San Diego Alcohol & Drug Rehab

For more than a few years alcoholism exploration has revealed the fact that there is strong linkage between alcoholism and serious health conditions and mental health issues such as depression.

For example, in 2005, medical examination and alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics showed that alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency cost the United States an estimated $220 billion per year. It can be stressed that this immense alcohol-related expense was substantially more than the cost linked with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion). While it is important to highlight these facts, it is also noteworthy to point to the fact that an interrelationship exists between all three of these health problems.

More precisely, chronic alcohol abuse and alcoholism are also highly correlated with obesity and with cancer.

Indeed, substance abuse investigation has revealed that alcohol addiction can increase the risk for various forms of cancer, especially cancer of the colon, voice box (larynx), liver, rectum, throat, kidneys, and the esophagus. Excessive and repetitive drinking can also result in immune system issues and damage to the fetus during pregnancy.

Irresponsible and Heavy Drinking Destabilizes the Individual’s Organs and Systems

What is more, if alcohol dependency continues over a period of years, the individual’s body organs will more likely than not be affected in a harmful manner. For example, chronic, abusive drinking is especially damaging to the liver due to the fact that the liver does most of the work of processing the alcohol that has been ingested. Extreme amounts of alcohol kills liver cells and obliterates the ability of liver cells to redevelop. This condition leads to a progressive inflammatory disease of the liver that can eventually lead to cirrhosis of the liver, a critical and potentially deadly disease. Excessive, long-term drinking not only can lead to severe 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, lead to serious ill health or an untimely death.

The Relevance of Alcohol Therapy

It is essential, then, to know how to identify the different alcoholism symptoms and the “alcohol signs” so that the alcohol addicted individual can be given the opportunity to get the professional alcohol rehabilitation he or she needs.

Alcohol Dependency and Sophisticated Brain Exploration

Fortunately, medical investigation is continuously generating unique and important information. Recent alcoholism research supplies a high-quality illustration. More to the point, for approximately the past ten years, complex brain-imaging scanning instruments have confirmed that continuous and recurring excessive drinking alters the configuration of the brain to a significant extent, as a consequence resulting in brain disease that can last months, years, or perchance as long as the person exists.

Stated differently, medical exploration has demonstrated that people who have been drinking abusively for a sizeable length of time increase their risk for developing lasting and severe adaptations in the brain.

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

Excessive Drinking, Malnutrition, and Mental Disorders

As a final illustration of various health problems that are largely associated with alcoholism, consider that in accordance with scientific research, the excessive and repeated abuse of alcohol can lead to erosive gastritis, a medical condition that lessens the absorption of minerals, nutrients, and vitamins.

This form of organ malfunctioning is associated with malnutrition and to an assortment of serious neurological and mental disorders including sleep disturbances, memory loss, and psychosis such as Wernicke’s Encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome. This latter medical problem is a long-term debilitating condition that is typified by recurring memory and learning difficulties.

Excessive and Irresponsible Drinking Also Leads to Friendship and Relationship Difficulties and Conflicts and Stress, Anger, and Time Management Predicaments

In addition to acute health issues, hazardous and irresponsible drinking also leads to relationship and friendship difficulties. As an illustration, people who have drinking problems many times go through divorce, sexuality problems, affairs, and marital problems, and they often experience time, anger, and stress management predicaments.

Conclusion: The Relevance of Education

It is clear that continued, excessive drinking is directly or indirectly related to many dangerous medical problems that can and do lead to serious illness and premature death. Such information needs to be emphasized and presented to everyone in our society, especially to all students, so that a multitude of individuals will be able to abstain from irresponsible drinking while other individuals who have a drinking problem will get the professional rehabilitation they require.

Let us look at this realistically. Yes, alcohol therapy is significant, but alcohol treatment is something that is usually done AFTER the fact. Education, to the contrary, is something that is done BEFORE the problem emerges. Stated another way, whereas alcohol counseling is “reactive,” education is “proactive.” It is asserted that both approaches are needed when discussing alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction.

Comments (0 Comments) Jun 14 2010

Jerry and Sarah have been married for eight years. They wanted to experience some excitement and fun before they decided to have some kids and so they with forethought fashioned an extraordinarily dynamic social life.

