Alcoholism is a condition that is characterized by an abnormal craving for alcohol. Such individuals are also commonly known as alcoholics.Alcoholism is taken seriously all over the world. Because of their inability to control their drinking obsessions, the lives of alcoholics are negative affected. Job loss, relationship failure and a drop in the social status is just one some of the many side effects of alcoholism. There have been many suggestions as to what the cause of alcoholism might be. A study of the psychological ,genetic and social factors is considered by many to hold the key and answer to alcoholism. Rehabilitation is currently the most common method of curing alcoholism.

In medical circles alcoholism is not a word that is commonly used. Instead other phrases are used based on the perceived degree of alcohol use.For instance, alcohol dependence is used to identify people with very frequent use of alcohol whilst alcohol abuse and problem drinking are designated to people suffering from lighter disorders.

In many cases, the negative effects of Alcohol dependence is not sufficient enough to cause alcoholics to drop the habit. They are so used to alcohol that they are unable stop drinking. For such individuals the occasional periods of sobriety are associated with severe withdrawal symptoms like nausea, sweating, and anxiety. Their body's tolerance for alcohol also increases causing them to drink more.

More than 76 million people, found all over the globe are known to be suffering from alcohol dependence.

Studies in genetics have provided strong evidence that the genes of an individual contribute to the likelihood of him becoming dependent on alcohol. For instance, if a twin is shown to have a dependence on alcohol, then the chances are high that so also will the other twin. This is one of the underlying reasons behind the growing trend of treating alcoholism as a disease.

Aside from the social stigma found with heavy drinking, the condition also results in a number of negative health results. For instance, the heat muscle eventually gets damaged with persistent use of alcohol. The human liver also stands at risk from prolonged exposure to alcohol. When alcohol is drank by a pregnant woman, she exposes her child to the possibility of being born with fetal alcohol syndrome. Lastly, alcohol has been known to cause death when drunk in sufficient quantities.

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Alcohol Rehab
Symptoms of Alcoholism
Alcohol Detox

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.

Heather is a fifty-seven-year-old woman who is the top administrator in the human resources department at a large brass fabricating company. In order to help diminish the costs associated with increasing absenteeism, employee alcoholism and alcohol abuse, excessive sick days, poor employee work performance, and work related injuries, Heather and the other VIPs launched a number of programs that made the work environment significantly more productive, safe, and healthy.

For example, eleven years ago Heather and the other company leaders instituted an Employee’s Assistance Program so that all the workers had access to first-rate counseling for their personal problems that could negatively affect their personal well-being, health, and their work performance.

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

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

In addition, nearly five years ago Heather and the other members of top management invested in a distillation system that filters all the water that is available all through the building complex. In the same way, two-and-a-half years ago, Heather and the other VIPs started a “walking club” that caters to workers who want to learn how to boost their cardiovascular system.

The VIPs Initiate a Weight-Watchers Class and Employ a Weight-Loss Professional to Supervise the Program

As another illustration, about two years ago, Heather and the other members of upper management instituted a “Weight-Watchers” class that at present meets every weekday at 11 AM until noon. Moreover, the company leaders hired a weight-loss nurse to administer the program.

In the same way, two years ago Heather and the other company leaders launched a “Stop Smoking Club” for workers who want to learn how to stop or reduce their smoking.

In the last thirteen months, in combination with the Employee’s Assistance Program, Heather and the other company executives instituted an “Anger Management” class for employees who want to learn how to better control their temper.

Top Management Institutes An Alcohol and Drug Testing Program

In the last two months, Heather and the other company leaders launched a drug and alcohol testing program that is associated with their drug and alcohol abuse prevention program. In actual fact, Heather is the main individual in the company responsible for getting the message out to all the workers about the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program as well as the drug and alcohol testing program.

One of the key elements of the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcoholism and Depression” that meets every Friday after work. The basic idea with this class is informing workers that abusive drinking and depression commonly happen in the same person. It is hoped that comprehending this information will be able to help a person address both medical problems and get the alcohol counseling and mental health counseling he or she needs.

