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Miss Benning was a health teacher at the most financially challenged parochial high school in the region. Even though she had been teaching for only five years, she had already obtained a reputation as an instructor with instructional approaches that stimulated and inspired the students in her class to learn and to think.

For instance, one Thursday morning at 8:30 she addressed her pupils and stated the following: “For the next three or four days we are going to learn about some basic alcoholism facts from a more wind-ranging perspective and we are also going to learn about several of the most common signs of alcoholism from a less general and more specific viewpoint.”

“Not all of these alcoholism signs will definitely demonstrate that someone with a drinking problem is an alcohol dependent individual, but the more signs that an individual manifests, the higher the probability that he or she is an alcoholic.”

Miss Benning then told the class members that each student would be responsible for examining two alcohol addiction signs and then presenting his or her results to the other members in the class via a fifteen minute oral presentation.

The Pupils are Wound Up About Giving A Relatively Long Presentation to Their Fellow Students About Alcohol Addiction Signs

After learning about the different alcohol addiction signs for a number of days, the time had arrived for the oral presentations. It was at once noticeable that the students in her class were energized about the topic because the information that they presented was first-rate. To say that Miss Benning was pleasantly surprised with the fervor manifested by the students in her classroom concerning this subject could not be overstated.

The day after all of the pupils completed their presentations, Miss Benning passed out a piece of paper with a list of all the alcohol dependency signs that were presented and discussed in the presentations and in class. Miss Benning then asked the pupils in her classroom to go over the list and rank the top seven alcoholism signs that were most indicative of alcohol addiction. After around fifteen minutes, Miss Benning collected the sheets of paper and explained to the pupils in her class that after she evaluates the results, she will reveal her findings the next school day.

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

The Pupils Contrast Their Results With the Assessments From A Council of Alcoholism Experts

When the next school day came, Miss Benning passed out a sheet of paper that listed the top four alcohol dependency signs as per the students’ rankings. Next to these results, she added another column that was labeled “correct response.” She then explained to the students in her classroom that the numbers in the extra column she added represented the answers that were stated by a team of substance abuse specialists.

Miss Benning told her students to go over the information on the piece of paper she handed out and then to raise their hand if they had any questions, concerns, or issues. Within a minute or two, virtually everyone in the class raised her or his hand. It was obvious that the students had some concerns, issues, or questions about their results versus the answers given by the authorities. As an illustration, just about every individual in the class disagreed with the highest ranked answer given by the experts, specifically, “Do you feel awfully sick when you abstain from drinking?”

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

Miss Benning then explained to her students why this answer was the most precise indicator of alcohol addiction. She highlighted the fact that the essential difference between alcoholism and alcohol abuse is the physical dependency that is experienced with alcohol addiction and not with alcohol abuse.

Fundamentally this means that when an alcoholic suddenly quits drinking, he or she will go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Miss Benning then informed her pupils that alcohol withdrawal symptoms are responses by the body and by the brain to the deficiency of alcohol to which they had become acclimated. Stated differently, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are messages from the brain and from the body telling a person who is addicted to alcohol that something is terribly misaligned and needs to be rectified. These messages consist of several painful, uncomfortable, and dangerous withdrawal symptoms that can possibly result in a loss of life if the appropriate treatment is not promptly received.

Miss Benning then discussed the many different alcohol withdrawal symptoms that can be gone through when an alcohol dependent person suddenly stops drinking.

The fact that Miss Benning tried to underscore was this: an individual who engages in alcohol abuse can experience almost any and every one of the alcohol addiction signs that the students had ranked, but the one symptom or sign that few, if any, alcohol abusers ever experience is alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

To state this as plainly as possible, Miss Benning stressed the fact that alcohol abusers, unlike alcohol addicted people, are not alcohol dependent and accordingly, when they quit drinking, they almost never experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

The Pupils Feel They Have Discovered A Contradiction With the Findings From The Council of Alcohol Addiction Specialists

The pupils also had a problem with the second ranked answer given by the drug and alcohol addiction authorities, namely, “Have you ever had a drink the first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?”

Miss Benning explained to the pupils in her classroom that this sign does not inevitably imply that the problem is alcoholism, but that it does point to the need that people who are addicted to alcohol have to drink in order to keep away from alcohol withdrawals.

After Miss Benning explained the importance of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the life of the alcoholic, the pupils started to grasp the main difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism.

To add a sense of closure to the topic, Miss Benning asked her pupils to take out a sheet of paper and answer the following question: “if every person who is addicted to alcohol knew about every one of the alcohol addiction signs and alcohol withdrawal symptoms we have studied, what percentage of them do you think would ask for alcoholism rehabilitation?”

After approximately four or five minutes, Miss Benning asked for the students’ responses. While many students figured that roughly 75 to 85 percent of alcohol dependent individuals would ask for alcohol dependency rehabilitation if they knew about the facts related to alcohol withdrawal symptoms and alcohol addiction signs, most of the students figured that this number would not be less than 50 percent.

