for a few minutes, she understood that practically in every difficult circumstance in the past few months, she told herself that she needed a drink to help cope with the tension in her life.
The final alcoholic symptom that made her feel especially anxious about her drinking problem was the following: “Has your enthusiasm for life decreased since you started drinking more often?” When Daniel read this sign she without a doubt realized that drinking had become a major difficulty in her life because of her diminished energy level and also because she quit pursuing her dreams and her passions.
Conclusion: When Sadness Turns Into Something Thrilling and A Sense of Hope
After thinking about all of these damaging alcohol addiction signs and symptoms, Daniel at first felt miserable. Then something surprising transpired. She reflected on the fact knew that she was going to see her health care provider about her problem drinking and she also reflected on the fact that that she would talk about all of the above alcoholic warning signs and symptoms with her. As a matter of fact, for the first time in numerous months, Daniel frankly felt a sense of optimism because she was dealing with her drinking issues and was after all has been said and done ready to make the required changes so that she could recapture the life that was drifting away.
Heather is a forty-five-year-old woman who is the director of the human resources department at a large silver molding company. In order to lessen the costs related to work related injuries, excessive sick days, increasing absenteeism, employee alcoholism and alcohol abuse, and poor employee work performance, Heather and the other members of upper management instituted quite a few programs that made the work atmosphere considerably more safe, more productive, and healthy.
For instance, eleven years ago Heather and the other members of upper management established an Employee’s Assistance Program so that all the employees had access to quality therapy for their personal problems that could unfavorably affect their health, work performance, and their personal well-being.
Top Management Assembles a Forward-Looking Exercise and Workout Room Complete With Exercise Equipment, Scales, a Personal Trainer During Business Hours, Exercise Charts, Mirrors, and Weights
As another example, approximately six years ago Heather and the other members of upper management erected a new exercise and workout room complete with scales, exercise charts, weights, mirrors, many different types of exercise equipment, and a professional trainer during business hours.
Moreover, approximately three years ago Heather and the other company administrators invested in a distillation system that filters all the drinking water that is available throughout the building complex. In the same way, two-and-a-half years ago, Heather and the other company administrators started a “walking club” that is intended for employees who want to further develop their cardiovascular system.
The VIPs Start a Weight-Watchers Class and Hire a Weight-Loss Healthcare Professional to Oversee the Program
As another example, approximately two-and-a-half years ago, Heather and the other members of top management instituted a “Weight-Watchers” class that currently meets every workday at 11 AM until noon. Furthermore, the company executives hired a weight-loss nurse to administer the program.
Similarly, two years ago Heather and the other company administrators implemented a “Stop Smoking Club” for workers who want to refrain from smoking.
In the last nine months, in a joint venture with the Employee’s Assistance Program, Heather and the other company executives put into operation an “Anger Management” class for employees who want to get a better handle on their anger.
The VIPs Establish a Drug and Alcohol Testing Program
In the last two months, Heather and the other company administrators put into operation a drug and alcohol testing program that is related to their drug and alcohol abuse prevention program. In point of fact, Heather is the key person in the company responsible for getting the message out to all the employees about the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program as well as the drug and alcohol testing program.
One of the major components of the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcoholism and Depression” that meets every Thursday after work. The essential idea with this class is informing workers that excessive drinking and depression commonly take place in the same person. It is hoped that knowing this information can help a person address both medical issues and get the alcohol rehab and mental health therapy he or she requires.
The VIPs Start an Alcohol Statistics and Facts Class
Another relatively recent enhancement to the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcohol Statistics and Facts.” The reasoning behind this alcohol statistics facts class is the reality that several individuals do not comprehend the full impact of the effects of alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse without first learning about some of the alcoholism and alcohol abuse facts and statistics that are available. Consequently, one of the goals of this class is to provide a variety of alcoholism and alcohol abuse facts and statistics to help workers gain a better comprehension of the huge number of difficulties that are related to hazardous and excessive drinking and how they can prevent these problems from taking place.
Most recently, Heather and the other members of upper management, by way of comments from workers, created a class that centers directly on severe drinking entitled “What is Alcoholism”? This class meets every Monday morning an hour before work and focuses essentially on the differences between alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse, on the stages of alcoholism, and on the kinds of therapy that are available for people who have alcohol drinking problems such as people who drink in a hazardous manner.
Even though every single one of these preventative maintenance and health programs was relatively expensive, top management thinks that they are many thousands of dollars ahead by providing all of their workers with a safe, more productive, and healthy work atmosphere.