Chime School

Posts Tagged ‘alcohol addiction’

Roughly two weeks ago I heard about a twenty-seven-year-old lady named Rachael who is bipolar and who is also addicted to drugs and alcohol. I remember reading that in such situations, a person needs to get treatment for both medical conditions and that mental health problems and dependency often take place in the same individual. Furthermore, I recall reading that a history of unhealthy drinking, drug abuse, and/or mental health concerns quite often take place in the same family.

Apparently, Rachael is so dejected by both of her medical problems that she, for all intents and purposes, has little or no desire to accomplish much of anything. What is especially sad about this is that earlier in her life, Rachael managed to finish one-and-a-half years of college. Rachael’s situation makes me question if she is an illustration of an individual who has to hit life’s bottom before he or she gets alcohol and drug dependency rehabilitation that results in lasting recovery.

The Need For a Doctor She Trusts and a Rehab Protocol She Can Believe In

If I were in communication with Rachael I could recommend quite a lot of websites that could possibly help her find information about addiction and alcoholic behavior, significant substance abuse information, facts about alcoholism and drugs, and more information about addiction symptoms and alcoholism warning signs. In my humble opinion, nevertheless, Rachael needs to locate a physician she trusts and a rehab protocol she can believe in and follow over the long haul. I could be in error but it seems to me that Rachael more likely than not needs to acknowledge the fact that she cannot drink responsibly or use drugs if she wants to get sober, stay sober, and start on the path to long-lasting recovery.

I am mindful that there are more than a few recently produced doctor-prescribed medications that can help Rachael avoid an alcohol or a drug relapse, help her through the drug and alcohol detoxification process, and help her through her withdrawal symptoms. Clearly it would be in Rachael’s best interests if she became familiar with these meds.

It seems clear that Rachael needs to admit the fact that there is entirely nothing productive about hazardous and excessive drinking and drug abuse and that engaging in one or both circumstances is the road to legal problems, financial difficulties, poor work and school performance, shattered relationships, a premature death and deteriorating health.

The Importance of Support Groups Such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous

There are more likely than not numerous persons such as friends, other people, and family members who would want to help Rachael but she more likely than not would experience greater acceptance from a support group such as Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous instead of listening to individuals who drink just a few times per year or who have never used drugs.

When Individuals Do Things They Love and About Which They Are Passionate

There’s a philosophical viewpoint that states that people who do things they like and something about which they are passionate reach a fantastic place in life. Stated more specifically, when people do what they love, they almost never experience boredom or an uneventful life. If they get involved in something that is enjoyable, what is more, they become more fulfilled and experience more gratification and joy in life.

To me, this sounds quite a bit different from a life that is centered in alcohol and drug dependency because such a lifestyle removes the contentment and joy that life offers.

Because Rachael lacks the drive to carry out much of anything in her life, it is clear that she definitely needs a little bit of hope for a better life. And the unfortunate thing is that hope is almost everywhere around Rachael if she could only get to the place in life to get the therapy she needs for her manic depression and alcohol addiction and drug dependence and stick with her treatment program.

A Meaningful Life, Self Esteem, and Positive Change Are a Reality

Rachael is clearly too young to be dejected in life. She doesn’t comprehend this right now but if she can learn how to refrain from alcohol and drugs through drug and alcohol therapy and get the treatment she requires for her mental health issue, she can turn her life around and start living with self-respect, passion, and direction.

A wonderful life, self respect, and affirmative change are certainly a reality for Rachael if only she could get inspired to seek the medical treatment she requires, follow through with her therapy regimen, live her life in a healthy and drug and alcohol-free way, and cultivate a more positive attitude about life.

Jerry and Sarah have been married for eight years. They wanted to have some excitement and fun before they decided to have a family and so they by design constructed an especially vibrant social life.

The major problem, it needs to be highlighted, is that nearly everything they do socially somehow involves drinking. For example, all of the parties with friends, family get-togethers, dinner engagements, happy hours, and sporting events they frequent include drinking.

Sarah and Jerry Begin to Observe Some Instantly Recognizable Alcohol Related Difficulties That are Directly Related to Their Irresponsible Drinking

If they were sporadic drinkers, this wouldn’t be a major issue. Given the fact that they drink rather excessively, nonetheless, they are beginning to perceive some unmistakable alcohol-related problems in their lives.

For example, just three days ago Jerry was placed in custody for his first DUI and has been shirking responsibilities at work because of alcohol-related health problems. Furthermore, Jerry’s last two or three performance appraisals at his place of employment have been less than satisfactory and he has started to forget what he says or does while he drinks. Lastly, Jerry has been experiencing sleep-related problems and his family is starting to agonize over his drinking problems.