The Students Were Amazed to Learn That Only 25% of Individuals Who are Addicted to Alcohol in the U.S. Ask For Alcohol Dependency Rehab

To the shock of most of the pupils, Miss Benning declared that according to various scientific studies, only 25% of the alcoholics in the United States obtain alcohol dependency rehabilitation. This surprised most of the pupils because they believed that first-hand knowledge of the devastating statistics and facts correlated with alcoholism would motivate most of the individuals who are alcohol dependent to ask for alcohol rehab.

Miss Benning then stated that alcohol dependent individuals not only need alcohol everyday in order to function but they also need alcohol on an everyday basis so they can avert possible alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Clearly, the alcohol addicted person’s need to drink on a daily basis is stronger than facts or logic. Undeniably, because the craving for alcohol is “reality” to the alcohol dependent person, this is hard to overcome.

The Incidence of Alcohol Dependency and Mental Health Issues Regularly Results in Friendship, Divorce, Relationship, and Marital Problems

Lastly, Miss Benning explained to her pupils that it is relevant to comprehend that alcoholism and a variety of mental health issues such as depression are highly correlated. In addition, the combination of mental health problems and alcohol dependency regularly lead to marital, divorce, relationship, and friendship problems.

The Students are Encouraged to Learn About Alcoholism Symptoms and Signs in Today’s Society

A few minutes later the bell rang, indicating the end of the class. Based on the enthusiasm displayed by the pupils when they were leaving the room, Miss Benning recognized that she had inspired and motivated the students in her class to stop and think about a critical health and social problem that exists in our country.

Technorati Tags: alcoholism, men's issues, relationships, self improvement

Jennifer is a twenty-eight-year-old quality improvement consultant who has been ingesting alcohol in a hazardous and excessive manner since she and her boyfriend severed their relationship. In fact, for the past nine months she has been drinking just about one-and-a-half bottles of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking a number shots all through the day. In short, Jennifer has been drinking so excessively and hazardously that it’s a miracle that she hasn’t suffered from alcohol poisoning.

After feeling downcast because she was beginning to let her health go downhill, Jennifer at last told herself that enough is enough, that it’s time to quit feeling sorry for herself, that it’s time to stop the excessive and abusive drinking, and time to move on with her life. So the following Saturday morning at 8:30 AM, she made up her mind to quit drinking suddenly and completely without planning or preparation.

When She Quit Drinking She Felt Awful, She Had Utterly No Appetite, She Vomited Several Times, Her Head Was Throbbing, She Started to Perspire Extensively, and She Was Extremely Stressed Out and Moody

When Jennifer quit drinking, she reasoned that she would probably be tempted to have a drink or two, but she never inferred that she would feel so terrible. More directly, just about three hours after she quit drinking, she vomited several times, she was extremely nervous and moody, her head was throbbing, she had absolutely no appetite, and she started to perspire profusely.

When she called her best buddy and told her that she had quit drinking and that after a few hours she all of a sudden began having flu-like symptoms, Lori, her best friend, told Jennifer to call her healthcare professional and explain what she was going through.

She Admits to Her Healthcare Practitioner That She Has Been Drinking In an Irresponsible and Excessive Manner, That She Just Tried to Quit Drinking, and That She is Experiencing Dreadful Flu-Like Symptoms

So Jennifer called her family doctor, told him that she has been drinking in an excessive and abusive manner for quite a few months and that when she tried to completely stop drinking earlier in the day, within a couple of hours she felt as if she had the worse flu-like symptoms that she had ever experienced.

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

As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a family member to drive her to the hospital. Interestingly, as sick as Jennifer was, all she could think about all the way to the hospital was whether or not she might be alcohol dependent.

Obviously her medical practitioner had phoned ahead and told the emergency room staff to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by a nurse and a paramedic who immediately asked her to get in the wheelchair they had with them. After getting transported to the emergency room and undergoing a couple of important tests, it was established that Jennifer was in actual fact going through alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detox.

An emergency room doctor gave her some meds to lessen the intensity of her flu-like symptoms and also gave her some meds to help eliminate the alcohol that was still in her body.

An Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse Physician Explains That She is an Alcoholic and Then Clearly Explains What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcoholism Stages Are

After two or three hours, Jennifer was removed from the emergency room and wheeled to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for approximately two hours, Doctor Brosky, a substance abuse and alcohol abuse specialist, came to talk to her. He took plenty of time and explained that Jennifer had suffered through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she stopped drinking due to the fact that she had become alcohol dependent.

He then discussed the fact that with heavy drinking on an everyday basis, the individual’s brain over time becomes accustomed to the alcohol in order to carry out tasks and operations in a “semi-normal” fashion. When the individual then abruptly abstains from ingesting alcohol, it can be noted, the brain reacts by eliciting alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Not only this, but her medical practitioner also explained in a clear fashion the various alcoholism stages that an alcohol dependent individual usually goes through as the disease gets progressively worse as time goes by.

