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Posts Tagged ‘alcohol addiction’

It is worthy of note to point out something that family members who have been negatively affected by the alcohol dependency of another family member plainly do not realize. It appears that by shielding the alcohol dependent person with untruths and dishonesty to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have in reality created a situation that makes it easier for the alcohol dependent person to persist and proceed with his or her harmful, destructive existence.

In fact, instead of helping the alcohol addicted individual and themselves, these family members have essentially become enablers who have unintentionally helped negatively affect the alcohol dependent person’s drinking problem even more.

Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcohol addicted person will continue drinking in an excessive manner and go through a variety of “alcohol side effects.” Some of these side effects include deteriorating relationships, employment difficulties, ill health, diminished mental functioning, serious financial problems, and legal issues (such as getting arrested for one or more DWIs).

Relapses Can and Do Transpire

According to the research findings and statistics on alcohol dependency, another key alcohol dependency issue concerns alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol dependent individual has effectively gone through alcohol addiction therapy and then returns to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first thought, this circumstance flies in the face of logical thinking and seems so far-fetched that it forces an individual to wonder why anyone who has gone through the awfulness of alcohol dependency can return to drinking a short while after successful alcohol counseling and in turn after attaining recovery. There are, for sure, many plausible reasons for this.

It should be pointed out, on the other hand that alcoholism research that has focused on the enduring effects of alcohol dependency has revealed that long after the alcohol addicted individual has stopped his or her drinking, critical alterations in the way in which the alcohol addicted individual’s brain works are still present. As a consequence, all a recovering alcohol addicted person has to do to involve himself or herself in behaviors that correspond with the alterations that have come about in the brain is to engage in drinking again.

The Necessity for A Major Lifestyle Transformation

There are other reasons why many recovering alcohol dependent persons return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after reaching sobriety. According to the alcohol addiction research literature, to make a successful recovery, the alcohol dependent individual needs new ways of acting and thinking in order to deal more competently with demanding alcohol-related circumstances that will take place.

Situations such as returning to the same alcohol addictive atmosphere or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the time when the alcohol dependent individual was drinking irresponsibly; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these conditions can bring forth memories that can set off psychological tension or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol addicted individual to engage in excessive drinking once again. Sadly, all of these circumstances may not only negate long-term sobriety for the alcohol dependent individual but they can also lead to relapse and thus go against one’s alcohol recovery.

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

In an attempt to “protect” the family alcoholic, family members can in fact cause inadvertent harm by enabling the unhealthy drinking behavior of the alcohol addicted person.

The alcohol abuse research literature validates the fact that most people who successfully complete alcohol rehabilitation experience at least one relapse. Alcohol addicted persons and their family members need to know this so that they do not get down in the dumps or stressed out when a relapse happens.

Fortunately, taking part in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up rehab and education have resulted in more effective, long-term alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction treatment results, have helped reduce alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol addicted individuals reach enduring alcohol recovery.

Teresa was a thirty-year-old executive secretary who realized that she had some problems with her drinking. As an illustration, within the past month she has experienced the need to have one or two drinks before going to work, seven weeks ago she tested positive for a hair alcohol test where she is employed, six weeks ago she got arrested for “driving under the influence”, and last but not least, for nearly five months she has begun to forget what she says and does when she drinks with her friends.

Like hosts of other people, Teresa’s experiences with alcohol started out little by little and continued at this pace for quite some time due to the fact once in a “blue moon” she engaged in occasional social drinking. In fact, for almost two years, every time she went out with her friends to drink, she made sure to drink in moderation. Something about her drinking situation, nonetheless, seemed to completely change when she got divorced from her husband.

In Order To Overcome the Breakup of Her Husband With Less Distress, Teresa Came to a Decision That She Will Begin Hanging Around More Repeatedly With Some of Her Buddies Who Love to ”Get Down” and Drink

Teresa got especially dejected about the breakup with her husband, and as a way to quit obsessing about her disheartening feelings she determined that she would start hanging around more often with some of her pals who love to have fun and drink.

Quite frankly, Teresa thought that having fun just about every day by getting an alcohol “buzz” with her friends would help her come to terms with the loss of her husband more quickly.

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

It didn’t take long, nonetheless, before her drinking escalated substantially the more routinely she went to and drank at sporting events, dinner dates, family get-togethers, private parties, and happy hours with her friends. In addition, the fact that her drinking pals were all considerably younger than she was and therefore able to party and drink more recklessly was one of the reasons why she didn’t focus more on her increased drinking. To put it briefly, she was having fun drinking just like everybody else in her group of friends without paying much attention to the negative effects of her hazardous and irresponsible drinking.

Yet someplace in her brain she realized that she most likely needed alcohol rehabilitation but avoided the thought as much as humanly possible.

