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Posts Tagged ‘alcohol addiction’

Teresa was a forty-one-year-old legal secretary who knew that she had a problem with her drinking. For example, within the past month she has felt the need to have quite a few drinks before going to work, three weeks ago she failed a random blood alcohol test at her place of employment, five months ago she got arrested for “driving under the influence”, and finally, for going on five months she has started to fail to remember what she says and does when she goes out drinking.

Like multitudes of other individuals, Teresa’s involvement with alcohol started out at a “snail’s pace” and stayed at this level of involvement for quite a long time because from time to time she engaged in occasional social drinking. In reality, for roughly seven months, every time she went out to drink, she made sure to drink moderately. Something about her drinking behavior, however, seemed to radically change when she got divorced.

In Order To Recover From the Divorce of Her Husband In a More Pain Free Manner, Teresa Came to a Decision That She Will Start Hanging Out More Frequently With Some of Her Pals Who Love to ”Get Down” and Drink

Teresa got especially despondent about the divorce from her husband, and as a way to refrain from fixating on her negative emotions she determined that she would start associating more frequently with some of her buddies who love to whoop it up and drink.

Quite frankly, Teresa truly believed that having fun just about every day by drinking with her friends would help her overcome the loss of her husband with less misery.

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

It didn’t take very long, nevertheless, before her drinking escalated considerably the more routinely she went to and drank at happy hours, sporting events, family get-togethers, private parties, and dinner dates with her pals. Moreover, the fact that her drinking buddies were all much younger than she was and therefore able to drink more carelessly was one of the reasons that she didn’t direct more of her attention to her increased drinking. Simply put, she was drinking and having a great time just like everyone else in her group of buddies without giving much thought to the consequences of her drinking.

Yet somewhere in the recesses of her mind she knew that she most likely required alcohol rehab but kept away from the thought as much as humanly possible.

Teresa Gets a Physical Exam, Discloses the Facts About Her Hazardous and Irresponsible Drinking to Her Healthcare Professional, and ”Comes Clean” About Her Melancholy

One morning during her annual physical exam, her healthcare professional asked her if she drank alcohol. Not wanting to tell falsehoods to her doctor, Teresa owned up to the truth that she often drinks more than she should. If truth be told, she said that she commonly drinks in an excessive and irresponsible manner. Then Teresa told her physician about her depression. More plainly, she stated that broken relationships more often than not set off a dismal sequence of events characterized by increased drinking which further led to more disheartening feelings that, in turn, led to even more drinking. And this is specifically what took place when she and her husband got divorced nine 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 commonly occur in the same individual. He then informed Teresa that some of the alcohol statistics, research investigations, and facts he has been looking into also emphasize the fact that people who drink in a hazardous and excessive manner and who also suffer from depression need to get treatment for both medical situations.

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

Teresa’s doctor then stated the following: “I am not trying to make a snap diagnosis, but with your medical situation we may be confronting two separate problems. Consequently, I think we should schedule an appointment for you to get an alcohol abuse and alcoholism assessment from my partner, Dr. Gallamore, who is an alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse specialist. Whether your drinking situation is more associated with alcohol dependency or alcohol abuse is unknown at this time, but I think that further assessment is defensible. Then I believe we ought to make an appointment for you to get a psychological evaluation from another one of my partners, Dr. Knight, who is a psychologist. I want to get a better read on your melancholy and see how much your depression and drinking are related.” Teresa showed her endorsement of her doctor’s plan of attack and thanked him for his time and assistance. Now all she had to do was to try to decrease her drinking and wait for her appointments.

Sarah and Jerry have been married for five years. They wanted to experience some fun and excitement before they decided to have children and so they deliberately constructed an extraordinarily dynamic social life.

The chief difficulty, it needs to be pointed out, is that virtually everything they do to have fun is related to drinking. For example, all of the family get-togethers, sporting events, parties with friends, happy hours, and dinner engagements they attend are associated with drinking.

Sarah and Jerry Start to Become Aware of Some Instantly Noticeable Alcohol Related Issues That are Correlated With Their Irresponsible Drinking

If they were moderate drinkers, this wouldn’t be a major problem. Given the fact that they drink in a hazardous manner, nonetheless, they are beginning to perceive some clearly identifiable alcohol-related issues in their lives.

For example, just two days ago Jerry received a second DWI and has been leaving early from work due to alcohol-related health problems. Moreover, Jerry’s last two performance evaluations at work have been less than laudable and he has started to fail to remember what he does or says the times that he drinks. As a final point, Jerry has been experiencing sleep-related problems and his family is starting to exhibit anxiety about his drinking problems.

Not unlike Jerry’s situation, Sarah has been feeling depressed with life in general and to deal with these feelings, she has been drinking more often than any time in the past seven months. Not only this, but Sarah has been experiencing a lot of painful headaches and experiencing dreadful hangovers after drinking. Lastly, Sarah has been feeling considerably less active when she awakens in the morning, she has been getting to work late at least once per week, and she has been receiving some unhelpful criticism from her coworkers, relatives, friends, and family members about her hazardous drinking.

