Ambassador for Life

Alcoholics Anonymous is a voluntary organization that was conceived back in 1935 to help practicing alcoholics to find sobriety. It was the brainchild of Mr. Bill Wilson, a onetime financier who’s career in Finance was shattered by alcoholism.

While other patients who suffer from acute alcohol poisoning effects attend a hospital, Bill Wilson experienced what he called a spiritual experience and he could heal himself in his new receipt and belief in God.

Once leaving the hospital, he worked together with Dr. Bob Smith, and they performed their cooperative job to help and heal alcoholics. The project was very successful and in 1939, Bill Wilson created a book called Alcoholics Anonymous which launched the organization we know today.

At the moment there are more than 106,000 Alcoholics Anonymous meeting groups and the organization has spread around the world. The requirements for joining Alcoholics Anonymous are that only have to be an alcoholic who wants to stop. There is no payment or fee thus the foundation receives its funding from private donations.

The concept of treating alcoholism like a disease was the brainchild of Dr William Silkworth who was the physician who treated Bob Wilson in the New York hospital where here underwent his spiritual experience that put him on the path to creating Alcoholics Anonymous.

As alcoholic anonymous grew during the late 1930s and early 1940s, and today the 12 basic principles were grown that are the backbone of the organization. The first 12 principles were:

• Admitting alcoholism ruled their lives
• Believing God could cure alcoholism
• Putting themselves in God’s hands
• Honest self evaluation
• Self-confession of wrongs performed
• Preparedness for God to remove bad characteristics
• Requesting that God remove these bad characteristics
• Listing the people they had harmed and committing to redress wrongs done
• In fact, making any possible change
• Continuous self-evaluation and admittance of any ongoing imperfections
• Vowing to try to understand God and his plans for recovering alcoholics
• Committing to assist other practicing alcoholics

Alcoholics Anonymous had a basic foundation in the belief of God, it appears from the original mission statements or principles, but the companionship has increased over the passage of several years, the principles have to be more and more general so as not to estrange or make themselves indefensible to alcoholics that badly need and want assistance, but saw religion as an obstacle to obtaining the assistance.

What are the most important components in a productive alcohol intervention? Why do some addiction interventions succeed while more than a few fail?

The Requirement for a Distinguished History of Intervention Success

Scientific research demonstrates that a productive alcoholism intervention needs to be managed by an intervention expert who has a distinguished reputation of intervention success.

Fundamentally this means that rather than selecting an “everyday” addiction healthcare practitioner or psychotherapist for an alcohol dependency intervention, the individual who is selected to supervise the intervention needs to be educated in alcohol addiction intervention methods and needs to possess a history of fruitful addiction interventions.

A Few Straightforward Examples of The Most Optimal Time For an Alcohol Dependency Intervention

Scientific exploration and alcoholism facts about interventions has also displayed that the most favorable time for an alcoholism intervention is following a significant incident in the life of the alcohol dependent individual or hazardous drinker. The following represents a few illustrations of these kinds of special occasions:

• The alcohol addicted individual or abusive drinker has been caught stealing something of worth.
• The abusive drinker or alcohol dependent individual has been caught lying about something of significance.
• The alcohol addicted person or abusive drinker has been placed behind bars for a DWI or DUI.

In events like these, the alcoholic or alcohol abuser is more apt to feel contrite or to be embarrassed, thereby making him or her more willing to get the quality alcohol rehab that is necessary.

At this moment in time, additionally, it is also important to note the fact that the abusive drinker or alcoholic needs to be sober during the alcohol addiction intervention. In short, if the abusive drinker or alcohol addicted person is inebriated during an alcohol dependency intervention, failure is in effect a sure thing.

Additionally, scientific investigation has also made obvious the fact that the alcohol abuser or alcohol dependent individual has to at least try to listen to what is stated in an alcohol addiction intervention. Stated another way, during an alcohol intervention, the alcohol abuser or alcohol-dependent person needs to listen to what his or her problem drinking has done to those who care for him or her the most.

