Self-Improvement Index » alcoholism

A Married Couple Becomes Apprehensive About Their Abusive And Hazardous Drinking And Then Feels Some Self Esteem, Personal Happiness And Success, And Positive Attitude About Confronting Their Alcohol Problems

HappyOne — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 14:02:07 +0000

Sarah and Jerry have been married for eight years. They wanted to have some excitement and fun before they decided to have children and so they by design created an extraordinarily exciting social life.

The basic difficulty, it needs to be emphasized, is that almost everything they do to have fun somehow includes drinking. For instance, all of the dinner engagements, parties with friends, sporting events, family get-togethers, and happy hours they frequent somehow include drinking.

Sarah and Jerry Begin to See Some Instantly Noticeable Alcohol Related Issues That are Associated With Their Irresponsible Drinking

If they were moderate drinkers, this wouldn’t be such a difficult circumstance. Due to the fact they drink quite excessively, however, they are beginning to become aware of some unmistakable alcohol-related issues in their lives.

For example, just two weeks ago Jerry was arrested for his first DUI and has been calling off from work due to alcohol-related health problems. What is more, Jerry’s last two performance appraisals at the office have been less than adequate and he has started to forget what he says or does when he drinks. As a final point, Jerry has been having sleep-related problems and his family has begun to agonize over his drinking activities.

Similarly, Sarah has been feeling dejected about life in general and to come to grips with these feelings, she has been drinking more habitually than any time in the past nine months. In addition, Sarah has been experiencing more than a few throbbing headaches and experiencing severe hangovers after drinking. Finally, Sarah has been feeling substantially less energetic when she gets up in the morning, she has been getting to work late at least two days per week, and she has been getting some cruel criticism from her family members, coworkers, friends, and relatives about her hazardous drinking.

Watching the Television and Accidently Finding A Special Program About the Signs of Alcohol Dependency

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

This television program was a real source of discovery to Jerry and Sarah because several of the alcoholism signs that were highlighted looked as if they were unshakably correlated with some of the alcohol-related drinking problems Jerry and Sarah had been suffering through.

A Frank Dialogue About Drinking Activities Brings to Light Alcohol Related Legal, Relationship, Employment, Financial, and Health Problems

After watching the TV program, Jerry and Sarah determined that they needed to have a truthful dialogue about their drinking condition. They both agreed that most, if not all, of their social activities included drinking, that they were drinking in an excessive manner, and that as a married couple, they were starting to see alcohol related relationship, employment, financial, health, and legal problems for the first time in their lives.

With thoughts of the television documentary still running through her mind, Sarah asked Jerry if some of the alcoholism signs they have been displaying could mean that they are alcoholic or conceivably becoming alcohol dependent. Jerry didn’t know the answer to Sarah’s inquiry and so he recommended that they make an appointment with one of the therapists at the local alcohol abuse rehab facility to find out more about the severity of their drinking difficulties.

Handling Your Drinking Problems May Reduce Your Fear and Give You Some Peace of Mind

Strangely enough, even though their drinking circumstances hadn’t yet changed, it was evident that Sarah and Jerry were at least dealing with their drinking difficulties, they were eager to find out more about their drinking circumstances, and they were concerned about how they could appreciably lessen or do away with the alcohol-related issues that had begun to emerge.

When Sarah and Jerry went to bed that evening, 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 treatment center located just West 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 best night’s sleep they could think of in the last year.

Just before he fell asleep, Jerry turned to Sarah and stated how effortless it is to lessen one’s sense of dread and in point of fact experience some tranquility by addressing one’s problems straight on and choosing to do something positive about them.

A Health Teacher In The Most Financially Challenged Private High School In The Local Community Inspires Her Students To Learn About Alcoholism Signs And How To Fortify Their Positive Attitude, Personal Happiness And Success, And Self Esteem

HappyOne — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 14:02:06 +0000

Miss Benning was a health teacher at the most financially challenged private high school in the local community. Even though she had been teaching for only three years, she had already achieved a reputation as a person with instructional methods that encouraged and inspired her pupils to learn and to think.

For example, one Tuesday morning she addressed her pupils and said the following: “For the next four or five days we are going to learn about some basic alcoholism facts from a more broad-based perspective and we are also going to learn about several of the most familiar signs of alcoholism from a less general and more specific viewpoint.”

“Not all of these alcoholism signs will undeniably reveal that an individual with a drinking problem is an alcohol dependent person, but the more signs that a person exhibits, the greater the possibility that he or she is an alcohol addicted individual.”

Miss Benning then informed the students in the class that each person would be responsible for examining three alcoholism signs and then presenting his or her results to the other class members via a eight minute oral presentation.