It is Verified that Jennifer is in the First Stage of Alcoholism and She Gets a Favorable Projection For a Full Recovery if She Gets the Alcohol Dependency Therapy She Needs

Fortunately for Jennifer, it was determined that she was in the first stage of alcoholism and, consequently, she got a good forecast for a total recovery if she obtains the alcohol addiction rehab she needs.

Jennifer told the physician that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to restore her life and her health. She also articulated that she has an outstanding hospitalization insurance plan that will more likely than not pay for most of the treatment costs. It was obvious that Jennifer was quite thankful about her encouraging medical forecast and felt at ease knowing that she will be able to get the alcohol addiction therapy she requires so that she can begin the path to recovery.

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Dante was a sixteen year old high school sophomore who was displaying numerous alcohol-related issues at school. As a result, the principal explained to him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school therapist, before he would be allowed to come back to school.

Later that afternoon when Dante went home after school, he had to go over his school discharge with his Mother and Father. His Mother and Father were “fairly old-style” and explained to Dante that getting suspended from school was not a satisfactory educational game plan. They informed Dante that failing to graduate from high school would more likely than not be like a lead weight around his legs that could quite possibly hinder his educational achievement for the rest of his life. Furthermore, Dante’s Mother and Father were very disturbed that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his friends in the second.

His parents told Dante that even though he may be a teen, he has to comprehend fairly rapidly that drinking is the path to ill health, financial problems, failure, and pain.

It was apparent that his parents were completely in concurrence with Dante’s principal and explained to Dante that he needs to see Miss Johnson, the school psychologist. After his chat with his Mother and Father, Dante at long last agreed to see Miss Johnson the next school day. So Dante called the school and made an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next day during his sixth period class.

The Counselor Asks Dante if He Knows Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Activities Caused Quite a Bit of Anxiety By the School Administrators

When Dante went to see Miss Johnson, she instantaneously went over all of the alcohol-related difficulties Dante had experienced and asked him if he knew why his recent alcohol-related behavior made the school administrators uneasy.

Quite frankly, Dante was unsure why the principal suggested that he see a school therapist. As he expressed to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional counselor about his drinking activities? Since virtually all of his buddies drink the same amount that he does, primarily, drinking shouldn’t be such a big issue. Stated another way, if just about everyone 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 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 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 thrown out of school due to alcohol-related delinquency, absenteeism, and fighting, not his classmates. Moreover, Miss Johnson also underlined the fact that Dante, and not his classmates, is the one who is failing and who is missing almost two days of school every week because of his alcohol related difficulties. Finally, Miss Johnson underlined the fact that due to his drinking situation, Dante is getting into a dangerous cycle of excessive drinking that can sooner or later wreck his hopes, dreams and aspirations.

In short, Dante’s involvement with youth alcohol abuse was starting to impede his ability to act like a responsible young man. As verbalized by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your peers drink wine, wine coolers, beer, or hard liquor does not mean that it is the best option for you.”

Dante Learns That In the Long Run He Must Claim Responsibility For Himself In Order to Keep Away From Unhealthy, Damaging, Destructive, and Dangerous Situations In the Foreseeable Future

Miss Johnson informed Dante that others can definitely influence a person in a negative way, but that the individual himself or herself has to sooner or later be responsible for himself or herself in order to avert destructive, damaging, unhealthy, and dangerous consequences down the road.

Luckily, Miss Johnson was well prepared for her appointment with Dante. She showed him research studies and reports she had underlined that summarized different drinking facts and statistics that targeted most people in general. Then she showed Dante quite a bit of data that applied principally to teenagers.

For instance, Miss Johnson stressed the difference between alcoholism and alcohol abuse and explained to Dante that drinkers who continue to drink abusively often become alcohol dependent.

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 Psychologist States Several Alcohol Dependency and Alcohol Abuse Statistics and Facts

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

1. Alcohol is an issue in almost fifty percent of America’s suicides, accidental deaths, and suicides.

2. Alcohol-related accidents are the leading cause of fatalities among teenagers.

3. Each year in the U.S., nearly 5,000 young people under the age of 21 die because of underage drinking. This includes about 1,900 fatalities from motor vehicle accidents.

4. Research has shown that U.S. teens who drink alcohol are 50 times more likely to use cocaine than teenagers who never drink alcoholic beverages.

5. Roughly 1,700 college students in the United States are killed each year–about 4.65 a day–as a consequence of injuries that are alcohol related.

6. In 2005, 2.1 million American college students between the ages of 18 and 24 asserted that they involve themselves in drinking while driving.

7. The World Health Organization projects that around 76 million people throughout the world have disorders that are related to alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction.

8. As demonstrated by recent alcohol abuse studies, it has been discovered that approximately 53% of the adults in the United States have claimed that one or more of their close relatives is an alcohol abuser or is addicted to alcohol.

Dante Gets A Much Needed Jolt of Reality Regarding the Short Term and the Long Term Effects of Teen Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction

After Miss Johnson stated the aforementioned alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse statistics and facts, it was obvious that what Miss Johnson revealed to Dante was a realization for him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only made the effort to put in plain words the short term and the long term effects of alcohol abuse and alcoholism, but she also made the effort to verify what she was saying with alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse facts and statistics that related to people in general, and principally to underage drinkers.

