Jennifer is a thirty-seven-year-old junior sales consultant who has been ingesting alcohol in an irresponsible manner since she and her live-in boyfriend discontinued their relationship. Indeed, for the past five months she has been drinking almost two bottles of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking more than a few cans of beer all through the day. In short, Jennifer has been drinking so hazardously and abusively that it's a miracle that she hasn't suffered from alcohol poisoning.

After feeling dejected because she was starting to neglect her health, Jennifer at long last told herself that enough is enough, that it’s time to quit the self pity routine, that it’s time to quit the abusive and hazardous drinking, and time to move on with her life. So the following Saturday morning at 8:30 AM, she made up her mind to stop drinking cold turkey.

When She Attempted to Stop Drinking She Felt Horrific, She Had Absolutely No Appetite, Her Head Was Aching, She Started to Sweat Extensively, She Was Extremely Moody and Restless, and She Vomited a Number of Times

When Jennifer quit drinking, she reasoned that she would quite possibly be tempted to sneak a couple of drinks, but she never pictured that she would feel so awful. More exactly, approximately three-and-a-half hours after she stopped drinking, her head was aching, she was extremely moody and restless, she had utterly no appetite, she started to sweat extensively, and she vomited several times.

When she called her best girlfriend and informed her that she had stopped drinking and that after a couple of hours she abruptly started to have flu-like symptoms, Olivia, her best buddy, told Jennifer to call her physician and discuss what she was going through.

She Admits to Her Family Doctor That She Has Been Drinking In an Abusive and Hazardous Manner, That She Just Tried to Stop Drinking, and That She is Going Through Terrible Flu-Like Symptoms

So Jennifer called her medical practitioner, told him that she has been drinking in a hazardous and excessive manner for several months and that when she tried to suddenly quit drinking earlier in the day, within a couple of hours she felt as if she had the most terrible 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 neighbor or friend take her to the emergency room ASAP.

As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a neighbor to take her to the hospital. Interestingly, all the way to the hospital, as sick as Jennifer felt, the only thing she could think about was whether or not she might be an alcoholic.

Obviously her family doctor had called ahead and informed the emergency room treatment team to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by two paramedics who immediately asked her to get in the wheelchair they had with them. After getting wheeled to the emergency room and undergoing a couple of basic tests, it was corroborated that Jennifer was in point of fact going through alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detoxification.

An emergency room doctor gave her some meds to diminish her flu-like symptoms and also administered some meds to help eliminate the alcohol that was still in her blood.

A Drug and Alcohol Abuse Healthcare Practitioner Explains in a Clear Manner That She is Alcohol Dependent and Then Discusses What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcohol Addiction Stages Are

After an hour or two, Jennifer was removed from the emergency room and transported to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for nearly two-and-a-half hours, Doctor Resnick, an alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction specialist, came to visit her. He took plenty of time and explained that Jennifer had experienced alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she stopped drinking because she had become alcohol dependent.

He then discussed the fact that with heavy drinking on an everyday basis, the individual’s brain slowly becomes accustomed to the alcohol so that it can function in a "normal" manner. When the person then all of a sudden stops consuming alcohol, it can be pointed out, the brain responds by giving rise to alcohol withdrawal symptoms. In addition, her physician also discussed the various alcoholism stages that an individual who is alcohol dependent typically goes through as the disease gets progressively worse as time goes by.

It is Discovered that Jennifer is in the Earliest Stage of Alcohol Addiction and She Gets a Favorable Forecast For a Full Recovery if She Gets the Alcohol Therapy She Requires

Fortunately for Jennifer, it was established that she was in the first stage of alcoholism and, consequently, she obtained a favorable projection for a complete recovery if she receives the alcohol addiction therapy she requires.

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 an outstanding hospitalization insurance policy that will almost certainly pay for most of the costs required for rehab. It was obvious that Jennifer was very happy with her optimistic medical forecast and felt at peace knowing that she will be able to get the alcoholism rehabilitation she needs so that she can begin the path to recovery.

Teresa was a thirty-four-year-old dental assistant who knew that she had some drinking issues. For instance, within the past six months she has experienced the need to have a drink or two before going to work, a week ago she tested positive for a breathalyzer test where she works, four months ago she got arrested by the police for a DUI, and finally, for going on six months she has started to forget what she says and does when she goes out drinking with her pals.

Like hosts of other individuals, Teresa’s experiences with alcohol started out at a "snail's pace" and stayed at this pace for quite some time because every so often she engaged in intermittent social drinking. If truth be told, for almost four years, every time she drank, she made sure to drink in moderation. Something about her pattern of drinking, however, seemed to totally change when she divorced her husband.