The Magnitude of Alcohol Treatment For the Hazardous Drinker

And finally, scientific analysis shows that the essential reason for an alcohol intervention in the first place is to persuade the abusive drinker or alcohol addicted person to get the quality alcohol counseling that is required. Stated more exactly, even if the person who monitors the intervention has an exceptional reputation of successful interventions and even if the hazardous drinker or alcohol addicted person actually listens to every single word that is mentioned for the duration of an intervention, if the abusive drinker or alcohol dependent individual is not stimulated to obtain quality alcohol abuse rehabilitation after the alcohol dependency intervention, then the intervention will be a disappointment.

Obviously all of these factors are needed for a fruitful alcohol dependency intervention. If, conversely, the alcohol abuser or alcohol addicted person is not inspired to ask for alcohol addiction rehabilitation after listening to his or her family members put into words the sorrow, irritation, and discontent they feel about the abusive drinker’s or alcoholic’s excessive drinking behavior and the concern they feel for the problem drinker, then every other aspect of the alcohol addiction intervention will essentially be meaningless.

Even Fruitful Alcoholism Interventions Can Fail to Go As Planned In the Long Term

It also needs to be accentuated that regardless of the fact that the alcoholism intervention can be identified as effective in that it helped put the abusive drinker or alcohol dependent individual in a more amenable framework and in truth helped the alcohol addicted individual or hazardous drinker come to a decision that he or she needed alcohol therapy or professional help for alcoholism or alcohol abuse, the plain reality that the intervention occurred may lead to bitterness, anger, and mistrust down the road.

Briefly, even when addiction interventions are seen as fruitful in the short term, in the long term, to the contrary, they may fail to go as planned and, as a consequence, may make the family and/or the alcohol abuser’s circumstance even worse than it was before the alcohol addiction intervention was undertaken.

No matter how unwarranted or ironic this seems, try to keep in mind that it is merely one of the fundamental alcohol facts that has to be faced when engaging in an alcohol intervention.

It is interesting to bring up something that family members who have been harmfully affected by the alcoholism of another family member apparently do not grasp. It seems that by shielding the alcohol addicted individual with untruths and deceitfulness to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have in actual fact created a condition that makes it easier for the alcoholic to persist and press forward with his or her harmful, devastating existence.

Undeniably, rather than helping the alcohol dependent individual and themselves, these family members have in truth become enablers who have inadvertently helped worsen the alcoholic’s drinking problem even further.

Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcoholic will continue drinking in an irresponsible and hazardous manner and experience diverse “alcohol side effects.” Some of these side effects include employment difficulties, poor health, deteriorating relationships, diminished mental functioning, legal issues (such as getting arrested for one or more DUIs), and considerable financial problems.

The Probability of a Relapse is Real

According to the research literature and statistics on alcohol addiction, another key alcohol addiction issue concerns alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol addicted individual has effectively gone through alcohol addiction therapy and then resorts to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first glance, this predicament flies in the face of sound thinking and appears to be so unrealistic that it forces an individual to speculate why anyone who has gone through the dejection of alcohol addiction can return to drinking a short while after successful alcohol treatment and in turn after reaching sobriety. There are, of course, many reasonable reasons for this.

It should be highlighted, conversely that alcohol dependency research that has focused on the long-term effects of alcohol dependency has shown that long after the alcohol dependent individual has discontinued his or her drinking, key transformations in the way in which the alcohol dependent individual’s brain operates are still present. As a consequence, all a recovering alcoholic has to do to involve himself or herself in actions that correspond with the transformations that have taken place in the brain is to begin drinking once again.

The Need for An Important Lifestyle Transformation

There are other reasons why many recovering alcohol addicted persons return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after achieving sobriety. In accordance to the alcohol addiction research literature, to make an effective recovery, the alcohol dependent individual needs new ways of reacting and thinking in order to deal more competently with taxing alcohol-related situations 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 time when the alcohol addicted individual was drinking irresponsibly; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these situations can bring forth memories that can trigger psychological anxiety or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol dependent person to engage in irresponsible drinking once again. Sadly, all of these situations may not only contradict long-term sobriety for the alcohol addicted person but they can also result in relapse and as a result negate one’s alcohol recovery.

