When I was in the tenth grade in high school, I registered for a substance abuse class. At that age, I did not comprehend that alcohol abuse in point of fact was a sub category of drug abuse. While taking this class and learning more about drug and alcohol abuse and especially 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 through the world. I also learned a lot about alcohol treatment and the diverse alcohol rehab clinics that are often available to people who engage in heavy drinking.
Harmful Outcomes That are Correlated With Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
Some of the harmful effects related to alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class absolutely worried me. The ruined lives and frequent difficulties experienced by most alcohol dependent people made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. That is, I did not want to face the wreckage and destruction that alcohol addicted people almost always go through.
Ponder upon this for a moment. What fifteen-year-old teenager 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 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 problems before he or she becomes an adult?
What adolescent wants to deal with alcohol withdrawals when he or she tries to quit drinking? Why would an individual engage in drinking to such an extent that it would cause serious issues 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 a young person want to sacrifice his or her education, employment, finances, and relationships for a life that centers on hazardous drinking?
These issues were so important that I discussed some of them in class throughout the school year. What was absolutely amazing to me was the number of students who essentially didn’t care about the harmful outcomes of hazardous drinking that I discussed. It was almost as if they couldn’t be bothered with reality and how these effects can demolish their lives. For the first time in my life I started to grasp a saying that my grandfather used to emphasize throughout my youth: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t force it to drink.
It’s Invigorating, Important, and Beneficial to Remove Yourself From the Unhealthy and Destructive Consequences of Alcohol and Drug Abuse
And even at my young age, I also started to understand how invigorating, important, and beneficial it is in life to keep away from the unhealthy and damaging outcomes of alcohol and drug abuse.
Filed under Health by on Oct 31st, 2009. 
When I was a sophomore in high school, I registered for a drug abuse class. At that age, I did not realize that alcohol abuse in point of fact was a sub division of drug abuse. While taking this class and learning more about drug and alcohol abuse and above all 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 people throughout the world. I also learned quite a bit about alcohol treatment and the various alcohol rehab clinics that are regularly available to problem drinkers.
Dangerous Outcomes That are Correlated With Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
Some of the damaging consequences associated with alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class definitely terrified me. The ruined lives and many serious issues experienced by most alcohol dependent people made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. That is, I did not want to face the disaster and ruination that alcohol addicted individuals almost always experience.
Reflect on this for a moment. What fifteen-year-old teenager 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 adolescent wants to go to one of the local alcoholic rehabilitation centers to deal with alcohol-related issues before he or she becomes twenty-one?
What teenager wants to go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when he or she tries to quit drinking? Why would an individual engage in drinking to such an extent that it would cause serious issues 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 a young person want to sacrifice his or her education, employment, finances, and relationships for a life that centers on irresponsible drinking?
These issues were so noteworthy that I discussed some of them in class throughout the school year. What was downright astonishing to me was the number of students who simply didn’t care about the dangerous results of excessive drinking that I talked about. It was almost as if they couldn’t care less about the facts and how these effects can wreck their lives. For the first time in my life I started to figure out something that my grandfather used to tell me all through my teen and pre-teen years: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t force it to drink.
It’s Liberating, Beneficial, and Important to Keep Away From the Destructive and Unhealthy Consequences of Alcohol and Drug Abuse
And even at my young age, I also started to comprehend how beneficial, important, and energizing it is in life to stay away from the unhealthy and destructive effects of alcohol and drug abuse.
Filed under Health by on Oct 27th, 2009.
It is fascinating to bring up something that family members who have been negatively affected by the alcoholism of another family member apparently do not grasp. It appears that by protecting the alcohol addicted person with falsehoods and deceit to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have in reality created a circumstance that makes it easier for the alcoholic to persevere and move forward with his or her hurtful, detrimental way of living.
Clearly, instead of helping the alcohol addicted person and themselves, these family members have in truth become enablers who have involuntarily helped negatively affect 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 abusive manner and go through diverse “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 findings and statistics on alcohol dependency, another key alcohol addiction issue has to do with alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol dependent person has fruitfully gone through alcohol addiction rehab and then resorts to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first thought, this situation seems contradictory to sound thinking and sounds so unrealistic that it forces a person to question why anyone who has experienced the wretchedness of alcohol addiction can return to drinking a short while after successful alcohol counseling and in turn after attaining sobriety. There are, to be sure, more than a few conceivable reasons for this.
It should be noted, conversely that alcoholism research that has focused on the lasting outcomes of alcoholism has shown that long after the alcohol addicted person has quit his or her drinking, critical changes in the way in which the alcohol dependent individual’s brain works are still present. As a result, all a recovering alcohol dependent individual has to do to involve himself or herself in behaviors that correspond with the modifications that have come about in the brain is to start drinking once again.
