Posts Tagged ‘alcohol rehab’
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.
When I was a sophomore in high school, I enrolled into a drug abuse class. At that age, I did not grasp the fact that alcohol abuse in point of fact was a sub division of drug abuse. While taking this class and learning more about drug and alcohol abuse and above all 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 people throughout the world. I also learned quite a bit about alcohol rehab and the diverse alcohol rehab clinics that are regularly available to problem drinkers.
Dangerous End Results That are Related to Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
Some of the injurious outcomes related to alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class unquestionably startled me. The ruined lives and frequent difficulties experienced by most alcohol dependent individuals made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. Stated differently, I did not want to face the disaster and ruination that alcohol dependent people almost always experience.
Reflect on this for a moment. What fifteen-year-old teenager wants to face premature death due to his or her drinking behavior? What adolescent wants to become so out-of-control regarding his or her drinking that drinking 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 twenty-one?
What adolescent wants to deal with alcohol withdrawal symptoms when he or she tries to quit drinking? Why would a person 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 a teenager want to sacrifice his or her education, employment, finances, and relationships for a life that revolves around excessive drinking?
These issues were so important that I discussed some of them in class throughout the school year. What was completely astounding to me was the number of students who openly didn’t care about the detrimental results of excessive drinking that I discussed. It was almost as if they couldn’t be troubled with the facts and how these outcomes can shatter their lives. For the first time in my life I started to comprehend something that my grandfather used to articulate throughout my youth: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.
It’s Beneficial, Important, and Energizing to Stay Away From the Destructive and Unhealthy Outcomes of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
And even at my young age, I also started to realize how important, beneficial, and liberating it is in life to stay away from the unhealthy and destructive outcomes of alcohol and drug abuse.
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.
Jennifer is a forty-one-year-old insurance broker who has been drinking in an excessive and hazardous manner since her fiancée and she broke off their relationship. In fact, for the past three months she has been drinking very nearly a bottle of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking several shots all through the day. In a word, Jennifer has been drinking so excessively and hazardously that it’s a wonder that she hasn’t suffered from alcohol poisoning.
After feeling downcast because she was beginning to disregard her health, Jennifer at last told herself that she’s had enough, that it’s time to stop the self pity party, that it’s time to stop the excessive and irresponsible drinking, and time to make a new start with her life. So the following Saturday morning at 10:30 AM, she decided to quit drinking completely and suddenly without planning or preparation.
When She Attempted to Quit Drinking She Felt Awful, She Was Extremely Restless and Moody, She Started to Perspire Profusely, Her Head Was Aching, She Vomited Numerous Times, and She Had Absolutely No Appetite
When Jennifer quit drinking, she reasoned that she would most likely be tempted to ”steal” a couple of drinks, but she never envisioned that she would feel so sick. More exactly, about three hours after she quit drinking, she started to sweat profusely, she had absolutely no appetite, she was extremely tense and moody, she vomited numerous times, and her head was aching.
When she called her best girlfriend and informed her that she had quit drinking and that after a couple of hours she suddenly began having flu-like symptoms, Janet, her best buddy, told Jennifer to call her physician and discuss what she was experiencing.
She Admits to Her Family Doctor That She Has Been Drinking In an Excessive Manner, That She Just Tried to Stop Drinking, and That She is Suffering Through Extremely Unpleasant Flu-Like Symptoms
So Jennifer called her family doctor, informed him that she has been drinking in an abusive manner for several months and that when she made an effort to totally 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 suffered through.
Her physician told her that she may be experiencing symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and that she should have a relative or neighbor drive her to the emergency room as soon as humanly possible.
As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a friend to take her to the emergency room. Interestingly, as sick as Jennifer was, all she could think about all the way to the hospital was whether or not she might be alcohol dependent.