In a similar way, Sarah has been feeling dejected about things in her life and to deal with these feelings, she has been drinking more habitually than any time in the past four years. Furthermore, Sarah has been experiencing more than a few throbbing headaches and experiencing excruciating hangovers from drinking. Finally, Sarah has been feeling considerably less energetic in the morning, she has been getting to work late almost every Monday, and she has been getting some well-deserved criticism from her coworkers, friends, relatives, and family members about her irresponsible drinking.

Watching the Television and Accidently Finding A Remarkable Documentary About the Signs of Alcoholism

One Tuesday evening while watching the television, Sarah and Jerry inadvertently discovered an attention-grabbing documentary about the signs of alcoholism.

This television documentary was a real source of revelation to Sarah and Jerry because quite a few of the alcoholism signs that were listed seemed like they were directly associated with many of the alcohol-related drinking problems Sarah and Jerry had been experiencing.

A Candid Dialogue About Drinking Circumstances Discloses Alcohol Related Legal, Employment, Financial, Relationship, and Health Problems

After watching the television documentary, Sarah and Jerry made up their minds to have a candid chat about their drinking activities. They both agreed that most, if not all, of their social pursuits were associated with drinking, that they were drinking in an excessive manner, and that as a couple, they were starting to note alcohol related legal, relationship, employment, health, and financial problems for the first time since they were married.

With thoughts of the TV program still etched in her mind, Sarah asked Jerry if some of the alcoholism signs they have been manifesting could mean that they are alcoholic or perhaps becoming alcoholic. Jerry didn’t know the answer to Sarah’s question and so he recommended that they schedule an appointment with one of the healthcare practitioners at the nearby alcohol rehabilitation center to find out more about the severity of their drinking difficulties.

Focusing On Your Drinking Issues Just Might Lessen Your Anxiety and Give You Some Tranquility

Ironically, although their drinking circumstances hadn’t yet changed, it was plain to see that Sarah and Jerry were at least dealing with their drinking issues, they were ready to find out more about their drinking behavior, and they were interested in finding out how they could significantly cut back on or eliminate the drinking-related issues that had begun to deteriorate.

When Jerry and Sarah went to bed that evening, they decided that the next day, Jerry would call and schedule an appointment for both of them at the drug and alcohol rehab center located downtown. After they made a promise to one another that they would do whatever it takes to surmount the alcohol-related problems that had cropped up in their lives, they actually had the most refreshing night’s sleep they could bring to mind in the last ten months.

Just before she fell asleep, Sarah turned to Jerry and stated how painless it is to lower one’s trepidation and truly experience some peace of mind by facing one’s problems with conviction and making up one’s mind to do something affirmative about them.

Teresa was a forty-five-year-old interior designer who knew that she had a problem with her drinking. As an illustration, within the past seven months she has felt the need to have several drinks before going to work, seven weeks ago she failed a random blood alcohol test where she works, five months ago she got arrested for a DWI, and lastly, for almost seven months she has started to forget what she says and does when she goes out drinking.

Similar to hosts of other individuals, Teresa’s alcohol involvement began slowly and continued at this tempo for quite some time because at times she engaged in sporadic social drinking. As a matter of fact, for almost eight months, every time she drank, she made sure to drink in moderation. Something about her drinking, nevertheless, seemed to totally change when she got divorced.

In Order To Come to Terms With the Loss of Her Husband With Less Sorrow, Teresa Made Up Her Mind To Begin Palling Around More Often With Some of Her Friends Who Love to Have Fun and Drink

Teresa got extremely “down” about the loss of her husband, and as a way to refrain from obsessing about her disheartening emotions she decided to start associating more repeatedly with some of her friends who love to have fun and drink.

Quite honestly, Teresa thought that having fun nearly every day by getting an alcohol “buzz” with her friends would help her overcome the loss of her husband in a less painful manner.

Teresa’s Drinking Escalates Considerably the More Frequently She Goes to Private Parties, Happy Hours, Family Get-Togethers, Dinner Dates, and Sporting Events With Her Friends

It didn’t take very long, however, before her drinking increased to a significant degree the more often she went to and drank at dinner dates, private parties, family get-togethers, sporting events, and happy hours with her buddies. Moreover, the fact that her drinking pals were all much younger than she was and therefore able to party and drink more recklessly was one of the reasons why she didn’t center more of her attention on her increased drinking. Simply put, she was having a great time drinking just like everyone else in her group of buddies without much reflection about the unhealthy consequences of her abusive and excessive drinking.