Watching the Television and Inadvertently Finding A TV Special About the Signs of Alcohol Addiction

One Friday evening while watching the television, Jerry and Sarah flipped through the channels and discovered a captivating documentary about the signs of alcoholism.

This TV program was a real shock to Jerry and Sarah because numerous alcoholism signs that were highlighted looked as if they were indisputably linked to numerous alcohol-related drinking problems Sarah and Jerry had been going through.

A Truthful Talk About Drinking Activities Uncovers Alcohol Related Employment, Relationship, Legal, Health, and Financial Problems

After watching the television special, Sarah and Jerry decided to have an honest discussion about their drinking situation. They both were in agreement that most, if not all, of their social pursuits included drinking, that they were drinking in a hazardous manner, and that as a married couple, they were beginning to see alcohol related relationship, health, financial, legal, and employment problems for the first time in their lives.

With thoughts of the TV documentary still imprinted in her mind, Sarah asked Jerry if some of the alcohol dependency signs they have been manifesting could be a signal that they are dependent on alcohol or possibly becoming addicted to alcohol. Jerry didn’t know the answer to Sarah’s inquiry and so he suggested that they make an appointment with one of the physicians at the local drug and alcohol rehabilitation center to find out more about the seriousness of their drinking problems.

Dealing With Your Drinking Issues Just May Lessen Your Sense of Dread and Give You Some Tranquility

Ironically, although their drinking behavior hadn’t yet changed, it was apparent that Sarah and Jerry were at least facing their drinking issues, they were enthusiastic about finding out more about their drinking situation, and they were interested in discovering how they could appreciably cut back on or eliminate the drinking-related problems that had begun to escalate.

When Jerry and Sarah went to bed that night, they came to a decision that the next morning, Jerry would call and make an appointment for both of them at the drug and alcohol rehab clinic located just East of the State Capital. After they made a promise to one another that they would do whatever it takes to conquer the drinking difficulties that had emerged in their lives, they in point of fact had the most peaceful night’s sleep they could recollect in the last four years.

Just before he fell asleep, Jerry turned to Sarah and mentioned how effortless it is to lower one’s fear and in point of fact experience some serenity by facing one’s problems head-on and making up one’s mind to do something productive about them.

Daniel had been engaging in hazardous drinking behavior since her senior year in college. Now, ten years later, she drank more than ever. One Tuesday night when she was feeling a bit run down, Daniel decided to stay home, relax, and watch television.

While searching for something to watch that she would find exciting, she instantaneously got involved in a special program about adolescent and young adult drinking difficulties.

When Typical Alcoholic Signs and Symptoms are Manifested by Alcohol Dependent People

The narrator talked about the difference between alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse and then discussed the topic of alcohol dependency symptoms and alcoholism warning signs. When the spokesperson went into detail about a person’s alcoholic behavior and some of the more ordinary alcoholism symptoms and signs that alcohol dependent individuals display, Daniel got quite troubled because it basically seemed as if the spokesperson was talking directly to her.

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

When the next business day arrived, true to her word, Daniel called her health care provider and made an appointment. In the meantime, she went online and did a search for alcoholic symptoms. Especially noteworthy were the following signs or symptoms: sleep issues, increasing stress, sneaking a couple of drinks before social activities, significant employment and relationship issues, and making excuses to drink at virtually every occasion.

Simply put, since Daniel manifested all of these signs she went deeper in her Internet search and found a number of websites and blogs that featured diverse alcoholic warning signs and symptoms.

One of the symptoms that really grabbed her interest was the following: “Do you regularly drink after making a promise to yourself that you won’t?” While Daniel never totally understood the fact that she may have a severe drinking difficulty, after reading about the different alcoholism symptoms and warning signs, she couldn’t refute the fact that for the past eight or nine months, she again and again tried but was not successful at notably lessening her drinking or quitting entirely.

When Friends and People at Work Hassle You by Frowning on Your Hazardous Drinking Behavior

Another alcoholic sign that caught her interest was the following: “Have neighbors hassled you by criticizing your problem drinking?” When Daniel read this she at once thought about a recent disagreement she had with her boyfriend about her excessive drinking. What is more, Daniel openly thought about a recent argument she had with her parents about her irresponsible drinking. Since Daniel truthfully believed that she didn’t have a drinking problem, when people talked about her drinking behavior she logically got perturbed and angry.

A third alcohol dependency warning sign was the following: “Do you want a drink when you first awaken in the morning?” Until now, Daniel had been deceitful with herself about her drinking situation. After reading about the aforementioned alcoholism warning signs, however, she knew if she was really honest with herself that she was facing a severe drinking problem, especially given the fact that she now thought that she required a drink the first thing when she woke up to reduce her tension.

If this wasn’t enough, the next alcoholism warning sign really got her thinking about her drinking: “Do you drink to sidestep anxiety or problems?” When she reflected on her life for a few minutes, she realized that just about in every trying situation in the past four or five months, she told herself that she needed a drink to help manage her life.

The final alcoholism symptom that made her feel fairly stressed about her drinking circumstance was the following: “Has your motivation dropped off since you started drinking on a regular basis?” When Daniel read this sign she visibly realized that drinking had become a severe difficulty in her life because of her diminished energy level and also because she gave up pursuing her goals and her passions.