It appears that her family doctor had called ahead and informed the emergency room medical team to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by two paramedics who without hesitation asked her to lie down on the portable bed they had with them. After getting taken to the emergency room and undergoing a couple of necessary tests, it was substantiated that Jennifer was in fact going through alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detox.
A healthcare professional administered some meds to lessen the intensity of her flu-like symptoms and also administered some meds to help get rid of the alcohol that was still in her blood.
An Alcohol Dependency Healthcare Practitioner Goes Over the Fact That She is Alcohol Dependent and Then Clearly Explains What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcoholism Stages Are
After a few hours, Jennifer was taken from the ER and wheeled to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for approximately an hour, Doctor Jordan, an alcohol and drug addiction specialist, came to see her. He took plenty of time and clearly explained that Jennifer had suffered through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she stopped drinking because she had become alcohol dependent.
He then elucidated the fact that with heavy drinking on an everyday basis, the individual’s brain gradually becomes accustomed to the alcohol so that it can process things in a “semi-normal” way. When the person then all of a sudden stops drinking alcohol, it can be noted, the brain reacts by generating alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Furthermore, her physician also went over the various alcoholism stages that an alcoholic commonly goes through as the disease gets worse over time.
It is Discovered that Jennifer is in the First Stage of Alcoholism and She Receives a Favorable Projection For a Full Recovery if She Gets the Alcoholism Rehabilitation She Requires
Fortunately for Jennifer, it was discovered that she was in the earliest stage of alcoholism and, as a result, she obtained a good prognosis for a total recovery if she receives the alcoholism therapy she needs.
Jennifer told the healthcare professional that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to restore her health. She also mentioned that she has a very comprehensive hospitalization policy that will quite possibly pay for most, if not all, of the costs needed for rehab. It was apparent that Jennifer was quite pleased with her optimistic prognosis and felt at peace knowing that she will be able to get the alcoholism rehabilitation she requires so that she can begin the path to recovery.
Jennifer is a thirty-eight-year-old controller who has been ingesting alcohol in an excessive manner since her live-in boyfriend and she decided to break up. In actual fact, for the past five months she has been drinking nearly two bottles of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking several shots all through the day. In short, Jennifer has been drinking so hazardously and excessively that it’s a miracle that she hasn’t suffered from alcohol poisoning.
After feeling unhappy because she was starting to close her eyes to her health, Jennifer at long last told herself that enough is enough, that it’s time to stop the self pity routine, that it’s time to quit the excessive and hazardous drinking, and time to get on with her life. So the following Saturday morning at 9:00 AM, she made up her mind to stop drinking completely and suddenly without planning or preparation.
When She Quit Drinking She Felt Sick, Her Head Was Pounding, She Vomited a Number of Times, She Was Extremely Moody and Anxious, She Had Utterly No Appetite, and She Started to Sweat Extensively
When Jennifer stopped drinking, she thought that she would most likely be tempted to ”steal” a couple of drinks, but she never guessed that she would feel so terrible. More explicitly, approximately an hour-and-a-half after she quit drinking, she started to perspire profusely, her head was throbbing, she had absolutely no appetite, she was extremely anxious and moody, and she vomited several times.
When she called her best girlfriend and told her that she had stopped drinking and that after a couple of hours she abruptly began experiencing flu-like symptoms, Sarah, her best buddy, told Jennifer to call her physician and discuss what was going on.
She Admits to Her Medical Practitioner That She Has Been Drinking In an Irresponsible and Hazardous Manner, That She Just Tried to Stop Drinking, and That She is Suffering Through Dreadful Flu-Like Symptoms
So Jennifer called her physician, told him that she has been drinking in an abusive and hazardous manner for many months and that when she tried to totally quit drinking earlier in the day, within a few hours she felt as if she had the most horrible flu-like symptoms that she had ever suffered through.
Her healthcare practitioner told her that she may be suffering from symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and that she should have a neighbor or friend drive her to the emergency room as soon as humanly possible.