Yet someplace in her mind she realized that she most probably needed alcohol treatment but avoided the thought as much as humanly possible.

Teresa Gets a Physical, Owns up to the Truth About Her Abusive and Irresponsible Drinking to Her Healthcare Practitioner, and Admits Her Dejection

One afternoon during her twelve month physical, her healthcare professional asked her if she drank alcohol. Not wanting to lie to her healthcare practitioner, Teresa admitted that she frequently drinks more than she should. As a matter of fact, she stated that she commonly drinks in an irresponsible manner. Then Teresa told her healthcare practitioner about her melancholy. More explicitly, she mentioned that broken relationships usually triggered a discouraging chain of events characterized by increased drinking which further resulted in more dismal feelings that, in turn, led to even more drinking. And this is explicitly what took place when her husband and she got divorced four months ago.

When her physician heard this, he informed Teresa that according to various alcoholism facts and statistics on alcoholism he was reviewing, alcoholism and depression routinely happen in the same individual. He then told Teresa that some of the alcohol statistics, facts, and research investigations he has been looking into also point out that individuals who drink in an excessive manner and who also go through depression need to obtain treatment for both medical situations.

Teresa’s Physician Makes an Appointment for a Psychological Assessment and For an Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse Assessment

Teresa’s healthcare practitioner then stated the following: “I am not trying to make a sudden judgment, but with your medical condition we may be confronting two separate issues. Consequently, I think we ought to schedule an appointment for you to get an alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse evaluation from my partner, Dr. Michaels, who is a chemical dependency and substance abuse specialist. Whether your drinking problem is more associated with alcohol addiction or alcohol abuse is not clear, but I believe that further assessment is needed. Then I believe we probably should schedule an appointment for you to get a psychological evaluation from another one of my partners, Dr. Davis, who is a psychologist. I want to get a better read on your dejection and see how much your drinking and depression are associated.” Teresa showed her satisfaction with her doctor’s strategy and thanked him for his assistance and concern. Now all she had to do was to try to cut back on her drinking and wait for her appointments.

Teresa was a thirty-four-year-old loan officer who realized that she had a drinking problem. For instance, within the past two months she has experienced the need to have one or two drinks before going to work, two months ago she failed to pass a random hair alcohol test at her place of employment, five weeks ago she got arrested for a DWI, and lastly, for the past seven months she has begun to fail to remember what she says and does when she drinks.

Like huge numbers of other individuals, Teresa’s alcohol involvement started out slowly and continued at this level for quite a long time due to the fact from time to time she engaged in occasional social drinking. In actual fact, for roughly ten months, every time she went out with her buddies to drink, she made sure to drink responsibly. Something about her drinking situation, nevertheless, seemed to completely change when her husband divorced her.

In Order To Overcome the Breakup of Her Husband With Less Sorrow, Teresa Made Up Her Mind To Begin Associating More Often With Some of Her Friends Who Love to Whoop it Up and Drink

Teresa got extremely dejected about the loss of her husband, and as a way to refrain from obsessing about her depressing feelings she arrived at a decision that she would start associating more often with some of her buddies who love to drink.

Quite sincerely, Teresa truly believed that having fun almost every day by drinking and partying with her pals would help her get over the loss of her husband in a less painful manner.

Teresa’s Drinking Escalates Substantially the More Routinely She Goes to Family Get-Togethers, Happy Hours, Sporting Events, Dinner Dates, and Private Parties With Her Buddies

It didn’t take long, nonetheless, before her drinking increased significantly the more often she went to and drank at family get-togethers, happy hours, private parties, dinner dates, and sporting events with her pals. Moreover, the fact that her drinking friends were all many years younger than she was and therefore able to drink more intensely was one of the reasons that she didn’t center more of her attention on her increased drinking. Simply put, she was drinking and having a ton of fun just like everyone else in her group of friends without giving too much thought to the negative results of her drinking.

Yet somewhere in the recesses of her brain she knew that she most likely required alcohol counseling but avoided the thought as much as she could.

Teresa Gets a Physical Exam, Owns Up to the Facts About Her Hazardous and Irresponsible Drinking to Her Physician, and Acknowledges Her General State of Despair

One afternoon during her yearly physical examination, her healthcare professional asked her if she drank alcohol. Not wanting to tell “stories” to her physician, Teresa owned up to the truth that she routinely drinks more than she should. In actual fact, she said that she frequently drinks in an abusive and excessive manner. Then Teresa informed her healthcare professional about her sadness. More explicitly, she stated that broken relationships more often than not caused a negative progression of events typified by increased drinking which further led to more disheartening feelings that, in turn, resulted in even more drinking. And this is specifically what happened when her husband and she got divorced five months ago.