In Order To Get Over the Breakup of Her Husband In a More Uncomplicated Manner, Teresa Determined That She Will Begin Palling Around More Often With Some of Her Pals Who Love to Have Fun and Drink

Teresa got especially dejected about the divorce from her husband, and as a way to abstain from her preoccupation with her discouraging feelings she arrived at a decision that she would begin associating more frequently with some of her friends who love to have fun drinking.

Quite frankly, Teresa truly believed that having fun just about every day by getting an alcohol “buzz” with her buddies would help her get over the breakup of her husband in a less troublesome manner.

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

It didn’t take too long, nevertheless, before her drinking increased considerably the more often she went to and drank at sporting events, happy hours, private parties, dinner dates, and family get-togethers with her buddies. Moreover, the fact that her drinking friends were all quite a few years younger than she was and therefore able to drink more irresponsibly was one of the reasons why she didn’t concentrate more on her increased drinking. In short, she was having a ton of fun drinking just like everyone else in her group of buddies without giving too much thought to the consequences of her abusive and irresponsible drinking.

Yet in the back of her mind she knew that she most probably needed alcohol rehabilitation but steered clear of the thought as much as humanly possible.

Teresa Gets a Physical Examination, Discloses the Facts About Her Excessive and Abusive Drinking to Her Doctor, and Owns Up to the Truth About Her Sadness

One day during her yearly physical examination, her doctor asked her if she drank alcohol. Not wanting to tell “stories” to her healthcare professional, Teresa ”came clean” and said that she commonly drinks more than she should. In actual fact, she stated that she commonly drinks in an abusive manner. Then Teresa informed her healthcare practitioner about her general state of gloom. More to the point, she articulated that broken relationships usually triggered a depressing sequence of events characterized by increased drinking which further led to more dismal feelings that, in turn, led to even more drinking. And this is exactly what happened when she and her husband got divorced six months ago.

When her doctor heard this, he informed Teresa that according to various alcoholism facts and statistics on alcoholism he was investigating, alcoholism and depression often take place in the same individual. He then told her that some of the alcohol statistics, research investigations, and facts he has been reading about also emphasize the fact that individuals who drink in an excessive and hazardous manner and who also experience depression need to get treatment for both medical conditions.

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

Teresa’s doctor then articulated the following: “I am not trying to make a sudden diagnosis, but with your medical condition we may be dealing with two separate problems. As a consequence, I think we probably should make an appointment for you to get an alcoholism and alcohol abuse appraisal from my partner, Dr. Harmon, who is an alcohol abuse and substance abuse specialist. Whether your drinking situation is more related to alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction is unclear, but I feel that further exploration is required. Then I think we ought to schedule an appointment for you to get a psychological assessment from another one of my partners, Dr. Cooke, who is a clinical psychologist. I want to get some more insights about your sadness and see how much your drinking and depression are interlinked.” Teresa displayed her satisfaction with her healthcare professional’s “game plan” and thanked him for his help. Now all she had to do was to try to reduce her drinking and wait for her appointments.

Teresa was a forty-seven-year-old office manager who realized that she had a drinking problem. For instance, within the past four 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 saliva alcohol test where she is employed, six weeks ago she got arrested for “driving under the influence”, and last but not least, for around five months she has started to forget what she says and does when she drinks.

Similar to many other individuals, Teresa’s experiences with alcohol began gradually and remained at this pace for quite a long period of time because every once in a while she engaged in occasional social drinking. In point of fact, for nearly four years, every time she went out to drink, she made sure to drink in a responsible manner. Something about her drinking activities, however, seemed to totally change when she got divorced from her husband.

In Order To Overcome the Loss of Her Husband More Rapidly, Teresa Came to a Decision That She Will Begin Hanging Around More Regularly With Some of Her Buddies Who Love to Whoop it Up and Drink

Teresa got extremely down in the dumps about the loss of her husband, and as a way to stop her preoccupation with her negative feelings she determined that she would begin associating more often with some of her buddies who love to party.

Quite sincerely, Teresa concluded that having fun nearly every day by partying and drinking with her pals would help her get beyond the divorce of her husband in a more trouble-free manner.

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

It didn’t take long, nevertheless, before her drinking escalated to a significant extent the more habitually she went to and drank at family get-togethers, sporting events, happy hours, dinner dates, and private parties with her pals. Not only this, but the fact that her drinking pals were all quite a few years younger than she was and therefore able to party and drink harder and longer was one of the reasons why she didn’t focus more on her increased drinking. In short, she was having a blast drinking just like everyone else in her group of buddies without giving much thought to the negative consequences of her drinking behavior.

Yet someplace in her brain she knew that she more likely than not needed alcohol rehabilitation but steered clear of the thought as much as possible.