The Company Leaders Start an Alcohol Statistics and Facts Class

Another fairly recent addition to the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcohol Statistics and Facts.” The reasoning behind this alcohol statistics facts class is the reality that many individuals fail to comprehend the total impact of the effects of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency without first getting exposed to some of the alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse facts and statistics that are available. Consequently, one of the goals of this class is to provide a mixture of alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction statistics and facts to help employees gain a better comprehension of the host of issues that are correlated with irresponsible and abusive drinking and how they can prevent these problems from coming about.

Most recently, Heather and the other company executives, by way of feedback from workers, initiated a class that centers directly on severe drinking entitled “What is Alcoholism”? This class meets every Wednesday morning an hour-and-a-half before work and focuses chiefly on the differences between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction, on the stages of alcoholism, and on the kinds of treatment that are available for people who have alcohol drinking problems such as individuals who drink in a hazardous manner.

Although every one of these health and preventative maintenance programs was relatively expensive, the company leaders believe that they are many thousands of dollars ahead by providing all of their employees with safe, more productive, and healthy working conditions.

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

The basic issue, it needs to be pointed out, is that practically everything they do socially is associated with drinking. For instance, all of the sporting events, happy hours, family get-togethers, parties with friends, and dinner engagements they patronize somehow include drinking.

Sarah and Jerry Begin to Notice Some Clear-Cut Alcohol Related Difficulties That are Linked to Their Irresponsible Drinking

If they were sporadic drinkers, this wouldn’t be such a major issue. Given the fact that they drink quite excessively, nevertheless, they are beginning to notice some clearly identifiable alcohol-related difficulties in their lives.

For example, just three weeks ago Jerry was placed under arrest for a third DWI and has been leaving early from work because of alcohol-related health problems. Not only this, but Jerry’s last three performance reviews at work have been less than praiseworthy and he has started to fail to recall what he says or does when he drinks. As a final point, Jerry has been going through sleep-related problems and his family is starting to display some uneasiness about his drinking circumstances.

Similar to Jerry's situation, Sarah has been feeling down in the dumps about life and to deal with these feelings, she has been drinking more frequently than any time in the past ten months. Moreover, Sarah has been experiencing quite a few migraine headaches and experiencing painful hangovers from drinking. Lastly, Sarah has been feeling notably less energetic when she awakens in the morning, she has been getting to work late every Monday, and she has been receiving some unkind criticism from her family members, relatives, coworkers, and friends about her abusive drinking.

Watching the Television and Inadvertently Discovering A Fascinating Program About the Signs of Alcoholism

One Sunday evening while watching the television, Jerry and Sarah without any planning whatsoever discovered an attention-grabbing documentary about the signs of alcoholism.

This television documentary was a real realization to Jerry and Sarah because several of the alcoholism signs that were featured appeared as if they were unshakably associated with more than a few of the alcohol-related drinking problems Jerry and Sarah had been suffering through.

A Truthful Dialogue About Drinking Behavior Discloses Alcohol Related Legal, Relationship, Employment, Financial, and Health Problems

After watching the television documentary, Sarah and Jerry decided to have a forthright discussion about their drinking behavior. They both agreed that most, if not all, of their social pursuits included drinking, that they were drinking in a hazardous manner, and that as a married couple, they were starting to note alcohol related employment, relationship, financial, legal, and health problems for the first time in their lives.

With thoughts of the television documentary still imprinted in her mind, Sarah asked Jerry if some of the alcohol addiction signs they have been displaying could be a warning that they are alcohol dependent or possibly becoming alcohol dependent. Jerry didn’t know the answer to Sarah’s inquiry and so he suggested that they schedule an appointment with one of the doctors at the nearby substance abuse treatment facility to find out more about the severity of their drinking situation.

Tackling Your Drinking Difficulties Just Might Reduce Your Nervousness and Give You A Sense of Calm

Strangely enough, although their drinking circumstances hadn’t yet changed, it was clear that Jerry and Sarah were at least facing their drinking problems, they were ready to find out more about their drinking behavior, and they were interested in learning how they could significantly lessen or get rid of the alcohol-related problems that had started to go from bad to worse.