The principal difficulty, it needs to be highlighted, is that nearly everything they do with their family and friends is related to drinking. For example, all of the sporting events, happy hours, parties with friends, dinner engagements, and family get-togethers they attend are related to drinking.

Jerry and Sarah Begin to Observe Some Unmistakable Alcohol Related Issues That are Without a Doubt Related to Their Irresponsible Drinking

If they were responsible or moderate drinkers, this wouldn’t be such a big issue. Given the fact that they drink in an abusive manner, nevertheless, they are starting to notice some obvious alcohol-related problems in their lives.

As an illustration, just two days ago Jerry was arrested for a second DUI and has been leaving early from work because of alcohol-related health issues. What is more, Jerry’s last two performance assessments at his place of employment have been less than creditable and he has begun to fail to recall what he says or does when he drinks. Finally, Jerry has been going through sleep-related problems and his family has begun to get apprehensive about his drinking problems.

Not unlike Jerry’s situation, Sarah has been feeling unhappy about life in general and to manage these feelings, she has been drinking more regularly than any time in the past year. In addition, Sarah has been experiencing a lot of throbbing headaches and experiencing dreadful hangovers due to her drinking. As a final point, Sarah has been feeling notably less energetic when she awakens, she has been getting to work late almost every Monday, and she has been receiving some cruel criticism from her friends, relatives, family members, and coworkers about her heavy drinking.

Sarah and Jerry and Start to Experience Anger, Stress, and Time Management Problems

In addition to the above listed alcohol related difficulties, Sarah and Jerry started to suffer through stress, time, and anger management difficulties. It was clear to see that their alcohol related problems were negatively affecting nearly every facet of their lives.

Watching the Television and Stumbling Upon An Attention-Grabbing Program About the Signs of Alcohol Addiction

One Wednesday evening while watching the television, Jerry and Sarah went through the channels and discovered an enchanting program about the signs of alcoholism.

This television special was a real jolt to Jerry and Sarah because quite a few of the alcoholism signs that were emphasized looked as if they were directly related to many of the alcohol-related drinking problems Sarah and Jerry had been suffering through.

A Truthful Conversation About Drinking Situations Uncovers Alcohol Related Health, Employment, Relationship, Legal, and Financial Problems

After watching the TV documentary, Jerry and Sarah decided to have a straightforward dialogue about their drinking behavior. They both concurred that most, if not all, of their social pursuits were associated with drinking, that they were drinking in an excessive manner, and that as a couple, they were starting to notice alcohol related health, financial, employment, relationship, and legal problems for the first time since they were married. They also began to wonder if they required alcohol detoxification for their drinking problem.

With thoughts of the television program still etched in her mind, Sarah asked Jerry if some of the alcohol dependency signs they have been displaying could be a signal that they are alcoholic or perhaps becoming alcohol dependent. Jerry didn’t know the answer to Sarah’s question and so he recommended that they make an appointment with one of the therapists at the local drug and alcohol abuse rehabilitation center to find out more about the severity of their drinking issues.

Concentrating On Your Drinking Difficulties Might Lessen Your Sense of Dread and Give You Some Peace of Mind

Ironically, although their drinking situation hadn’t yet changed, it was obvious that Sarah and Jerry were at the very least attending to their drinking problems, they were eager to find out more about their drinking behavior, and they were interested in finding out how they could substantially reduce or get rid of the alcohol-related difficulties that had begun to go from bad to worse. Additionally, by dealing with their drinking problems, Jerry and Sarah learned how to remove themselves from marital conflict by becoming better friends and marital partners.

When Jerry and Sarah went to bed that night, they made up their minds that the next day, Jerry would call and make an appointment for both of them at the drug and alcohol rehabilitation clinic located just West of the State Capital. After they made a promise to one another that they would do whatever it takes to rise above the drinking difficulties that had materialized in their lives, they truly had the best night’s sleep they could remember in the last seven weeks.

Just before she fell asleep, Sarah turned to Jerry and mentioned how simple it is to lessen one’s trepidation and actually experience some peace of mind by attending to one’s problems with personal integrity and making up one’s mind to do something positive about them.