The Students are Energized About Giving A Comprehensive Presentation to Their Fellow Classmates About Alcohol Addiction Signs

After learning about the different signs of alcohol dependency for quite a few days, the time had finally come for the student presentations. It was at once noticeable that the pupils in her class were enthused about the subject matter because the information that they presented was excellent. To say that Miss Benning was pleasantly surprised with the excitement manifested by the pupils in her class concerning this subject 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 the presentations and in class. Miss Benning then asked her pupils to go over the list and rank the top five alcoholism signs that were most indicative of alcoholism. After around twenty minutes, Miss Benning collected the sheets of paper and explained to the pupils in her class that after she studies the results, she will discuss her findings the next school day.

There was a real buzz by the students while they were exiting Miss Benning’s class. One could swear that her students 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 Answers With the Appraisals From A Team of Drug and Alcohol Addiction Specialists

When the next school day finally came, Miss Benning passed out a piece of paper that listed the top three alcoholism signs as per the pupils’ rankings. Next to these results, she included another column that was labeled “experts’ response.” She then told the students in her classroom that the numbers in the extra column she added stood for the findings that were announced by a council of chemical dependency specialists.

Miss Benning told the pupils in her class to look over the data on the piece of paper she passed out and then to raise their hand if they had any issues, questions, or concerns. Within 30 or 40 seconds, almost everyone in the class raised her or his hand. It was evident that the pupils had some questions, issues, or concerns about their results versus the answers given by the specialists. For instance, almost every individual in the class disagreed with the highest ranked answer given by the experts, namely, “Do you feel exceedingly nauseous when you refrain from drinking?”

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

Miss Benning then told the students in her classroom why this answer was the most straightforward sign of alcohol addiction. She pointed out that the principal difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism is the physical addiction that is experienced with alcoholism and not with alcohol abuse.

For all intents and purposes this means that when an alcohol dependent individual abruptly quits drinking, he or she will suffer through alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Miss Benning then explained to her students that alcohol withdrawal symptoms are responses by the body and by the brain to the deprivation of alcohol to which they had become acclimated. Stated more forcefully, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are signals from the brain and from the body telling a person who is addicted to alcohol that something is very misaligned and needs to be rectified. These signals consist of several dangerous, uncomfortable, and painful withdrawal symptoms that can potentially lead to a fatality if the appropriate treatment is not immediately undertaken.

Miss Benning then discussed the many diverse alcohol withdrawal symptoms that can be gone through when an individual who is addicted to alcohol abruptly stops drinking.

The point that Miss Benning tried to stress was this: an alcohol abuser 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, people who engage in alcohol abuse ever experience is alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

To state this as precisely as possible, Miss Benning underscored the fact that alcohol abusers, unlike alcohol dependent people, are not alcohol dependent and consequently, when they quit drinking, they almost never suffer from alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

The Students Feel They Have Found An Incongruity With the Findings From The Team of Substance Abuse Experts

The pupils also had an issue with the second ranked answer given by the alcoholism 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 explained to the students in her classroom that this sign does not necessarily imply that the problem is alcoholism, but that it does point to the need that individuals who are alcohol dependent have to drink in order to stay away from alcohol withdrawals.

After Miss Benning explained the importance of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the life of the alcohol addicted person, the students started to appreciate the major difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency.

To add a sense of closure to the topic, 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 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 alcohol dependency rehab?”

After approximately two or three minutes, Miss Benning asked for the pupils’ responses. While many pupils figured that around 80 to 90 percent of alcohol dependent people would seek alcohol rehab if they knew about the facts related to alcohol addiction signs and alcohol withdrawal symptoms, most of the students thought that this number would not be less than 60 percent.

The Pupils Were Surprised to Discover That Only 25% of Alcoholics in the U.S. Ask For Alcohol Treatment

To the shock of most of the pupils, Miss Benning acknowledged that according to the research literature, only 25% of the alcohol dependent people in the U.S. get alcohol rehab. This astonished most of the pupils because they figured that first-hand knowledge of the alarming facts and statistics correlated with alcoholism would motivate the majority of the individuals who are alcohol dependent to get alcohol addiction treatment.

Miss Benning then explained that alcohol dependent people 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 addicted person’s need to drink on a daily basis is stronger than facts or logic. As a matter of fact, because the thirst for alcohol is “reality” to the individual who is addicted to alcohol, this is a challenging issue that is hard to undo.

The Combination of Mental Health Problems and Alcohol Dependency Commonly Leads to Friendship, Marital, Relationship, and Divorce Problems

Finally, Miss Benning explained to her students that it is important to conceptualize that alcoholism and various mental health issues like depression are highly interlinked. Furthermore, the incidence of mental health problems and alcoholism regularly lead to friendship, relationship, marital, and divorce problems.

The Pupils are Encouraged to Learn About Alcohol Addiction Signs and Symptoms in Today’s Society

A few minutes later the bell rang, indicating the end of the class. Based on the excitement exhibited by the students when they were leaving the classroom, Miss Benning realized that she had encouraged and inspired the pupils in her class to stop and think about a vital health and social problem that exists in our culture. Clearly, her students also learned how to increase their positive attitude, personal success and happiness, and self esteem.