When Sarah and Jerry went to bed that night, they made up their minds that the next morning, Jerry would call and make an appointment for both of them at the alcohol treatment clinic located in the middle of town. After they promised one another that they would do whatever it takes to overcome the alcohol-related problems that had manifested themselves in their lives, they actually had the best night’s sleep they could bring to mind in the last three years.

Just before he fell asleep, Jerry turned to Sarah and noted how painless it is to lessen one’s trepidation and actually experience some peace of mind by attending to one’s problems straight on and choosing to do something productive about them.

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

The main difficulty, it needs to be highlighted, is that very nearly everything they do to have fun has something to do with drinking. For instance, all of the happy hours, sporting events, family get-togethers, parties with friends, and dinner engagements they spend time at include drinking.

Jerry and Sarah Begin to Notice Some Definite Alcohol Related Difficulties That are Without a Doubt Related to Their Hazardous Drinking

If they were sporadic drinkers, this wouldn’t be a big problem. Because they drink rather abusively, however, they are starting to become aware of some unmistakable alcohol-related issues in their lives.

As an illustration, just a few weeks ago Jerry was placed under arrest for his first DUI and has been calling off from work because of alcohol-related health issues. What is more, Jerry’s last three performance appraisals at work have been less than adequate and he has started to fail to recall what he does or says when he drinks. Lastly, Jerry has been going through sleep-related problems and his family is starting to exhibit some uneasiness about his drinking activities.

Sarah, on the other hand, has been feeling unhappy about life and to deal with this, she has been drinking more regularly than any time in the past year. Not only this, but Sarah has been experiencing a lot of headaches and going through painful hangovers because of her drinking. Lastly, Sarah has been feeling notably less energetic in the morning, she has been getting to work late at least every other day, and she has been getting some unsupportive criticism from her coworkers, relatives, family members, and friends about her irresponsible drinking.

Watching the Television and Flipping the Channels and Discovering An Interesting Documentary About the Signs of Alcohol Addiction

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

This television documentary was a real bombshell to Jerry and Sarah because several of the alcoholism signs that were listed seemed like they were directly correlated with some of the alcohol-related drinking problems Sarah and Jerry had been experiencing.

An Honest Conversation About Drinking Circumstances Unearths Alcohol Related Relationship, Financial, Legal, Health, and Employment Problems

After watching the television program, Jerry and Sarah arrived at a decision to have a truthful talk about their drinking condition. They both agreed that most, if not all, of their social pursuits included drinking, that they were drinking irresponsibly, and that as a married couple, they were starting to note alcohol related health, financial, legal, employment, and relationship problems for the first time in their lives.

With thoughts of the TV documentary still etched in her mind, Sarah asked Jerry if some of the alcohol dependency signs they have been exhibiting could be a signal that they are addicted to alcohol or possibly becoming alcoholic. Jerry didn’t know the answer to Sarah’s question and so he recommended that they schedule an appointment with one of the doctors at the nearby alcohol abuse rehab clinic to find out more about the gravity of their drinking circumstances.

Attending To Your Drinking Issues Just Might Lessen Your Fear and Give You A Sense of Calm

Paradoxically, even though their drinking behavior hadn’t yet changed, it was noticeable that Jerry and Sarah were at least dealing with their drinking difficulties, they were enthusiastic about finding out more about their drinking behavior, and they were interested in finding out how they could appreciably decrease or eliminate the alcohol-related problems that had begun to go from bad to worse.

When Sarah and Jerry went to bed that night, they came to a decision that the next afternoon, Jerry would call and schedule an appointment for both of them at the alcohol rehab center located just South of the State Capital. After they promised one another that they would do whatever it takes to rise above the alcohol-related problems that had become apparent in their lives, they actually had the most energizing night’s sleep they could bring to mind in the last seven months.

Just before she fell asleep, Sarah turned to Jerry and observed how painless it is to decrease one’s fear and actually experience a sense of calm by dealing with one’s problems with personal integrity and making up one's mind to do something positive about them.