Comments (0 Comments) Jun 02 2010

Miss Benning was a health instructor at the best known co-ed high school in the district. Although she had been teaching for only three years, she had already established a reputation as an instructor with educational methods that motivated and encouraged pupils to learn and to think.

As an illustration, one Friday morning at 10:30 she addressed the pupils 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 more broad-based viewpoint and we are also going to learn about a number of the most highly researched signs of alcoholism from a more specific standpoint.”

“Not all of these alcoholism signs will definitely establish that someone with a drinking problem is an individual who is alcohol dependent, but the more signs that an individual manifests, the stronger the possibility that he or she is a person who is addicted to alcohol.”

Miss Benning then explained to the class that each individual would be responsible for examining three alcohol addiction signs and then presenting his or her conclusions to the other class members via a fifteen minute oral presentation.

The Pupils are Enthused About Giving An Extensive Presentation to Their Fellow Students About Alcohol Addiction Signs

After learning about the various signs of alcoholism for a number of days, the time had arrived for the oral presentations. It was instantaneously obvious that the students in her class were keyed up about the subject because the material that they presented was extraordinary. To say that Miss Benning was pleasantly surprised with the fervor manifested by the students in her class regarding this topic could not be overstated.

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

There was a real buzz by the pupils while they were exiting Miss Benning’s class. One could swear that her pupils couldn’t wait for the next day to arrive so that they could find out the outcome of their in-class research.

The Pupils Compare Their Answers With the Appraisals From A Council of Alcoholism Professionals

When the next school day arrived, Miss Benning passed out a sheet of paper that listed the top three alcohol dependency signs according to the pupils’ rankings. Next to these results, she included another column that was labeled “correct answer.” She then told the pupils in her classroom that the numbers in the new column she added were the findings that were announced by a panel of chemical dependency authorities.

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 issues, questions, or concerns. Within a minute or two, just about everyone in the classroom raised her or his hand. It was obvious that the students had some issues, questions, or concerns about their results versus the answers given by the experts. For instance, just about every pupil had an issue with the highest ranked answer given by the professionals, that is to say, “Do you feel awfully nauseous when you refrain from drinking?”

The Essential 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 the pupils in her classroom why this answer was the most clear-cut indicator of alcohol addiction. She pointed out the fact that the essential difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism is the physical addiction that is experienced with alcohol dependency and not with alcohol abuse.

For all intents and purposes this means that when an alcohol dependent individual all of a sudden stops drinking, he or she will experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Miss Benning then explained to the pupils in her class that alcohol withdrawal symptoms are responses by the body and by the brain to the deficit of alcohol to which they had become accustomed. Stated more explicitly, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are messages from the body and from the brain telling an individual who is addicted to alcohol that something is terribly wrong and needs to be fixed. These signals consist of several uncomfortable, painful, and dangerous withdrawal symptoms that can possibly result in a fatality if the appropriate therapy is not promptly received.

Miss Benning then discussed the many different alcohol withdrawal symptoms that can be experienced when an individual who is addicted to alcohol suddenly stops drinking.

The point that Miss Benning tried to underscore was this: a person 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, individuals who engage in alcohol abuse ever experience is alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

To state this as clearly as possible, Miss Benning emphasized the point that alcohol abusers, unlike people who are addicted to alcohol, are not alcohol dependent and consequently, when they stop drinking, they almost never go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

The Students Think They Have Discovered A Contradiction With the Findings From The Board of Alcoholism Professionals

The pupils also disagreed with the second ranked answer given by the alcoholism specialists, to be exact, “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 pupils that this sign does not inevitably imply that the problem is alcohol addiction, but that it does highlight the need that alcoholics have to drink in order to avert alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

After Miss Benning explained the significance of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the life of the alcohol dependent individual, the pupils started to grasp the key difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction.

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

After roughly four or five minutes, Miss Benning asked for the students’ predictions. While many pupils reasoned that roughly 75 to 85 percent of alcohol dependent individuals would ask for alcohol addiction treatment if they knew about the facts related to alcohol withdrawal symptoms and alcohol addiction signs, most of the pupils reasoned that this number would not be less than 70 percent.

