Enabling, Alcohol Relapse, and Alcohol Addiction

It is fascinating to articulate something that family members who have been unfavorably affected by the alcoholism of another family member clearly do not understand. It seems to be that by protecting the alcohol addicted person with untruths and deceit to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have in effect created a circumstance that makes it easier for the alcohol addicted person to persevere and move forward with his or her negative, detrimental way of living.

To be sure, instead of helping the alcohol addicted individual and themselves, these family members have basically become enablers who have involuntarily helped worsen the alcohol dependent individual’s drinking problem even more.

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

Relapses Can and Do Happen

According to the research findings and statistics on alcohol addiction, another key alcoholism issue concerns alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol addicted individual has fruitfully gone through alcoholism therapy and then resorts to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first glance, this predicament seems contradictory to sound thinking and looks so implausible that it forces a person to wonder why anyone who has gone through the awfulness of alcoholism can return to drinking a short while after successful alcohol rehab and in turn after achieving recovery. There are, of course, many credible reasons for this.

It should be highlighted, nevertheless that alcohol addiction research that has centered on the enduring outcomes of alcohol addiction has shown that long after the alcohol addicted person has discontinued his or her drinking, major transformations in the way in which the alcohol dependent person’s brain works are still present. As a result, all a recovering alcohol dependent person has to do to involve himself or herself in behaviors that correspond with the transformations that have occurred in the brain is to start drinking once again.

The Need for A Drastic Lifestyle Modification

There are other reasons why quite a few recovering alcohol addicted individuals return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after attaining sobriety. According to the alcohol addiction research literature, to make an effective recovery, the alcohol dependent person needs new ways of reacting and thinking in order to deal more successfully with difficult alcohol-related situations that will take place.

Conditions such as returning to the same alcohol addictive environment or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the days when the alcohol dependent individual was drinking excessively; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these conditions can elicit memories that can trigger psychological stress or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol addicted individual to engage in excessive drinking once again. Sadly, all of these circumstances may not only work against lasting sobriety for the alcohol addicted person but they can also result in relapse and as a result work against one’s sobriety.

The Good News:  There’s Light at the End of the Tunnel

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

The drug abuse research literature highlights the fact that most individuals who effectively complete alcohol therapy experience at least one relapse. Alcoholics and their family members need to know this so that they do not get depressed or stressed out when a relapse takes place.

Happily, involvement in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up rehab and education have resulted in more productive, lasting alcohol abuse and alcoholism treatment results, have helped diminish alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol addicted persons reach long standing alcohol recovery.

What I Learned About Drug Addiction and Alcohol Dependency in High School

When I was a sophomore in high school, I registered for a substance abuse class. At that age, I did not grasp the fact that alcohol abuse actually was a sub division of drug abuse. While taking this class and learning more about drug and alcohol abuse and particularly about alcohol side effects, I read a lot about Alcoholic Anonymous, their meetings, how their programs have twelve steps, and how successful the Alcoholics Anonymous recovery program has been for individuals throughout the world. I also learned a lot about alcohol rehab and the various alcohol rehab clinics that are usually available to alcohol abusers.

Injurious Outcomes That are Correlated With Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse

Some of the detrimental results associated with alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class certainly alarmed me. The ruined lives and countless serious issues experienced by most alcohol addicted people made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. Stated briefly, I did not want to face the damage and ruination that alcohol dependent individuals almost always experience.

Reflect on this for a moment. What fifteen-year-old individual wants to face premature death due to his or her drinking behavior? What adolescent wants to become so out-of-control regarding his or her drinking that drinking alcohol becomes the object of one’s life? What teen wants to go to one of the local alcoholic rehabilitation centers to deal with alcohol-related problems before he or she becomes twenty-one?

What young person wants to go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when he or she tries to stop drinking? Why would a person engage in drinking to such an extent that it would cause difficulties in every area of his or her life? Drinking later in life after an individual has a career, a family, and develops personal responsibilities makes sense. But why would an adolescent want to sacrifice his or her education, employment, finances, and relationships for a life that focuses on hazardous drinking?

These issues were so important that I discussed some of them in class throughout the school year. What was entirely astonishing to me was the number of students who openly didn’t care about the injurious results of hazardous drinking that I discussed. It was almost as if they couldn’t be bothered with reality and how these outcomes can demolish their lives. For the first time in my life I started to grasp a saying that my grandfather used to articulate all through my teen and pre-teen years: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.