Teresa Gets a Physical Examination, Discloses the Truth About Her Excessive Drinking to Her Physician, and Admits Her General State of Gloom

One late afternoon during her annual physical exam, her doctor asked her if she drank alcohol. Not wanting to tell “stories” to her healthcare practitioner, Teresa owned up to the truth that she regularly drinks more than she should. As a matter of fact, she said that she routinely drinks in an excessive manner. Then Teresa told her healthcare professional about her depression. More precisely, she articulated that wrecked relationships commonly set off a depressing progression of events characterized by increased drinking which further led to more negative feelings that, in turn, led to even more drinking. And this is specifically what happened when she and her husband got divorced seven months ago.

When her healthcare practitioner heard this, he told Teresa that according to various alcoholism facts and statistics on alcoholism he was examining, alcoholism and depression frequently occur in the same person. He then told her that some of the alcohol statistics, facts, and research investigations he has been reading about also underscore the fact that individuals who drink in an excessive and hazardous manner and who also go through depression need to get treatment for both medical situations.

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

Teresa’s healthcare practitioner then articulated the following: “I am not trying to make an impulsive judgment, but with your medical condition we may be working with two separate problems. As a result, I think we probably should make an appointment for you to get an alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction appraisal from my partner, Dr. Franks, who is an alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency specialist. Whether your drinking circumstance is more associated with alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction is unknown, but I believe that further assessment is required. Then I feel we should make an appointment for you to get a psychological evaluation from another one of my partners, Dr. Hauser, who is a clinical psychologist. I want to get a better handle on your dejection and see how much your depression and drinking are associated.” Teresa expressed her approval of her healthcare practitioner’s plan of attack and thanked him for his assistance and concern. Now all she had to do was to try to reduce her drinking and wait for her appointments.

Dante was a seventeen year old high school senior who was displaying several alcohol-related difficulties at school. Consequently, the principal explained to him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school therapist, before he would be allowed to return to class.

Later that afternoon when Dante went home after school, he had to explain his school situation to his Mom and Dad. His parents were “relatively old-style” and told Dante that getting discharged from school was not a workable educational plan of action. They explained to Dante that failing to graduate from high school would most probably be like a lead weight around his ankles that could conceivably inhibit his educational achievement for the remainder of his adult life. Furthermore, Dante’s Mother and Father were quite letdown that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his friends in the second.

His Mother and Father told Dante that even though he may be a teenager, he needs to comprehend without much delay that drinking is the path to ill health, financial problems, pain, and failure.

It was clear that his Mother and Father were in total concurrence with Dante’s principal and explained to Dante that he had better come to the realization that he needs to see Miss Johnson, the school therapist. After his discussion with his parents, Dante at long last agreed to see Miss Johnson the next day. So Dante phoned the school and scheduled an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next day during his sixth period class.

The Therapist Asks Dante if He Comprehends Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Behavior gave the School Administrators Room For Alarm

When Dante arrived at his scheduled appointment with Miss Johnson, she immediately examined all of the alcohol-related difficulties Dante had experienced and asked him if he comprehended why his recent alcohol-related activities were such a cause for concern.

Quite sincerely, Dante wondered why the principal suggested that he see a school counselor. As he expressed to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional therapist about his drinking situation? Because just about all of his peers drink the same amount that he does, basically, drinking is no big issue. Stated differently, if just about everybody is drinking, why is this such a major issue?

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 in the seventh grade.

Miss Johnson explained to Dante that while his buddies may in fact drink more than he does and that they may be a bad influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting thrown out of school due to alcohol-related fighting, delinquency, and absenteeism, not his pals. Moreover, Miss Johnson also underlined the fact that Dante, and not his friends, is the one who is failing and who is missing one day of class every week due to his alcohol related issues. Finally, Miss Johnson highlighted the fact that because of his drinking behavior, Dante is getting into a destructive cycle of abusive drinking that can in due course ruin his hopes, dreams and aspirations.

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

Dante Learns That At the End of the Day He Must Be Accountable For Himself In Order to Keep Away From Damaging, Dangerous, Unhealthy, and Destructive Situations In the Foreseeable Future

Miss Johnson informed Dante that one’s peers can indeed influence an individual in an unhealthy way, but that the person herself or himself has to ultimately be accountable for himself or herself in order to steer clear of dangerous, damaging, unhealthy, and destructive effects in the foreseeable future.

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

As an illustration, Miss Johnson stressed the difference between alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse and explained to Dante that individuals who continue to drink in an excessive 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 Articulates More Than a Few Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction 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 United States who are alcoholic and alcohol abusers drink 47.3% of the alcohol that is consumed by all adolescent drinkers.

2. Fifty percent of United States murders are alcohol related.

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

4. It is projected that more than 3 million teens in the United States between the ages of 14 to 17 are problem drinkers.