As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a family member to drive her to the emergency room. Interestingly, all the way to the hospital, as sick as Jennifer felt, the only thing she could think about was whether or not she might be addicted to alcohol.
Apparently her physician had phoned ahead and informed the emergency room personnel to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by two nurses who without hesitation asked her to get in the wheelchair they had with them. After getting moved to the emergency room and undergoing two or three essential tests, it was corroborated that Jennifer was in truth suffering from alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detox.
An emergency room healthcare professional administered some medications to address her flu-like symptoms and also gave her some medications to help get rid of the alcohol that was still in her bloodstream.
An Alcohol Addiction Healthcare Practitioner Discusses That She is Dependent on Alcohol and Then Discusses What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcohol Addiction Stages Are
After a few hours, Jennifer was taken from the ER and transported to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for roughly an hour, Doctor Reyes, an alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse specialist, came to talk to her. He took plenty of time and explained in laymen’s language that Jennifer had experienced alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she stopped drinking due to the fact that she had become an alcoholic.
He then explained that with excessive drinking on a daily basis, the drinker’s brain slowly but surely gets acclimated to the alcohol in order to carry out tasks and operations in a “semi-normal” way. When the individual then suddenly quits consuming alcohol, understandably, the brain reacts by producing alcohol withdrawal symptoms. What is more, her physician also clearly explained the various alcoholism stages that an alcoholic almost always goes through as the disease gets progressively worse over time.
It is Confirmed that Jennifer is in the Earliest Stage of Alcoholism and She Obtains a Good Projection For a Complete Recovery if She Gets the Alcohol Dependency Rehabilitation She Requires
Fortunately for Jennifer, it was confirmed that she was in the earliest stage of alcohol dependency and, as a result, she was given a favorable prognosis for a total recovery if she will get the alcohol dependency rehab she needs.
Jennifer told the physician that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to restore her life and her health. She also stated that she has a first-rate hospitalization policy that will almost certainly pay for most, if not all, of the costs required for treatment. It was obvious that Jennifer was very pleased with her optimistic prognosis and felt at ease knowing that she will be able to get the alcoholism rehab she needs so that she can start on the path to recovery.
How do you identify the fact that you have a drinking problem? When is it plain to see that you are engaging in excessive drinking?
If you have hopelessly tried to quit drinking or if you sworn to yourself that your drinking days are gone and then you recognized that you were drinking in a hazardous way just a few days later, the odds are quite good that you have drinking problems. The point of emphasis is that if you have tried to terminate your drinking and cannot accomplish this, then your drinking is controlling you, rather than the other way around.
In a similar manner, if it takes increasingly more amounts of alcohol to get the same “high,” you probably need to recognize the fact that you have a drinking problem.
You may be telling yourself that the rationale for your drinking is so that you can lower your stress or get rid of the hurt that you feel. In a similar manner, you may be trying to steer clear of a harmful situation and may be looking for something more useful, more constructive, or less mournful.
As you maintain your drinking, nevertheless, you will grasp the fact that drinking does not produce the same high and you will also understand that drinking doesn’t help remove whatever triggered your problem in the first place.
As you continue to drink in an excessive manner, unfortunately, you may become alcohol dependent and, as a consequence, you may add another essential problem to manage rather than finding out about more successful and wholesome ways of coping with your alcohol-related difficulties.
An Alcohol Appraisal is Probably Warranted
If you have decided that you have a drinking problem, perchance the best thing you can do for yourself is to call your physician or healthcare provider and schedule an appointment for a thorough physical and for a review of your drinking situation.
If you actually think that you have a serious problem with your drinking, it may be a good idea to get prepared to hear that you need to get alcohol therapy.
At this point in your life, what are your choices? You can definitely decide against seeing your health care practitioner and carry on with your pattern of abusive drinking.
It really doesn’t take a wiz kid, nonetheless, to understand that chronic, heavy drinking, if left untreated, will degenerate over time and almost certainly set in motion an early death. Accordingly, your most positive choice is to address your drinking situation and obtain the alcohol rehabilitation you require.