It’s Beneficial, Important, and Energizing to Keep Yourself From the Unhealthy and Destructive Results of Drug and Alcohol Abuse

And even at my young age, I also started to understand how important, liberating, and beneficial it is in life to keep away from the unhealthy and destructive end results of alcohol and drug abuse.

An Impulsive High School Student Displays Numerous Alcohol-Related Difficulties, Gets Expelled From School, and Has to See the School Therapist

Dante was a sixteen year old high school junior who was displaying more than a few alcohol-related problems 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 explain his school situation to his parents. His Mother and Father were “relatively traditional” and told Dante that getting thrown out of school was not a satisfactory educational game plan. They explained to Dante that failing to graduate from high school would likely be like a lead weight around his feet that could probably hurt his educational achievement for the rest of his life. What is more, Dante’s parents were extremely upset that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his peers in the second.

His Mom and Dad informed Dante that although he may be an adolescent, he has to realize rather quickly that drinking is the pathway to pain, ill health, failure, and financial problems.

It was obvious that his Mother and Father were completely in agreement with Dante’s principal and informed Dante that he had better come to the realization that he needs to see Miss Johnson, the school psychologist. After his conversation with his Mom and Dad, Dante in due course agreed to see Miss Johnson the next day. So Dante phoned the school and made an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next day during lunch.

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 got to his scheduled appointment with Miss Johnson, she promptly analyzed all of the alcohol-related problems Dante had experienced and asked him if he understood why his recent alcohol-related behavior caused quite a bit of apprehension by the school administrators.

Quite truthfully, Dante was unsure why the principal told him he had to see a school therapist. As he stated to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional psychologist about his drinking circumstances? In view of the fact that virtually all of his friends drink the same amount that he does, primarily, drinking shouldn’t be such a big thing. Stated another way, if just about everybody is drinking, why is this such a big thing?

Miss Johnson asked Dante when he started to drink. He said that some of his older buddies introduced him to drinking hard liquor when he was twelve or thirteen years old and in the seventh grade.

Miss Johnson explained to Dante that while his classmates may in fact drink as much as he does and that they may be a negative influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting suspended from school due to alcohol-related absenteeism, fighting, and delinquency, not his peers. Moreover, Miss Johnson also underscored the fact that Dante, and not his buddies, is the one who is failing and who is missing almost two days of school every week due to his alcohol related issues. Finally, Miss Johnson emphasized the fact that because of his drinking situation, Dante is getting into a destructive cycle of hazardous drinking that can in due course wreck his dreams, hopes, and aspirations.

In short, Dante’s involvement with youth alcohol abuse was beginning to thwart his ability to behave like an accountable young man. As conveyed by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your friends drink hard liquor, wine coolers, beer, or wine does not mean that it is the right thing to do for you.”

Dante Learns That In Due Course He Must Take Responsibility For Himself In Order to Steer Clear of Dangerous, Damaging, Destructive, and Unhealthy Circumstances Down the Road

Miss Johnson informed Dante that one’s peers can undeniably influence a person in an unhealthy manner, but that the individual himself or herself has to in the end claim responsibility for herself or himself in order to stay away from dangerous, destructive, unhealthy, and damaging consequences in the future.

Luckily, Miss Johnson was well prepared for her discussion with Dante. She showed him research studies and reports she had underlined that summarized diverse drinking statistics and facts that targeted most people in general. Then she showed Dante a lot of information that applied principally to adolescents.

As an illustration, Miss Johnson underscored the difference between alcoholism and alcohol abuse and told Dante that drinkers who continue to drink abusively habitually become alcohol dependent.

Miss Johnson also went over 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 Therapist States More Than a Few Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency Facts and Statistics

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

1. Alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse cost the U.S. an estimated 0 billion in 2005. This dollar amount was more than the cost related to obesity (3 billion) or with cancer (6 billion).

2. More than one-half of American adults have a close relative or family member that has or has had alcoholism.

3. More than seventy-five percent of female victims of nonfatal, domestic violence reported that their assailant had been drinking or using drugs.

4. In the United States on a yearly basis, more than 33% of pedestrians killed by autos were legally drunk.

5. One national survey uncovered the fact that students are less likely to use alcohol if they are socially accepted by individuals at school and feel that teachers treat students in a fair manner.

6. Research reveals that adolescents who use alcohol may remember 10 percent less of what they have learned than youth who don’t drink.