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

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

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

Technorati Tags: alcohol abuse, alcohol abuse statistics, alcohol statistics, alcohol treatment, alcoholism, alcoholism facts, alcoholism statistics, long term effects of alcohol, short term effects of alcohol, teen alcohol abuse, teen alcohol abuse statistics, teenage alcohol abuse

Dante was a fifteen year old high school sophomore who was exhibiting a number of alcohol-related issues at school. For that reason, the principal informed him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school counselor, before he would be permitted to come back to class.

Later that afternoon when Dante went home after school, he had to explain his school expulsion to his Mom and Dad. His parents were “relatively old-style” and explained to Dante that getting kicked out of school was not a practical educational game plan. They told Dante that failing to graduate from high school would likely be like a lead weight around his ankles that could probably mar his educational achievement for the remainder of his life. Furthermore, Dante’s parents were very displeased that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his classmates in the second.

They informed Dante that even though he may be a teen, he has to realize fairly rapidly that drinking is the route to pain, ill health, failure, and financial problems.

It was plain to see that his parents were in total agreement with Dante’s principal and informed Dante that he needs to see Miss Johnson, the school therapist. After his dialogue with his parents, Dante in the end 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 fifth period class.

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

When Dante got to his scheduled appointment with Miss Johnson, she at once reviewed all of the alcohol-related issues Dante had experienced and asked him if he knew why his recent alcohol-related behavior caused quite a bit of apprehension by the school administrators.

Quite frankly, Dante wondered why the principal suggested that he see a school counselor. As he stated to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional psychologist about his drinking circumstances? Since virtually all of his friends drink as much if not more than he does, primarily, drinking is no big issue. Stated more forcefully, if nearly everyone 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 beer when he was twelve or thirteen years old and getting ready to enter junior high school.

Miss Johnson informed Dante that while his friends may in fact 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 absenteeism, fighting, and delinquency, not his peers. What is more, Miss Johnson also underlined the fact that Dante, and not his friends, is the one who is failing and who is missing at least one day of school per week due to his alcohol related issues. Finally, Miss Johnson emphasized the fact that due to his drinking behavior, Dante is getting into a dangerous cycle of abusive drinking that can finally ruin his dreams, hopes, and aspirations.

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

Dante Learns That Eventually He Must Be Accountable For Himself In Order to Steer Clear of Damaging, Destructive, Unhealthy, and Dangerous Effects In the Future

Miss Johnson told Dante that other people can undoubtedly influence a person in a negative way, but that the individual himself or herself has to in the long run be accountable for himself or herself in order to stay away from destructive, damaging, unhealthy, and dangerous outcomes in the foreseeable future.

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

For instance, Miss Johnson explained the difference between alcoholism and alcohol abuse and informed Dante that people who continue to abuse alcohol often become dependent on alcohol.

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

The Therapist Presents More Than a Few Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency Statistics and Facts

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

1. Alcohol is an issue in around half of America’s accidental deaths, suicides, and murders.

2. Alcohol-related accidents are the leading cause of fatalities among teenagers.

3. Each year in the U.S., around 5,000 youth under the age of 21 lose their lives as a result of underage drinking. This includes almost 1,900 deaths from motor vehicle crashes.

4. Research has demonstrated that U.S. teenagers who drink alcohol are 50 times more likely to use cocaine than teenagers who never consume alcohol.

5. Approximately 1,700 college students in the United States lose their lives each year–approximately 4.65 per day–as a result of alcohol-related injuries.

6. In 2005, 2.1 million American college students between the ages of 18 and 24 reported that they involve themselves in driving under the influence of alcohol.

7. The World Health Organization projects that about 76 million individuals throughout the world suffer from disorders that are related to alcohol abuse or alcoholism.

8. According to recent drug and alcohol abuse research findings, it has been learned that just about 53% of the adults in the U.S. have reported that one or more of their close relatives is an alcohol abuser or an alcoholic.

Dante Receives A Much Needed Wake Up Call About the Short Term and the Long Term Consequences of Teenage Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency

After Miss Johnson conveyed the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency statistics and facts, it was evident that what Miss Johnson made known to Dante was a real jolt to him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only made the effort to go over the short term and the long term effects of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency, but she also took the time to support what she was saying with alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse statistics and facts that related to everyone in general, and mainly to today’s youth.

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

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

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

Technorati Tags: alcohol abuse, alcohol abuse statistics, alcohol statistics, alcohol treatment, alcoholism, alcoholism facts, alcoholism statistics, long term effects of alcohol, short term effects of alcohol, teen alcohol abuse, teen alcohol abuse statistics, teenage alcohol abuse

It is remarkable to mention something that family members who have been adversely affected by the alcohol dependency of another family member obviously do not comprehend. It seems that by protecting the alcohol dependent person with lies and deceitfulness to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have basically created a situation that makes it easier for the alcoholic to persist and press forward with his or her damaging, detrimental style of life.