Teresa Gets a Physical, Discloses the Truth About Her Abusive Drinking to Her Doctor, and Discloses the Truth About Her General State of Gloom

One morning during her yearly physical exam, her healthcare practitioner asked her if she drank alcohol. Not wanting to lie to her healthcare practitioner, Teresa acknowledged that she often drinks more than she should. In truth, she articulated that she routinely drinks in an excessive and hazardous manner. Then Teresa informed her healthcare professional about her dejection. More plainly, she mentioned that broken relationships commonly triggered a negative progression of events characterized by increased drinking which further led to more disheartening feelings that, in turn, resulted in even more drinking. And this is exactly what happened when her husband and she got divorced ten months ago.

When her healthcare practitioner heard this, he told Teresa that according to various alcoholism facts and statistics on alcoholism he was investigating, alcoholism and depression commonly occur in the same person. He then informed Teresa that some of the alcohol statistics, research investigations, and facts he has been studying also underline the fact that people who drink in an excessive and irresponsible manner and who also experience depression need to obtain treatment for both medical circumstances.

Teresa’s Doctor Makes an Appointment for a Psychological Evaluation and For an Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Appraisal

Teresa’s doctor then said the following: “I am not trying to make an unprofessional diagnosis, but with your medical circumstances we may be confronting two separate issues. Consequently, I think we ought to schedule an appointment for you to get an alcoholism and alcohol abuse evaluation from my partner, Dr. Jeffries, who is a chemical dependency and substance abuse specialist. Whether your drinking situation is more linked to alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction is not clear at this time, but I feel that further assessment is warranted. Then I feel we need to make an appointment for you to get a psychological assessment from another one of my partners, Dr. Davis, who is a psychologist. I want to get some more information about your dejection and see how much your depression and drinking are interlinked.” Teresa displayed her satisfaction with her healthcare practitioner’s treatment plan and thanked him for his assistance and concern. Now all she had to do was to try to decrease her drinking and get ready for her appointments.

Sarah and Jerry have been married for three years. They wanted to experience some excitement and fun before they made up their minds to have children and so they with forethought constructed an especially exciting social life.

The main problem, however, is that just about everything they do to have fun is associated with drinking. As an illustration, all of the dinner engagements, parties with friends, happy hours, sporting events, and family get-togethers they attend include drinking.

Jerry and Sarah Start to Become Aware of Some Instantly Recognizable Alcohol Related Problems That are Linked to Their Abusive Drinking

If they were infrequent drinkers, this wouldn’t be such a major issue. Because they drink rather abusively, however, they are starting to perceive some definite alcohol-related problems in their lives.

As an illustration, just three weeks ago Jerry was apprehended by the police for a second DWI and has been shirking responsibilities at work because of alcohol-related health problems. Moreover, Jerry’s last three performance appraisals at his place of employment have been less than commendable and he has started to fail to remember what he does or says the times that he drinks. Lastly, Jerry has been having sleep-related problems and his family has begun to exhibit apprehension about his drinking activities.

Similar to Jerry’s circumstances, Sarah has been feeling depressed about things in her life and to deal with this, she has been drinking more repeatedly than any time in the past nine months. Furthermore, Sarah has been getting more than a few throbbing migraine headaches and experiencing dreadful hangovers because of her drinking. Finally, Sarah has been feeling much less energetic when she awakens in the morning, she has been getting to work late at least two days per week, and she has been getting some inconsiderate criticism from her friends, coworkers, family members, and relatives about her hazardous drinking.

Watching the Television and Inadvertently Finding A Remarkable Documentary About the Signs of Alcohol Dependency

One Wednesday evening while watching the television, Jerry and Sarah happened upon a captivating program about the signs of alcoholism.

This television documentary was a real surprise to Jerry and Sarah because several of the alcoholism signs that were featured looked as if they were indisputably related to several of the alcohol-related drinking problems Jerry and Sarah had been suffering through.

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

After watching the TV special, Jerry and Sarah decided to have a candid talk about their drinking activities. They both concurred that most, if not all, of their social pursuits included drinking, that they were drinking in an abusive manner, and that as a couple, they were beginning to note alcohol related health, relationship, legal, employment, and financial problems for the first time since they were married.

With thoughts of the TV special still fresh 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 conceivably becoming alcoholic. Jerry didn’t know the answer to Sarah’s question and so he suggested that they schedule an appointment with one of the physicians at the nearby alcohol abuse treatment center to find out more about the severity of their drinking circumstances.

Coming to Terms With Your Drinking Problems Might Lessen Your Apprehension and Give You Some Tranquility

Strangely enough, although their drinking situation hadn’t yet changed, it was clear to see that Jerry and Sarah were at least dealing with their drinking problems, they were eager to find out more about their drinking behavior, and they were interested in learning how they could significantly reduce or get rid of the alcohol-related problems that had started to worsen.