The Good News: Quality Help is Readily Available

In an attempt to “protect” the family alcoholic, family members can in point of fact cause unintended destruction by enabling the negative drinking behavior of the alcohol dependent person.

The alcoholism research literature confirms the fact that most individuals who effectively complete alcohol therapy go through at least one relapse. Alcohol addicted individuals and their family members need to know this so that they do not get depressed or stressed out when a relapse takes place.

Fortunately, involvement in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up therapy and training have resulted in more productive, ongoing alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency rehab results, have helped diminish alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol addicted persons achieve ongoing alcohol recovery.

Dante was a fifteen year old high school sophomore who was exhibiting more than a few alcohol-related difficulties at school. As a result, the principal explained to him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school counselor, before he would be allowed to come back to class.

Later that day when Dante went home after school, he had to explain his school situation to his parents. His parents were “fairly old-fashioned” and told Dante that getting kicked out of school was not a doable educational plan of action. They explained to Dante that failing to graduate from high school would most probably be like a lead weight around his feet that may hinder his educational aspirations for the rest of his life. What is more, Dante’s Mom and Dad were extremely troubled that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his friends in the second.

His parents informed Dante that even though he may be a teen, he needs to comprehend without much delay that drinking is the pathway to failure, ill health, pain, and financial problems.

It was clear that his Mother and Father were absolutely in concurrence with Dante’s principal and informed Dante that he had better make plans to see Miss Johnson, the school therapist. After his conversation with his Mother and Father, Dante at last agreed to see Miss Johnson the next day. So Dante called the school and scheduled an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next morning before school.

The Psychologist Asks Dante if He Knows Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Behavior Caused Quite a Bit of Anxiety By the School Administrators

When Dante went to see Miss Johnson, she without pause went over all of the alcohol-related problems Dante had gotten into and asked him if he knew why his recent alcohol-related actions gave the school administrators room for alarm.

Quite frankly, Dante was unsure why the principal informed him that he had to see a school counselor. As he expressed to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional counselor about his drinking activities? In view of the fact that nearly all of his classmates drink about as much as he does, basically, drinking is no big thing. Stated more forcefully, if nearly everybody is drinking, why is this such a major concern?

Miss Johnson asked Dante when he started to drink. He said that some of his older friends introduced him to drinking wine coolers when he was twelve or thirteen years old and in the seventh grade.

Miss Johnson explained to Dante that while his pals may in fact drink as much as he does and that they may be a bad influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting thrown out of school due to alcohol-related fighting, delinquency, and absenteeism, not his peers. Furthermore, Miss Johnson also highlighted the fact that Dante, and not his friends, is the one who is failing and who is missing almost two days of class every week due to his alcohol related difficulties. Lastly, Miss Johnson underscored the fact that because of his drinking activities, Dante is getting into a dangerous cycle of abusive drinking that can ultimately destroy his life.

In a word, Dante’s involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was starting to thwart his ability to behave like an accountable young man. As conveyed by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your pals drink wine, hard liquor, beer, or wine coolers does not mean that it is the right thing to do for you.”

Dante Learns That Sooner or Later He Must Be Accountable For Himself In Order to Stay Away From Destructive, Unhealthy, Dangerous, and Damaging Consequences In the Foreseeable Future

Miss Johnson explained to Dante that others can undeniably influence an individual in an unhealthy manner, but that the person herself or himself has to at the end of the day take responsibility for himself or herself in order to avoid dangerous, damaging, unhealthy, and destructive outcomes in the future.

Luckily, Miss Johnson was very well equipped for her discussion with Dante. She showed him reports and research studies she had highlighted that summarized different drinking statistics and facts that targeted most people in general. Then she showed Dante a lot of figures and reports that applied mainly to teens.

As an illustration, Miss Johnson highlighted the difference between alcoholism and alcohol abuse and explained to Dante that people who continue to drink in an excessive manner frequently become addicted to alcohol.