Conclusion: When Depression Turns Into Something Exhilarating and A Sense of Expectation

After thinking about all of these unhealthy alcohol addiction signs and symptoms, Daniel at first felt sad. Then something exciting transpired. She reflected on the fact knew that she was going to see her health care provider about her problem drinking and she also reflected on the fact that that she would discuss all of the above alcoholic warning signs and symptoms with her. In truth, for the first time in more than a few months, Daniel truthfully felt a sense of optimism because she was facing her drinking difficulties and was in the end ready to make the needed adjustments so that she could get back the life that was sliding away.

Miss Benning was a health instructor at the most financially challenged parochial high school in the district. Even though she had been teaching for only a few years, she had already secured a reputation as a teacher with instructional techniques that encouraged and inspired students to learn and to think.

For example, one Friday afternoon at 1:00 she addressed the pupils in her classroom and announced the following: “For the next four or five days we are going to learn about some basic alcoholism facts from a more wide-ranging point of view and we are also going to learn about a number of the best known signs of alcoholism from a more detailed standpoint.”

“Not all of these alcoholism signs will positively show that an individual with a drinking problem is an alcohol addicted person, but the more signs that a drinker manifests, the greater the probability that he or she is a person who is addicted to alcohol.”

Miss Benning then explained to the the pupils that each student would be held responsible for studying four alcoholism signs and then presenting his or her findings to the class via a six minute oral presentation.

The Pupils are Thrilled About Giving A Broad-Based Presentation to Their Fellow Pupils About Alcoholism Signs

After learning about the diverse alcohol addiction signs for quite a few days, the time had finally come for the student presentations. It was instantaneously evident that her pupils were energized about the subject matter because the information that they presented was outstanding. To say that Miss Benning was pleasantly surprised with the passion displayed by the pupils in her classroom concerning this subject matter could not be overstated.

The day after all of the pupils completed their presentations, Miss Benning passed out a piece of paper with a list of all the alcohol addiction signs that were presented and discussed in class and in the presentations. Miss Benning then asked her pupils to go over the list and rank the top six alcoholism signs that were most indicative of alcoholism. After roughly five minutes, Miss Benning collected the pieces of paper and informed the students in her class that after she reviews the numbers, she will discuss her findings the next school day.

There was some real excitement by the students while they were exiting Miss Benning’s classroom. One could swear that her pupils couldn’t wait for the next day to come so that they could find out the outcome of their in-class research.

The Pupils Compare Their Numbers With the Results From A Council of Alcohol Addiction Authorities

When the next school day arrived, Miss Benning handed out a piece of paper that listed the top four alcoholism signs according to the pupils’ rankings. To the right of these results, she added another column that was labeled “experts’ answer.” She then informed the pupils in her class that the numbers in the second column she added were the findings that were put together by a board of alcohol addiction authorities.

Miss Benning asked her students to go over the data on the sheet of paper she handed out and then to raise their hand if they had any issues, questions, or concerns. Within 20 or 30 seconds, almost every pupil in the classroom raised her or his hand. It was clear to see that the students had some concerns, issues, or questions about their results versus the answers given by the professionals. As an illustration, virtually every individual in the classroom disagreed with the highest ranked answer given by the specialists, namely, “Do you feel extremely ill when you quit drinking?”

The Central Difference Between Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction is the Physical Addiction That is Experienced With Alcohol Addiction and Not With Alcohol Abuse

Miss Benning then explained to her pupils why this answer was the most clear-cut indicator of alcohol dependency. She underscored the fact that the main difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency is the physical dependency that is experienced with alcoholism and not with alcohol abuse.

In essence this means that when an alcohol addicted person suddenly stops drinking, he or she will go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Miss Benning then explained to her students that alcohol withdrawal symptoms are responses by the brain and by the body to the deprivation of alcohol to which they had become acclimated. Stated differently, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are signals from the brain and from the body telling a person who is alcohol dependent that something is dreadfully out of kilter and needs to be rectified. These signals consist of a number of painful, uncomfortable, and dangerous withdrawal symptoms that can potentially result in an individual’s death if the proper treatment is not promptly received.

Miss Benning then discussed the multitude of alcohol withdrawal symptoms that can be gone through when a person who is alcohol dependent suddenly stops drinking.

The fact that Miss Benning tried to underline was this: a person who engages in alcohol abuse can experience almost any and every one of the alcoholism signs that the students had ranked, but the one sign or symptom that few, if any, alcohol abusers ever experience is alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

To articulate this as overtly as possible, Miss Benning stressed the fact that alcohol abusers, unlike alcohol addicted people, are not alcohol dependent and as a consequence, when they quit drinking, they almost never suffer from alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

The Pupils Feel They Have Found A Dissimilarity With the Findings From The Council of Substance Abuse Experts

The students also had a problem with the second ranked answer given by the alcohol addiction authorities, namely, “Have you ever had a drink the first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?”

Miss Benning informed the students in her classroom that this sign does not automatically indicate that the problem is alcohol addiction, but that it does point to the need that individuals who are addicted to alcohol have to drink in order to avert alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

After Miss Benning explained the importance of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the life of the individual who is addicted to alcohol, the students started to recognize the fundamental difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency.