When Jerry and Sarah went to bed that night, they made up their minds that the next day, Jerry would call and make an appointment for both of them at the drug and alcohol abuse rehabilitation center located in the next town. After they made a promise to one another that they would do whatever it takes to rise above the drinking problems that had cropped up in their lives, they in point of fact had the most revitalizing night’s sleep they could bring to mind in the last seven weeks.

Just before he fell asleep, Jerry turned to Sarah and commented how painless it is to reduce one’s nervousness and in point of fact experience a degree of peacefulness by dealing with one’s problems with conviction and coming to a decision to do something affirmative about them.

How do you know that you have a drinking problem? When is it plain to see that you are engaging in irresponsible drinking?

If you have ineffectively tried to stop drinking or if you promised yourself that your drinking days are over and then you were made aware that you were drinking in an excessive manner just a few days later, the odds are exceptionally good that you have drinking problems. The key point is that if you have made an effort to terminate your drinking and cannot accomplish this, then your drinking is controlling you, rather than the other way around.

In a similar manner, if it takes larger amounts of alcohol to get the same “high,” more likely than not you need to become aware that you have a problem with your drinking.

You may be telling yourself that the reasoning for your drinking is so that you can lessen your nervous tension or get rid of the pain that you feel. In much the same way, you may be trying to stay away from a negative circumstance and may be looking for something more beneficial, more favorable, or less regretful.

As you continue to drink, however, you will understand that drinking does not result in the same high and you will also become aware that drinking doesn’t help remove whatever triggered your pain in the first place.

As you continue to drink irresponsibly, sadly, you may become an alcoholic and, as a consequence, you may add another key difficulty to deal with rather than learning about more efficient and healthy ways of managing your alcohol induced difficulties.

An Alcohol Evaluation is Probably Necessary

If you have concluded that you have a drinking problem, conceivably the healthiest thing you can do for yourself is to call your doctor or healthcare provider and arrange for an appointment for a physical and for an evaluation of your drinking circumstances.

If you honestly think that you have a critical problem with your drinking, it may be a good idea to get prepared to find out that you need to get alcohol rehab.

At this point in time, what are your alternatives? You can indisputably say no and refuse to see your doctor and persist with your pattern of abusive drinking.

It actually doesn’t take a mastermind, nonetheless, to realize that chronic, abusive drinking, if left untreated, will degenerate over time and quite probably set in motion an early death. Thus, your most practical alternative is to face your drinking problem and obtain the alcohol rehab you require.

The Facade of the Functioning Alcohol Addicted Person

It is almost counter intuitive to note the fact that many people who are alcohol dependent lead busy and active lives and have jobs, vehicles, pets, families, houses, and any number of material possessions similar to people who are not alcohol dependent.

Many of these “functional” alcohol dependent people may have never been cited for drunk driving and may have been fortunate enough to avoid all alcohol generated legal issues. Despite this good fortune, nevertheless, these alcohol addicted individuals need to drink in order to operate on a regular basis while continuing their facade as they interact with people outside their family.

Ask anyone who has seen them when they are bingeing or in a drunken stupor or ask a family member about the problem drinker’s alcohol addiction, on the other hand, and they will be quick to maintain the truth of the drinker’s situation and the facts about the alcohol addicted individual’s drinking condition and about his or her alcohol-related issues.

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

As alcohol dependency research and statistics on alcohol abuse have accentualted, no matter how clear the alcohol generated difficulties seem to those who interact with the alcohol dependent individual, alcohol dependent individuals usually deny that drinking is the root of their alcohol generated predicaments. Not only this, but alcohol addicted people commonly blame their alcohol induced predicaments on other people or upon other circumstances that surround them instead of seeing their part in the issue.

The origin of the problem is that alcoholism is a disease of the brain. Once the individual has become addicted to alcohol, he or she regularly resorts to denial, manipulation, and dishonesty as a way of coping with the fact that his or her drinking is out of control. And to make the situation more problematic, the experience of alcohol withdrawal symptoms typically circumvents the alcohol dependent person’s rare attempts to suddenly quit drinking. As depressing as the alcoholic’s life is, to the contrary, the positive news is that professional help is widely obtainable – if the alcohol dependent individual reaches out and tries to get alcohol treatment.

Summary

Owning up to the fact that drinking is eliciting problems in your day to day functioning is perchance the easiest way to find out if you have a problem with your drinking. More to the point, if your drinking is producing difficulties with your health, at work, in your relationships, with your finances, at school, or with the legal system, then you have a drinking problem that needs to be tackled.

If you have a problem with your drinking, moreover, this means that you are getting involved with alcohol abuse.