The Pupils Were Surprised to Learn That Only 25% of Alcohol Addicted People in the U.S. Seek Alcohol Dependency Rehab

To the amazement of most of the students, Miss Benning confirmed that according to different scientific studies, only 25% of the alcohol dependent individuals in the U.S. get alcohol dependency rehab. This shocked most of the pupils because they believed that exposure to the awful statistics and facts correlated with alcoholism would motivate the majority of the individuals who are addicted to alcohol to ask for alcohol addiction treatment.

Miss Benning then stated that people who are alcohol dependent not only need alcohol on an everyday basis in order to function but they also need alcohol on a daily basis so they can steer clear of possible alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Clearly, the alcohol addicted person’s need to drink on a daily basis is more powerful than facts or logic. To be sure, because the need for alcohol is “reality” to the alcohol dependent person, this is difficult to reverse.

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

Finally, Miss Benning explained to the pupils in her class that it is important to comprehend that alcoholism and a range of mental health predicaments like depression are highly related. In addition, the incidence of mental health difficulties and alcohol dependency frequently result in relationship, divorce, friendship, and marital problems.

The Pupils are Encouraged to Learn About Alcoholism Signs and Symptoms in Today’s Society and the Need For Alcohol Detoxification for Alcohol Addicted Persons

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

Comments (0 Comments) Jun 02 2010

Stanley started drinking abusively when he was a senior in high school. Fortunately for him, although he drank abusively and hazardously when he was a teenager and a young adult, when he got beyond the age of twenty-five he almost always drank in moderation.

After he completed his education he eventually landed a job at a local food processing plant where he applied himself and worked his way up from stock person, to office assistant, to purchasing assistant, to purchasing agent. Unlike his other work positions, as the purchasing manager he constantly took potential vendors and existing vendors to lunch and to various sporting events.

Though it was not an official part of his job description, meeting with existing vendors and potential vendors over and over again involved circumstances in which alcohol was present. Indeed, over the past twenty months, Stanley had begun to extensively increase his social and his work-related drinking. This has resulted in quite a dilemma. To be more precise, the more successful he became as a purchasing agent, the more heavily he began to drink.

His Increasing Feelings of Depression Also Made Him Wonder if He Was Becoming an Alcohol Addicted Individual

In actual fact, it didn’t take much time at all before Stanley’s excessive and careless drinking started to adversely affect the money in his savings account, his relationships, his mental health, his work efficiency, and his health. After many weeks of excessive drinking, Stanley, if truth be told, began to get worried about his unhealthy and excessive drinking and questioned if his alcohol related issues were alcoholism signs. To make things worse, his almost constant feelings of depression also made him question whether he was becoming an alcohol addicted individual. In a word, Stanley clearly needed to learn more about the facts about alcohol abuse and alcoholism.

Stanley Needs Alcohol Detoxification and Alcohol Rehab For His Alcohol Addiction and a Medical Evaluation Regarding His Depression

So Stanley used his common sense, called his healthcare professional, and scheduled an appointment for a thorough physical exam. The next week when he saw his doctor, Stanley unfortunately found out that he was alcohol dependent. His healthcare professional told Stanley that he needed to get alcohol detox and alcohol rehab for his alcohol dependency and that he also needed to get a medical assessment regarding his depression. In a word, Stanley needed treatment for his alcoholism and depression.

The Good News is That After His Treatment For Depression and For Alcohol Addiction, He Felt Like a Different Person

His healthcare professional suggested to Stanley that he request a 30 day leave of absence from work and get admitted into a quality in-patient alcohol rehabilitation facility where his depression could also be treated. This is exactly what Stanley did. The good news is that after his treatment for depression and for alcohol dependency, he felt like a different person. In fact, now that he was living an alcohol-free life he hardly ever got depressed and he now knew how to more efficiently and successfully manage his relationships, his finances, his health, and his job.

It goes without saying that the biggest “test” Stanley faced was at the office. More to the point, he still took potential vendors and his existing vendors to lunch and to various sporting events, but after his alcohol rehabilitation he was able to stay away from drinking while entertaining his clients.