Undeniably, instead of helping the alcoholic and themselves, these family members have in reality become enablers who have mistakenly helped worsen the alcoholic’s drinking problem even more.

Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcoholic will continue drinking in an abusive and hazardous 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 Occur From Time to Time

According to the research literature 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 dependency rehab and then returns to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first glance, this situation flies in the face of rational thinking and seems so doubtful that it forces a person to question why anyone who has gone through the awfulness of alcohol dependency can return to drinking a short while after successful alcohol rehab and in turn after reaching sobriety. There are, of course, many likely reasons for this.

It should be highlighted, nevertheless that alcohol dependency research that has focused on the long-term outcomes of alcohol addiction has demonstrated-proven that long after the alcohol addicted person has halted his or her drinking, critical transformations in the way in which the alcohol addicted person’s brain works are still present. As a consequence, all a recovering alcohol dependent person has to do to involve himself or herself in behaviors that correspond with the alterations that have occurred in the brain is to begin drinking once again.

A Requirement for A Radical Lifestyle Modification

There are additional reasons why numerous recovering alcohol dependent individuals return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after attaining sobriety. In accordance to the alcohol dependency research literature, to make a successful recovery, the alcoholic needs new ways of reacting and thinking in order to deal more competently with tough alcohol-related situations that will take place.

Circumstances such as returning to the same alcohol addictive atmosphere or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the time when the alcohol dependent person was drinking excessively; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these situations can bring forth memories that can trigger psychological anxiety or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol addicted person to engage in hazardous drinking once again. Unfortunately, all of these circumstances may not only work against ongoing sobriety for the alcohol addicted person but they can also result in relapse and consequently negate one’s sobriety.

The Good News: Quality Help is Readily Available

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

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

Luckily, participation in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up therapy and training have resulted in more successful, long standing alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency treatment outcomes, have helped diminish alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol dependent individuals reach ongoing sobriety.

Technorati Tags: alcohol abuse, alcohol addiction, alcohol dependency, alcohol rehab, alcohol treatment, alcoholism, drinking problems, enabling, sobriety

For several years alcohol addiction exploration has demonstrated the fact that there is strong linkage between alcohol dependency and serious health conditions.

For example, in 2005, scientific research and alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics revealed that alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction cost the United States an estimated $220 billion per year. It may be noted that this massive alcohol-related expense was significantly more than the cost linked with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion). While it is appropriate to underline these facts, it is also important to emphasize the point that an interrelationship exists between all three of these health problems.

To be exact, chronic alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction are also highly interrelated with obesity and with cancer.

Definitely, substance abuse exploration has revealed that alcohol dependency can boost the risk for different types of cancer, especially cancer of the kidneys, rectum, colon, voice box (larynx), esophagus, throat, and the liver. Hazardous and recurring drinking can also result in immune system issues and abnormality to the fetus during pregnancy.

Excessive and Hazardous Drinking Breaks Down the Problem Drinker’s Organs and Systems

Additionally, if alcoholism continues over a period of years, the person’s body organs will probably be affected in an unsafe manner. For instance, repeated, abusive drinking is particularly dangerous to the liver since 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 redevelop. This medical condition results in a progressive inflammatory disease of the liver that can ultimately lead to cirrhosis of the liver, an acute and possibly terminal disease.Excessive, long-term drinking not only can lead to critical liver damage, but it can also lead to damage to the heart and to the brain. Physical damage this critical may be unalterable and may, in turn, lead to serious illness or an early death.

The Relevance of Alcohol Treatment

It is critical, consequently, to know how to identify the various alcoholism symptoms and the “alcohol signs” so that the alcoholic can be given the opportunity to seek the professional alcohol counseling he or she needs.

Alcoholism and Sophisticated Brain Exploration

Fortunately, medical exploration is relentlessly finding unique and significant information. Recent alcoholism research supplies a first-rate example. More to the point, for approximately the past ten years, technologically advanced brain-imaging scanning devices have shown that repetitive and long-term irresponsible drinking alters the configuration of the brain to a significant extent, as a consequence resulting in brain disease that can last months, years, or perhaps as long as the individual exists.

Stated another way, medical exploration has demonstrated that people who have been drinking in a hazardous manner for an extensive length of time increase their risk for developing lasting and severe changes 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.

Mental Disorders, Malnutrition, and Excessive Drinking

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

This kind of organ failure is linked to malnutrition and to an assortment of critical neurological and mental disorders including memory loss, sleep disturbances, and psychosis such as Wernicke’s Encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome. This latter health problem is a lasting debilitating condition that is exemplified by recurring memory and learning problems.

Summary

It is evident that repetitive, hazardous drinking is directly or indirectly related to numerous acute medical problems that can and do lead to dangerous illness and premature death. Such information needs to be emphasized and presented to everyone in our society so that most individuals will be able to refrain from irresponsible drinking while other people who have a drinking problem will get the quality rehabilitation they require.