7. Approximately ten to twenty percent of the individuals who drink abusively in time develop cirrhosis of the liver (i.e., a scarring of the liver that can be fatal).

8. Up to forty percent of the U.S. industrial deaths and forty-seven percent of industrial injuries are linked to alcohol dependency or alcohol abuse.

Dante Receives A Meaningful Wake Up Call About the Short Term and the Long Term Consequences of Underage Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction

After Miss Johnson conveyed the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency statistics and facts, it was clear that what Miss Johnson taught Dante was a real bombshell to him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only took the time to give an explanation of the long term and the short term outcomes of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency, but she also took the time to confirm what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcoholism facts and statistics that related to people in general, and mainly to adolescents.

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

Miss Johnson then asked Dante how he felt about getting a physical exam and an alcohol appraisal for the alcohol abuse or alcoholism treatment he would probably need.

Dante thought about this for a minute and then agreed to get a comprehensive physical and to go through a comprehensive appraisal of his drinking condition so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction treatment program without pause.

A Young Man Makes an Appointment to See His Family Physician About His Alcohol Problems and His Depression

Denny is an eighteen-year-old adolescent who has decided to go and see his family physician about his excessive and abusive drinking. At first, Denny thought he would be able to basically go online, look for some basic alcohol info and come to a decision whether or not he was an alcoholic.

Not unexpectedly, he found scores of websites that spelled out some of the well-known alcoholism symptoms. That’s the encouraging news. The less than encouraging news, sadly, was that Denny showed signs of many of these alcoholism symptoms.

Alcoholism Symptoms: Some Examples

For example, Denny has been drinking substantially more than normal and he has begun to have more angry disagreements with the young lady he is dating. Additionally, for the first time in his young life he has been going through sleeping problems. In a similar manner, Denny over and over again has felt depressed and on an increasing basis he has been exhibiting limited attention to detail at school. Additionally, he has felt stressed out and more uptight on a day-to-day basis and for the past three or four months he has manifested hazy thinking at school. Due to the fact that Denny has been manifesting all of these symptoms, he was understandably uncomfortable about his abusive and hazardous drinking.

So Denny finally decided to make a phone call to his healthcare professional and ask for an appointment. In point of fact, this was tough for Denny because his family doctor was also his parents’ healthcare professional. The origin of his worry was this: at the risk of embarrassing his family, he had to go and disclose his excessive and unhealthy drinking behavior to his physician.

When Denny arrived at the doctor’s office, he frankly told the healthcare professional about the trepidation he has about his irresponsible drinking behavior. When the family physician asked what was stimulating this consternation, Denny confirmed that he had gone on the world wide web and read about alcohol dependency and especially about alcoholism symptoms. He then listed all of the alcoholism symptoms that he plainly thought he has.

An In Depth Physical Examination and Outpatient Alcohol Rehabilitation

The family physician told Denny that it was wise of him to focus on his drinking difficulties, he gave Denny an exhaustive physical exam, and recommended that he talk to his Mother and Father about entering into an out-patient alcohol treatment program that was supervised by Doctor Danko, one of his doctor acquaintances who is a substance abuse and chemical dependency specialist.

Furthermore, when Denny mentioned that he has been feeling depressed to a greater extent, the family healthcare practitioner notified Denny that depression and alcoholism on a fairly routine basis take place in the same person. Consequently, the family physician also recommended that Denny talk to his parents about getting counseling to concentrate on his sense of gloom. In fact, Denny can go to the local mental health clinic and make an appointment with Doctor Abrams, a celebrated clinical psychologist who specializes in treating youth.

The Advantage of Dealing With Your Drinking Difficulties and Getting Encouraged About Making Positive and Healthy Changes in Your Life

The family doctor made it a point to inform Denny that he might not necessarily be dependent on alcohol, but that he was evidently drinking in an abusive manner. Stated more explicitly, Denny was involving himself in teen alcohol abuse. The physician then informed Denny that the reason he recommended alcohol treatment in the first place was because he wanted him to sort out his drinking problems, make sure that he prevented them from deteriorating, and start to live in a more healthy manner, even if it meant that he had to thoroughly abstain from drinking.

When all’s said and done, by effectively treating his problem drinking, Denny would be able to get his problem drinking under control and refrain from the negative cycle of events that could potentially result in alcohol addiction.