While some individuals may be able to detect their “alcohol signs,” pinpoint their problems, and significantly reduce the quantity and occurrence of their drinking, others, on the other hand, need to tackle their drinking difficulties by getting quality alcohol counseling. What’s more, due to their penchant to deny the facts and bend the truth, alcohol dependent people absolutely require quality alcohol counseling for their hazardous drinking.

Jennifer is a thirty-two-year-old paralegal who has been drinking in a hazardous manner since her boyfriend and she decided to discontinue their relationship. In fact, for the past five months she has been drinking very nearly two bottles of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking several mixed drinks all through the day. In a word, Jennifer has been drinking so abusively that it’s amazing that she hasn’t suffered from alcohol poisoning.

After feeling dispirited because she was starting to forget about the importance of her health, Jennifer finally told herself that she’s had enough, that it’s time to quit the self pity act, that it’s time to quit the hazardous drinking, and time to get going with her life. So the following Saturday morning at 10:30 AM, she determined that she would stop drinking completely and suddenly without preparation or planning.

When She Attempted to Quit Drinking She Felt Ill, She Was Extremely Restless and Moody, She Started to Perspire Profusely, Her Head Was Aching, She Vomited Numerous Times, and She Had Absolutely No Appetite

When Jennifer stopped drinking, she assumed that she would most likely be tempted to take a few drinks, but she never supposed that she would feel so awful. More precisely, roughly two-and-a-half hours after she stopped drinking, she was extremely restless and moody, she started to perspire profusely, her head was aching, she vomited numerous times, and she had absolutely no appetite.

When she called her best pal and told her that she had quit drinking and that after a couple of hours she all of a sudden began having flu-like symptoms, Melissa, her best buddy, told Jennifer to call her healthcare professional and tell him what was taking place.

She Admits to Her Physician That She Has Been Drinking In a Hazardous Manner, That She Just Tried to Stop Drinking, and That She is Going Through Dreadful Flu-Like Symptoms

So Jennifer called her family doctor, informed him that she has been drinking excessively for many months and that when she tried to suddenly stop drinking earlier in the day, within a couple of hours she felt as if she had the worse flu-like symptoms that she had ever experienced.

Her healthcare practitioner told her that she may be experiencing symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and that she should have a relative or neighbor drive her to the emergency room as soon as possible.

As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a neighbor to drive her to the 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 was dependent on alcohol.

It seems that her healthcare practitioner 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 ER workers who promptly asked her to get in the wheelchair they had with them. After getting moved to the emergency room and undergoing two or three necessary tests, it was confirmed that Jennifer was indeed experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detoxification.

An emergency room healthcare practitioner administered some medications to reduce her flu-like symptoms and also gave her some meds to help get rid of the alcohol that was still in her body.

A Substance Abuse and Chemical Dependency Physician Explains in a Clear Manner That She is Dependent on Alcohol and Then Goes Over What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcohol Addiction Stages Are

After a few hours, Jennifer was taken from the ER and wheeled to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for roughly an hour-and-a-half, Doctor Devor, an alcohol and drug abuse specialist, came to see her. He took plenty of time and explained that Jennifer had suffered through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she quit drinking due to the fact that she had become alcohol dependent.

He then stated that with heavy drinking on a daily basis, the person’s brain gradually gets acclimated to the alcohol so that it can work in a “routine” manner. When the person then all of a sudden stops drinking alcohol, understandably, the brain takes action by giving rise to alcohol withdrawal symptoms. What is more, her healthcare professional also explained the various alcoholism stages that an alcoholic almost always experiences as the disease gets worse over time.

It is Discovered that Jennifer is in the First Stage of Alcoholism and She Gets a Good Projection For a Full Recovery if She Gets the Alcohol Addiction Therapy She Needs

Fortunately for Jennifer, it was determined that she was in the earliest stage of alcoholism and, as a consequence, she obtained a good projection for a complete recovery if she receives the alcohol dependency treatment she needs.

Jennifer told the medical practitioner that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to reclaim her health. She also stated that she has a first class hospitalization policy that will more likely than not pay for most of the costs needed for rehabilitation. It was clear to see that Jennifer was very pleased with her encouraging prognosis and felt reassured knowing that she will be able to get the alcohol addiction therapy she requires so that she can start on the road to recovery.

Teresa was a thirty-five-year-old accounts receivable manager who realized that she had a drinking problem. For instance, within the past three months she has felt the need to have more than a few drinks before going to work, three weeks ago she tested positive for a hair alcohol test at work, three weeks ago she got pulled over by the state highway patrol for “driving under the influence”, and finally, for around three months she has begun to fail to remember what she says and does when she goes out drinking with her pals.