Technorati Tags: abusive drinking, alcohol abuse, alcohol addiction, alcohol dependency, alcohol treatment, alcoholism, heavy drinking, self improvement

When I was in the tenth grade in high school, I registered for a drug abuse class. At that time period, I did not realize 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 all over the world. I also learned a lot about alcohol rehab and the diverse alcohol rehab facilities that are repeatedly available to people who engage in excessive drinking.

Dangerous Results That are Related to Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse

Some of the damaging effects related to alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class undeniably worried me. The ruined lives and countless problems experienced by most alcohol dependent individuals made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. In a word, I did not want to face the wreckage and destruction that alcohol addicted people almost always experience.

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

What teenager wants to deal with alcohol withdrawals 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 meaningful that I talked about some of them in class throughout the school year. What was downright inconceivable to me was the number of students who essentially didn’t care about the detrimental outcomes of excessive drinking that I discussed. It was almost as if they couldn’t be troubled with reality and how these consequences can demolish their lives. For the first time in my life I started to grasp something that my grandfather used to say to me all through my youth: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t force it to drink.

It’s Beneficial, Important, and Energizing to Stay Away From the Debilitating and Unhealthy Results of Drug and Alcohol Abuse

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

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Teresa was a thirty-seven-year-old accounts payable manager who knew that she had some drinking issues. As an illustration, within the past three months she has felt the need to have one or two drinks before going to work, a week ago she failed to pass a random blood alcohol test where she works, two months ago she got stopped by the police for a DWI, and finally, for the last five months she has begun to fail to remember what she does and says when she goes out drinking with her friends.

Not unlike many other people, Teresa’s experiences with alcohol began at a “snail’s pace” and stayed at this pace for quite a long time because every once in a while she engaged in occasional social drinking. As a matter of fact, for around nine months, every time she went out with her buddies to drink, she made sure to drink responsibly. Something about her pattern of drinking, nonetheless, seemed to fundamentally change when she got divorced.

So She Can Endure the Divorce of Her Husband In a More Pain Free Manner, Teresa Determined That She Will Start Associating More Often With Some of Her Pals Who Love to ”Get Down” and Drink

Teresa got exceedingly despondent about the breakup with her husband, and as a way to quit her preoccupation with her disheartening feelings she came to the conclusion that she would start going out more frequently with some of her friends who love to have fun and drink.

Quite honestly, Teresa figured that having fun just about every day by drinking with her pals would help her rise above the divorce of her husband in a less wearisome manner.

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

It didn’t take long, however, before her drinking escalated to a significant extent the more habitually she went to and drank at family get-togethers, sporting events, private parties, dinner dates, and happy hours with her buddies. Not only this, but the fact that her drinking buddies were all many years younger than she was and therefore able to party more thoughtlessly was one of the reasons why she didn’t focus more on her increased drinking. In brief, she was having fun drinking just like everybody else in her group of pals without giving too much consideration about the unhealthy results of her irresponsible and abusive drinking.

Yet somewhere in the recesses of her brain she realized that she most likely needed alcohol rehabilitation but stayed away from the thought as much as humanly possible.

Teresa Gets a Physical Exam, Discloses the Facts About Her Abusive and Hazardous Drinking to Her Physician, and Acknowledges Her Constant Negativity

One afternoon during her yearly physical exam, her physician asked her if she drank alcohol. Not wanting to tell falsehoods to her healthcare practitioner, Teresa admitted that she frequently drinks more than she should. As a matter of fact, she stated that she regularly drinks in a hazardous and abusive manner. Then Teresa informed her healthcare practitioner about her melancholy. More specifically, she articulated that wrecked relationships more often than not started a disheartening cycle of events typified by increased drinking which further led to more negative feelings that, in turn, led to more drinking. And this is exactly what took place when her husband and she got divorced six months ago.

When her healthcare professional heard this, he told Teresa that according to various alcoholism facts and statistics on alcoholism he was investigating, alcoholism and depression commonly happen in the same person. He then informed her that some of the alcohol statistics, research investigations, and facts he has been studying also point out that people who drink in an excessive manner and who also suffer from depression need to get treatment for both medical circumstances.

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

Teresa’s physician then said the following: “I am not trying to make an overly quick analysis, but with your medical situation we may be dealing with two separate problems. Consequently, I think we ought to schedule an appointment for you to get an alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse assessment from my partner, Dr. Ballas, who is an alcohol abuse and substance abuse specialist. Whether your drinking problem is more associated with alcohol addiction or alcohol abuse is unknown at this time, but I believe that further evaluation is defensible. Then I think we need to schedule an appointment for you to get a psychological assessment from another one of my partners, Dr. Cooke, who is a psychologist. I want to get a better understanding about your depression and see how much your drinking and depression are interrelated.” Teresa expressed her satisfaction with her healthcare professional’s “game plan” 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.