Denny undeniably did not look forward to facing his Mother and Father about his depression and his hazardous drinking. And he definitely did not want to face the thought of getting registered into an alcohol rehab center. And lastly, he was not ecstatic about going to a clinical psychologist about his sense of despair. In spite of these trepidations, nonetheless, Denny in fact felt some emotional relief for the first time in many months because in the end he stopped making excuses for himself and finally made up his mind to do something productive about his excessive and careless drinking.

A High School Student Experiences An Alcohol Overdose

Jeffrey was a high school ninth grader who usually seemed to be living on the edge. Jeffrey had a daring personality and as a rule wanted to do what his older brothers were doing. The essential problem with this was that all three of his brothers were at least 21 years old and were as a result able from a legal point of view to operate a truck or car and to drink alcohol.

Jeffrey, however, had a tough time comprehending that as a fifteen-year-old teenager he should not be drinking. In fact, conversely, Jeffrey frequently drank with his buddies after school, especially on the weekends.

One weekend, Jeffrey decided to drive around with some of his older buddies. One of his friends was old enough to buy alcohol. After purchasing some beer, wine coolers, and wine, Jeffrey and all of his cronies went to a park and drank for roughly two or three hours.

A Young Man Becomes Unconscious

After drinking more or less ten bottles of beer, Jeffrey started to feel nauseous and then vomited. When he became unconscious on the tennis court, one of his guy friends called 911 for immediate medical assistance. It was fortunate that the call for emergency assistance was made because when his buddies went to the hospital to see Jeffrey, they found out that Jeffrey had been manifesting alcohol poisoning symptoms. More to the point, Jeffrey had experienced an alcohol overdose.

When Your Pals Drink Abusively

Jeffrey had heard that drinking heavily can result in an alcohol overdose but he never thought that this would happen to him. After all, some of his guy friends recurrently declared that they could drink two or three six packs of beer at one sitting without feeling any major difficulties.

Based on this, Jeffrey was truthfully amazed to ascertain that he had overdosed on alcohol because he “only” had around ten drinks. When he told this to the attending doctor at the hospital, conversely, the physicain informed Jeffrey that drinking ten wine coolers over a two or three hour period of time could surely be substantially more alcohol than can be processed by the body. The healthcare practitioner further emphasized how significant amounts of alcohol can cause the brain to shut down an individual’s breathing and that when this takes place, a person can die.

The First Symptom of Hazardous Drinking

This was the first warning to Jeffrey that he was drinking in a risky manner and that there are consequences for such actions. The healthcare professional told Jeffrey that he was a fortunate young man because he almost lost his life from an alcohol overdose the previous night.

The doctor also had a word with Jeffrey’s parents and suggested that they get alcohol treatment for Jeffrey. His parents were pleased that Jeffrey was out of harm’s way and informed the doctor that they would follow through on getting Jeffrey alcohol rehab.

While talking to his parents, Jeffrey informed them that there must be a solid reason why he did not expire and that he felt thankful that he was still alive. He also told his parents that the peculiar part about the entire drinking episode was that he had learned about alcohol poisoning the last six week grading period at school in health class.

When Learning Something in Class Can Affect Your Life

At the time, what his health instructor, Mr. Franklin, was teaching didn’t seem to make too much sense to Jeffrey. Since he almost passed away, however, he felt that he should have listened more conscientiously in health class and applied what he had learned to his life.

Jeffrey notified his parents that he couldn’t wait to go to school and apologize to Mr. Franklin for not paying closer attention to something that was as relevant as learning about alcohol abuse and how to stay away from an alcohol overdose.

His parents smiled at Jeffrey and said that they were proud of the way he was being accountable for his unhealthy actions. All he had to do now was to let this near fatal experience impact his life in a productive manner so that he would never again suffer through an alcohol overdose.

Talking to Your Physician About Your Alcoholism Symptoms and Your Depression

Denny is a nineteen-year-old youth who has eventually decided that he needs to go and see his healthcare professional about his careless and excessive drinking. At first, Denny thought he would be able to merely go on the world wide web, look for some fundamental alcohol info and make up his mind whether or not he was addicted to alcohol.

Not unexpectedly, he discovered numerous websites that listed some of the typical alcoholism symptoms. That’s the good news. The less positive news, sorry to say, was that Denny presented a number of these alcoholism symptoms.