Similar to multitudes of other people, Teresa’s involvement with alcohol started out at a “snail’s pace” and continued at this speed for quite a long time because once in a “blue moon” she engaged in occasional social drinking. As a matter of fact, for around three years, every time she drank, she made sure to drink responsibly. Something about her drinking circumstances, nonetheless, seemed to drastically change when her husband divorced her.

In Order To Recover From the Divorce of Her Husband More Rapidly, Teresa Decided to Start Associating More Often With Some of Her Friends Who Love to Drink and Have Fun

Teresa got dreadfully despondent about the loss of her husband, and as a way to quit her preoccupation with her discouraging emotions she came to a decision that she would begin associating more often with some of her buddies who love to ”get down” and drink.

Quite forthrightly, Teresa figured that having fun almost every day by getting an alcohol “buzz” with her buddies would help her rise above the breakup of her husband in a less troublesome manner.

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

It didn’t take long, nonetheless, before her drinking escalated substantially the more often she went to and drank at private parties, happy hours, sporting events, dinner dates, and family get-togethers with her friends. Moreover, the fact that her drinking buddies were all many years younger than she was and therefore able to party and drink harder and longer was one of the reasons that she didn’t focus more on her increased drinking. In short, she was having fun drinking just like everyone else in her group of buddies without much forethought about the results of her hazardous and irresponsible drinking.

Yet somewhere in her mind she knew that she most probably required alcohol counseling but avoided the thought as much as she could.

Teresa Gets a Physical Examination, Acknowledges Her Irresponsible and Excessive Drinking to Her Physician, and Owns Up to the Truth About Her General State of Gloom

One day during her six-month 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 commonly drinks more than she should. In fact, she articulated that she routinely drinks in an abusive and irresponsible manner. Then Teresa told her physician about her depression. More precisely, she mentioned that shattered relationships many times started a dismal progression of events characterized by increased drinking which further led to more dismal feelings that, in turn, led to even more drinking. And this is specifically what happened when her husband and she got divorced four months ago.

When her healthcare practitioner heard this, he told Teresa that according to various alcoholism facts and statistics on alcoholism he was researching, alcoholism and depression often arise in the same individual. He then told Teresa that some of the alcohol statistics, research investigations, and facts he has been reading about also emphasize the fact that people who drink in a hazardous and excessive manner and who also go through depression need to receive treatment for both medical conditions.

Teresa’s Healthcare Practitioner Makes an Appointment for a Psychological Appraisal and For an Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency Appraisal

Teresa’s healthcare professional then told her the following: “I am not trying to make a sudden diagnosis, but with your medical condition we may be working with two separate matters. Consequently, I think we ought to make an appointment for you to get an alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse assessment from my partner, Dr. Harmon, who is an alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse specialist. Whether your drinking situation is more associated with alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction is unknown, but I think that further exploration is reasonable. Then I feel we should schedule an appointment for you to get a psychological assessment from another one of my partners, Dr. Carlson, who is a clinical psychologist. I want to get a deeper understanding about your melancholy and see how much your depression and drinking are related.” Teresa expressed her endorsement of her healthcare practitioner’s “game plan” and thanked him for his assistance. Now all she had to do was to try to decrease her drinking and get ready for her appointments.

Teresa was a thirty-nine-year-old financial planner who knew that she had some drinking issues. For example, within the past month she has experienced the need to have more than a few drinks before going to work, a week ago she failed a random blood alcohol test where she works, three months ago she got stopped by the state highway patrol for a DWI, and last but not least, for roughly five months she has begun to fail to remember what she does and says when she goes out drinking.

Similar to other people, Teresa’s alcohol involvement began little by little and continued at this level of involvement for quite some time because every once in a while she engaged in sporadic social drinking. In truth, for around ten months, every time she drank, she made sure to drink moderately. Something about her drinking circumstances, nonetheless, seemed to radically change when she divorced her husband.

So She Can Overcome the Loss of Her Husband With Less Sorrow, Teresa Came to the Conclusion That She Will Begin Hanging Around More Frequently With Some of Her Pals Who Love to Have Fun and Drink

Teresa got exceedingly despondent about the divorce from her husband, and as a way to refrain from fixating on her negative feelings she came to a decision that she would begin hanging around more repeatedly with some of her pals who love to party.

Quite candidly, Teresa truly believed that having fun almost every day by drinking and partying with her buddies would help her overcome the divorce of her husband more quickly.

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

It didn’t take too long, nevertheless, before her drinking increased significantly the more often she went to and drank at dinner dates, happy hours, private parties, sporting events, and family get-togethers with her buddies. Not only this, but the fact that her drinking buddies were all younger than she was and therefore able to drink more recklessly was one of the reasons why she didn’t concentrate more on her increased drinking. Simply put, she was partying just like everybody else in her group of buddies without much forethought about the negative effects of her irresponsible and excessive drinking.