It can be emphasized that Stanley also found out that none of his potential vendors or his existing vendors thought any less of him because of his non-alcoholic lifestyle. Alternatively, he discovered that his potential vendors and existing vendors respected him for maintaining his convictions.

After Stanley went through alcohol rehabilitation, however, he found out that he was an individual who for whatever reason, could not drink in moderation or drink responsibly. In actual fact he learned the hard way that if he stayed away from drinking, all of the other significant parts of his life would be fortified. At times, Stanley missed drinking, but the better finances, work performance, health, and the better relationships he experienced more than offset his love of drinking.

Comments (0 Comments) Jun 02 2010

Barry used to boast to his drinking friends how he could remain employed at a challenging and fulltime job and get drunk as a skunk almost every night. Unfortunately, after continuing this unhealthy lifestyle for nearly two-and-a-half years, he started to notice a variety of alcohol related issues.

Barry Starts to Exhibit Various Alcohol Related Issues

As an example, he had a hard time getting up for work because he felt so exhausted when he awoke. Furthermore, almost every morning Barry suffered from a horrible hangover. It was apparent that the combination of his hangovers and his lack of energy did not make it easy for him to get up and feel like he wanted to go to work. To make things worse, he just got his third driving under the influence arrest in the past eleven weeks.

To further compound things, at his job his last two performance appraisals were less than tolerable. And lastly, his three-year relationship with his girlfriend had deteriorated due to his depression, financial difficulties, lack of patience, and his angry outbursts.

Though Barry was only twenty-three years old, he simply started looking like he was in his early forties. Unfortunately, this is what excessive and hazardous drinking can do to an individual. And in truth he comprehended that he was experiencing the negative consequences of alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency and that he was too young to throw away his life to hazardous and careless drinking. So initially he tried to drink responsibly and in moderation. Regrettably, he soon understood that he lost his self control after consuming his first drink. Stated somewhat more forcefully, after his first drink he invariably proceeded to get smashed. Due to the fact that this was a circumstance that was repeated over and over again, this distressed him greatly. In truth, he began to wonder if he was manifesting some of the signs of alcoholism and alcohol abuse.

Barry Makes up His Mind To Schedule an Appointment to See His Healthcare Professional

After mentioning his excessive alcohol drinking and his abusive and hazardous drinking with his girlfriend, he eventually made up his mind to schedule an appointment to see his family doctor. When Barry saw his family doctor, he frankly declared that he has been abusing alcohol, that he may be displaying alcoholic signs, and that he wants to quit drinking. He then confirmed that drinking in moderation doesn’t work well for him and, as a result, he wants to learn how he can live without drinking alcohol.

Barry also told his family doctor about his depression and how this mental health problem was adversely affecting his relationship with his lady friend. His healthcare practitioner referred Barry to Doctor Hall, an alcohol and drug addiction specialist, who inspired Barry to register in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center as an in-patient for alcohol detox and alcohol rehabilitation. The good news is that Barry would also be able to get medical attention for his depression at this treatment facility.

Getting and Staying Sober Was the Best Decision Barry Had Ever Made

After five months of rigorous rehabilitation, Barry left the residential treatment facility and continued his recovery via outpatient therapy and via going to local Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Inspired to change his life in a healthier way, Barry bought some vitamins at a health store and a cookbook. He then joined a fitness center and began working out two or three times per week. Within nine months Barry was a new person. He wasn’t depressed anymore, he was in shape, he was eating nutritious meals, he now looked younger than he was, and most significant of all, he remained sober for several months. He also didn’t resort to angry outbursts, he became more patient, and he became a more compassionate person in his relationship with his girlfriend. Stated briefly, refraining from drinking was the best decision Barry had ever made.

Comments (0 Comments) May 13 2010

Barry used to boast to his drinking friends how he could remain employed at a challenging and fulltime job and get drunk as a skunk almost every night. Unfortunately, after continuing this unhealthy lifestyle for nearly two-and-a-half years, he started to notice a variety of alcohol related issues.