The Sham of the Functioning Alcohol Dependent Individual
It is ironic to note the fact that several alcohol addicted individuals lead busy and active lives and have jobs, vehicles, pets, families, houses, and any number of material possessions just like people who are not alcohol dependent.
Many of these “functional” alcohol addicted individuals may have never been apprehended for drunk driving and may have been fortunate enough to avoid all alcohol induced legal problems. In spite of this fortunate situation, then again, these alcohol addicted people need to drink in order to operate on a day by day basis while continuing their facade as they interact with the outside world.
Ask anyone who has seen them when they are out on a drunken binge or in a drunken stupor or ask a family member about the problem drinker’s alcohol addiction, on the other hand, and they will be quick to affirm the authenticity of the drinker’s situation and the essentials about the alcoholic’s drinking circumstances and about his or her alcohol induced issues.
Why Do Alcohol Addicted Individuals Fail to Focus On Their Drinking Problems?
As alcohol dependency research and statistics on alcohol abuse have emphasized, no matter how apparent the alcohol generated difficulties seem to those who interact with the alcohol addicted individual, alcohol addicted individuals frequently deny that drinking is the root of their alcohol-related difficulties. Not only this, but alcohol dependent individuals characteristically blame their alcohol-related problems on other people or upon other circumstances around them rather than seeing their part in the problem.
The source of the predicament is that alcoholism is a disease of the brain. Once the alcohol abuser has become alcohol dependent, he or she normally resorts to denial, manipulation, and deceit as a way of coping with the fact that his or her drinking is out of control. And to make the situation more complex, the experience of alcohol withdrawal symptoms typically circumvents the alcohol addicted individual’s rare attempts to suddenly stop drinking. As cheerless as the alcohol dependent individual’s way of life is, however, the encouraging news is that professional help is usually available – if the alcohol addicted person reaches out and seeks alcohol rehab.
Conclusion
Owning up to the fact that drinking is leading to difficulties in your daily functioning is perchance the easiest way to find out if you have a drinking problem. Stated another way, if your drinking is triggering problems with your health, at work, 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, additionally, this means that you are engaging in hazardous drinking.
While some individuals may be able to come to grips with their “alcohol signs,” pinpoint their difficulties, and greatly decrease the quantity and incidence of their drinking, other drinkers, on the other hand, need to manage their drinking problems by getting quality alcohol therapy. What’s more, due to their tendency to deny the facts and alter the truth, alcoholics definitely require competent alcoholism rehab for their out-of-control drinking.
It is remarkable to mention something that family members who have been harmfully affected by the alcohol dependency of another family member plainly do not know. It seems to be that by shielding the alcohol addicted individual with lies and dishonesty to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have in actual fact created a circumstance that makes it easier for the alcohol dependent individual to continue and move forward with his or her damaging, devastating lifestyle.
In fact, rather than helping the alcohol addicted person and themselves, these family members have essentially become enablers who have involuntarily helped negatively affect the alcohol addicted person’s drinking problem even more.
Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcohol addicted individual will continue drinking in a hazardous and irresponsible manner and experience a variety of “alcohol side effects.” Some of these side effects include considerable financial problems, poor health, legal issues (such as getting arrested for one or more DUIs), employment difficulties, diminished mental functioning, and deteriorating relationships.
The Likelihood of a Relapse is Real
According to the research findings and statistics on alcohol dependency, another key alcohol dependency issue concerns alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol dependent individual has effectively undergone alcohol addiction therapy and then resorts to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first glance, this circumstance seems contradictory to common sense and sounds so far-fetched that it forces an individual to speculate why anyone who has gone through the misery of alcohol addiction can return to drinking a short while after successful alcohol counseling and in turn after achieving recovery. There are, to be sure, many credible reasons for this.