Yet in the recesses of her mind she knew that she probably needed alcohol rehab but avoided the thought as much as she could.

Teresa Gets a Physical, Acknowledges Her Irresponsible and Excessive Drinking to Her Doctor, and ”Comes Clean” About Her General State of Despair

One morning during her twelve month physical exam, her healthcare practitioner asked her if she drank alcohol. Not wanting to lie to her healthcare professional, Teresa ”came clean” and said that she often drinks more than she should. In point of fact, she stated that she regularly drinks in an irresponsible and abusive manner. Then Teresa told her doctor about her melancholy. More explicitly, she articulated that broken relationships many times caused a negative sequence of events typified by increased drinking which further resulted in more negative feelings that, in turn, resulted in more drinking. And this is explicitly what happened when she and her husband got divorced five years 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 commonly arise in the same individual. He then told Teresa that some of the alcohol statistics, facts, and research investigations he has been reading about also stress the fact that people who drink in an excessive manner and who also suffer from depression need to obtain treatment for both medical situations.

Teresa’s Doctor Makes an Appointment for a Psychological Assessment and For an Alcohol Dependency and Alcohol Abuse Assessment

Teresa’s doctor then articulated the following: “I am not trying to make an impulsive judgment, but with your medical condition we may be facing two separate concerns. Consequently, I think we should make an appointment for you to get an alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse appraisal from my partner, Dr. Johnson, who is an alcohol abuse and alcoholism specialist. Whether your drinking situation is more associated with alcohol addiction or alcohol abuse is unknown at this time, but I believe that further exploration is required. Then I feel we should make an appointment for you to get a psychological exam from another one of my partners, Dr. Cohen, who is a psychologist. I want to get some additional information about your sadness and see how much your depression and drinking are interrelated.” Teresa expressed her agreement with her healthcare professional’s plan of attack and thanked him for his time 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-five-year-old executive secretary who knew that she had a drinking problem. For example, within the past four months she has felt the need to have a few drinks before going to work, six weeks ago she failed a random blood alcohol test where she is employed, five weeks ago she got pulled over by the state highway patrol for a DWI, and last but not least, for going on four months she has begun to fail to remember what she says and does when she goes out drinking with her buddies.

Not unlike multitudes of other individuals, Teresa’s involvement with alcohol began gradually and remained at this level of involvement for quite some time due to the fact every once in a while she engaged in casual social drinking. In actual fact, for approximately four years, every time she went out with her coworkers to drink, she made sure to drink responsibly. Something about her drinking, nonetheless, seemed to thoroughly change when she got divorced.

So She Can Come to Terms With the Loss of Her Husband With Less Misery, Teresa Made Up Her Mind To Start Palling Around More Regularly With Some of Her Pals Who Love to ”Get Down” and Drink

Teresa got exceedingly sad about the breakup with her husband, and as a way to refrain from fixating on her dismal emotions she decided to start hanging around more frequently with some of her friends who love to drink and have fun.

Quite sincerely, Teresa reasoned that having fun nearly every day by getting an alcohol “buzz” with her pals would help her get over the divorce of her husband more rapidly.

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

It didn’t take too long, nevertheless, before her drinking increased significantly the more habitually she went to and drank at private parties, happy hours, family get-togethers, dinner dates, and sporting events with her pals. What is more, the fact that her drinking buddies were all considerably younger than she was and therefore able to party more intensely was one of the reasons why she didn’t allocate more of her attention to her increased drinking. In a word, she was having fun drinking just like everyone else in her group of buddies without too much deliberation regarding the unhealthy effects of her abusive and excessive drinking.

Yet someplace in her mind she realized that she more likely than not required alcohol treatment but kept away from the thought as much as she could.

Teresa Gets a Physical Exam, ”Comes Clean” About Her Irresponsible and Excessive Drinking to Her Physician, and Acknowledges Her Sadness

One day during her annual physical examination, her doctor asked her if she drank alcohol. Not wanting to lie to her healthcare professional, Teresa owned up to the truth that she commonly drinks more than she should. In truth, she articulated that she frequently drinks in an irresponsible and excessive manner. Then Teresa informed her physician about her general state of gloom. More precisely, she stated that broken relationships commonly caused a depressing progression of events typified by increased drinking which further resulted in more negative feelings that, in turn, led to more drinking. And this is explicitly what happened when she and her husband 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 person. He then informed her that some of the alcohol statistics, research investigations, and facts he has been looking into also underscore the fact that people who drink in an excessive manner and who also suffer from depression need to get treatment for both medical situations.