When her physician heard this, he told Teresa that according to various alcoholism facts and statistics on alcoholism he was examining, alcoholism and depression routinely come about in the same person. He then informed Teresa that some of the alcohol statistics, facts, and research investigations he has been looking into also highlight the fact that individuals who drink in an irresponsible and hazardous manner and who also suffer from depression need to obtain treatment for both medical conditions.

Teresa’s Physician Schedules an Appointment for a Psychological Evaluation and For an Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse Appraisal

Teresa’s healthcare professional then articulated the following: “I am not trying to make an unprofessional diagnosis, but with your medical circumstances we may be working with two separate issues. As a result, I think we probably need to schedule an appointment for you to get an alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction appraisal from my partner, Dr. Galloway, who is an alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse specialist. Whether your drinking situation is more correlated with alcohol abuse or alcoholism is unclear, but I feel that further evaluation is required. Then I think we ought to schedule an appointment for you to get a psychological assessment from another one of my partners, Dr. Patterson, who is a psychologist. I want to get a deeper understanding about your sadness and see how much your drinking and depression are interrelated.” Teresa displayed her approval of her healthcare practitioner’s line of attack and thanked him for his help and concern. Now all she had to do was to try to reduce her drinking and wait for her appointments.

Teresa was a thirty-two-year-old physical therapist who realized that she had some drinking issues. As an illustration, within the past three months she has experienced the need to have a few drinks before going to work, five weeks ago she tested positive for a saliva alcohol test at her place of employment, five weeks ago she got stopped by the state highway patrol for “driving under the influence”, and last but not least, for the past seven months she has started to fail to remember what she does and says when she goes out drinking with her friends.

Similar to many other individuals, Teresa’s experiences with alcohol began gradually and continued at this speed for quite a long period of time because every once in a while she engaged in intermittent social drinking. In truth, for almost three years, every time she went out to drink, she made sure to drink moderately. Something about her drinking activities, nevertheless, seemed to drastically change when she got divorced.

In Order To Endure the Divorce of Her Husband More Painlessly, Teresa Made Up Her Mind That She Will Begin Associating More Regularly With Some of Her Buddies Who Love to Have Fun Drinking

Teresa got dreadfully down in the dumps about the loss of her husband, and as a way to refrain from obsessing about her depressing feelings she determined that she would begin going out more often with some of her friends who love to party.

Quite honestly, Teresa believed that having fun nearly every day by getting “mellow” and drinking with her friends would help her get over the breakup of her husband with less grief.

Teresa’s Drinking Escalates Substantially the More Often She Goes to Family Get-Togethers, Happy Hours, Sporting Events, Dinner Dates, and Private Parties With Her Pals

It didn’t take too long, nonetheless, before her drinking increased to a significant degree the more often she went to and drank at dinner dates, happy hours, family get-togethers, sporting events, and private parties with her friends. Moreover, the fact that her drinking buddies were all considerably younger than she was and therefore able to drink and party more recklessly was one of the reasons that she didn’t center more of her attention on her increased drinking. In short, she was drinking and having tons of fun just like everyone else in her group of pals without giving too much consideration about the unhealthy results of her hazardous and abusive drinking.

Yet someplace in her mind she realized that she most probably required alcohol treatment but stayed away from the thought as much as she could.

Teresa Gets a Physical Exam, Acknowledges Her Irresponsible and Abusive Drinking to Her Doctor, and Owns up to the Facts About Her Depression

One morning during her six-month physical, her healthcare professional asked her if she drank alcohol. Not wanting to lie to her physician, Teresa ”came clean” and said that she commonly drinks more than she should. As a matter of fact, she stated that she regularly drinks in an excessive manner. Then Teresa told her healthcare practitioner about her general state of despair. More plainly, she articulated that broken relationships usually triggered a disheartening sequence of events typified by increased drinking which further resulted in more disheartening feelings that, in turn, led to even more drinking. And this is precisely what happened when her husband and she got divorced four months ago.

When her healthcare professional heard this, he told Teresa that according to various alcoholism facts and statistics on alcoholism he was researching, alcoholism and depression commonly happen in the same person. He then informed Teresa that some of the alcohol statistics, research investigations, and facts he has been looking into also point out that individuals who drink in an abusive and hazardous manner and who also experience depression need to obtain treatment for both medical conditions.