A Married Couple Becomes Apprehensive About Their Abusive And Hazardous Drinking And Starts To Live Through Stress, Anger, And Time Management Issues

HappyOne — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 14:02:05 +0000

Sarah and Jerry Begin to See Some Instantly Noticeable Alcohol Related Issues That are Associated With Their Irresponsible Drinking

Jerry and Sarah and Begin to Experience Stress, Anger, and Time Management Difficulties

In addition to the above mentioned alcohol related problems, Jerry and Sarah began to face anger, time, and stress management difficulties. It was obvious to see that their alcohol related problems were adversely affecting nearly every facet of their lives.

Watching the Television and Inadvertently Discovering A Documentary About the Signs of Alcohol Addiction

One Sunday evening while watching TV, Sarah and Jerry flipped through the channels and found an out-of-the-ordinary program about the signs of alcoholism.

This TV program was a real realization to Sarah and Jerry because quite a few of the alcoholism signs that were highlighted seemed like they were undeniably associated with more than a few of the alcohol-related drinking problems Sarah and Jerry had been going through.

An Honest Conversation About Drinking Activities Exposes Alcohol Related Employment, Health, Relationship, Financial, and Legal Problems

After watching the TV documentary, Sarah and Jerry determined that they needed to have a truthful conversation about their drinking activities. They both agreed that most, if not all, of their social functions somehow included drinking, that they were drinking excessively, and that as a couple, they were starting to observe alcohol related legal, relationship, financial, employment, and health problems for the first time since they were married.

With thoughts of the television special still fresh in her mind, Sarah asked Jerry if some of the alcoholism signs they have been displaying could mean that they are dependent on alcohol or conceivably becoming alcoholic. Jerry didn’t know the answer to Sarah’s inquiry and so he recommended that they make an appointment with one of the therapists at the local alcohol rehab clinic to find out more about the severity of their drinking circumstances.

Focusing On Your Drinking Issues Just Might Lessen Your Nervousness and Give You Some Peace of Mind

Strangely enough, even though their drinking circumstances hadn’t yet changed, it was apparent that Jerry and Sarah were at least addressing their drinking difficulties, they were willing to find out more about their drinking circumstances, and they were interested in discovering how they could substantially decrease or do away with the alcohol-related issues that had begun to worsen. Additionally, by dealing with their excessive drinking, Sarah and Jerry learned how to remove themselves from marital conflict by becoming better friends and marital partners.

When Jerry and Sarah went to bed that evening, they came to a decision that the next afternoon, Jerry would call and schedule an appointment for both of them at the substance abuse treatment center located just South of the State Capital. After they made a promise to one another that they would do whatever it takes to triumph over the drinking difficulties that had materialized in their lives, they in point of fact had the most revitalizing night’s sleep they could think of in the last six months.

Just before he fell asleep, Jerry turned to Sarah and remarked how simple it is to lower one’s sense of dread and in point of fact experience a degree of peacefulness by tackling one’s problems with conviction and making a decision to do something affirmative about them.

A Married Couple Becomes Apprehensive About Their Abusive And Hazardous Drinking And Starts To Live Through Stress, Anger, And Time Management Issues

HappyOne — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 23:55:17 +0000

Sarah and Jerry Begin to See Some Instantly Noticeable Alcohol Related Issues That are Associated With Their Irresponsible Drinking

Jerry and Sarah and Begin to Experience Stress, Anger, and Time Management Difficulties

Watching the Television and Inadvertently Discovering A Documentary About the Signs of Alcohol Addiction

One Sunday evening while watching TV, Sarah and Jerry flipped through the channels and found an out-of-the-ordinary program about the signs of alcoholism.

An Honest Conversation About Drinking Activities Exposes Alcohol Related Employment, Health, Relationship, Financial, and Legal Problems

Focusing On Your Drinking Issues Just Might Lessen Your Nervousness and Give You Some Peace of Mind

When Heavy And Hazardous Drinking Results In Serious Health Problems, Friendship And Relationship Conflicts And Problems, And Grief And Loss Issues

HappyOne — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:18:26 +0000

For a number of years alcohol dependency exploration has revealed the fact that there is strong correlation between alcoholism and life-threatening health conditions and mental health issues such as depression.

For instance, in 2005, medical examination and alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics demonstrated the fact that that alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency cost the United States an estimated $220 billion per year. It can be emphasized that this enormous alcohol-related cash disbursement was significantly more than the cost associated with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion). While it is important to call attention to these facts, it is also important to point to the fact that an interrelationship exists between all three of these health problems.

That is to say, chronic alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction are also highly interrelated with obesity and with cancer.

Definitely, substance abuse research has revealed that alcoholism can augment the risk for various types of cancer, particularly cancer of the voice box (larynx), esophagus, liver, rectum, colon, kidneys, and throat. Abusive and repetitive drinking can also result in immune system difficulties and impairment to the fetus during pregnancy.