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

Teresa’s doctor then said the following: “I am not trying to make an unprofessional diagnosis, but with your medical situation we may be facing two separate matters. Consequently, I think we ought to schedule an appointment for you to get an alcoholism and alcohol abuse appraisal from my partner, Dr. Alpertin, who is an alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency specialist. Whether your drinking situation is more correlated with alcohol dependency or alcohol abuse is unknown, but I feel that further exploration is reasonable. Then I believe we should make an appointment for you to get a psychological exam from another one of my partners, Dr. Myers, who is a psychologist. I want to get some more insights about your pessimism and see how much your depression and drinking are correlated.” Teresa showed her agreement with her healthcare professional’s treatment plan and thanked him for his assistance and concern. Now all she had to do was to try to trim down on her drinking and wait for her appointments.

Heather is a fifty-three-year-old woman who is the top administrator in the human resources department at a large plastics molding company. To help reduce the costs linked to employee alcohol abuse and alcoholism, poor employee work performance, excessive sick days, work related injuries, and increasing absenteeism, Heather and the other VIPs implemented several programs that made the work environment considerably more productive, safe, and healthy.

For instance, ten years ago Heather and the other members of upper management instituted an Employee’s Assistance Program so that all the workers had access to top shelf therapy for their personal problems that could unfavorably influence their personal well-being, work performance, and their health.

The Company Executives Build a New Exercise and Workout Room Complete With Exercise Equipment, Scales, Weights, a Professional Trainer During Business Hours, Exercise Charts, and Mirrors

As another illustration, just about nine years ago Heather and the other company executives constructed a forward-looking exercise and workout room complete with scales, exercise charts, a personal trainer during business hours, mirrors, many different types of exercise equipment, and weights.

Moreover, approximately three-and-a-half years ago Heather and the other company administrators invested in a purification system that filters all the drinking water that is available throughout the building. Similarly, three years ago, Heather and the other members of upper management started a “walking club” that is chiefly intended for workers who want to improve upon their cardiovascular system.

Top Management Establishes a Weight-Watchers Class and Hires a Weight-Loss Professional to Supervise the Program

As another example, roughly a year-and-a-half ago, Heather and the other company executives created a “Weight-Watchers” class that presently meets every weekday at 1:00 PM until 2:00 PM. In addition, the company executives employed a weight-loss nurse to oversee the program.

Likewise, a year ago Heather and the other company leaders implemented a “Stop Smoking Club” for workers who want to learn how to quit smoking.

In the last eleven months, in combination with the Employee’s Assistance Program, Heather and the other company executives implemented an “Anger Management” class for employees who want to learn how to better deal with their anger issues.

Upper Management Implements a Drug and Alcohol Testing Program

In the last four-and-a-half months, Heather and the other VIPs instituted a alcohol and drug testing program that is linked with their drug and alcohol abuse prevention program. In actual fact, Heather is the key person in the company responsible for getting the message out to all the employees about the drug and alcohol testing program as well as the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program.

One of the major elements of the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcoholism and Depression” that meets every Wednesday after work. The basic idea with this class is informing workers that excessive drinking and depression commonly happen in the same individual. It is hoped that knowing this information will be able to help an individual address both medical issues and get the alcohol therapy and mental health therapy he or she requires.

Top Management Launches an Alcohol Statistics and Facts Class

Another relatively recent addition to the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcohol Statistics and Facts.” The rationale behind this alcohol statistics facts class is the reality that many people fail to appreciate the full impact of the results of alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse without first reading about some of the alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency statistics and facts that are available. Consequently, one of the objectives of this class is to provide a range of alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction facts and statistics to help employees gain a better realization of the massive number of problems that are related to hazardous and excessive drinking and how they can stop these issues from occurring.

Most recently, Heather and the other company leaders, through feedback from employees, created a class that focuses directly on severe drinking entitled “What is Alcoholism”? This class meets every Monday morning an hour-and-a-half before work and focuses mostly on the differences between alcohol abuse and alcoholism, on the stages of alcoholism, and on the kinds of counseling that are available for people who have alcohol drinking problems such as people who drink in an irresponsible manner.

Although every single one of these health and preventative maintenance programs was anything but inexpensive, upper management thinks that they are many thousands of dollars ahead by providing all of their employees with a healthy, more productive, and safe working situation.

Miss Benning was a health instructor at the most financially challenged parochial high school in the local community. Although she had been teaching for only a few years, she had already gained a reputation as a person with educational approaches that inspired and encouraged her students to think and to learn.

As an illustration, one Monday morning at 11:30 she addressed her students and articulated the following: “For the next two weeks we are going to learn about some basic alcoholism facts from a general perspective and we are also going to learn about a number of the most highly researched signs of alcoholism from a less general and more explicit viewpoint.”

“Not all of these alcoholism signs will without doubt reveal that an individual with a drinking problem is an alcohol dependent individual, but the more signs that a person manifests, the greater the probability that he or she is an alcohol addicted individual.”