Miss Johnson also went over the concept of binge drinking that she defined as follows: consuming five or more drinks in one sitting for males and drinking four or more drinks in one sitting for females.

The Therapist Lists Several Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse Facts and Statistics

Then Miss Johnson verbalized various alcohol facts and the following eight alcohol abuse statistics:

1. According to the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, there are 105,000 yearly alcohol-related deaths in the U.S. because of intoxicated drivers and related diseases, injuries, or medical conditions.

2. Approximately one-fourth of all U.S. individuals who register in general hospitals have drinking problems or are undiagnosed individuals who are addicted to alcohol who are being treated for the results of their heavy drinking.

3. Alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse are the third leading cause of preventable deaths in the U.S..

4. More than 7 percent of the population that is 18 years old and older — around 13.8 million Americans — has drinking problems, including 8.1 million people who suffer from alcohol dependency.

5. 500,000 Americans who are addicted to alcohol are between the ages of 9 and 12.

6. As revealed by one U.S. study of 18 to 24 year-old current drinkers who failed to complete high school, approximately 60 percent started to drink before they were 16 years old.

7. Currently, almost 14 million Americans, 1 in every 13 adults, are alcoholic or abuse alcohol.

8. As demonstrated by the research literature, non-alcoholic members of alcoholic’s families use 10 times as much sick time as families who do not manifest alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency.

Dante Receives A Much Needed Wake Up Call Concerning the Long Term and the Short Term Outcomes of Teen Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse

After Miss Johnson presented the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcoholism facts and statistics, it was plain to see that what Miss Johnson taught Dante was a real bombshell to him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only made the effort to give an explanation of the long term and the short term consequences of alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse, but she also made the effort to substantiate what she was saying with alcoholism and alcohol abuse statistics and facts that related to everybody in general, and principally to adolescents.

Undeniably, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante without pause comprehended why he should not be engaging in excessive and abusive drinking with or without his peers any longer. Dante thanked Miss Johnson for her concern and for the material she reviewed.

Miss Johnson then asked Dante how he felt about getting a physical exam and an alcohol evaluation for the alcohol abuse or alcoholism rehabilitation he would probably need.

Dante thought about this for a minute and then agreed to get a comprehensive physical and to go through a comprehensive evaluation of his drinking situation so that he could start an alcohol rehab program in a reasonable time frame.

For more than a few years alcohol dependency research has demonstrated the fact that there is strong correlation between alcohol addiction and serious health conditions.

For instance, in 2005, medical examination and alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics showed that alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency cost the United States an estimated $220 billion on an annual basis. It may be noted that this very large alcohol-related cash outlay was significantly more than the cost associated with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion). While it is relevant to underline these facts, it is also noteworthy to emphasize the point that an interrelationship exists between all three of these health problems.

To be exact, chronic alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction are also highly interrelated with obesity and with cancer.

Definitely, substance abuse research has shown that alcohol addiction can increase the risk for different types of cancer, especially cancer of the voice box (larynx), esophagus, liver, rectum, colon, kidneys, and throat. Abusive and recurring drinking can also result in immune system problems and damage to the fetus during pregnancy.

Heavy Drinking Enfeebles the Individual’s Organs and Systems

What is more, if alcoholism continues over a period of years, the individual’s body organs will more likely than not be affected in a negative manner. As an illustration, chronic, abusive drinking is especially detrimental to the liver due to the fact that the liver does most of the work of processing the alcohol that has been consumed. Unwarranted amounts of alcohol kills liver cells and destroys the ability of liver cells to reproduce. This medical circumstance leads to a progressive inflammatory injury to the liver that can sooner or later lead to cirrhosis of the liver, an acute and potentially terminal disease.Excessive, long-term drinking not only can lead to dangerous liver damage, but it can also result in damage to the heart and to the brain. Physical damage this dangerous may be irreparable and may, in turn, result in severe illness or premature death.