Heavy and Excessive Drinking Breaks Down the Drinker’s Organs and Systems

Additionally, if alcohol dependency continues over a period of years, the person’s body organs will more likely than not be affected in a harmful manner. For example, long-term, abusive drinking is especially detrimental to the liver due to the fact that the liver does most of the work of processing the alcohol that has been consumed. Excessive amounts of alcohol kills liver cells and eradicates the ability of liver cells to redevelop. This condition results in a progressive inflammatory malfunction of the liver that can ultimately lead to cirrhosis of the liver, a grave and possibly lethal disease. Heavy, 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 serious may be unalterable and may, in turn, result in serious disease or an early death.

The Importance of Alcohol Rehab

It is imperative, consequently, to know how to recognize the various alcoholism symptoms and the “alcohol signs” so that the alcohol dependent individual can be given the opportunity to seek the professional alcohol rehab he or she requires.

Alcohol Dependency and Sophisticated Brain Exploration

Fortunately, medical investigation is continuously finding unique and important information. Recent alcoholism exploration provides a high-quality example. More specifically, for approximately the last ten years, sophisticated brain-imaging scanning instruments have shown that repetitive and long-term abusive drinking transforms the constitution of the brain to a great extent, thusly resulting in brain disease that can last months, years, or perchance as long as the individual exists.

Stated another way, medical research has revealed that individuals who have been drinking abusively for a substantial length of time increase their risk for developing long-term and serious modifications 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.

Mental Disorders, Malnutrition, and Hazardous Drinking

As a final illustration of diverse health problems that are significantly correlated to alcoholism, consider that in accordance with medical research, the hazardous and repeated abuse of alcohol can result in erosive gastritis, a health problem that reduces the absorption of minerals, nutrients, and vitamins.

This form of organ breakdown is associated with malnutrition and to a variety of serious neurological and mental problems including memory loss, sleep disturbances, and psychosis such as Wernicke’s Encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome. This latter medical problem is an enduring debilitating health problem that is typified by recurring memory and learning problems.

Hazardous and Excessive Drinking Also Leads to Friendship and Relationship Conflicts and Issues and Grief and Loss Issues

In addition to serious medical problems, abusive drinking also results in friendship and relationship difficulties. As an illustration, people who engage in hazardous drinking frequently go through affairs, divorce, sexuality problems, and marital problems, and they many times go through grief and loss issues.

Conclusion: The Importance of Education

It is obvious that continued, hazardous drinking is directly or indirectly related to a number of acute medical problems that can and do result in dangerous ailments and premature death. Such information needs to be stressed and presented to everyone in our society, especially to all students, so that most people will be able to refrain from abusive drinking while others who have a drinking problem will get the quality rehabilitation they need.

Let us look at this with a common sense perspective. Yes, alcohol rehab is important, but alcohol rehab is something that is frequently done AFTER the fact. Education, then again, is something that is done BEFORE the problem emerges. Stated differently, whereas alcohol therapy is “reactive,” education is “proactive.” It is stressed that both approaches are necessary when discussing alcohol problems.

A Distressed High School Student Manifests Several Alcohol-Related Difficulties, Gets Removed From School, Has to See the School Therapist, and Then Augments His Personal Happiness and Self Esteem

HappyOne — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 22:16:29 +0000

Dante was a fifteen year old high school sophomore who was exhibiting numerous alcohol-related problems at school. For that reason, the principal told him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school therapist, before he would be allowed to come back to class.

Later that afternoon when Dante went home after school, he had to explain his school suspension to his Mom and Dad. His Mother and Father were “relatively conventional” and informed Dante that getting discharged from school was not a workable educational plan of action. They told Dante that failing to graduate from high school would probably be like a lead weight around his ankles that could quite possibly impair his educational attainment for the remainder of his life. Not only this, but Dante’s parents were very let down that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his buddies in the second.

His parents explained to Dante that even though he may be young, he has to comprehend fairly swiftly that drinking is the path to failure, financial problems, ill health, and pain.

It was obvious that his parents were absolutely in concurrence with Dante’s principal and told Dante that he had better make plans to see Miss Johnson, the school psychologist. After his dialogue with his Mom and Dad, Dante at last agreed to see Miss Johnson the next school day. So Dante called the school and made an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next day during his first period class.

The Counselor Asks Dante if He Understands Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Activities Signaled Such Alarm By the School Administrators

When Dante got to his scheduled appointment with Miss Johnson, she immediately reviewed all of the alcohol-related difficulties Dante had gotten into and asked him if he comprehended why his recent alcohol-related actions caused quite a bit of anxiety by the school administrators.

Quite honestly, Dante was not sure why the principal told him he had to see a school therapist. As he expressed to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional therapist about his drinking behavior? In view of the fact that almost all of his buddies drink as much if not more than he does, basically, drinking is no big thing. Stated differently, if almost everybody is drinking, why is this such a major concern?

Miss Johnson asked Dante when he started to drink alcoholic beverages. He said that some of his older friends introduced him to drinking wine coolers when he was twelve or thirteen years old and getting ready to enter junior high school.