Alcoholism Symptoms: Some Illustrations

As a case in point, Denny has been drinking quite a bit more than customary and he has started to have more passionate spats with the female he is dating. Moreover, for the first time in his young life he has been encountering sleeping difficulties. In a similar manner, Denny regularly has felt depressed and on a growing basis he has been manifesting limited attentiveness while at school. In addition, he has felt highly stressed and more anxious on a day-to-day basis and for the past seven or eight months he has manifested unclear thinking in the classroom. Seeing as Denny has been manifesting all of these symptoms, he was justifiably apprehensive about his hazardous and abusive drinking.

So Denny decided to place a phone call to his family physician and make an appointment. As it happens, this was hard for Denny because his family healthcare practitioner was also his parents’ family physician. The basis for his anxiety was this: at the risk of embarrassing his family, he had to go and expose his abusive and careless drinking behavior to his family doctor.

When Denny arrived at the physician’s office, he frankly notified the family physician about the fear he has about his irresponsible drinking behavior. When the family doctor asked what was prompting this worry, Denny declared that he had gone online and read about alcohol dependency and especially about alcohol addiction symptoms. He then listed all of the alcoholism symptoms that he evidently thought he has.

An Inclusive Physical Appraisal and Outpatient Alcohol Rehab

The doctor informed Denny that it was smart of him to attend to his problem drinking, he gave Denny a thorough physical exam, and recommended that he talk to his parents about signing into an out-patient alcohol rehab facility that was supervised by Doctor Devor, one of his doctor accomplices who is a drug and alcohol abuse specialist.

In addition, when Denny said that he has been feeling depressed more often, the doctor informed Denny that depression and alcoholism frequently come about in the same person. Consequently, the family doctor also suggested that Denny talk to his Mom and Dad about obtaining therapy to concentrate on his depression. In fact, Denny can go to the local mental health facility and make an appointment with Doctor Vedda, a well known clinical psychologist who specializes in treating teenagers.

The Importance of Addressing Your Drinking Difficulties and Getting Encouraged About Making Positive and Healthy Changes in Your Life

The healthcare practitioner made it a point to tell Denny that he might not inevitably be alcohol dependent, but that he was without a doubt drinking in an excessive manner. That is to say, Denny was engaging in teen alcohol abuse. The family doctor then told Denny that the reason he recommended alcohol rehab in the first place was because he wanted him to face up to his drinking issues, make sure that he prevented them from worsening, and start to live in a more healthy manner, even if it meant that he had to completely stop drinking.

Everything considered, by productively treating his problem drinking, Denny would be able to get his drinking issues under control and abstain from the negative sequence of events that could possibly result in alcohol dependency.

Denny justifiably did not look forward to facing his parents about his depression and his excessive drinking. And he surely did not want to face the thought of getting admitted into an alcohol treatment program. And as a final point, he was not euphoric about going to a counselor about his sense of despair. In the face of these trepidations, then again, Denny in fact felt some emotional relief for the first time in quite a few months because he finally gave up making excuses for himself and finally determined that he needed to do something positive about his careless drinking.

A Wednesday Evening Out With School Pals at a Local College Bar and Grill Results In Hazardous and Irresponsible Drinking and Alcohol Poisoning

When Janice was in high school, she had secured a reputation as a person who studied much of the time and who rarely, if ever, ”got down” and drank with her friends. She seemed single-minded about doing well academically so that she would be able to pursue a career that she not only got pleasure from but one that also gave her some financial stability.

After much contemplation, ultimately she made up her mind that she wanted to be a lawyer. In order to bring this about, however, she would first have to complete four years of undergraduate education.

After Finishing High School Janice Gets Accepted Into A Prominent Undergrad University as a Foundation For a Career as a Trial Lawyer

After Janice graduated from high school, she applied to and was accepted into a renowned program in linguistics. Her rationale for this decision was that this subject matter would be a good springboard for law school and wouldn’t be similar to the preponderance of law school applicants who choose political science as their undergraduate major or minor.

After graduating with a 3.95 GPA at the undergrad level, she applied to and was accepted at an esteemed law school at one of the Ivy League universities.

She was enthusiastic about her legal studies but on occasion she was swamped with all the work that was necessary at law school. Reminiscent of the way in which she conducted herself in her high school and undergraduate days, nevertheless, she made buddies quite easily but hardly ever participated in social activities until the school period had ended.

After Thrilled with the Fact That She Had Done a Super Job on Her Tests, Janice Wanted to Take a Break and do Some Celebrating

Janice was the kind of individual who worked vigorously to reach her objective and then would take some time off when she could. As is the case, however, nearly all of the things she did between terms or during summer breaks did not have much to do with drinking. It almost goes without saying that Janice was anything but a party-person. Now that her finals for her second year in law school were finished and feeling overjoyed that she had done very well on her exams, however, she felt like celebrating.