Teresa’s Healthcare Professional Makes an Appointment for a Psychological Appraisal and For an Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction Evaluation

Teresa’s physician then stated the following: “I am not trying to make an impulsive analysis, but with your medical condition we may be confronting two separate issues. As a consequence, I think we probably should make an appointment for you to get an alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse assessment from my partner, Dr. Verlich, who is an alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction specialist. Whether your drinking circumstance is more related to alcohol abuse or alcoholism is unclear at this time, but I believe that further exploration is warranted. Then I believe we probably should make an appointment for you to get a psychological assessment from another one of my partners, Dr. Britton, who is a psychologist. I want to get a better handle on your depression and see how much your drinking and depression are correlated.” Teresa expressed her agreement with her healthcare practitioner’s treatment plan and thanked him for his assistance. Now all she had to do was to try to lessen her drinking and wait for her appointments.

Daniel had been engaging in fairly heavy drinking behavior since her sophomore year in college. Now, three years later, she drank more than ever. One Monday evening when she wasn’t feeling too well, Daniel made up her mind to stay home, loosen up, and watch TV.

While trying to find a program to watch that she would find a little out of the ordinary, she immediately became attracted to a program about adolescent and young adult drinking predicaments.

When Everyday Alcoholic Symptoms and Signs are Displayed by Alcohol Dependent Individuals

The commenter went over the difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism and then got into the subject of alcoholism symptoms and alcoholism warning signs. When the spokesperson discussed a person’s alcoholic behavior and some of the more ordinary alcoholism signs and symptoms that alcohol addicted people display, Daniel got quite disturbed because it almost seemed as if the narrator was talking directly to her.

After watching the television special, Daniel made a promise to herself that she would telephone her doctor the following morning and make an appointment to discuss her drinking problem.

When the following morning arrived, true to her word, Daniel called her health care provider and made an appointment. While she was waiting for the day of her appointment to arrive, she went online and did a search for alcoholic symptoms. Especially noteworthy were the following symptoms or signs: increasing tension, making excuses to drink at virtually every occasion, sneaking extra drinks before social events, substantial work-related and relationship issues, and sleep problems.

Simply stated, due to the fact that Daniel experienced all of these symptoms she went into greater detail in her online search and found quite a lot of websites and blogs that discussed various alcoholism warning signs and symptoms.

One of the signs that really took hold of her awareness was the following: “Do you commonly drink after making a promise to yourself that you won’t?” While Daniel never totally understood the fact that she may have a serious drinking problem, after reading about the diverse alcohol addiction symptoms and warning signs, she couldn’t reject the fact that for the past six or seven months, she again and again tried but was not successful at appreciably reducing her drinking or stopping entirely.

When Coworkers and Friends Annoy You by Passing Judgment on Your Irresponsible Drinking Behavior

Another alcoholism symptom that took hold of her curiosity was the following: “Have people at work upset you by passing judgment on your drinking behavior?” When Daniel read this she at once remembered a recent quarrel she had with her uncle about her excessive drinking behavior. Additionally, Daniel plainly remembered a recent argument she had with her parents about her abusive drinking behavior. Since Daniel frankly believed that she didn’t have a drinking problem, when relatives discussed her drinking she as expected got bothered and mad.

A third alcoholic symptom was the following: “Do you need a drink when you first awaken in the morning?” Until now, Daniel had been deceiving herself about her drinking. After reading about the aforementioned alcoholism warning symptoms, nonetheless, she knew if she was really frank with herself that she was facing a serious drinking difficulty, especially given the fact that she now felt that she needed a drink the first thing when she woke up to lessen her nervousness.

Not only this but the next alcoholic symptom really got her thinking: “Do you drink to keep away from worries or problems?” When she reflected on her life for a few moments, she understood that very nearly in every complicated situation in the past two or three months, she told herself that she needed a drink to help cope with the discord in her life.

The final alcohol dependency warning sign that made her feel especially stressed about her drinking difficulty was the following: “Has your ambition diminished since you started drinking more habitually?” When Daniel read this sign she without a doubt comprehended that drinking had become a significant difficulty in her life because of her diminished energy level and also because she quit pursuing her dreams and her goals.

Conclusion: When Sadness Turns Into Something Exhilarating and A Sense of Anticipation

After thinking about all of these injurious alcohol dependency signs and symptoms, Daniel at first felt disheartened. Then something fantastic happened. She realized that she was going to see her health care provider about her problem drinking and she also realized that she would discuss all of the above alcohol dependency warning symptoms and signs with her. To be sure, for the first time in several months, Daniel honestly felt a sense of hopefulness because she was addressing her drinking issues and was at long last ready to make the needed modifications so that she could re-establish the life that was sliding away.