Miss Benning then explained to the the pupils that each pupil would be accountable for examining three alcoholism signs and then presenting his or her results to the rest of the class via a six minute oral presentation.

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

After learning about the various alcohol dependency signs for quite a few days, the time had come for the oral presentations. It was immediately evident that the students in her class were keyed up about the subject matter because the material that they presented was outstanding. To say that Miss Benning was pleasantly surprised with the interest manifested by her students regarding this subject matter 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 alcohol dependency signs that were presented and discussed in the presentations and in class. Miss Benning then asked the pupils in her classroom to study the list and rank the top seven alcohol addiction signs that were most indicative of alcohol addiction. After roughly five minutes, Miss Benning collected the sheets of paper and told the students in her class that after she tallies the results, she will discuss her findings the next school day.

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

The Pupils Compare Their Numbers With the Assessments From A Group of Chemical Dependency Experts

When the next school day finally came, Miss Benning gave out a piece of paper that listed the top three alcohol addiction signs as per the students’ rankings. To the right of these results, she added another column that was labeled “experts’ response.” She then told the pupils in her class that the numbers in the additional column she added signified the conclusions that were articulated by a team of chemical dependency experts.

Miss Benning asked her pupils to look over the information on the sheet of paper she passed out and then to raise their hand if they had any issues, concerns, or questions. Within 10 or 20 seconds, virtually every student in the class raised her or his hand. It was evident that the students had some issues, concerns, or questions about their results versus the answers given by the professionals. As an illustration, just about every person in the class had an issue with the highest ranked answer given by the professionals, to be precise, “Do you feel very ill when you stop drinking?”

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

Miss Benning then told the students in her class why this answer was the most straightforward sign of alcohol dependency. She highlighted the fact that the major difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism is the physical dependency that is experienced with alcoholism and not with alcohol abuse.

Basically this means that when an alcoholic all of a sudden stops drinking, he or she will suffer through alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Miss Benning then told her students that alcohol withdrawal symptoms are responses by the body and by the brain to the deficiency of alcohol to which they had become accustomed. Stated more forcefully, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are signals from the body and from the brain telling an individual who is addicted to alcohol that something is exceedingly misaligned and needs to be fixed. These signals consist of a number of dangerous, painful, and uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms that can possibly result in a loss of life if the appropriate treatment is not immediately received.

Miss Benning then listed the multitude of alcohol withdrawal symptoms that can be experienced when a person who is alcohol dependent suddenly quits drinking.

The point that Miss Benning tried to emphasize 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 state this as clearly as possible, Miss Benning emphasized the fact that alcohol abusers, unlike alcohol dependent people, are not alcohol dependent and consequently, when they stop drinking, they almost never experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

The Pupils Feel They Have Discovered An Inconsistency With the Findings From The Panel of Alcoholism Professionals

The students also had an issue with the second ranked answer given by the alcoholism specialists, 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 explained to the pupils in her classroom that this sign does not automatically mean that the problem is alcohol dependency, but that it does emphasize the need that individuals who are alcohol dependent have to drink in order to avoid alcohol withdrawals.

After Miss Benning explained the significance of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the life of the alcoholic, the students started to recognize the major difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction.

To add a sense of closure to the subject, Miss Benning asked the pupils in her classroom 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 addiction signs and alcohol withdrawal symptoms we have studied, what percentage of them do you think would get alcohol dependency rehab?”

After about two or three minutes, Miss Benning asked for the students’ answers. While many pupils thought that roughly 85 to 95 percent of individuals who are alcohol dependent would ask for alcohol addiction rehab if they knew about the facts related to alcohol withdrawal symptoms and alcoholism signs, most of the pupils figured that this number would not be less than 50 percent.

The Pupils Were Amazed to Find Out That Only 25% of Alcoholics in the United States Obtain Alcohol Treatment

To the amazement of most of the pupils, Miss Benning confirmed that according to the research literature, only 25% of the people who are addicted to alcohol in the United States obtain alcoholism rehab. This shocked most of the students because they thought that first-hand knowledge of the overwhelming facts and statistics correlated with alcohol dependency would motivate the majority of the alcoholics to seek alcohol addiction rehabilitation.

Miss Benning then stated that individuals who are addicted to alcohol not only need alcohol on a daily basis in order to function but they also need alcohol everyday so they can stay away from possible alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Obviously, the alcohol dependent person’s need to drink on a daily basis is more powerful than facts or logic. As a matter of fact, due to the fact that the thirst for alcohol is “reality” to the person who is addicted to alcohol, this is a thorny issue that is hard to undo.

A few minutes later the bell rang, indicating the end of the class. Based on the buzz displayed by the pupils when they were leaving the room, Miss Benning realized that she had stimulated and inspired the pupils in her classroom to stop and think about an important health and social problem that exists in our culture.