Drinking at a Local Bar Results in Alcohol Poisoning, Calling 911, and An Ambulance Ride to A Drug and Alcohol Rehab Hospital

So Janice and a number of her pals went to a local pub where they had a few glasses of wine. As the hours passed, Janice persisted in drinking without having any concerns about examinations the following day. In fact, Janice revealed to her buddies how enjoyable it was to whoop it up and drink with her pals from school.

As the evening went by, Janice and her friends continued to drink. As a matter of fact, she was having such a marvelous time that she didn’t want the night to come to an end. It was almost as if she was making up for lost time and attempting to condense a year’s worth of laughter and fun into a single evening. Such a “game plan,” in most instances, does not work. In fact, when Janice went to the powder room and vomited, her classmates started to feel uneasy about her safety.

About ten minutes later when Janice started to speak in a confused manner, slur her words, and then pass out, nevertheless, her buddies without delay realized that they needed to call 911, the emergency services number, and ask for medical assistance because they suspected that Janice was exhibiting alcohol poisoning symptoms.

Once Janice was in the hospital, the lead emergency room doctor confirmed what her classmates had hypothesized, namely, that Janice consumed significantly more alcohol than her body could metabolize and, as a consequence, she experienced an alcohol overdose.

After the medical team pumped her stomach until no gastric contents were discernible, Janice was placed in the recovery room. After staying almost four hours in recovery, Janice was then transported to one of the regular hospital rooms. Fortunately, the most perilous part of her hospitalization was over and all of her vital signs were once again in the normal range.

In response to Janice’s medical situation, her buddies thoughtfully phoned her Mother and Father. As a consequence, early the next day, her parents and her best buddies went to the hospital to visit Janice and check on her medical progress.

Janice Dodges a Bullet, is Gratified to be Alive, and Promises to Never Again Drink in an Abusive and Hazardous Manner

Janice was attentive to the fact that she had narrowly escaped death and, as a result, was grateful to be alive. Her Mother and Father realized how relentlessly she studied in graduate school and how little she let herself experience a social life. Nonetheless, they also realized that Janice needed to stay away from excessive drinking.

As a result, they suggested that in the future, whenever a drinking occasion unfolds, that she always drink responsibly and in moderation. Janice agreed and gave her word to her friends and to her Mom and Dad that she would never again drink in an irresponsible and hazardous manner. As stated by Janice, “I never had a clue that I would become one of the alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics in the local college newspaper. I now grasp the fact that irresponsible and hazardous drinking is not for me. I swear that this will never happen again.”

Fortunately, Janice was not only “book smart” but she also had a lot of common sense. In other words, she quickly knew that she had made an error in judgment and decided that she would never make the same mistake again. In truth, she now understood that she had involved herself in “binge drinking” and that even one instance of this form of alcohol abuse can end in a fatality.

The Key Elements in A Productive Alcoholism Intervention

What are the basic elements in a fruitful alcohol intervention? Why do some alcoholism interventions succeed as expected while others bomb?

The Necessity for a Recognized Reputation of Intervention Achievement

Scientific investigation shows that a successful alcohol dependency intervention needs to be directed by an intervention specialist who has a proven history of intervention attainment.

In effect this means that instead of selecting a “normal” addiction healthcare professional or psychologist for an alcohol addiction intervention, the person who is chosen to direct the intervention needs to be trained in addiction intervention procedures and needs to possess a record of fruitful alcohol interventions.

A Few Fundamental Examples of The Best Time For an Alcohol Abuse Intervention

Scientific examination and alcoholism facts about interventions has also demonstrated that the most favorable time for an alcoholism intervention is following a meaningful incident in the life of the alcohol dependent individual or alcohol abuser. The following represents a few illustrations of these types of noteworthy occasions:

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

In situations like these, the alcohol dependent individual or abusive drinker is more likely to feel contrite or to feel ashamed, thusly making him or her more amenable to getting the professional alcohol therapy that he or she requires.

At this point in time, moreover, it is also essential to call attention to the fact that the abusive drinker or alcohol-dependent person needs to be free of alcohol during the alcoholism intervention. Briefly, if the abusive drinker or alcohol addicted person is drunk during an alcohol addiction intervention, failure is in effect certain.