Miss Johnson told Dante that while his peers may indeed drink more than he does and that they may be an unhealthy influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting removed from school due to alcohol-related absenteeism, fighting, and delinquency, not his peers. Moreover, Miss Johnson also stressed the fact that Dante, and not his pals, is the one who is failing and who is missing at least one day of school per week due to his alcohol related difficulties. Finally, Miss Johnson stressed the fact that due to his drinking behavior, Dante is getting into a destructive cycle of alcohol abuse that can in the long run wreck his dreams, hopes, and aspirations.

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

Dante Learns That Eventually He Must Claim Responsibility For Himself In Order to Keep Away From Destructive, Unhealthy, Dangerous, and Damaging Circumstances In the Future

Miss Johnson informed Dante that one’s friends can certainly influence an individual in a negative way, but that the individual himself or herself has to in due course be accountable for himself or herself in order to steer clear of destructive, damaging, dangerous, and unhealthy consequences in the future.

Fortunately, Miss Johnson was very organized for her scheduled meeting with Dante. She showed him reports and research studies she had underlined that outlined various drinking facts and statistics that targeted most people in general. Then she showed Dante quite a bit of figures and reports that applied chiefly to teens.

For example, Miss Johnson explained the difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency and informed Dante that individuals who continue to drink in a hazardous manner frequently become alcohol dependent.

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

The Counselor Lists A Number Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse Facts and Statistics

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

1. The 25.9% of adolescent drinkers in the U.S. who are alcohol abusers and alcohol dependent drink 47.3% of the alcohol that is ingested by all teenage drinkers.

2. Fifty percent of U.S. homicides are related to alcohol.

3. In 2002, U.S. alcoholism statistics and facts demonstrated that 2.6 million binge drinkers were between the ages of 12 and 17.

4. It is projected that more than 3 million adolescents in the U.S. between the ages of 14 to 17 are problem drinkers.

5. In the U.S., more than forty percent of those who start drinking at the age 14 or younger become addicted to alcohol.

6. Very few of the more than 18 million U.S. alcohol abusers receive the alcohol treatment they require.

7. Adolescent drinking costs Americans nearly $53 billion per year. If this cost were shared equally by each congressional district, the amount would total more than $120 million per district.

8. Alcohol-related difficulties are unevenly found among both juvenile and adult criminal offenders.

Dante Gets A Meaningful Jolt of Reality About the Long Term and the Short Term Consequences of Teenage Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

After Miss Johnson presented the aforementioned alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse facts and statistics, it was apparent that what Miss Johnson made known to Dante was a real jolt to him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only took the time to articulate the short term and the long term outcomes of alcoholism and alcohol abuse, but she also made the effort to demonstrate what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency statistics and facts that related to everyone, and principally to young people.

Without a doubt, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante at once realized why he should not be engaging in hazardous and abusive drinking with or without his classmates any longer. Dante thanked Miss Johnson for her concern and for the information she discussed.

Miss Johnson then asked Dante how he felt about getting a physical exam and an alcohol appraisal for the alcohol treatment he would probably need. Dante thought about this for a minute and then agreed to get a complete physical and to go through an extensive evaluation of his drinking behavior so that he could start an alcohol treatment program promptly. After meeting with Miss Johnson, not only did he think that he had established an enhanced relationship with her, but it was also apparent that Dante’s self esteem and personal happiness had been boosted as he began to address his excessive and abusive drinking.

When Drinking Becomes An Issue That Can Cause Time, Stress, And Anger Management Problems

HappyOne — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 07:23:12 +0000

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

If you have hopelessly attempted to discontinue your drinking or if you sworn to yourself that your drinking days are over and then you realized that you were drinking in an abusive way just a few days later, chances are exceptionally good that you have drinking problems. The key point is that if you have attempted to terminate your drinking and cannot get this accomplished, then your drinking is controlling you, rather than the other way around.

In much the same way, if it takes larger amounts of alcohol to get the same “high,” more likely than not you need to recognize the fact that you have a drinking problem.

You may be telling yourself that the justification for your drinking is so that you can lessen your nervousness or get rid of the sorrow or depression that you feel. In a similar manner, you may be trying to steer clear of an unsafe circumstance and may be looking for something more beneficial, more constructive, or less sorrowful.

As you continue your drinking, nonetheless, you will become aware that drinking does not bring about the same high and you will also become aware that drinking doesn’t help do away with whatever led to your distress in the first place. You may also notice that the more heavily you drink, the more depressed you feel.

As you continue to drink irresponsibly, sadly, you may become alcohol dependent and, as a result, you may add another fundamental problem to cope with rather than becoming aware of more effective and wholesome ways of managing your alcohol-related issues.

An Alcohol Appraisal is Probably Needed

If you have figured out that you have a problem with your drinking, maybe the most beneficial thing you can do for yourself is to call your doctor or healthcare professional and arrange for an appointment for a physical and for an assessment of your drinking activities.

If you sincerely feel that you have a dangerous drinking problem, it might be a good idea to get prepared to find out that you need to get alcohol counseling.