5. In the U.S., more than forty percent of those who begin drinking at the age 14 or younger become dependent on alcohol.

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

7. Teenage drinking costs Americans nearly billion per year. If each congressional district shared this cost equally, the amount would total more than 0 million per district.

8. Alcohol-related problems are disproportionately found among both adult and juvenile criminal offenders.

Dante Gets A Much Needed Wake Up Call Regarding the Short Term and the Long Term Outcomes of Teen Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

After Miss Johnson listed the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcoholism facts and statistics, it was apparent that what Miss Johnson taught Dante was a real surprise to him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only took the time to go over the long term and the short term results of alcohol abuse and alcoholism, but she also took the time to confirm what she was saying with alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse statistics and facts that related to everyone in general, and chiefly to teenagers.

Definitely, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante instantaneously understood why he should not be engaging in abusive and excessive drinking with or without his friends anymore. Dante thanked Miss Johnson for her concern and for the material she reviewed.

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

Dante thought about this for a minute and then agreed to get an extensive physical examination and to go through a complete assessment of his drinking behavior so that he could start an alcohol treatment program right away.

Dante was a fifteen year old high school sophomore who was displaying numerous alcohol-related difficulties at school. Consequently, the principal informed him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school counselor, before he would be permitted to return to class.

Later that day when Dante went home after school, he had to go over his school discharge with his Mom and Dad. His parents were “fairly conventional” and told Dante that getting discharged from school was not a possible educational game plan. They explained to Dante that failing to graduate from high school would more likely than not be like a lead weight around his feet that could probably impair his educational attainment for the remainder of his life. In addition, Dante’s parents were quite dissatisfied that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his friends in the second.

His Mom and Dad informed Dante that even though he may be a teenager, he needs to realize fairly rapidly that drinking is the pathway to pain, financial problems, ill health, and failure.

It was plain to see that his Mother and Father were on the same page as Dante’s principal and told Dante that he had better come to the realization that he needs to see Miss Johnson, the school counselor. After his talk with his Mom and Dad, Dante in due course agreed to see Miss Johnson the next school day. So Dante phoned the school and scheduled an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next day during his third period class.

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

When Dante arrived at his scheduled appointment with Miss Johnson, she immediately went over all of the alcohol-related problems Dante had gotten into and asked him if he knew why his recent alcohol-related activities made the school administrators uneasy.

Quite frankly, 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 psychologist about his drinking circumstances? Due to the fact that nearly all of his buddies drink as much if not more than he does, essentially, drinking is no big issue. Stated differently, if almost everybody is drinking, why is this such a big deal?

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

Miss Johnson told Dante that while his peers may indeed drink more than he does and that they may be a negative influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting expelled from school due to alcohol-related fighting, delinquency, and absenteeism, not his friends. In addition, Miss Johnson also underscored the fact that Dante, and not his peers, is the one who is failing and who is missing one day of school every week due to his alcohol related difficulties. Lastly, Miss Johnson underlined the fact that because of his drinking situation, Dante is getting into a dangerous cycle of excessive drinking that can in the long run ruin his hopes, dreams and aspirations.

In short, Dante’s involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was beginning to foil his ability to act like an accountable young man. As conveyed by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your classmates drink hard liquor, wine coolers, wine, or beer does not mean that it is the correct behavior for you.”

Dante Learns That Ultimately He Must Be Responsible For Himself In Order to Stay Away From Damaging, Dangerous, Unhealthy, and Destructive Circumstances In the Future

Miss Johnson explained to Dante that one’s friends can certainly influence a person in an unhealthy manner, but that the individual himself or herself has to eventually be accountable for himself or herself in order to stay away from dangerous, damaging, destructive, and unhealthy circumstances down the road.

Fortunately, Miss Johnson was very well prepared for her conference with Dante. She showed him research studies and reports she had highlighted that summarized various drinking facts and statistics that targeted most people in general. Then she showed Dante quite a bit of figures and reports that applied particularly to underage drinkers.

For instance, Miss Johnson emphasized the difference between alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse and told Dante that drinkers who continue to abuse alcohol regularly become dependent on alcohol.

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

The Counselor Conveys A Number Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency Statistics and Facts

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

1. According to the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, there are 105,000 annual alcohol-related deaths in the United States due to drunk drivers and related injuries, medical conditions, or diseases.

2. About twenty-five percent of all U.S. individuals who register in general hospitals have alcohol-related problems or are undiagnosed individuals who are addicted to alcohol who are being treated for the consequences of their excessive drinking.

3. Alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse are the third leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States.

4. More than 7% of the population that is 18 years old and older -- about 13.8 million Americans -- has drinking problems, including 8.1 million individuals who suffer from alcoholism.