Furthermore, scientific investigation has also revealed the fact that the alcohol abuser or alcoholic has to at least try to listen to what is communicated in an alcohol abuse intervention. Stated more explicitly, during an alcoholism intervention, the hazardous drinker or alcohol-dependent person needs to listen to what his or her drinking problems have done to those who care for him or her the most.

The Critical Nature of Alcohol Rehab For the Problem Drinker

And finally, scientific study reveals that the key reason for an alcohol abuse intervention in the first place is to influence the alcohol abuser or alcohol-dependent person to get the professional alcoholism counseling that is required. Stated differently, even if the individual who directs the intervention has a wonderful track record of productive interventions and even if the hazardous drinker or alcohol-dependent person in all honesty listens to every word that is said during an intervention, if the abusive drinker or alcohol-dependent person is not encouraged to obtain professional alcohol addiction rehabilitation after the alcoholism intervention, then the intervention will be a flop.

Apparently all of these factors are needed for an effective alcohol addiction intervention. If, alternatively, the hazardous drinker or alcohol dependent individual is not inspired to get alcoholism treatment after listening to his or her family members communicate the grief, irritation, and dissatisfaction they feel about the hazardous drinker’s or alcohol dependent person’s hazardous drinking behavior and the care they feel for the problem drinker, then every other aspect of the alcohol addiction intervention will more or less be insignificant.

Even Successful Alcohol Abuse Interventions Can Backfire Down the Road

It also needs to be highlighted that in spite of the fact that the alcohol dependency intervention can be perceived as successful in that it helped put the abusive drinker or alcohol dependent individual in a more “open” framework and honestly helped the alcohol-dependent person or alcohol abuser decide that he or she needed alcohol rehab or quality help for alcoholism or alcohol abuse, the plain reality that the intervention occurred may lead to resentment, irritation, and uncertainty in the future.

When all’s said and done, even when alcohol addiction interventions are seen as fruitful in the short run, in the long term, then again, they may boomerang and, as a consequence, might make the family and/or the alcohol dependent person’s situation even worse 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 essentially one of the key alcohol facts that has to be tackled when doing an alcohol intervention.

When Irresponsible and Abusive Drinking Leads to Serious Health Problems

For more than a few years alcohol addiction research has demonstrated the fact that there is strong linkage between alcohol dependency and dangerous health conditions.

For instance, in 2005, medical exploration and alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics showed that alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction cost the United States an estimated $220 billion annually. It can be emphasized that this massive alcohol-related cash disbursement was significantly more than the cost linked with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion). While it is important to emphasize these facts, it is also important to highlight the fact that an interrelationship exists between all three of these health conditions.

More correctly, chronic alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction are also highly correlated with obesity and with cancer.

To be sure, substance abuse examination has shown that alcohol addiction can amplify the risk for various forms of cancer, especially cancer of the voice box (larynx), esophagus, liver, rectum, colon, kidneys, and throat. Hazardous and repetitive drinking can also result in immune system issues and damage to the fetus during pregnancy.

Abusive Drinking Weakens the Problem Drinker’s Systems and Organs

Additionally, if alcoholism continues over a period of years, the individual’s body organs will probably be affected in an unsafe manner. As an illustration, long-term, abusive drinking is especially harmful to the liver due to the fact that the liver does most of the work of processing the alcohol that has been ingested. Excessive amounts of alcohol kills liver cells and eradicates the ability of liver cells to reproduce. This medical condition results in a progressive inflammatory disease of the liver that can at the end of the day lead to cirrhosis of the liver, a serious and possibly lethal medical problem.Heavy, long-term drinking not only can result in serious liver damage, but it can also lead to damage to the heart and to the brain. Physical damage this critical may be irreparable and may, in turn, result in severe illness or premature death.

The Significance of Alcohol Rehabilitation

It is critical, as a result, to know how to identify the various alcoholism symptoms and the “alcohol signs” so that the alcohol dependent person can be given the opportunity to get the professional alcohol counseling he or she requires.

Alcohol Addiction and Sophisticated Brain Research

Fortunately, medical investigation is persistently generating original and important information. Recent alcoholism research provides a good illustration. Stated differently, for roughly the last ten years, sophisticated brain-imaging scanning devices have verified that repetitive and recurring irresponsible drinking transforms the functionality of the brain to a great extent, as a consequence resulting in brain disease that can last months, years, or perchance as long as the individual lives.