To add a sense of closure to the topic, Miss Benning asked her pupils to take out a piece of paper and answer the following question: “if every individual who is alcohol dependent knew about every one of the alcohol withdrawal symptoms and alcoholism signs we have studied, what percentage of them do you think would get alcoholism rehab?”

After about two or three minutes, Miss Benning asked for the pupils’ responses. While many students believed that approximately 85 to 95 percent of alcohol addicted individuals would ask for alcohol rehabilitation if they knew about the facts related to alcohol dependency signs and alcohol withdrawal symptoms, most of the pupils figured that this number would not be less than 50 percent.

The Pupils Were Astonished to Find Out That Only 25% of People Who are Addicted to Alcohol in the U.S. Ask For Alcoholism Rehabilitation

To the shock of most of the pupils, Miss Benning stated that according to various scientific examinations, only 25% of the individuals who are alcohol dependent in the U.S. ask for alcohol dependency rehabilitation. This astonished most of the students because they believed that exposure to the overwhelming statistics and facts linked to alcoholism would motivate most of the individuals who are alcohol dependent to ask for alcohol rehabilitation.

Miss Benning then stated that alcoholics not only need alcohol everyday in order to function but they also need alcohol on a daily basis so they can steer clear of possible alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Clearly, the alcohol dependent individual’s need to drink on a daily basis is more powerful than logic or facts. In actual fact, due to the fact that the thirst for alcohol is “reality” to the person who is addicted to alcohol, this is very hard to change.

A few minutes later the bell rang, meaning that the end of class had arrived. Based on the enthusiasm manifested by the pupils when they were leaving the classroom, Miss Benning knew that she had stimulated and encouraged her students to stop and think about a significant health and social problem that exists in our culture.

For several years alcohol addiction exploration has demonstrated the fact that there is strong relationship between alcoholism and life-threatening health conditions.

For instance, in 2005, medical research and alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics revealed that alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction cost the United States an estimated $220 billion per year. It may be noted that this enormous alcohol-related cost was substantially more than the cost associated with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion). While it is pertinent to put emphasis on 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 alcoholism are also highly correlated with obesity and with cancer.

Indeed, substance abuse investigation has revealed that alcohol dependency can increase the risk for various kinds of cancer, particularly cancer of the esophagus, kidneys, throat, rectum, liver, voice box (larynx), and the colon. Excessive and repetitive drinking can also lead to immune system issues and impairment to the fetus during pregnancy.

Abusive Drinking Breaks Down the Individual’s Systems and Organs

What is more, if alcohol dependency continues over a period of years, the individual’s body organs will likely be affected in an unsafe manner. As an illustration, long-term, hazardous drinking is particularly injurious to the liver since the liver does most of the work of processing the alcohol that has been ingested. Extreme amounts of alcohol kills liver cells and obliterates the ability of liver cells to reproduce. This condition leads to a progressive inflammatory malfunction of the liver that can in the long run lead to cirrhosis of the liver, a precarious and potentially lethal disease.Excessive, long-term drinking not only can lead to serious 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 serious ill health or an early death.

The Relevance of Alcohol Rehabilitation

It is critical, then, to know how to recognize the different alcoholism symptoms and the “alcohol signs” so that the alcoholic can be given the opportunity to seek the quality alcohol therapy he or she requires.

Alcohol Dependency and Sophisticated Brain Research

Fortuitously, scientific examination is persistently unearthing unique and significant information. Recent alcoholism exploration offers a first-rate example. Stated another way, for approximately the past ten years, sophisticated brain-imaging scanning devices have shown that repetitive and chronic abusive drinking transforms the makeup of the brain to a great extent, consequently resulting in brain disease that can last months, years, or conceivably as long as the individual lives.

More to the point, medical examination has demonstrated that individuals who have been drinking excessively for a considerable length of time increase their risk for developing permanent and severe modifications in the brain.

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

Mental Disorders, Malnutrition, and Excessive Drinking

As a final example of various medical conditions that are considerably associated with alcohol addiction, take into account the fact that according to medical exploration, the excessive and repeated abuse of alcohol can lead to erosive gastritis, a health problem that limits the absorption of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

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

Conclusion

It is apparent that continued, hazardous drinking is directly or indirectly linked to a number of serious medical conditions that can and do lead to serious ailments and premature death. Such information needs to be stressed and presented to everyone in our society so that a massive amount of people will be able to refrain from abusive drinking while other people who have a drinking problem will get the quality rehabilitation they need.

Jennifer is a twenty-five-year-old call center manager who has been ingesting alcohol in an irresponsible and hazardous manner since she and her fiancée decided to discontinue their relationship. In truth, for the past ten months she has been drinking very nearly one-and-a-half bottles of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking several bottles of beer throughout the day. In a word, Jennifer has been drinking so abusively and hazardously that it’s a miracle that she hasn’t suffered from alcohol poisoning.

After feeling dispirited because she was starting to ignore her health, Jennifer finally told herself that enough is enough, that it’s time to stop feeling sorry for herself, that it’s time to stop the excessive and hazardous drinking, and time to make a new start with her life. So the following Saturday morning at 10:00 AM, she determined that she would stop drinking suddenly and completely without planning or preparation.