The Critical Nature of Alcohol Rehab

It is important, consequently, to know how to recognize the various alcoholism symptoms and the “alcohol signs” so that the alcohol dependent individual can be given the opportunity to get the quality alcohol rehabilitation he or she requires.

Alcohol Dependency and Sophisticated Brain Exploration

Fortunately, medical examination is continuously finding novel and important information. Recent alcoholism research supplies a high-quality example. More accurately, for approximately the past ten years, sophisticated brain-imaging scanning instruments have verified that continuous and chronic excessive drinking changes the makeup of the brain to a substantial extent, thereby resulting in brain disease that can last months, years, or conceivably as long as the individual exists.

More precisely, medical research has shown that people who have been drinking excessively for a substantial length of time increase their risk for developing long-term and substantial changes in the brain.

This type of damage may be directly related to the alcohol’s effects on the brain, to severe liver disease, or might be indirectly associated with the drinker’s poor overall health.

Malnutrition, Excessive Drinking, and Mental Disorders

As a final example of diverse health problems that are to a large extent correlated to alcohol dependency, consider that in accordance with scientific investigation, the abusive and repeated abuse of alcohol can lead to erosive gastritis, a condition that reduces the absorption of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.

This kind of organ breakdown is linked to malnutrition and to an array of acute neurological and mental problems including memory loss, sleep disturbances, and psychosis such as Wernicke’s Encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome. This latter medical condition is a long lasting incapacitating medical condition that is characterized by incessant memory and learning difficulties.

Summary

It is plain to see that repetitive, abusive drinking is directly or indirectly associated with many acute medical conditions 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 a multitude of individuals will be able to refrain from irresponsible drinking while other individuals who have a drinking problem will get the professional therapy they need.

It is interesting to articulate something that family members who have been adversely affected by the alcohol dependency of another family member obviously do not understand. It appears that by protecting the alcohol dependent individual with untruths and deceit to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have actually created a circumstance that makes it easier for the alcohol dependent person to carry on and advance with his or her negative, devastating daily life.

Indeed, rather than helping the alcohol addicted person and themselves, these family members have in fact become enablers who have unintentionally helped deteriorate the alcohol dependent individual’s drinking problem even more.

Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcohol dependent individual will continue drinking in a hazardous and abusive manner and experience different “alcohol side effects.” Some of these side effects include deteriorating relationships, employment difficulties, ill health, diminished mental functioning, serious financial problems, and legal issues (such as getting arrested for one or more DWIs).

Relapses Can and Do Transpire

According to the research findings and statistics on alcohol dependency, another key alcoholism issue has to do with alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcoholic has successfully gone through alcohol dependency treatment and then resorts to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first thought, this predicament seems contradictory to logical thinking and seems so doubtful that it forces one to speculate why anyone who has experienced the wretchedness of alcohol dependency can return to drinking a short while after effective alcohol counseling and in turn after attaining sobriety. There are, to be sure, many credible reasons for this.

It should be noted, however that alcohol dependency research that has centered on the enduring outcomes of alcoholism has revealed that long after the alcohol dependent individual has terminated his or her drinking, major changes in the way in which the alcohol dependent individual’s brain functions are still present. As a result, all a recovering alcohol addicted individual has to do to involve himself or herself in behaviors that correspond with the transformations that have come about in the brain is to engage in drinking again.

The Necessity for A Fundamental Lifestyle Modification

There are other reasons why numerous recovering alcoholics return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after reaching sobriety. According to the alcohol addiction research literature, to make a successful recovery, the alcohol dependent person needs new ways of reacting and thinking in order to deal more successfully with difficult alcohol-related situations that will take place.

Conditions 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 dependent person was drinking irresponsibly; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these conditions can elicit memories that can trigger psychological stress or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol addicted person to engage in irresponsible drinking once again. Unfortunately, all of these circumstances may not only negate long-term alcohol recovery for the alcohol dependent individual but they can also result in relapse and consequently go against one’s sobriety.

The Good News: There’s a Lot of Hope for Lasting Sobriety

In an attempt to “protect” the family alcohol addicted person, family members can essentially cause unplanned damage by enabling the unsafe drinking behavior of the alcohol addicted individual.