A Requirement for An Essential Lifestyle Modification
There are other reasons why several recovering alcohol addicted persons return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after achieving sobriety. In accordance to the alcohol addiction research literature, to make an effective recovery, the alcoholic needs new ways of acting and thinking in order to deal more efficiently with difficult alcohol-related situations that will take place.
Conditions such as returning to the same alcohol addictive atmosphere or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the days when the alcohol dependent individual was drinking irresponsibly; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these situations can elicit memories that can prompt psychological stress or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcoholic to engage in irresponsible drinking once again. Unfortunately, all of these circumstances may not only negate long lasting alcohol recovery for the alcohol dependent person but they can also result in relapse and as a result counteract one’s sobriety.
The Good News: First-Class Help is Available Almost Everywhere
In an attempt to “protect” the family alcohol dependent individual, family members can essentially cause inadvertent damage by enabling the negative drinking behavior of the alcohol addicted individual.
The addiction research literature highlights the fact that most individuals who effectively complete alcohol therapy experience at least one relapse. Alcohol dependent persons and their family members need to know this so that they do not get depressed or beleaguered when a relapse takes place.
Fortunately, participation in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up therapy and training have resulted in more productive, ongoing alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction therapeutic results, have helped reduce alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol addicted individuals achieve long standing alcohol recovery.
Filed under Health by on Sep 28th, 2009.
When I was in the tenth grade in high school, I enrolled into a substance abuse class. At that time period, I did not comprehend that alcohol abuse in reality was a sub category of drug abuse. While taking this class and learning more about drug and alcohol abuse and especially 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 through the world. I also learned quite a bit about alcohol rehabilitation and the different alcohol rehab clinics that are repeatedly available to problem drinkers.
Damaging Results That are Linked to Alcohol Dependency and Alcohol Abuse
Some of the harmful outcomes related to alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class without a doubt frightened me. The ruined lives and numerous problems experienced by most alcohol dependent individuals made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. More to the point, I did not want to face the wreckage and destruction that alcohol dependent people almost always experience.
Think about this 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 drinking alcohol becomes the object of one’s life? What young person wants to go to one of the local alcoholic rehabilitation centers to deal with alcohol-related problems before he or she becomes an adult?
What young person wants to encounter 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 problems 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 centers on irresponsible drinking?
These issues were so important that I talked about some of them in class during the school year. What was totally unbelievable to me was the number of students who openly didn’t care about the negative consequences of excessive drinking that I discussed. It was almost as if they couldn’t be bothered with the facts and how these effects can wreck their lives. For the first time in my life I started to appreciate a saying that my grandfather used to tell me all through my adolesence: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t force it to drink.
It’s Liberating, Beneficial, and Important to Stay Away From the Debilitating and Unhealthy Effects of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
And even at my young age, I also began to realize how beneficial, important, and energizing it is in life to keep yourself from the unhealthy and debilitating outcomes of alcohol and drug abuse.
Filed under Health by on Sep 26th, 2009.
Getting drug addiction help will involve contacting either professional services of some sort or a 12 step treatment program. This is the program that is most popular and therefore easily located when it comes to beating an addiction. These professional treatment services could include a stay at a drug rehab center with a medical detoxification unit as well. In addition to rehab, an addict could also seek help from meetings, therapy groups, or from professional counseling.
Many people might use these types of services after they leave treatment as a form of aftercare.
It can be really difficult to motivate other people to get radical in their life and make a change and in reality you will realize that we can’t actually force change on people – we can only change ourselves. But we can influence their behavior and their decisions over the long run by becoming more conscious of how we interact with them.
For example, we have to stop enabling addicts if we happen to play a part in their drinking or using. This includes bailing them out of problem situations or covering up for them if they screw up because of their drinking or using. We can affect the life of the struggling addict by changing our behavior to not support their addict lifestyle.
Unfortunately this is what some addicts need in order to start considering the possibility of change. If an addict does not experience misery in their life then they will not be likely to make a decision to do anything different. So we learn from our experience in attempting to help addicts that we should not deny them of their own consequences and misery. It is not the case that we have to try extra hard to deceive them or manipulate them in any way – we only have to let them make their own mistakes and deal with the mess that they make for themselves.
Giving genuine help to an addict is sometimes difficult because many times when we think we are helping them we are actually enabling them. The answer is to only help an addict if they are willing to go to treatment or meetings or counseling and not to assist them when they are making demands of their own. We can still have an impact on a struggling addict but not necessarily in a direct manner. Instead we have to do our part in the relationship as far as no longer rescuing them in any way.
Filed under Health by on Mar 6th, 2009. 1 Comment.