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Miss Benning was a health teacher at the most underfinanced co-ed high school in the district. Although she had been teaching for only three years, she had already achieved a reputation as a person with teaching approaches that inspired and stimulated students to think and to learn.

For instance, one Tuesday afternoon at 2:00 she addressed the students in her class and said the following: “For the next four or five days we are going to learn about some basic alcoholism facts from a general standpoint and we are also going to learn about several of the most highly researched signs of alcoholism from a more specific perspective.”

“Not all of these alcoholism signs will beyond doubt validate that someone with a drinking problem is an alcohol addicted person, but the more signs that an individual displays, the stronger the probability that he or she is an alcohol addicted person.”

Miss Benning then informed the members in the class that each person would be accountable for studying two alcohol dependence signs and then presenting his or her conclusions to the rest of the class via a nine minute oral presentation.

The Pupils are Keyed Up About Giving An Extensive Presentation to Their Fellow Pupils About Alcohol Addiction Signs

After learning about the diverse signs of alcohol dependency for quite a few days, the time had finally arrived for the student presentations. It was at once evident that her students were keyed up about the subject because the information that they presented was superb. To say that Miss Benning was pleasantly surprised with the interest manifested by the students in her class concerning this subject was an understatement.

The day after all of the students completed their presentations, Miss Benning passed out a piece of paper with a list of all the alcohol dependency signs that were presented and discussed in the presentations and in class. Miss Benning then asked her pupils to study the list and rank the top eight alcohol addiction signs that were most indicative of alcoholism. After about ten minutes, Miss Benning collected the pieces of paper and explained to the students in her class that after she reviews the results, she will discuss her findings the next school day.

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

The Students Compare Their Answers With the Assessments From A Group of Drug and Alcohol Addiction Specialists

When the next school day finally arrived, Miss Benning gave out a piece of paper that listed the top five alcohol addiction signs as per the students’ rankings. To the right of these results, she added another column that was labeled “correct answer.” She then explained to her students that the numbers in the additional column she added represented the answers that were constructed by a group of chemical dependency experts.

Miss Benning told her pupils to look over the information on the sheet of paper she handed out and then to raise their hand if they had any issues, concerns, or questions. Within 20 or 30 seconds, just about every pupil in the class raised his or her hand. It was evident that the students had some questions, concerns, or issues about their results versus the answers given by the specialists. As an illustration, almost every person in the class disagreed with the highest ranked answer given by the authorities, to be precise, “Do you feel very sick when you quit drinking?”

The Principal Difference Between Alcohol Dependency and Alcohol Abuse is the Physical Dependency That is Experienced With Alcoholism and Not With Alcohol Abuse

Miss Benning then told her pupils why this answer was the most precise indicator of alcohol addiction. She underlined the fact that the chief difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction is the physical addiction that is experienced with alcohol addiction and not with alcohol abuse.

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

Miss Benning then explained to her pupils that alcohol withdrawal symptoms are responses by the body and by the brain to the deprivation of alcohol to which they had become acclimated. Stated more precisely, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are signals from the brain and from the body telling an individual who is addicted to alcohol that something is dreadfully out of kilter and needs to be rectified. These signals consist of a number of uncomfortable, painful, and dangerous withdrawal symptoms that can potentially lead to an individual’s death if the proper treatment is not promptly obtained.

Miss Benning then went over the multitude of alcohol withdrawal symptoms that can be gone through when an individual who is addicted to alcohol suddenly stops drinking.

The fact that Miss Benning tried to underscore was this: an alcohol abuser can experience almost any and every one of the alcohol addiction signs that the students had ranked, but the one sign or symptom that few, if any, alcohol abusers ever experience is alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

To articulate this as clearly as possible, Miss Benning pointed out that alcohol abusers, unlike individuals who are addicted to alcohol, are not alcohol dependent and consequently, when they quit drinking, they almost never go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

The Pupils Think They Have Uncovered An Incongruity With the Findings From The Board of Substance Abuse Experts

The pupils also some difficulty with the second ranked answer given by the alcoholism authorities, that is, “Have you ever had a drink the first thing in the morning to get rid of a hangover or to steady your nerves?”

Miss Benning informed her students that this sign does not inevitably indicate that the problem is alcohol addiction, but that it does underline the need that alcohol addicted people have to drink in order to stay away from alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

After Miss Benning explained the importance of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the life of the alcohol dependent person, the pupils started to understand the main difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency.

To add a sense of closure to the subject, Miss Benning asked the students in her class to take out a sheet of paper and answer the following question: “if every individual who is addicted to alcohol knew about every one of the alcohol dependency signs and alcohol withdrawal symptoms we have studied, what percentage of them do you think would obtain alcohol rehab?”

After about three or four minutes, Miss Benning asked for the students’ responses. While many pupils reasoned that about 80 to 90 percent of alcohol addicted individuals would seek alcohol rehab if they knew about the facts related to alcohol addiction signs and alcohol withdrawal symptoms, most of the students reasoned that this number would not be less than 50 percent.