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

6. As revealed by one U.S. survey of 18 to 24 year-old current drinkers who failed to complete high school, about 60% began to drink before they were 16 years old.

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

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

Dante Receives A Much Needed Primer on the Facts About the Short Term and the Long Term Consequences of Underage Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency

After Miss Johnson verbalized the aforementioned alcoholism and alcohol abuse facts and statistics, it was evident that what Miss Johnson made known to Dante was a real shock to him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only made the effort to explain the short term and the long term outcomes of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency, but she also took the time to substantiate what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency statistics and facts that related to everybody in general, and principally to today’s youth.

Without a doubt, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante instantaneously realized why he should not be engaging in excessive and hazardous drinking with or without his buddies any longer. Dante thanked Miss Johnson for her concern and for the material she reviewed.

Miss Johnson then asked Dante how he felt about getting a physical examination and an alcohol appraisal for the alcohol rehab he would probably need.

Dante thought about this for few minutes and then agreed to get a thorough physical and to go through a comprehensive assessment of his drinking condition so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction rehab program as soon as possible.

It is remarkable to mention something that family members who have been unfavorably affected by the alcohol addiction of another family member apparently do not understand. It seems that by protecting the alcohol dependent person with lies and deceitfulness to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have essentially created a situation that makes it easier for the alcohol dependent individual to continue and press forward with his or her injurious, destructive lifestyle.

In fact, instead of helping the alcohol addicted person and themselves, these family members have in truth become enablers who have involuntarily helped negatively affect the alcoholic’s drinking problem even further.

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

The Probability of a Relapse is Real

According to the research findings and statistics on alcohol addiction, another key alcohol dependency issue has to do with alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol addicted individual has fruitfully undergone alcohol addiction rehabilitation and then returns to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first thought, this situation flies in the face of rational thinking and sounds so implausible that it forces one to wonder why anyone who has experienced the dejection of alcohol dependency can return to drinking a short while after successful alcohol treatment and in turn after achieving sobriety. There are, to be sure, more than a few possible reasons for this.

It should be noted, on the other hand that alcohol addiction research that has focused on the enduring consequences of alcoholism has shown that long after the alcoholic has stopped his or her drinking, critical changes in the way in which the alcohol dependent individual’s brain operates are still present. As a consequence, all a recovering alcoholic has to do to involve himself or herself in actions that correspond with the transformations that have taken place in the brain is to start drinking once again.

The Necessity for A Major Lifestyle Transformation

There are even more reasons why numerous recovering alcohol dependent individuals return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after attaining 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 environment or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the time when the alcohol addicted person was drinking abusively; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these situations can bring forth memories that can prompt psychological stress or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol dependent individual to engage in excessive drinking once again. Sadly, all of these circumstances may not only get in the way of enduring alcohol recovery for the alcoholic but they can also result in relapse and as a result short-circuit one’s sobriety.

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

In an attempt to “protect” the family alcoholic, family members can essentially cause unintended destruction by enabling the harmful drinking behavior of the alcohol dependent individual.

The drug abuse research literature highlights the fact that most individuals who effectively complete alcohol treatment experience at least one relapse. Alcohol dependent individuals and their family members need to know this so that they do not get defeated or overwhelmed when a relapse manifests itself.

Fortunately, involvement in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up counseling and education have resulted in more effective, long-term alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency treatment outcomes, have helped reduce alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol dependent persons reach ongoing alcohol recovery.

Jennifer is a twenty-five-year-old payroll accountant who has been consuming alcohol in an excessive and irresponsible manner since her live-in boyfriend and she decided to break up. In fact, for the past three months she has been drinking almost one-and-a-half bottles of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking several bottles of beer throughout the day. In a word, Jennifer has been drinking so excessively and abusively that it's a miracle that she hasn't suffered from alcohol poisoning.

After feeling down in the dumps because she was starting to close her eyes to her health, Jennifer at last told herself that she’s had enough, that it’s time to stop feeling sorry for herself, that it’s time to quit the hazardous and abusive drinking, and time to get going with her life. So the next Saturday morning at 9:00 AM, she determined that she would quit drinking suddenly and completely without planning or preparation.

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

When Jennifer stopped drinking, she thought that she would quite possibly be tempted to take a couple of drinks, but she never deduced that she would feel so ill. More accurately, just about two hours after she stopped drinking, she started to sweat extensively, her head was aching, she was extremely moody and tense, she had utterly no appetite, and she vomited a number of times.

When she called her best girlfriend and told her that she had stopped drinking and that after a few hours she all of a sudden started to have flu-like symptoms, Clara, her best pal, told Jennifer to call her healthcare professional and clearly explain what was taking place.