When She Quit Drinking She Felt Awful, Her Head Was Throbbing, She Vomited Several Times, She Started to Sweat Profusely, She Was Extremely Anxious and Moody, and She Had Absolutely No Appetite

When Jennifer quit drinking, she assumed that she would most likely be tempted to take a few drinks, but she never pictured that she would feel so terrible. More accurately, roughly two hours after she quit drinking, she was extremely stressed out and moody, she vomited several times, her head was pounding, she had absolutely no appetite, and she started to sweat extensively.

When she called her best friend and informed her that she had stopped drinking and that after a few hours she without any warning began experiencing flu-like symptoms, Rebecca, her best pal, told Jennifer to call her medical practitioner and discuss what was transpiring.

She Admits to Her Healthcare Practitioner That She Has Been Drinking In a Hazardous and Excessive Manner, That She Just Tried to Quit Drinking, and That She is Experiencing Awful Flu-Like Symptoms

So Jennifer called her healthcare practitioner, told him that she has been drinking excessively for several months and that when she tried to completely stop drinking earlier in the day, within a few hours she felt as if she had the nastiest flu-like symptoms that she had ever gone through.

Her medical practitioner informed her that she may be going through symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and that she should have a neighbor or relative take her to the emergency room as soon as humanly possible.

As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a family member to take her to the emergency room. Interestingly, as sick as Jennifer was, all she could think about all the way to the hospital was whether or not she might be addicted to alcohol.

Obviously her doctor had phoned ahead and told the emergency room medical team to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by two emergency room employees who without hesitation asked her to get in the wheelchair they had with them. After getting taken to the emergency room and undergoing a few basic tests, it was established that Jennifer was in fact suffering from alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detoxification.

A medical practitioner gave her some drugs 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 bloodstream.

A Substance Abuse and Chemical Dependency Medical Practitioner Goes Over the Fact That She is Alcohol Dependent 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 wheeled to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for just about two hours, Doctor Parker, an alcohol dependency specialist, came to talk to her. He took quite a bit of time and explained that Jennifer had experienced alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she quit drinking because she had become dependent on alcohol.

He then stated that with excessive drinking on a daily basis, the individual’s brain progressively becomes accustomed to the alcohol in order to process things in a “normal” way. When the individual then suddenly refrains from consuming alcohol, it can be pointed out, the brain takes action by bringing forth alcohol withdrawal symptoms. What is more, her doctor also explained the different alcoholism stages that an alcohol dependent individual commonly experiences as the disease gets worse over time.

It is Discovered that Jennifer is in the First Stage of Alcoholism and She Obtains a Favorable Prognosis For a Full Recovery if She Gets the Alcohol Addiction Treatment She Requires

Fortunately for Jennifer, it was established that she was in the first stage of alcoholism and, consequently, she was given a good diagnosis for a total recovery if she obtains the alcoholism treatment she requires.

Jennifer told the doctor that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to recover her health and her life. She also mentioned that she has a first class hospitalization insurance plan that will almost certainly pay for most, if not all, of the costs required for treatment. It was obvious that Jennifer was quite pleased with her positive medical forecast and felt at peace knowing that she will be able to get the alcohol dependency treatment she requires so that she can start on the path to recovery.

Jennifer is a thirty-three-year-old mortgage processor who has been ingesting alcohol in a hazardous and irresponsible manner since she and her boyfriend decided to discontinue their relationship. In truth, for the past four months she has been drinking almost one-and-a-half bottles of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking more than a few cocktails all the way through the day. In short, Jennifer has been drinking so abusively and excessively that it’s amazing that she hasn’t suffered from alcohol poisoning.

After feeling dejected because she was starting to disregard her health, Jennifer at long last told herself that enough is enough, that it’s time to quit feeling sorry for herself, that it’s time to stop the irresponsible and hazardous drinking, and time to make a new start with her life. So the next Saturday morning at 8:30 AM, she decided to stop drinking completely and suddenly without planning or preparation.

When She Attempted to Quit Drinking She Felt Horrific, Her Head Was Throbbing, She Vomited Several Times, She Started to Sweat Profusely, She Was Extremely Anxious and Moody, and She Had Absolutely No Appetite

When Jennifer quit drinking, she reasoned that she would quite possibly be tempted to ”steal” a few drinks, but she never presumed that she would feel so horrific. More directly, around three hours after she quit drinking, she was extremely moody and anxious, she had utterly no appetite, she started to perspire extensively, her head was pounding, and she vomited several times.

When she called her best friend and informed her that she had stopped drinking and that after a few hours she all of a sudden began having flu-like symptoms, Leslie, her best friend, told Jennifer to call her physician and explain what she was going through.

She Admits to Her Medical Practitioner That She Has Been Drinking Excessively, That She Just Tried to Stop Drinking, and That She is Going Through Awful Flu-Like Symptoms

So Jennifer called her medical practitioner, informed him that she has been drinking in an irresponsible and hazardous manner for quite a few months and that when she tried to suddenly quit drinking earlier in the day, within a few hours she felt as if she had the most unpleasant flu-like symptoms that she had ever gone through.