More exactly, medical exploration has revealed that people who have been drinking in an irresponsible manner for a substantial length of time increase their risk for developing permanent and severe adaptations in the brain.

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

Hazardous Drinking, Malnutrition, and Mental Disorders

As a final illustration of different medical conditions that are largely correlated to alcohol addiction, consider that according to scientific research, the abusive and repeated abuse of alcohol can lead to erosive gastritis, a medical problem that decreases the absorption of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

This type of organ breakdown is linked to malnutrition and to an assortment of acute mental and neurological syndromes including sleep disturbances, memory loss, and psychosis such as Wernicke’s Encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome. This latter medical condition is a long lasting incapacitating medical condition that is characterized by repetitive learning and memory difficulties.

Summary

It is apparent that repetitive, excessive drinking is directly or indirectly associated with a variety of severe medical problems that can and do result in serious ailments and premature death. Such information needs to be emphasized and presented to everyone in our society so that a massive amount of people will be able to refrain from hazardous drinking while other individuals who have a drinking problem will get the professional therapy they require.

When Alcohol Poisoning Serves as a Wakeup Call for an Adolescent

Jeffrey was a high school freshman who regularly seemed to be living on the edge. Jeffrey had an adventurous personality and usually wanted to do what his older brothers were doing for fun. The main glitch with this was that all three of his brothers were at least 21 years old and were as a consequence able from a legal framework to drive a car and to ingest alcohol.

Jeffrey, on the other hand, had a rough time realizing the fact that as a fifteen-year-old person he should not be drinking. In fact, conversely, Jeffrey commonly drank with his buddies after school, predominantly on the weekends.

One weekend, Jeffrey decided to drive around with some of his older buddies. One of his guy friends was old enough to purchase alcohol. After purchasing some wine, beer, and wine coolers, Jeffrey and all of the guys went to a park and drank for about three hours.

A Young Man Experiences Alcohol Poisoning Symptoms

After drinking something like ten glasses of wine, Jeffrey started to feel woozy and then vomited. When he passed out on the soccer field, one of his guy friends called 911 for assistance. It was fortunate that the call for medical help was made because when his friends went to the hospital to see Jeffrey, they discovered that Jeffrey had been going through alcohol poisoning symptoms. Simply put, Jeffrey had experienced an alcohol overdose.

When Your Pals Drink Excessively

Jeffrey had learned that drinking a great deal can result in an alcohol overdose but he never thought that this would ever affect him. After all, some of his cronies often claimed that they could drink twenty or more bottles of beer in one day without feeling any significant setbacks.

Armed with this information, Jeffrey was frankly startled to hear that he had overdosed on alcohol because he “only” had about ten drinks. When he stated this to the attending healthcare professional at the hospital, in spite of this, the doctor told Jeffrey that drinking ten bottles of beer over a two or three hour time frame could certainly be significantly more alcohol than can be processed by the body. The healthcare professional further emphasized how too much alcohol can cause the brain to shut down a person’s respiratory system and that when this happens, a person can perish.

The First Symptom of Hazardous Drinking

This was the first signal to Jeffrey that he was drinking in a dangerous manner and that there are ramifications for such deeds. The healthcare professional told Jeffrey that he was a fortunate individual because he almost died from an alcohol overdose the night before.

The healthcare professional also had a word with Jeffrey’s parents and suggested that they get alcohol treatment for Jeffrey. His parents were pleased that Jeffrey was all right and told the healthcare practitioner that they would get Jeffrey alcohol rehabilitation.

While conversing with his parents, Jeffrey told them that there must be a good reason why he did not perish and that he felt a sense of thankfulness that he was still alive. He also informed his parents that the peculiar part about the entire drinking situation was that he had learned about alcohol poisoning the previous week at school in health class.

When Learning Something in Class Can Affect Your Life

At the time, what his health teacher, Mr. Franklin, was teaching didn’t seem to make too much sense to Jeffrey. Now that he almost passed away, in spite of this, he felt that he should have listened more thoroughly in class and applied what he had learned to his life.

Jeffrey told his parents that he couldn’t wait to go back to the classroom and express regret to Mr. Franklin for not paying closer attention to a topic that was as noteworthy as learning about alcohol abuse and how to avoid an alcohol overdose.

His parents smiled at Jeffrey and said that they were elated with the way he was taking responsibility for his destructive drinking behavior. All he had to do now was to let this almost deadly experience impact his life in a positive manner so that he would never again suffer from a case of alcohol poisoning.

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