Heather is a fifty-three-year-old woman who is the top administrator in the human resources department at a large metal polishing company.  In order to decrease the costs related to excessive sick days, increasing absenteeism, work related injuries, employee alcohol abuse and alcoholism, and poor employee work performance, Heather and the other members of upper management launched several programs that made the work atmosphere substantially more safe, healthy, and more productive.

As an example, ten years ago Heather and the other company executives initiated an Employee’s Assistance Program so that all the employees had access to top shelf psychological counseling for their personal problems that could harm their health, work performance, and their personal well-being.

Top Management Erects An Avant-Garde Workout and Exercise Room Complete With Mirrors, Exercise Charts, Exercise Equipment, Scales, a Professional Trainer During Business Hours, and Weights

As another example, about six years ago Heather and the other company leaders constructed a technologically advanced exercise and workout room complete with mirrors, exercise charts, many different types of exercise equipment, scales, a professional trainer during business hours, and weights.

Moreover, approximately three years ago Heather and the other company administrators invested in a purification system that filters all the drinking water that is obtainable all through the main building.  In much the same way, three-and-a-half years ago, Heather and the other members of top management started a “walking club” that is primarily intended for workers who want to further develop their cardiovascular system.

The Company Executives Put Into Operation a Weight-Watchers Class and Sign Up a Weight-Loss Trainer to Manage the Program

As another example, approximately a year-and-a-half ago, Heather and the other company leaders sponsored a “Weight-Watchers” class that presently meets every workday at 1:00 PM until 2:00 PM. In addition, top management hired a weight-loss professional to administer the program.

Likewise, two years ago Heather and the other company executives implemented a “Stop Smoking Club” for employers who want to quit smoking.

In the last six months, in conjunction with the Employee’s Assistance Program, Heather and the other company administrators started an “Anger Management” class for workers who want to get a better handle on their temper.

The Company Administrators Start An Alcohol and Drug Testing Program

In the last four-and-a-half months, Heather and the other company leaders initiated a alcohol and drug testing program that is tied into their drug and alcohol abuse prevention program.  In point of fact, Heather is the key person in the company responsible for getting the message out to all the employees about the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program as well as the drug and alcohol testing program.

One of the main components of the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcoholism and Depression” that meets every Tuesday after work.  The fundamental idea with this class is informing employees that excessive drinking and depression regularly occur in the same individual.  It is hoped that knowing this information can help a person address both medical issues and get the alcohol treatment and mental health therapy he or she requires.

Upper Management Institutes an Alcohol Statistics and Facts Class

Another fairly recent addition to the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcohol Statistics and Facts.”  The reasoning behind this alcohol statistics facts class is the reality that numerous people do not understand the full impact of the results of alcohol abuse and alcoholism without first learning about some of the alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse facts and statistics that are available.  Consequently, one of the goals of this class is to provide a variety of alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction facts and statistics to help employees gain a better understanding of the many of difficulties that are related to hazardous and excessive drinking and how they can stop these problems from transpiring.

Most recently, Heather and the other company administrators, via suggestions from employees, developed a class that focuses directly on severe drinking entitled “What is Alcoholism”?  This class meets every Friday morning an hour-and-a-half before work and focuses predominantly on the differences between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction, on the stages of alcoholism, and on the different forms of rehab that are available for people who have alcohol drinking problems such as people who drink in an abusive manner.

Even though every single one of these preventative maintenance and health programs was relatively expensive, top management thinks that they are several thousands of dollars ahead by providing all of their employees with healthy, more productive, and safe working conditions.

Sarah and Jerry have been married for six years. They wanted to experience some excitement and fun before they decided to have a family and so they with forethought fashioned an extraordinarily active social life.

The primary difficulty, it needs to be underscored, is that practically everything they do with their family and friends is associated with drinking. For example, all of the family get-togethers, happy hours, parties with friends, dinner engagements, and sporting events they spend time at somehow include drinking.

Jerry and Sarah Start to Observe Some Unmistakable Alcohol Related Difficulties That are Linked to Their Irresponsible Drinking

If they were sporadic drinkers, this wouldn’t be such a major problem. Given the fact that they drink in an abusive manner, however, they are starting to become aware of some unmistakable alcohol-related difficulties in their lives.

For example, just five weeks ago Jerry was placed in custody for a third DWI and has been overlooking responsibilities at work because of alcohol-related health issues. What is more, Jerry’s last two or three performance appraisals at work have been less than average and he has begun to forget what he says or does while he drinks. Finally, Jerry has been going through sleep-related problems and his family is starting to display some disquiet about his drinking situation.