Her physician told her that she may be suffering from symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and that she should have a friend or relative drive her to the emergency room as soon as possible.

As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a family member to drive her to the hospital. Interestingly, all the way to the hospital, as sick as Jennifer felt, the only thing she could think about was whether or not she might be alcohol dependent.

Apparently her family doctor had called ahead and told the emergency room personnel to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by two nurses who promptly asked her to get in the wheelchair they had with them. After getting transported to the emergency room and undergoing a few necessary tests, it was validated that Jennifer was in actual fact suffering from alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detox.

A physician gave her some drugs to address her flu-like symptoms and also administered some meds to help get rid of the alcohol that was still in her bloodstream.

An Alcohol Abuse and Substance Abuse Healthcare Practitioner Explains in a Clear Fashion That She is Dependent on Alcohol and Then Clearly Explains What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcohol Addiction Stages Are

After an hour or two, Jennifer was taken from the ER and transported to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for approximately an hour-and-a-half, Doctor Brill, a drug and alcohol abuse specialist, came to talk to her. He took quite a bit of time and explained in laymen’s language that Jennifer had suffered through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she quit drinking due to the fact that she had become dependent on alcohol.

He then stated that with heavy drinking on an everyday basis, the drinker’s brain progressively adjusts to the alcohol so that it can process things in a “routine” fashion. When the person then abruptly refrains from drinking alcohol, it can be noted, the brain takes action by creating alcohol withdrawal symptoms. What is more, her medical practitioner also explained in a clear fashion the various alcoholism stages that a person who is alcohol dependent almost always experiences as the disease gets worse over time.

It is Confirmed that Jennifer is in the First Stage of Alcohol Addiction and She Receives a Good Diagnosis For a Complete Recovery if She Gets the Alcohol Treatment She Needs

Fortunately for Jennifer, it was determined that she was in the earliest stage of alcoholism and, as a consequence, she was given a good projection for a complete recovery if she will get the alcohol rehab she needs.

Jennifer told the doctor that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to get back her health and her life. She also stated that she has an exceptional hospitalization insurance plan that will probably pay for most, if not all, of the costs needed for rehab. It was clear to see that Jennifer was quite thankful about her encouraging medical forecast and felt reassured knowing that she will be able to get the alcohol therapy she needs so that she can begin the path to recovery.

Sarah and Jerry have been married for three years. They wanted to have some fun and excitement before they decided to have children and so they consciously created an extremely exciting social life.

The main issue, it needs to be highlighted, is that very nearly everything they do for excitement is related to drinking. As an illustration, all of the dinner engagements, family get-togethers, happy hours, sporting events, and parties with friends they patronize are associated with drinking.

Jerry and Sarah Begin to Notice Some Unmistakable Alcohol Related Problems That are Directly Related to Their Irresponsible Drinking

If they were moderate drinkers, this wouldn’t be a major problem. Given the fact that they drink in an irresponsible manner, nonetheless, they are beginning to become aware of some noticeable alcohol-related problems in their lives.

As an illustration, just five days ago Jerry received a third DUI and has been taking time off from work due to alcohol-related health problems. What is more, Jerry’s last three performance evaluations at work have been less than average and he has started to forget what he says or does when he drinks. Lastly, Jerry has been going through sleep-related problems and his family has begun to display some disquiet about his drinking situation.

Similarly, Sarah has been feeling unhappy about life and to deal with this, she has been drinking more often than any time in the past eight months. Moreover, Sarah has been experiencing a lot of painful migraines and experiencing intense hangovers from drinking. Lastly, Sarah has been feeling significantly less active when she awakens, she has been getting to work late at least two days per week, and she has been receiving some unsupportive criticism from her family members, friends, relatives, and coworkers about her heavy drinking.

Watching the TV and Flipping the Channels and Discovering A Special Documentary About the Signs of Alcohol Dependency

One Saturday evening while watching TV, Sarah and Jerry went through the channels and discovered an enchanting documentary about the signs of alcoholism.

This TV documentary was a real bombshell to Sarah and Jerry because several of the alcoholism signs that were featured gave them the impression that they were unquestionably linked to quite a few of the alcohol-related drinking problems Sarah and Jerry had been suffering through.

An Open Dialogue About Drinking Behavior Discloses Alcohol Related Employment, Financial, Relationship, Legal, and Health Problems

After watching the television program, Jerry and Sarah made up their minds to have a frank talk about their drinking behavior. They both agreed that most, if not all, of their social functions were associated with drinking, that they were drinking in an irresponsible manner, and that as a married couple, they were beginning to observe alcohol related employment, relationship, financial, health, and legal problems for the first time since they were married.

With thoughts of the television program still imprinted in her mind, Sarah asked Jerry if some of the alcohol addiction signs they have been manifesting could be a signal that they are alcohol dependent or possibly becoming dependent on alcohol. Jerry didn’t know the answer to Sarah’s question and so he recommended that they schedule an appointment with one of the doctors at the nearby alcohol abuse treatment clinic to find out more about the gravity of their drinking issues.