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

So Jennifer called her healthcare professional, told him that she has been drinking in an excessive and irresponsible manner for many months and that when she honestly tried to abruptly stop drinking earlier in the day, within a few hours she felt as if she had the most unpleasant flu-like symptoms that she had ever experienced.

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

As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a friend to take her to the hospital. Interestingly, as sick as Jennifer was, all she could think about all the way to the hospital was whether or not she might be an alcoholic.

Obviously her healthcare practitioner had phoned ahead and informed the emergency room staff to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by two paramedics who immediately asked her to get in the wheelchair they had with them. After getting taken to the emergency room and undergoing a couple of necessary tests, it was confirmed that Jennifer was indeed going through alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detox.

An emergency room physician gave her some drugs to lessen her flu-like symptoms and also gave her some medications to help get rid of the alcohol that was still in her system.

An Alcohol Dependency and Alcohol Abuse Healthcare Professional Explains in a Clear Manner That She is Addicted to Alcohol and Then Goes Over What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcoholism Stages Are

After a couple of hours, Jennifer was removed from the emergency room and transported to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for nearly two-and-a-half hours, Doctor Siegel, an alcohol and drug abuse specialist, came to see her. He took quite a bit of time and clearly explained that Jennifer had suffered through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she stopped drinking because she had become an alcoholic.

He then elucidated the fact that with continuous and heavy drinking, the person’s brain little by little gets acclimated to the alcohol so that it can carry out tasks and operations in a "semi-normal" way. When the person then all of a sudden stops ingesting alcohol, it can be noted, the brain responds by eliciting alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Furthermore, her healthcare practitioner also explained in a clear fashion the various alcoholism stages that an alcoholic almost always suffers through as the disease gets worse over time.

It is Verified that Jennifer is in the Earliest Stage of Alcoholism and She Obtains a Good Prognosis For a Total Recovery if She Gets the Alcohol Addiction Rehab She Requires

Fortunately for Jennifer, it was established that she was in the earliest stage of alcohol addiction and, consequently, she obtained a favorable forecast for a total recovery if she will get the alcoholism rehabilitation she needs.

Jennifer told the medical practitioner that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to regain her life and her health. She also stated that she has a first class hospitalization insurance plan that will more likely than not pay for most, if not all, of the costs required for rehabilitation. It was obvious that Jennifer was very happy with her encouraging medical forecast and felt free from worry knowing that she will be able to get the alcohol dependency rehab she requires so that she can start on the road to recovery.

What are the significant factors in a productive alcohol intervention? Why do some alcohol dependency interventions succeed while others flop?

The Requirement for a Recognized Reputation of Intervention Success

Scientific investigation displays that a “winning” alcohol abuse intervention needs to be directed by an intervention expert who has an established history of intervention achievement.

In essence this means that rather than selecting an "everyday" alcohol addiction healthcare professional or psychologist for an alcohol addiction intervention, the person who is hand picked to manage the intervention needs to be trained in alcoholism intervention procedures and needs to exhibit a record of effective alcoholism interventions.

A Few Plain Illustrations of The Best Time For an Alcohol Dependency Intervention

Scientific analysis and alcoholism facts about interventions has also demonstrated that the best time for an alcoholism intervention is following an important incident in the life of the alcoholic or hazardous drinker. The following represents a few examples of these kinds of special incidents:

• The alcohol-dependent person or abusive drinker has been caught stealing something of value.
• The alcohol abuser or alcohol addicted person has been caught lying about something of importance.
• The alcohol addicted person or alcohol abuser has been imprisoned for a DWI or DUI.

In circumstances such as these, the alcoholic or abusive drinker is more likely to feel sorry or to feel guilty, therefore making him or her more open to getting the quality alcohol rehab that is necessary.

At this point in time, additionally, it is also imperative to draw attention to the fact that the alcohol abuser or alcohol-dependent person needs to be alcohol-free during the alcohol intervention. Briefly, if the abusive drinker or alcoholic is drunk during an alcoholism intervention, failure is almost always a sure thing.

What is more, scientific investigation has also made evident the fact that the abusive drinker or alcohol addicted individual has to at least try to listen to what is communicated in an alcohol addiction intervention. Stated more specifically, during an alcohol abuse intervention, the hazardous drinker or alcoholic needs to listen to what his or her drinking behavior has done to those who care for him or her the most.

The Significance of Alcohol Rehabilitation For the Irresponsible Drinker

And finally, scientific exploration makes obvious the fact that the major reason for an alcohol abuse intervention in the first place is to convince the alcohol abuser or alcohol addicted individual to get the quality alcohol abuse rehabilitation that is needed. Stated more exactly, even if the individual who administers the intervention has a magnificent track record of successful interventions and even if the hazardous drinker or alcohol addicted individual frankly listens to every word that is declared all the way through an intervention, if the abusive drinker or alcohol dependent individual is not motivated to get quality alcohol rehabilitation after the alcohol addiction intervention, then the intervention will be a failure.