In a similar manner, Sarah has been feeling depressed with life and to cope with these feelings, she has been drinking more than any time in the past three years. What is more, Sarah has been experiencing quite a few throbbing headaches and suffering from excruciating hangovers due to her drinking. Finally, Sarah has been feeling substantially less energetic in the morning, she has been getting to work late at least every other day, and she has been receiving some harsh criticism from her family members, coworkers, relatives, and friends about her hazardous drinking.

Watching the Television and Inadvertently Finding An Interesting Program About the Signs of Alcoholism

One Thursday evening while watching TV, Sarah and Jerry without any planning at all found a captivating documentary about the signs of alcoholism.

This TV special was a real source of revelation to Jerry and Sarah because more than a few of the alcoholism signs that were featured looked as if they were unquestionably linked to numerous alcohol-related drinking problems Sarah and Jerry had been experiencing.

A Candid Talk About Drinking Circumstances Brings to Light Alcohol Related Employment, Legal, Health, Financial, and Relationship Problems

After watching the TV program, Sarah and Jerry decided to have a candid talk about their drinking behavior. They both agreed that most, if not all, of their social pursuits somehow included drinking, that they were drinking in an excessive manner, and that as a married couple, they were beginning to notice alcohol related relationship, legal, financial, employment, and health problems for the first time in their lives.

With thoughts of the TV special still etched in her mind, Sarah asked Jerry if some of the alcoholism signs they have been manifesting could mean that they are alcohol dependent or conceivably becoming alcohol dependent. Jerry didn’t know the answer to Sarah’s inquiry and so he suggested that they schedule an appointment with one of the healthcare professionals at the nearby drug and alcohol rehab center to find out more about the gravity of their drinking problems.

Attending To Your Drinking Problems Just Might Lower Your Nervousness and Give You A Sense of Calm

Paradoxically, although their drinking situation hadn’t yet changed, it was apparent that Jerry and Sarah were at the very least dealing with their drinking problems, they were excited about finding out more about their drinking behavior, and they were concerned about how they could notably decrease or get rid of the drinking-related problems that had begun to worsen.

When Sarah and Jerry went to bed that evening, they determined that the next morning, Jerry would call and schedule an appointment for both of them at the substance abuse rehabilitation center located downtown. After they promised one another that they would do whatever it takes to triumph over the alcohol-related problems that had emerged in their lives, they actually had the most revitalizing night’s sleep they could recall in the last year.

Just before she fell asleep, Sarah turned to Jerry and pointed out how effortless it is to decrease one’s sense of dread and truly experience some peace of mind by tackling one’s problems with conviction and making a decision to do something affirmative about them.

For a number of years alcohol dependency research has demonstrated the fact that there is strong relationship between alcoholism and critical health conditions and mental health issues such as depression.

As an illustration, in 2005, scientific investigation and alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics revealed that alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction cost the United States an estimated $220 billion annually. Interestingly, this immense alcohol-related expenditure was significantly more than the cost associated with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion). While it is relevant to put emphasis on these facts, it is also noteworthy to point to the fact that an interrelationship exists between all three of these health issues.

More specifically, chronic alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction are also highly associated with obesity and with cancer.

To be sure, substance abuse research has revealed that alcohol addiction can increase the risk for different forms of cancer, particularly cancer of the liver, voice box (larynx), kidneys, colon, esophagus, rectum, and the throat. Heavy and repetitive drinking can also result in immune system issues and deformity to the fetus during pregnancy.

Irresponsible and Heavy Drinking Deteriorates the Person’s Systems and Organs

What is more, if alcoholism continues over a period of years, the individual’s body organs will likely be affected in an unsafe manner. For instance, chronic, abusive drinking is particularly hurtful to the liver due to the fact that the liver does most of the work of processing the alcohol that has been ingested. Unwarranted amounts of alcohol kills liver cells and obliterates the ability of liver cells to regenerate. This medical condition results in a progressive inflammatory disease of the liver that can at the end of the day lead to cirrhosis of the liver, a dangerous and possibly terminal medical problem.Abusive, long-term drinking not only can result in acute liver damage, but it can also lead to damage to the heart and to the brain. Physical damage this dangerous may be irreparable and may, in turn, lead to severe illness or an untimely death.

The Significance of Alcohol Therapy

It is essential, then, 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 rehab he or she needs.

Alcohol Dependency and Sophisticated Brain Exploration

Fortunately, medical investigation is continuously generating novel and significant information. Recent alcoholism exploration provides an excellent example. Stated differently, for approximately the past ten years, complex brain-imaging scanning devices have verified that continuous and recurring hazardous drinking changes the constitution of the brain to a significant extent, therefore resulting in brain disease that can last months, years, or possibly as long as the individual exists.