It should be pointed out, however that alcoholism research that has focused on the long standing consequences of alcoholism has shown that long after the alcohol dependent person has halted his or her drinking, major alterations in the way in which the alcohol dependent person’s brain functions are still present. As a result, all a recovering alcohol addicted person has to do to involve himself or herself in actions that correspond with the alterations that have taken place in the brain is to start drinking once again.
The Necessity for A Far Reaching Lifestyle Change
There are even more reasons why quite a lot of recovering alcoholics return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after attaining sobriety. According to the alcoholism research literature, to make a successful recovery, the alcohol dependent individual needs new ways of reacting and thinking in order to deal more efficiently with taxing alcohol-related circumstances that will take place.
Conditions such as returning to the same alcohol addictive atmosphere or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the days when the alcohol dependent individual was drinking in a hazardous manner; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these circumstances can bring about memories that can trigger psychological tension or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol addicted person to engage in excessive drinking once again. Sadly, all of these circumstances may not only contradict long lasting alcohol recovery for the alcohol addicted individual but they can also lead to relapse and therefore counteract one’s sobriety.
The Good News: There’s Light at the End of the Tunnel
In an attempt to “protect” the family alcohol addicted person, family members can in point of fact cause unintentional damage by enabling the negative drinking behavior of the alcohol dependent individual.
The alcoholism research literature demonstrates the fact that most individuals who successfully complete alcohol rehabilitation go through at least one relapse. Alcohol addicted persons and their family members need to know this so that they do not get defeated or overwhelmed when a relapse manifests itself.
Happily, participation in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up therapy and training have resulted in more effective, long lasting alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency therapeutic outcomes, have helped decrease alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol addicted persons accomplish long standing alcohol recovery.
When I was a sophomore in high school, I took a drug abuse class. At that time period, I did not realize that alcohol abuse in point of fact was a sub classification of drug abuse. While taking this class and learning more about drug and alcohol abuse and particularly 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 through the world. I also learned quite a bit about alcohol treatment and the various alcohol rehab facilities that are normally available to alcohol abusers.
Damaging End Results That are Associated With Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse
Some of the harmful outcomes correlated with alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class certainly frightened me. The ruined lives and numerous difficulties experienced by most alcoholics made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. In short, I did not want to face the damage and ruination that alcohol addicted individuals almost always experience.
Let this sink in for a moment. What fifteen-year-old individual wants to face premature death due to his or her drinking behavior? What adolescent wants to become so out-of-control regarding his or her drinking that consuming alcohol becomes the object of one’s life? What young person wants to go to one of the local alcoholic rehabilitation centers to deal with alcohol-related issues before he or she becomes an adult?
What teenager wants to deal with alcohol withdrawals when he or she tries to quit drinking? Why would a person 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 an individual 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 revolves around abusive drinking?
These issues were so significant that I discussed some of them in class during the school year. What was utterly inconceivable to me was the number of students who essentially didn’t care about the negative outcomes of abusive drinking that I discussed. It was almost as if they couldn’t care less about the facts and how these effects can demolish their lives. For the first time in my life I started to comprehend a saying that my grandfather used to emphasize throughout my teen and pre-teen years: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t force it to drink.
It’s Invigorating, Important, and Beneficial to Keep Yourself From the Debilitating and Unhealthy Results of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
And even at my young age, I also began to realize how beneficial, important, and liberating it is in life to keep yourself from the damaging and unhealthy outcomes of drug and alcohol abuse.
Jennifer is a thirty-five-year-old mortgage processor who has been ingesting alcohol quite heavily since she and her live-in boyfriend broke up their relationship. Indeed, for the past three months she has been drinking almost one-and-a-half bottles of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking more than a few cocktails all through the day. In a word, Jennifer has been drinking so excessively that it’s amazing that she hasn’t suffered from alcohol poisoning.