Undoubtedly all of these factors are needed for a successful alcohol dependency intervention. If, alternatively, the abusive drinker or alcohol addicted person is not encouraged to get alcoholism counseling after listening to his or her family members state the grief, anger, and dissatisfaction they feel about the abusive drinker’s or alcohol dependent person’s thoughtless drinking behavior and the affection they feel for the problem drinker, then everything else that is part of an alcohol addiction intervention will in the main be futile.

Even Productive Alcohol Interventions Can Boomerang Down the Road

It also needs to be noted that despite the fact that the alcohol addiction intervention can be viewed as productive in that it helped put the hazardous drinker or alcohol addicted person in a more amenable attitude and honestly helped the alcoholic or hazardous drinker reach a decision that he or she needed alcohol therapy or professional help for alcoholism or alcohol abuse, the plain reality that the intervention transpired might result in resentment, anger, and mistrust in the long term.

In a few words, even when alcohol abuse interventions are seen as successful in the short run, in the long term, however, they may backfire and, hence, might make the family and/or the alcohol addicted person's circumstance even poorer than it was before the alcohol addiction intervention was undertaken.

No matter how unjust or paradoxical this seems, try to keep in mind that it is basically one of the key alcohol facts that has to be dealt with when conducting an alcohol intervention.

How do you recognize that you have a problem with your drinking? When is it plain to see that you are involving yourself in excessive drinking?

If you have unsuccessfully tried to discontinue your drinking or if you sworn to yourself that your drinking days are finished and then you realized that you were drinking irresponsibly just a few days later, chances are quite good that you have drinking problems. The bottom line is that if you have made an effort to terminate your drinking and cannot complete the task, then your drinking is controlling you, instead of the other way around.

In a similar manner, if it takes greater amounts of alcohol to get the same “high,” you probably need to recognize the fact that you have a drinking problem.

You may be telling yourself that the rationale for your drinking is so that you can decrease your anxiety or get rid of the distress that you feel. Likewise, you may be trying to steer clear of a harmful situation and may be looking for something better, more positive, or less regretful.

As you continue to drink, nevertheless, you will understand that drinking does not bring about the same high and you will also comprehend that drinking doesn’t help get rid of whatever brought about your discomfort in the first place.

Along the way, regrettably, you may become an alcoholic and, as a consequence, you may add another significant difficulty to manage rather than finding more successful and beneficial ways of dealing with your alcohol induced predicament.

An Alcohol Appraisal is Probably Necessary

If you have figured out that you have a drinking problem, perhaps the most positive thing you can do for yourself is to call your doctor or healthcare practitioner and schedule an appointment for a thorough physical and for an evaluation of your drinking situation.

If you beyond a doubt feel that you have a dangerous problem with your drinking, it might be a good idea to get prepared to find out that you need to get alcohol therapy.

At this juncture, what are your options? You can surely decide against seeing your health care professional and continue your pattern of hazardous drinking.

It definitely doesn’t take a genius, nevertheless, to comprehend that repeated, hazardous drinking, if left untreated, will degenerate over time and most likely set in motion an early death. Thus, your most beneficial choice is to confront your drinking situation and get the alcohol counseling you require.

The Charade of the Functioning Alcohol Addicted Individual

It is somewhat odd to note the fact that multitudes of alcohol dependent individuals lead busy and active lives and have vehicles, jobs, pets, houses, families, and any number of material possessions just like individuals who are not addicted to alcohol.

Many of these “functional” alcohol dependent individuals may have never been apprehended for drunk driving and may have been lucky enough to avoid all alcohol induced legal predicaments. Despite this good fortune, nonetheless, these alcohol dependent people need to drink in order to function on a daily basis while keeping their facade as they associate with the outside world.

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, nonetheless, and they will be quick to affirm the authenticity of the drinker's situation and the details about the alcohol dependent individual’s drinking circumstances and about his or her alcohol induced predicaments.

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

As alcoholism research and statistics on alcohol abuse have highlighted, no matter how obvious the alcohol-related predicaments seem to those who interact with the alcohol dependent person, alcohol dependent individuals normally deny that drinking is the basis of their alcohol induced difficulties. Not only this, but alcohol addicted individuals 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 source of the difficulty is that alcohol dependency is a disease of the brain. Once the problem drinker has become dependent on alcohol, he or she frequently resorts to denial, manipulation, and lying as a way of coping with the fact that his or her drinking is out of control. And to make matters more problematic, the experience of alcohol withdrawal symptoms often thwarts the alcohol addicted person’s rare attempts to suddenly abstain from drinking. As miserable as the alcohol addicted individual’s life is, to the contrary, the good news is that quality help is typically accessible – if the alcohol addicted individual reaches out and seeks alcoholism therapy.