Concentrating On Your Drinking Problems Just Might Lower Your Fear and Give You Some Serenity

Ironically, although their drinking behavior hadn’t yet changed, it was evident that Sarah and Jerry were at the very least attending to their drinking problems, they were enthusiastic about finding out more about their drinking circumstances, and they were interested in discovering how they could significantly cut back on or do away with the drinking-related problems that had begun to deteriorate.

When Sarah and Jerry went to bed that evening, they determined that the next morning, Jerry would call and make an appointment for both of them at the alcohol rehabilitation center located just West of the State Capital. After they made a promise to one another that they would do whatever it takes to defeat the drinking difficulties that had materialized in their lives, they in point of fact had the most revitalizing night’s sleep they could recollect in the last four weeks.

Just before he fell asleep, Jerry turned to Sarah and pointed out how painless it is to reduce one’s nervousness and in point of fact experience some quietude by dealing with one’s problems with personal integrity and choosing to do something constructive about them.

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

For example, in 2005, scientific investigation and alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics showed that alcohol abuse and alcoholism cost the United States an estimated $220 billion per year. It can be emphasized that this very large alcohol-related expense was substantially more than the cost linked with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion). While it is pertinent to underline these facts, it is also important to emphasize the point that an interrelationship exists between all three of these health problems.

More exactly, chronic alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction are also highly interrelated with obesity and with cancer.

To be sure, substance abuse investigation has shown that alcoholism can augment the risk for various types of cancer, particularly cancer of the kidneys, rectum, colon, voice box (larynx), esophagus, throat, and the liver. Hazardous and recurring drinking can also lead to immune system issues and harm to the fetus during pregnancy.

Excessive and Irresponsible Drinking Destabilizes the Problem Drinker’s Systems and Organs

Furthermore, if alcoholism continues over a period of years, the person’s body organs will probably be affected in an unsafe manner. For instance, chronic, hazardous drinking is particularly detrimental to the liver since the liver does most of the work of processing the alcohol that has been ingested. Excessive amounts of alcohol kills liver cells and eradicates the ability of liver cells to regenerate. This medical circumstance leads to a progressive inflammatory disease of the liver that can in the long run lead to cirrhosis of the liver, a grave and possibly lethal medical problem.Abusive, long-term drinking not only can result in dangerous liver damage, but it can also lead to damage to the heart and to the brain. Physical damage this serious may be irreversible and may, in turn, lead to severe ill health or an untimely death.

The Importance of Alcohol Counseling

It is critical, consequently, to know how to recognize the various alcoholism symptoms and the “alcohol signs” so that the alcohol addicted individual can be given the opportunity to get the quality alcohol counseling he or she needs.

Alcohol Dependency and Sophisticated Brain Research

Fortunately, scientific exploration is persistently finding unique and important information. Recent alcoholism research supplies a high-quality example. More accurately, for approximately the past ten years, technologically advanced brain-imaging scanning devices have confirmed that repetitive and recurring hazardous drinking alters the constitution of the brain to a substantial extent, as a consequence resulting in brain disease that can last months, years, or possibly as long as the person lives.

Stated another way, medical examination has demonstrated that individuals who have been drinking excessively for an extensive length of time increase their risk for developing long lasting and substantial alterations in the brain.

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

Malnutrition, Abusive Drinking, and Mental Disorders

As a final example of different medical problems that are substantially related to alcoholism, consider that in accordance with scientific examination, the excessive and repeated abuse of alcohol can lead to erosive gastritis, a health problem that decreases the absorption of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

This type of organ breakdown is associated with malnutrition and to a number of acute neurological and mental syndromes including sleep disturbances, memory loss, and psychosis such as Wernicke’s Encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome. This latter medical problem is a long lasting debilitating health problem that is typified by recurring memory and learning complications.

Conclusion

It is apparent that continued, hazardous drinking is directly or indirectly correlated with numerous dangerous medical problems that can and do result in serious diseases and premature death. Such information needs to be underlined and presented to everyone in our society so that most individuals will be able to abstain from excessive drinking while other individuals who have a drinking problem will get the professional rehabilitation they need.

Miss Benning was a health teacher at the largest co-ed high school in the local community. Although she had been teaching for only a few years, she had already achieved a reputation as an instructor with educational approaches that stimulated and encouraged pupils to think and to learn.

As an illustration, one Thursday afternoon at 2:00 she addressed the pupils in her classroom and articulated the following: “For the next week we are going to learn about some basic alcoholism facts from a general point of view and we are also going to learn about several of the most basic signs of alcoholism from a more specific standpoint.”

“Not all of these alcoholism signs will unquestionably prove that an individual with a drinking problem is an individual who is alcohol dependent, but the more signs that a drinker displays, the more likely it is that he or she is an alcohol dependent person.”

Miss Benning then explained to the the students that each student would be accountable for studying three alcohol addiction signs and then presenting his or her conclusions to the other class members via a seven minute oral presentation.

The Students are Energized About Giving An In-Depth Presentation to Their Fellow Pupils About The Signs of Alcoholism

After learning about the various alcoholism signs for several days, the time had finally arrived for the student presentations. It was instantly clear to see that her students were keyed up about the subject because the material that they presented was excellent. To say that Miss Benning was pleasantly surprised with the enthusiasm exhibited by the students in her classroom concerning this subject was an understatement.