The addiction research literature highlights the fact that most individuals who effectively complete alcohol rehabilitation experience at least one relapse. Alcohol dependent individuals and their family members need to know this so that they do not get dejected or stressed out when a relapse occurs.

Luckily, involvement in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up therapy and training have resulted in more successful, ongoing alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency rehab outcomes, have helped decrease alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol dependent persons reach enduring sobriety.

How do you identify the fact that you have a drinking problem? When is it evident that you are engaging in abusive drinking?

If you have unsuccessfully tried to discontinue your drinking or if you have given your word to yourself that your drinking days are finished and then you realized that you were drinking in an abusive manner just a few days later, the odds are especially good that you have drinking problems. The point of emphasis is that if you have attempted to stop drinking and cannot complete the task, then your drinking is controlling you, instead of the other way around.

Similarly, if it takes larger amounts of alcohol to get the same “high,” you probably need to realize that you have a problem with your drinking.

You may be telling yourself that the reason for your drinking is so that you can decrease your nervous tension or get rid of the agony that you feel. Similarly, you may be trying to steer clear of a negative situation and may be looking for something more beneficial, more favorable, or less mournful.

As you continue to drink, however, you will grasp the fact that drinking does not bring about the same high and you will also realize that drinking doesn’t help eradicate whatever led to your distress in the first place.

As you continue to drink in an excessive way, regrettably, you may become an alcoholic and, as a result, you may add another fundamental difficulty to cope with rather than discovering more productive and wholesome ways of coping with your alcohol-related issues.

When an Alcohol Assessment is Required

If you have concluded that you have a drinking problem, perchance the most expedient thing you can do for yourself is to call your medical doctor or healthcare professional and schedule an appointment for a complete physical and for an evaluation of your drinking circumstances.

If you in fact think that you have a crucial problem with your drinking, it may be a good idea to get prepared to find out that you need to get alcohol counseling.

At this point in time, what are your options? You can positively refuse to see your family doctor and persist with your pattern of irresponsible drinking.

It actually doesn’t take a mastermind, conversely, to have a handle on the fact that continuous, excessive drinking, if left untreated, will get worse over time and more likely than not bring about an early death. Consequently, your healthiest option is to confront your drinking problem and obtain the alcohol rehabilitation you require.

The Deceit of the Functioning Alcohol Dependent Individual

It is somewhat peculiar to note the fact that multitudes of 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 dependent individuals may have never been arrested for drunk driving and may have been fortunate enough to avoid all alcohol-related legal predicaments. Despite this fortunate circumstance, however, these alcoholics need to drink in order to operate on a day to day basis while keeping 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, conversely, and they will be quick to state the validity of the drinker’s situation and the particulars about the alcohol addicted person’s drinking condition and about his or her alcohol induced problems.

Why Do Alcohol Addicted People Fail to Perceive Their Drinking Problems?

As alcoholism research and statistics on alcohol abuse have underscored, no matter how obvious the alcohol-related problems seem to those who interact with the alcohol addicted individual, alcoholic individuals regularly deny that drinking is the basis of their alcohol generated predicaments. Not only this, but alcohol addicted people characteristically blame their alcohol induced predicaments on other individuals or upon other circumstances that surround them instead of seeing their part in the difficulty.

The origin of the problem is that alcoholism is a disease of the brain. Once the problem drinker has become dependent on alcohol, he or she frequently resorts to denial, manipulation, and lying as a way of coping with the fact that his or her drinking is out of control. And to make things more difficult, the experience of alcohol withdrawal symptoms commonly circumvents the alcohol dependent individual’s rare attempts to abruptly refrain from drinking. As depressing as the alcohol dependent person’s existence is, to the contrary, the good news is that quality help is generally available – if the alcohol addicted person reaches out and seeks alcohol treatment.