At this point in your life, what are your choices? You can without a doubt refuse to see your health care professional and continue your pattern of hazardous drinking.

It definitely doesn’t take a mastermind, to the contrary, to comprehend that repeated, heavy drinking, if left untreated, will worsen over time and doubtless bring about an early death. As a result, your most practical alternative is to face up to your drinking circumstance and obtain the alcohol rehabilitation you require.

The Facade of the Functioning Alcohol Addicted Individual

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

Many of these “functional” alcohol addicted individuals may have never been apprehended for a DUI and may have been fortunate enough to avoid all alcohol induced legal problems. In spite of this good fortune, conversely, these alcohol dependent people need to drink in order to function on a day by day basis while sustaining their facade as they interact with people outside their family.

Ask anyone who has seen them when they are out on a drunken binge or in a drunken stupor or ask a family member about the problem drinker’s alcohol addiction, to the contrary, and they will be quick to affirm the truth of the drinker’s situation and the whole story about the alcohol addicted person’s drinking predicament and about his or her alcohol produced predicaments.

Why Do People Addicted to Alcohol Fail to Acknowledge Their Drinking Difficulties?

As alcohol addiction research and statistics on alcohol abuse have emphasized, no matter how noticeable the alcohol induced difficulties seem to those who interact with the alcoholic, alcohol addicted people characteristically deny that drinking is the root of their alcohol induced predicaments. Not only this, but alcohol addicted individuals regularly blame their alcohol-related difficulties on other people or upon other situations that surround them rather than seeing their part in the problem. Similarly, alcohol addicted individuals frequently manifest anger, time, and stress management issues.

The root of the difficulty is that alcohol addiction is a disease of the brain. Once the problem drinker has become an alcoholic, he or she characteristically resorts to denial, manipulation, and lying as a way of dealing with the fact that his or her drinking is out of control. And to make matters more complex, the experience of alcohol withdrawal symptoms typically counteracts the alcoholic’s rare attempts to suddenly stop drinking. As grim as the alcohol addicted individual’s life is, conversely, the good news is that competent assistance is extensively available – if the alcoholic reaches out and gets alcoholism counseling.

Summary

Coming to grips with the fact that drinking is triggering problems in your day to day functioning is perchance the most straightforward way to determine if you have a problem with your drinking. Stated more precisely, if your drinking is leading to difficulties with your health, with your employment, in your relationships, with your finances, at school, or with the law, then you have a drinking problem that needs to be resolved.

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

While some people may be able to identify their “alcohol signs,” pinpoint their problems, and substantially decrease the amount and frequency of their drinking, others, then again, need to address their drinking difficulties by getting professional alcoholism rehab. Moreover, due to their propensity to deny the facts and warp the truth, alcohol addicted people positively need proficient alcoholism counseling for their abusive drinking.

And finally, if you feel more depressed the more you drink, it is likely that you will need to obtain treatment for your drinking problem and for your depression.

Abusive and Irresponsible Drinking, an Enabling Wife, and Inspiration for Affirmative Change, Successful Alcoholism Treatment, and an Augmented Sense of Self Confidence and Personal Success

HappyOne — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 04:42:42 +0000

It took more than a few years but Emily finally made up her mind that she had it with her husband’s abusive and excessive drinking. She was fed up from seeing Barry come home after midnight from drinking instead of spending quality time with her and their three daughters. She was also exhausted from the third DUI Barry recently received. In addition she was fed up from manufacturing reasons for Barry when he couldn’t show up for work due to his problems with drinking. Not only this but she was nervous and depressed about the fact that their relationship was going downhill due to Barry’s unhealthy drinking. And lastly she was worn-out from the uncertain financial mess into which he had put his family due to his unhealthy drinking behavior. In short, Emily felt that her mental health was drifting away due to Barry’s drinking problems.

When Abusive Drinking Motivates a Person to do Something Positive About an Individual’s Drinking Problem

One Wednesday afternoon when Emily was pondering what she could do about her husband’s unhealthy and abusive drinking, she got to the point that she frankly had to do something constructive to cut into the damaging cycle of Barry’s abusive and unhealthy drinking behavior.

So she looked on the Internet under “alcohol rehabilitation” and located many rehabilitation facilities that were all located less than twenty miles away from where she and Barry resided. Because she didn’t know anything about these rehab clinics, she finally determined that she needed to call some of them and ask some relevant questions. When she called each rehab facility she identified who she was and stated that her spouse was involved in careless drinking behavior. She also stated that Barry, her husband, had a comprehensive health insurance program at his place of employment and that residential or outpatient alcohol addiction rehabilitation would be covered if a physician in the company health plan suggested the rehab.

At one rehab facility, Emily was stunned that she was able to talk directly with a healthcare practitioner who suggested that she come to the rehabilitation clinic to discuss her husband’s hazardous and excessive drinking behavior in much more detail.