After feeling dejected because she was beginning to overlook her health, Jennifer at last told herself that enough is enough, that it’s time to stop the self pity act, that it’s time to stop the excessive drinking, and time to get going with her life. So the following Saturday morning at 8:30 AM, she decided to quit drinking suddenly and completely without preparation or planning.
When She Attempted to Stop Drinking She Felt Dreadful, She Vomited a Number of Times, She Was Extremely Moody and Anxious, She Had Utterly No Appetite, She Started to Sweat Extensively, and Her Head Was Aching
When Jennifer quit drinking, she figured that she would more likely than not be tempted to sneak a drink or two, but she never presumed that she would feel so terrible. More correctly, just about two hours after she stopped drinking, she started to sweat extensively, her head was pounding, she vomited a number of times, she was extremely moody and anxious, and she had utterly no appetite.
When she called her best buddy and informed her that she had quit drinking and that after a couple of hours she abruptly started to experience flu-like symptoms, Marilyn, her best friend, told Jennifer to call her medical practitioner and tell him what was going on.
She Admits to Her Physician That She Has Been Drinking In an Abusive and Irresponsible Manner, That She Just Tried to Stop Drinking, and That She is Suffering Through Extremely Painful Flu-Like Symptoms
So Jennifer called her healthcare professional, told him that she has been drinking in an irresponsible manner for a number of months and that when she made an effort to totally quit drinking earlier in the day, within a few hours she felt as if she had the most awful flu-like symptoms that she had ever suffered through.
Her medical practitioner told her that she may be experiencing symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and that she should have a friend or relative drive her to the emergency room as soon as possible.
As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a neighbor to drive her to the hospital. Interestingly, all the way to the hospital, as sick as Jennifer felt, the only thing she could think about was whether or not she was dependent on alcohol.
Evidently her physician had phoned ahead and informed the emergency room staff to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by two emergency room employees who promptly asked her to lie down on the portable bed they had with them. After getting moved to the emergency room and undergoing two or three basic tests, it was verified that Jennifer was in actual fact going through alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detox.
A medical practitioner gave her some medications to diminish her flu-like symptoms and also administered some medications to help eliminate the alcohol that was still in her bloodstream.
An Alcohol Dependency and Alcohol Abuse Healthcare Practitioner Explains in a Clear Fashion That She is an Alcoholic and Then Discusses What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcoholism Stages Are
After a few hours, Jennifer was taken from the emergency room and wheeled to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for around an hour-and-a-half, Doctor Reyes, an alcohol and drug abuse specialist, came to see her. He took quite a bit of time and explained that Jennifer had gone through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she quit drinking due to the fact that she had become dependent on alcohol.
He then explained that with excessive drinking on a daily basis, the individual’s brain gradually adjusts to the alcohol so that it can work in a “semi-normal” fashion. When the person then all at once quits ingesting alcohol, understandably, the brain responds by eliciting alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Moreover, her doctor also discussed the various alcoholism stages that an alcohol addicted individual usually goes through as the disease gradually gets worse.
It is Confirmed that Jennifer is in the First Stage of Alcohol Addiction and She Obtains a Good Projection For a Total Recovery if She Gets the Alcohol Rehab She Requires
Fortunately for Jennifer, it was confirmed that she was in the earliest stage of alcoholism and, consequently, she was given a favorable forecast for a full recovery if she gets the alcohol addiction treatment she requires.
Jennifer told the physician that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to regain her health and her life. She also articulated that she has a first class hospitalization policy that will probably pay for most of the costs needed for rehabilitation. It was apparent that Jennifer was extremely pleased with her encouraging medical prognosis and felt free from worry knowing that she will be able to get the alcohol rehabilitation she requires so that she can start on the path to recovery.
Jennifer is a thirty-four-year-old title reviewer who has been consuming alcohol in a hazardous and irresponsible manner since she and her boyfriend decided to break off their relationship. In truth, for the past six months she has been drinking nearly a bottle of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking a number wine coolers all through the day. In a word, Jennifer has been drinking so hazardously and excessively that it’s amazing that she hasn’t suffered from alcohol poisoning.