Summary

Acknowledging the fact that drinking is eliciting issues in your day to day functioning is conceivably the most trouble-free way to determine if you have a problem with your drinking. Stated another way, if your drinking is eliciting difficulties with your health, with your employment, in your relationships, with your finances, at school, or with the law, then you have a drinking problem that needs to be addressed.

If you have a problem with your drinking, moreover, this means that you are involving yourself in hazardous drinking.

While some individuals may be able to come to grips with their “alcohol signs,” pinpoint their difficulties, and significantly reduce the quantity and frequency of their drinking, others, then again, need to tackle their drinking difficulties by getting professional alcoholism therapy. What is more, due to their inclination to deny the facts and warp the truth, alcohol addicted individuals unquestionably require quality alcoholism treatment for their abusive drinking.

When I was a sophomore in high school, I took a drug abuse class. At that time period, I did not understand that alcohol abuse actually was a sub category of drug abuse. While taking this class and learning more about drug and alcohol abuse and especially about alcohol side effects, I read a lot about Alcoholic Anonymous, their meetings, how their programs have twelve steps, and how successful the Alcoholics Anonymous recovery program has been for individuals throughout the world. I also learned a lot about alcohol rehabilitation and the various alcohol rehab clinics that are usually available to people who engage in heavy drinking.

Negative Results That are Associated With Alcohol Dependency and Alcohol Abuse

Some of the negative consequences related to alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class definitely frightened me. The ruined lives and frequent serious issues experienced by most alcohol dependent individuals made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. Stated briefly, I did not want to face the disaster and destruction that alcohol addicted people almost always encounter.

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 consuming alcohol becomes the object of one’s life? What teen wants to go to one of the local alcoholic rehabilitation centers to deal with alcohol-related difficulties before he or she becomes an adult?

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 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 centers on abusive drinking?

These issues were so important that I discussed some of them in class throughout the school year. What was entirely amazing to me was the number of students who basically didn’t care about the injurious effects of hazardous drinking that I discussed. It was almost as if they couldn’t be troubled with reality and how these effects can destroy their lives. For the first time in my life I started to understand a saying 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, Enlivening, and Important to Stay Away From the Debilitating and Unhealthy End Results of Alcohol and Drug Abuse

And even at my young age, I also started to realize how beneficial, important, and energizing it is in life to keep yourself from the unhealthy and damaging end results of drug and alcohol abuse.

When I was in the tenth grade in high school, I registered for a substance abuse class. At that time period, I did not grasp the fact that alcohol abuse in truth 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 people throughout the world. I also learned quite a bit about alcohol rehab and the different alcohol rehab facilities that are commonly available to alcohol abusers.

Harmful Outcomes That are Correlated With Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse

Some of the detrimental consequences correlated with alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class definitely alarmed me. The ruined lives and numerous difficulties experienced by most alcohol dependent people made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. Stated differently, I did not want to face the wreckage and destruction that alcohol addicted people almost always encounter.

Reflect on this for a moment. What fifteen-year-old person 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 teenager wants to go to one of the local alcoholic rehabilitation centers to deal with alcohol-related difficulties before he or she becomes an adult?

What youth wants to go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when he or she tries to stop drinking? Why would an individual engage in drinking to such an extent that it would cause difficulties in every area of his or her life? Drinking later in life after an individual 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 focuses on abusive drinking?

These issues were so important that I talked about some of them in class during the school year. What was totally incredible to me was the number of students who openly didn’t care about the detrimental effects of excessive drinking that I talked about. It was almost as if they couldn’t care less about reality and how these outcomes can ruin their lives. For the first time in my life I started to appreciate something that my grandfather used to tell me all through my adolesence: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t force it to drink.

It’s Important, Beneficial, and Enlivening to Remove Yourself From the Unhealthy and Debilitating Outcomes of Drug and Alcohol Abuse

And even at my young age, I also started to understand how liberating, beneficial, and important it is in life to remove yourself from the destructive and unhealthy effects of alcohol and drug abuse.

How do you know that you have a problem with your drinking? When is it obvious that you are involving yourself in excessive drinking?