Summary

Owning up to the fact that drinking is bringing about difficulties in your daily functioning is conceivably the easiest way to find out if you have a problem with your drinking. In other words, if your drinking is leading to issues 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 engaging in alcohol abuse.

While some people may be able to pinpoint their "alcohol signs," pinpoint their difficulties, and significantly diminish the amount and incidence of their drinking, other individuals, to the contrary, need to deal with their drinking difficulties by getting professional alcoholism rehabilitation. Furthermore, due to their penchant to deny the facts and warp the truth, alcohol dependent people absolutely need proficient alcohol therapy for their out-of-control drinking.

Jennifer is a forty-year-old call center manager who has been consuming alcohol in an excessive and abusive manner since her live-in boyfriend and she broke off their relationship. In point of fact, for the past eight months she has been drinking just about a bottle of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking a number mixed drinks during the day. In a word, Jennifer has been drinking so abusively and excessively that it's a miracle that she hasn't suffered from alcohol poisoning.

After feeling depressed because she was starting to let her health go downhill, Jennifer finally told herself that enough is enough, that it’s time to stop the self pity party, that it’s time to stop the excessive and irresponsible drinking, and time to make a new start with her life. So the next Saturday morning at 10:30 AM, she made up her mind to stop drinking suddenly and completely without planning or preparation.

When She Attempted to Stop Drinking She Felt Ill, She Started to Sweat Extensively, Her Head Was Pounding, She Vomited a Number of Times, She Was Extremely Moody and Anxious, and She Had Utterly No Appetite

When Jennifer quit drinking, she assumed that she would most likely be tempted to take a drink or two, but she never thought that she would feel so awful. More specifically, around three-and-a-half hours after she quit drinking, she had absolutely no appetite, she vomited a number of times, she was extremely moody and tense, she started to sweat profusely, and her head was pounding.

When she called her best buddy and told her that she had quit drinking and that after a couple of hours she suddenly started to have flu-like symptoms, Cheryl, her best buddy, told Jennifer to call her healthcare professional and tell him what she was feeling.

She Admits to Her Medical Practitioner That She Has Been Drinking In an Abusive and Irresponsible Manner, That She Just Tried to Quit Drinking, and That She is Suffering Through Terribly Painful Flu-Like Symptoms

So Jennifer called her doctor, told him that she has been drinking heavily for many months and that when she attempted to completely stop drinking earlier in the day, within a few hours she felt as if she had the worse flu-like symptoms that she had ever gone through.

Her healthcare professional informed her that she may be suffering from symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and that she should have a neighbor or friend drive her to the emergency room as soon as possible.

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

Apparently her healthcare professional had phoned ahead and informed the emergency room personnel to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by two emergency room employees who immediately asked her to get in the wheelchair they had with them. After getting taken to the emergency room and undergoing a few necessary tests, it was substantiated that Jennifer was in truth experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detoxification.

An emergency room physician administered some medications to address her flu-like symptoms and also gave her some medications to help eliminate the alcohol that was still in her blood.

An Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Healthcare Practitioner Goes Over the Fact That She is Addicted to Alcohol and Then Goes Over What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcohol Addiction Stages Are

After a few hours, Jennifer was removed from the ER and wheeled to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for just about three-and-a-half hours, Doctor Alpertin, a chemical dependency and substance abuse specialist, came to talk to her. He took his time and clearly explained that Jennifer had gone through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she quit drinking due to the fact that she had become an alcoholic.

He then mentioned the fact that with continuous and heavy drinking, the individual’s brain over time gets acclimated to the alcohol so that it can carry out tasks and operations in a "routine" way. When the drinker then all at once stops consuming alcohol, it can be noted, the brain takes action by giving rise to alcohol withdrawal symptoms. What is more, her healthcare professional also discussed the different alcoholism stages that an alcohol dependent person usually experiences as the disease gets progressively worse over time.

It is Determined that Jennifer is in the Earliest Stage of Alcohol Addiction and She Receives a Favorable Diagnosis For a Complete Recovery if She Gets the Alcohol Addiction Treatment She Needs

Fortunately for Jennifer, it was confirmed that she was in the earliest stage of alcohol dependency and, consequently, she got a good prognosis for a total recovery if she receives the alcoholism rehabilitation she requires.

Jennifer told the physician that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to regain her health. She also articulated that she has a first-rate hospitalization insurance policy that will almost certainly pay for most, if not all, of the costs needed for rehabilitation. It was clear to see that Jennifer was extremely grateful about her encouraging medical forecast and felt at peace knowing that she will be able to get the alcohol addiction rehabilitation she needs so that she can begin the path to recovery.