Emily Talks to a Therapist About Her Husband’s Abusive and Hazardous Drinking

When Emily got to the rehab clinic, she filled out some forms and then after about ten or fifteen minutes got to see a psychologist. After listening to Emily talk about her husband’s careless and abusive drinking, the psychologist in an encouraging but firm way explained to Emily how she more likely than not played a part in her husband’s excessive and abusive drinking through the months and the years by justifying his behavior instead of letting him go through the consequences of his unhealthy drinking behavior.

Emily Learns That She Has Been Enabling Her Husband’s Careless and Hazardous Drinking

More to the point, the therapist told Emily that she may have been unintentionally enabling Barry’s hazardous drinking behavior. The healthcare professional also stressed the fact that even though Emily could not control Barry’s conduct, with the support and encouragement of the treatment team at the healthcare center she would not only be able to learn how to stop contributing to Barry’s hazardous and abusive drinking but she could also learn how to encourage him to schedule an appointment at the rehab clinic so that he could discuss his hazardous and abusive drinking behavior with a physician.

Fortunately after Emily revealed this to Barry, and he saw that she was not joking, Barry told her that he had been extremely disturbed by his abusive and unhealthy drinking behavior and that he was very relieved to hear that Emily wanted to do something helpful about his excessive and abusive drinking behavior. Consequently, he made an appointment to see a counselor at the local alcohol treatment clinic. Needless to say this enhanced Emily’s self image.

Barry Agrees to See a Counselor About His Hazardous and Irresponsible Drinking

While simply calling a rehab program does not mean that an individual’s unhealthy and abusive drinking behavior will end or that one’s warning signs of alcoholism or the alcohol abuse signs one manifests will simply fade away, scheduling an appointment is evidently a much needed component in the treatment process. And since Barry was serious about getting professional assistance for his excessive and careless drinking, the likelihood of a successful recovery was substantially enhanced.

An Alcohol Dependent Individual Goes to Rehab, Gets Alcohol Detox and Treatment for His Depression and His Alcoholism, and Starts to Get Motivated to Live More Productively

HappyOne — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:58:04 +0000

Barry used to brag to his drinking pals how he could remain employed at a demanding and fulltime job and get smashed virtually every night. Sadly, after involving himself in this unhealthy lifestyle for about five years, he began to display different alcohol related problems.

Barry Begins to Display Several Alcohol Related Difficulties

For example, he had a very hard time getting up for work because he felt so worn-out when he awoke. Furthermore, just about every morning Barry had a dreadful hangover. Without a doubt, the mixture of his hangovers and his lack of get-up-and-go did not make it easy for him to get up and feel like he wanted to go to work. To make matters worse, around a week ago he got his third driving under the influence arrest in the past six months.

To further complicate things, at his place of employment his last two performance evaluations were not up to his usual high standards. And lastly, his relationship with his girlfriend had gotten worse due to his depression, angry outbursts, financial difficulties, and his lack of patience.

Although Barry was only twenty seven years old, he simply began looking like he was in his mid thirties. Unfortunately, this is what excessive and careless drinking can do to an individual. And from a realistic perspective he realized that he was suffering from the negative outcomes of alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency and that he was too young to fritter away his life to careless and excessive drinking. So at first he tried to drink in moderation. Sadly, he soon realized that he lost all control after ingesting his first drink. Stated somewhat more forcefully, after his first drink he invariably proceeded to get smashed. Since this was an event that was repeated again and again, this greatly worried him. In fact, he began to wonder if he was displaying some of the signs of alcoholism and alcohol abuse.

Barry Decides Schedule an Appointment to See His Family Doctor

After talking about his excessive alcohol drinking and his excessive and hazardous drinking with his girlfriend, he finally made up his mind to make an appointment to see his physician. When Barry saw his doctor, he genuinely confirmed that he has been drinking in a hazardous manner, that he may be exhibiting alcoholic signs, and that he wants to abstain from drinking. He said that drinking responsibly and in moderation doesn’t work well for him and, as a consequence, he wants to learn how he can develop an alcohol-free lifestyle.

Barry also told his healthcare professional about his depression and how this mental health problem was negatively influencing his relationship with his lady friend. His physician referred Barry to Doctor Rako, a drug and alcohol addiction specialist, who influenced Barry to enter into a drug and alcohol treatment clinic as an in-patient for alcohol detoxification and alcohol rehabilitation. The good news is that Barry would also be able to get medical treatment for his depression at this treatment clinic.

Refraining From Drinking Was the Best Decision Barry Had Ever Made

After four months of comprehensive rehabilitation, Barry left the residential treatment facility and continued his recovery via outpatient therapy and via going to local Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Encouraged to change his life in a healthier way, Barry bought some vitamins at a health store and a cookbook. He then joined a fitness center and started working out two or three times per week. Within nine months Barry was a new man. He was in shape, he was eating nutritious meals, he now looked younger than he was, he wasn’t depressed anymore, and most significant of all, he remained sober for numerous months. He also didn’t resort to angry outbursts, he became more patient, and he became a more compassionate person in his relationship with his girlfriend. Stated briefly, abstaining from drinking was the best decision Barry had ever made.