The day after all of the pupils completed their presentations, Miss Benning passed out a sheet of paper with a list of all the alcoholism signs that were presented and discussed in class and in the presentations. Miss Benning then asked the pupils in her classroom to study the list and rank the top five alcohol addiction signs that were most indicative of alcoholism. After around twenty minutes, Miss Benning collected the pieces of paper and told her pupils that after she assesses the numbers, she will reveal her findings the next school day.

There was some real excitement by the pupils while they were leaving Miss Benning’s classroom. One could swear that her pupils couldn’t wait for the next day to come so that they could learn about the results of their in-class research.

The Pupils Contrast Their Results With the Results From A Team of Alcoholism Specialists

When the next school day finally came, Miss Benning handed out a piece of paper that listed the top four alcoholism signs according to the students’ rankings. To the left of these results, she added another column that was labeled “correct response.” She then explained to the pupils in her class that the numbers in the extra column she added represented the responses that were given by a group of drug and alcohol abuse authorities.

Miss Benning told the pupils in her classroom to go over the data on the piece of paper she handed out and then to raise their hand if they had any concerns, issues, or questions. Within 30 or 40 seconds, almost every pupil in the classroom raised her or his hand. It was obvious that the students had some questions, issues, or concerns about their results versus the answers given by the specialists. For example, almost every student disagreed with the highest ranked answer given by the professionals, to be exact, “Do you feel unusually ill when you quit drinking?”

The Foremost Difference Between Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse is the Physical Addiction That is Experienced With Alcohol Addiction and Not With Alcohol Abuse

Miss Benning then informed her pupils why this answer was the most precise sign of alcohol dependency. She highlighted the fact that the foremost difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism is the physical dependency that is experienced with alcoholism and not with alcohol abuse.

Essentially this means that when an alcohol addicted person suddenly quits drinking, he or she will go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Miss Benning then explained to the pupils in her classroom that alcohol withdrawal symptoms are responses by the body and by the brain to the deprivation of alcohol to which they had become accustomed. Stated more precisely, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are messages from the brain and from the body telling an alcohol addicted person that something is very out of kilter and needs to be fixed. These messages consist of a number of painful, uncomfortable, and dangerous withdrawal symptoms that can potentially lead to a fatality if the proper treatment is not promptly obtained.

Miss Benning then listed the many diverse alcohol withdrawal symptoms that can be experienced when an alcohol dependent individual suddenly stops drinking.

The fact that Miss Benning tried to underscore was this: a person who engages in alcohol abuse can experience almost any and every one of the alcohol addiction signs that the students had ranked, but the one sign or symptom that few, if any, alcohol abusers ever experience is alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

To state this as overtly as possible, Miss Benning pointed out that alcohol abusers, unlike individuals who are alcohol dependent, are not alcohol dependent and consequently, when they stop drinking, they almost never go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

The Pupils Feel They Have Found An Inconsistency With the Findings From The Team of Substance Abuse Authorities

The pupils also had an issue with the second ranked answer given by the alcohol dependency specialists, that is to say, “Have you ever had a drink the first thing in the morning to get rid of a hangover or to steady your nerves?”

Miss Benning explained to the students in her classroom that this sign does not inevitably indicate that the problem is alcoholism, but that it does point to the need that alcohol dependent people have to drink in order to steer clear of alcohol withdrawals.

After Miss Benning explained the importance of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the life of the alcohol addicted individual, the students started to grasp the fundamental difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency.

To add a sense of closure to the topic, Miss Benning asked her pupils to take out a sheet of paper and answer the following question: “if every person who is addicted to alcohol knew about every one of the alcohol withdrawal symptoms and alcohol addiction signs we have studied, what percentage of them do you think would obtain alcohol dependency rehabilitation?”

After approximately three or four minutes, Miss Benning asked for the students’ predictions. While many pupils believed that approximately 80 to 90 percent of alcohol dependent people would obtain alcohol addiction rehabilitation if they knew about the facts related to alcohol withdrawal symptoms and alcoholism signs, most of the students reasoned that this number would not be less than 60 percent.

The Students Were Surprised to Learn That Only 25% of Alcohol Dependent People in the U.S. Ask For Alcoholism Treatment

To the shock of most of the students, Miss Benning declared that according to different scientific examinations, only 25% of the people who are alcohol dependent in the U.S. obtain alcohol dependency treatment. This amazed most of the students because they figured that exposure to the overwhelming facts and statistics correlated with alcoholism would motivate most of the people who are addicted to alcohol to ask for alcohol dependency treatment.

Miss Benning then explained that individuals who are addicted to alcohol not only need alcohol everyday in order to function but they also need alcohol on a daily basis so they can avert possible alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Apparently, the alcohol dependent person’s need to drink on a daily basis is more powerful than logic or facts. Without a doubt, since the thirst for alcohol is “reality” to the alcoholic, this is difficult to negate.

A few minutes later the bell rang, signaling the end of class. Based on the excitement exhibited by the students when they were leaving the classroom, Miss Benning realized that she had stimulated and inspired the pupils in her classroom to stop and think about a vital health and social problem that exists in our country.