After feeling down in the dumps because she was starting to close her eyes to her health, Jennifer at last told herself that enough is enough, that it’s time to stop the self pity party, that it’s time to stop the hazardous and excessive drinking, and time to get going with her life. So the following Saturday morning at 8:30 AM, she came to a decision that she would quit drinking suddenly and completely without preparation or planning.
When She Stopped Drinking She Felt Awful, She Was Extremely Moody and Anxious, She Had Utterly No Appetite, She Started to Perspire Extensively, Her Head Was Pounding, and She Vomited Several Times
When Jennifer quit drinking, she figured that she would quite possibly be tempted to sneak a few drinks, but she never assumed that she would feel so ill. More explicitly, just about an hour after she quit drinking, she was extremely restless and moody, she started to perspire profusely, her head was aching, she vomited numerous times, and she had absolutely no appetite.
When she called her best friend and informed her that she had quit drinking and that after a few hours she all of a sudden began experiencing flu-like symptoms, Holly, her best buddy, told Jennifer to call her physician and explain in a clear manner what was transpiring.
She Admits to Her Healthcare Professional That She Has Been Drinking In an Excessive and Irresponsible Manner, That She Just Tried to Quit Drinking, and That She is Suffering Through Nasty Flu-Like Symptoms
So Jennifer called her doctor, informed him that she has been drinking in an irresponsible manner for more than a few months and that when she attempted to suddenly stop drinking earlier in the day, within a couple of hours she felt as if she had the most terrible flu-like symptoms that she had ever experienced.
Her doctor informed her that she may be going through symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and that she should have a family member or friend drive her to the emergency room as soon as possible.
As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a friend to drive her to the hospital. Interestingly, all the way to the hospital, as sick as Jennifer felt, the only thing she could think about was whether or not she might be addicted to alcohol.
It appears that her medical practitioner had called ahead and told the emergency room staff to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by two emergency room employees who without hesitation told her to get in the wheelchair they had with them. After getting wheeled to the emergency room and undergoing a few basic tests, it was validated that Jennifer was in truth going through alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detox.
A healthcare practitioner administered some drugs to address her flu-like symptoms and also gave her some medications to help eliminate the alcohol that was still in her blood.
An Alcohol Addiction Healthcare Practitioner Goes Over the Fact That She is an Alcoholic and Then Discusses What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcohol Addiction Stages Are
After two or three hours, Jennifer was removed from the emergency room and wheeled to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for about three hours, Doctor Miller, an alcohol abuse and substance abuse specialist, came to see her. He took his time and explained in laymen’s language that Jennifer had experienced alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she stopped drinking due to the fact that she had become an alcoholic.
He then explained that with excessive drinking on a daily basis, the individual’s brain little by little becomes accustomed to the alcohol so that it can perform in a “semi-normal” fashion. When the individual then abruptly abstains from ingesting alcohol, as one would expect, the brain reacts by generating alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Not only this, but her doctor also explained in a clear fashion the different alcoholism stages that an alcohol addicted person almost always experiences as the disease progresses.
It is Determined that Jennifer is in the Earliest Stage of Alcoholism and She Receives a Favorable Forecast For a Full Recovery if She Gets the Alcoholism Rehab She Needs
Fortunately for Jennifer, it was established that she was in the first stage of alcoholism and, as a result, she was given a favorable projection for a full recovery if she will get the alcohol addiction rehab she needs.
Jennifer told the physician that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to restore her health and her life. She also mentioned that she has an excellent hospitalization policy that will more likely than not pay for most, if not all, of the costs needed for rehabilitation. It was apparent that Jennifer was very pleased with her optimistic prognosis and felt free from anxiety knowing that she will be able to get the alcohol treatment she needs so that she can start on the road to recovery.