More exactly, medical research has revealed that people who have been drinking excessively for a sizeable length of time increase their risk for developing permanent and significant modifications in the brain.

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

Malnutrition, Excessive Drinking, and Mental Disorders

As a final example of different health problems that are significantly correlated to alcohol addiction, take into consideration the fact that according to scientific examination, the hazardous and repeated abuse of alcohol can result in erosive gastritis, a condition that decreases the absorption of minerals, nutrients, and vitamins.

This kind of organ failure is correlated with malnutrition and to a number of severe neurological and mental syndromes including memory loss, sleep disturbances, and psychosis such as Wernicke’s Encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome. This latter health problem is an enduring debilitating medical condition that is characterized by repetitive memory and learning complications.

Conclusion

It is clear that continued, excessive drinking is directly or indirectly related to a number of serious medical conditions that can and do result in dangerous illness and premature death. Such information needs to be stressed and presented to everyone in our society so that a multitude of people will be able to refrain from irresponsible drinking while other individuals who have a drinking problem will get the professional rehabilitation they need.

Jennifer is a thirty-two-year-old outside sales representative who has been consuming alcohol in an excessive and abusive manner since she and her live-in boyfriend decided to break off their relationship. In truth, for the past five months she has been drinking just about a bottle of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking more than a few shots during the day. In short, Jennifer has been drinking so abusively that it’s amazing that she hasn’t suffered from alcohol poisoning.

After feeling unhappy because she was beginning to close her eyes to her health, Jennifer at long last told herself that she’s had enough, that it’s time to quit feeling sorry for herself, that it’s time to quit the excessive and abusive drinking, and time to make a new start with her life. So the following Saturday morning at 9:30 AM, she made up her mind to quit drinking cold turkey.

When She Attempted to Stop Drinking She Felt Ill, 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 Jennifer quit drinking, she thought that she would most likely be tempted to ”steal” a few drinks, but she never believed that she would feel so sick. More exactly, about an hour after she stopped drinking, she was extremely moody and tense, she had utterly no appetite, she vomited a number of times, she started to sweat profusely, and her head was throbbing.

When she called her best buddy and informed her that she had quit drinking and that after a few hours she suddenly started to experience flu-like symptoms, Donna, her best friend, told Jennifer to call her physician and clearly explain what she was going through.

She Admits to Her Healthcare Practitioner That She Has Been Drinking In an Abusive Manner, That She Just Tried to Quit Drinking, and That She is Going Through Awful Flu-Like Symptoms

So Jennifer called her family doctor, told him that she has been drinking in an irresponsible and hazardous manner for several months and that when she made an effort to abruptly 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 experienced.

Her medical practitioner informed her that she may be suffering from symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and that she should have a friend or family member take 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, 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 alcohol dependent.

It seems 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 a nurse and a paramedic who promptly asked her to lie down on the portable bed they had with them. After getting wheeled to the emergency room and undergoing a few basic tests, it was substantiated that Jennifer was in truth suffering from alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detox.

An emergency room physician administered some medications to lessen the intensity of her flu-like symptoms and also gave her some drugs to help eliminate the alcohol that was still in her body.

An Alcohol and Drug Addiction Healthcare Practitioner Explains in a Clear Manner That She is an Alcoholic and Then Goes Over What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcohol Dependency Stages Are

After a few hours, Jennifer was taken from the emergency room and transported to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for around three hours, Doctor Davis, an alcohol abuse and alcoholism specialist, came to visit her. He took his time and explained that Jennifer had suffered through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she stopped drinking due to the fact that she had become dependent on alcohol.

He then explained that with repeated and excessive drinking, the drinker’s brain slowly adjusts to the alcohol in order to perform in a “routine” way. When the drinker then abruptly refrains from consuming alcohol, it can be pointed out, the brain reacts by eliciting alcohol withdrawal symptoms. In addition, her doctor also explained the different alcoholism stages that an alcohol dependent individual almost always experiences as the disease gets progressively worse over time.

It is Discovered that Jennifer is in the Earliest Stage of Alcohol Dependency and She Gets a Good Diagnosis For a Total 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 result, she was given a good diagnosis for a complete recovery if she will get the alcoholism treatment she needs.

Jennifer told the healthcare professional that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to re-establish her health. She also mentioned that she has a first class hospitalization insurance plan that will probably pay for most, if not all, of the costs needed for rehabilitation. It was obvious that Jennifer was very thankful about her encouraging prognosis and felt free from anxiety knowing that she will be able to get the alcoholism rehab she requires so that she can begin the road to recovery.