The Pupils Were Shocked to Learn That Only 25% of Individuals Who are Addicted to Alcohol in the U.S. Seek Alcohol Addiction Rehab

To the amazement of most of the pupils, Miss Benning stated that according to various scientific examinations, only 25% of the alcohol addicted individuals in the U.S. obtain alcohol treatment. This amazed most of the pupils because they figured that first hand experience of the shocking facts and statistics related to alcohol addiction would motivate most of the individuals who are addicted to alcohol to obtain alcohol dependency rehab.

Miss Benning then explained that people who are addicted to alcohol not only need alcohol on a daily basis in order to function but they also require alcohol on a daily basis so they can avoid possible alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Apparently, the alcohol dependent individual’s need to drink on a daily basis is stronger than logic or facts. Definitely, since the desire for alcohol is “reality” to the alcohol addicted person, this is a demanding issue that is hard to overcome.

A few minutes later the bell rang, signifying the end of the class. Based on the buzz displayed by the pupils when they were leaving the classroom, Miss Benning knew that she had inspired and encouraged her students to stop and think about a noteworthy health and social problem that exists in our country.

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How do you identify the fact that you have a drinking problem? When is it clear that you are engaging in hazardous drinking?

If you have hopelessly tried to quit drinking or if you have given your word to yourself that your drinking days are over and then you realized that you were drinking in an abusive manner just a few days later, chances are quite good that you have drinking problems. The key point is that if you have attempted to stop drinking and cannot do this, then your drinking is controlling you, instead of the other way around.

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

You may be telling yourself that the reasoning for your drinking is so that you can reduce your stress or get rid of the agony that you feel. Similarly, you may be trying to stay away from an unsafe circumstance and may be looking for something better, more positive, or less mournful.

As you continue to drink, conversely, you will become aware that drinking does not bring about the same high and you will also comprehend that drinking doesn’t help get rid of whatever led to your distress in the first place.

As you continue to drink in an excessive manner, regrettably, you may become addicted to alcohol and, as a consequence, you may add another pivotal predicament to deal with rather than learning about more productive and healthy ways of coping with your alcohol induced predicament.

The Need for an Alcohol Appraisal

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

If you actually feel that you have a crucial problem with your drinking, it may be a good idea to get prepared to find out that you need to get alcohol counseling.

At this point, what are your alternatives? You can without a doubt say no and refuse to see your doctor and carry on with your pattern of out-of-control drinking.

It actually doesn’t take a nuclear physicist, then again, to comprehend that repeated, excessive drinking, if left untreated, will worsen over time and almost certainly bring about an early death. Therefore, your most beneficial choice is to confront your drinking situation and get the alcohol treatment you need.

The Pretense of the Functioning Alcohol Dependent Person

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

Many of these “functional” alcohol addicted individuals may have never been apprehended for a DUI and may have been lucky enough to avoid all alcohol generated legal problems. Despite this good fortune, to the contrary, these alcohol dependent individuals need to drink in order to deal with life on a daily basis while maintaining their facade as they associate with people outside their family.

Ask anyone who has seen them when they are engaging in one of their drinking binges or in a drunken stupor or ask a family member about the problem drinker’s alcohol addiction, on the other hand, and they will be quick to assert the authenticity of the drinker’s situation and the whole story about the alcohol addicted individual’s drinking predicament and about his or her alcohol generated difficulties.

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

As alcohol dependency research and statistics on alcohol abuse have emphasized, no matter how observable the alcohol induced difficulties seem to those who interact with the alcohol addicted individual, alcoholic people regularly deny that drinking is the root of their alcohol induced predicaments. Not only this, but alcohol dependent people regularly blame their alcohol-related difficulties on other people or upon other circumstances that surround them instead of seeing their part in the difficulty.

The source of the difficulty is that alcohol addiction is a disease of the brain. Once the person has become an alcoholic, he or she normally resorts to denial, manipulation, and deceit as a way of dealing with the fact that his or her drinking is out of control. And to make matters worse, the experience of alcohol withdrawal symptoms typically circumvents the alcohol dependent person’s rare attempts to abruptly quit drinking. As gloomy as the alcohol dependent individual’s life is, nonetheless, the positive news is that quality help is usually accessible – if the alcohol addicted person reaches out and gets alcohol counseling.

Conclusion

Acknowledging the fact that drinking is bringing about difficulties in your day to day functioning is perhaps the most trouble-free way to determine if you have a drinking problem. Stated differently, if your drinking is triggering issues with your health, at work, in your relationships, with your finances, at school, or with the legal system, then you have a drinking problem that needs to be tackled.

If you have a drinking problem, furthermore, this means that you are involving yourself in hazardous drinking.

While some drinkers may be able to detect their “alcohol signs,” pinpoint their difficulties, and greatly reduce the amount and frequency of their drinking, others, nonetheless, need to tackle their drinking problems by getting professional alcohol rehabilitation. What’s more, due to their propensity to deny the facts and alter the truth, alcohol dependent people absolutely need quality alcohol counseling for their hazardous drinking.

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