If you have hopelessly tried to stop drinking or if you promised yourself that your drinking days are finished and then you were made aware that you were drinking in an excessive way just a few days later, the probability is very good that you have drinking problems. The key point is that if you have made an effort to stop drinking and cannot get this accomplished, then your drinking is controlling you, instead of the other way around.

Likewise, if it takes larger amounts of alcohol to get the same “high,” more likely than not you need to realize that you have a drinking problem.

You may be telling yourself that the rationale for your drinking is so that you can lessen your nervous tension or get rid of the distress that you feel. Similarly, you may be trying to steer clear of a harmful situation and may be looking for something more useful, more helpful, or less mournful.

As you maintain your drinking, then again, you will realize that drinking does not result in the same high and you will also grasp the fact that drinking doesn’t help remove whatever brought about your misery in the first place.

As you continue to drink in a hazardous manner, sadly, you may become addicted to alcohol and, as a result, you may add another pivotal difficulty to cope with rather than finding out about more efficient and beneficial ways of coping with your alcohol produced difficulties.

An Alcohol Assessment is Probably Required

If you have concluded that you have a problem with your drinking, conceivably the most expedient thing you can do for yourself is to call your doctor or healthcare practitioner and schedule an appointment for a physical and for an evaluation of your drinking circumstances.

If you truthfully feel that you have a serious problem with your drinking, it may be a good idea to get prepared to find out that you need to get alcohol treatment.

At this point, what are your alternatives? You can without a doubt say no and refuse to see your health care professional and continue your pattern of out-of-control drinking.

It truly doesn’t take a rocket scientist, nevertheless, to realize that chronic, out-of-control drinking, if left untreated, will worsen over time and most likely bring about an early death. Accordingly, your most positive option is to address your drinking situation and get the alcohol counseling you need.

The Facade of the Functioning Alcohol Dependent Individual

It is almost counter intuitive to note the fact that multitudes of people who are addicted to alcohol lead busy and active lives and have jobs, vehicles, pets, families, houses, and any number of material possessions similar to non-alcoholics.

Many of these “functional” alcohol dependent people may have never been apprehended for a DWI and may have been lucky enough to avoid all alcohol generated legal issues. In spite of this fortunate circumstance, then again, these alcohol addicted individuals need to drink in order to function on a regular basis while keeping their facade as they associate 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, then again, and they will be quick to articulate the legitimacy of the drinker’s situation and the particulars about the alcoholic’s drinking condition and about his or her alcohol produced predicaments.

Why Do Alcohol Dependent People Fail to Perceive Their Drinking Problems?

As alcoholism research and statistics on alcohol abuse have underlined, no matter how clear the alcohol induced predicaments seem to those who interact with the alcohol dependent person, alcohol addicted people often deny that drinking is the cause of their alcohol produced problems. Not only this, but alcohol addicted people frequently blame their alcohol-related difficulties on other individuals or upon other situations that surround them rather than seeing their part in the problem.

The root of the problem is that alcohol addiction is a disease of the brain. Once the individual has become alcohol dependent, he or she often resorts to denial, manipulation, and deceit as a way of dealing with the fact that his or her drinking is out of control. And to make matters more difficult, the experience of alcohol withdrawal symptoms usually circumvents the alcohol dependent individual’s rare attempts to abruptly stop drinking. As gloomy as the alcohol dependent person’s life is, nonetheless, the positive news is that competent assistance is generally available – if the alcohol addicted individual reaches out and tries to get alcohol rehab.

Summary

Coming to grips with the fact that drinking is bringing about issues in your day by day functioning is perchance the easiest way to find out if you have a problem with your drinking. Stated another way, if your drinking is producing issues 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 dealt with.

If you have a problem with your drinking, moreover, this means that you are engaging in excessive drinking.

While some people may be able to detect their “alcohol signs,” pinpoint their problems, and significantly diminish the quantity and frequency of their drinking, others, then again, need to manage their drinking difficulties by getting professional alcoholism treatment. What’s more, due to their inclination to deny the facts and alter the truth, alcohol addicted people definitely need competent alcohol therapy for their abusive drinking.