A Young Man Hits The Bottom of the Barrel in Life, Beats His Depression, Gets Alcohol Rehab for His Abusive and Excessive Drinking, Boosts His Personal Happiness and Self Esteem

HappyOne — Sun, 30 May 2010 18:32:30 +0000

Samuel was a forty-nine-year-old fashion designer who was tired of feeling depressed on a daily basis and sick of his abusive and hazardous drinking behavior. Stated simply, he hated the hangovers he went through on a regular basis, he was mad at himself for spending his hard-earned money on a worthless habit, he was tired of going through shattered relationship after shattered relationship due to his irresponsible drinking, he was sick of feeling weary every morning, and he missed his old drive for doing the things he enjoyed.

Additionally he hated the fact that he had to go to court for his second DUI, he was disgusted with how physically unfit he was, he was fed up with paying for alcohol-related attorney fees, he was irritated with the many times he failed an alcohol test at work, and he was bored with his drinking buddies.

On top of the observable alcohol-related health predicaments he now experienced, conceivably the most regretful part of his drinking behavior was the unreliable and fraudulent person he had turned into. In his heart of hearts he knew that he had been lying about his drinking behavior to his relatives, family, and friends and he also knew he had been dishonest with himself about the “positive” consequences of drinking. What is more, he rationalized guzzling four or five drinks before going to social events and he also rationalized needing one or two drinks the first thing in the morning so that he could deal with the “pressures” at his job.

His Depression and His Abusive and Hazardous Drinking Lead to Important Life Changes

Clearly Samuel was sick of putting up with the negative consequences of his depression and his hazardous and excessive drinking and finally determined that something important had to change in his life. So he made up his mind that he would stop drinking, start focusing on becoming a more healthy person, start exercising, get professional counseling, develop a new circle of friends, and involve himself in some worthwhile hobbies. Simply put, Samuel got to a critical time in his life during which he saw that he hit a low point in life and was now prepared to begin the slow road that leads to recovery.

One of the ways that Samuel implemented his “plan” was by requesting a transfer at his place of employment. When his request was approved, he moved 950 miles away to a new city. If nothing else, this unquestionably made making new friends and dissociating himself from his old friends and pals much simpler. Then he phoned a healthcare professional in his new city and made an appointment for a comprehensive examination.

Samuel Meets With a Physician About His Irresponsible and Heavy Drinking and His Depression

After meeting with the doctor and taking a number of lab tests, it was determined that Samuel had crossed the line from alcohol abuse to alcohol addiction and therefore was in need of alcohol therapy and alcohol detoxification. At this time, the healthcare professional made it a point to go over the different signs of alcoholism, the symptoms of alcoholism, and information about long term effects of alcohol with Samuel. The doctor then told Samuel that it was concluded that he was clinically depressed and in need of therapy for this medical condition.

Samuel Decides to Build Up His Body by Working Out, Eating Wholesome Foods, Drinking Distilled Water, Vitamins and Minerals, and Living an Alcohol-Free Way of Life

Due to his readiness to follow through with the treatment protocol, after ten weeks of residential rehab, Samuel was ready to begin rehab on an outpatient basis. At this point in time, he started working at his new job and over the weeks began building up his body by taking vitamins, eating nutritious foods, exercising, living an alcohol-free way of life, and drinking distilled water. Samuel also tackled his spiritual life by joining the local Calvinist church and going to regular services.

After around seven weeks of outpatient treatment during which time he never went through an alcohol relapse, Samuel quit going to alcohol rehab and instead began going twice per week to local AA meetings. Attending these meetings helped Samuel follow through with his alcohol-free style of life, they provided him with the support he wanted, and they served as a faithful reminder of the negative outcomes that are correlated with unhealthy drinking.

After going to AA meetings roughly six-and-a-half months Samuel felt that he was ready for a relationship and so he started going out with Joyce, a young woman he met at church. It clearly surprised Samuel how much more prepared he was for a dating relationship now that he had his unhealthy and excessive drinking under control. In point of fact it also astonished Samuel how much better life was now that he wasn’t under the control of his careless and excessive drinking. Life was now worthwhile and loaded with potential that he could have never hoped for or accomplished when he was engaged in excessive and hazardous drinking just a few short months ago.

A Success Story That is a Tribute to the Value of Alcohol Treatment and the Power of Positive Change

Samuel’s success story is a demonstration of the relevance of alcohol rehabilitation and the power of change. As Samuel thought about his newfound self worth and drive for involving himself in healthy, worthwhile activities, he was actually thankful that he made up his mind to do something productive about his unhealthy and abusive drinking rather than giving into his depression and into the lure of his alcohol addiction. The result: he is in charge of his life rather than letting himself languish under the control of his alcohol dependency, he has more energy now compared with any time in his adult life, his life now has a positive direction, he is involved in a wholesome relationship, and he likes his new job responsibilities.