Barry Starts to Exhibit Various Alcohol Related Issues

As an example, he had a hard time getting up for work because he felt so exhausted when he awoke. Furthermore, almost every morning Barry suffered from a horrible hangover. It was apparent that the combination of his hangovers and his lack of energy did not make it easy for him to get up and feel like he wanted to go to work. To make things worse, he just got his third driving under the influence arrest in the past eleven weeks.

To further compound things, at his job his last two performance appraisals were less than tolerable. And lastly, his three-year marriage with his wife had deteriorated due to his depression, financial difficulties, lack of patience, and his angry outbursts.

Though Barry was only twenty-three years old, he simply started looking like he was in his early forties. Unfortunately, this is what excessive and hazardous drinking can do to an individual. And in truth he comprehended that he was experiencing the negative consequences of alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency and that he was too young to throw away his life to hazardous and careless drinking. So initially he tried to drink responsibly and in moderation. Regrettably, he soon understood that he lost his self control after consuming his first drink. Stated somewhat more forcefully, after his first drink he invariably proceeded to get smashed. Due to the fact that this was a circumstance that was repeated over and over again, this distressed him greatly. In truth, he began to wonder if he was manifesting some of the signs of alcoholism and alcohol abuse.

Barry Makes up His Mind To Schedule an Appointment to See His Healthcare Professional

After mentioning his excessive alcohol drinking and his abusive and hazardous drinking with his wife, he eventually made up his mind to schedule an appointment to see his family doctor. When Barry saw his family doctor, he frankly declared that he has been abusing alcohol, that he may be displaying alcoholic signs, and that he wants to quit drinking. He then confirmed that drinking in moderation doesn’t work well for him and, as a result, he wants to learn how he can live without drinking alcohol.

Barry also told his family doctor about his depression and how this mental health problem was adversely influencing his relationship with his wife. His healthcare professional referred Barry to Doctor Kucha, a drug and alcohol addiction specialist, who convinced Barry to register in an alcohol and drug rehabilitation clinic as an in-patient for alcohol detox and alcohol treatment. The good news is that Barry would also be able to get treatment for his depression at this treatment facility.

Quitting Drinking Was the Best Decision Barry Had Ever Made

After five months of comprehensive rehabilitation, Barry left the residential rehabilitation center and continued his recovery via outpatient therapy and via going to local Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Motivated to change his life in a more productive manner, Barry bought some vitamins at a health store and a cookbook. He then joined a fitness center and began working out two or three times per week. Within six months Barry was a new person. He now looked younger than he was, he wasn’t depressed anymore, he was in shape, he was eating nutritious meals, and most significant of all, he remained sober for several months. He also became more patient, he didn’t resort to angry outbursts, and he became a more caring individual in his relationship with his wife. In a word, getting and staying sober was the best decision Barry had ever made.

Comments (0 Comments) May 13 2010

Stanley began drinking excessively when he was a junior in high school. From a positive way of looking at things, although he drank abusively when he was a teen and a young adult, when he got beyond the age of thirty he almost always drank in moderation.

After he completed his education he eventually found employment at a local water treatment facility where he worked his way up from stock person, to office assistant, to purchasing assistant, to purchasing agent. Unlike his other work positions, as the purchasing agent he constantly took existing vendors and potential vendors to lunch and to a variety of sporting events.

Though it was not written in concrete, meeting with potential vendors and existing vendors time after time involved circumstances in which alcohol was present. In truth, over the past fourteen months, Stanley had begun to considerably increase his social and his work-related drinking. This has led to a predicament. That is to say, the more successful he became as a purchasing agent, the more heavily he began to drink.

His Increasing Feelings of Depression Also Made Him Question if He Was Becoming an Alcohol Addicted Person

In fact, it didn’t take much time at all before Stanley’s excessive and careless drinking started to adversely affect his mental health, the money in his savings account, his health, his relationships, and his work efficiency. After many weeks of heavy drinking, Stanley, in actual fact, started to get worried about his abusive and careless drinking and questioned whether his alcohol related issues were alcoholism signs. What is more, his increasing feelings of depression also made him wonder whether he was becoming addicted to alcohol. In short, Stanley obviously needed to learn more about the facts about alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency.

Stanley Needs Alcohol Detoxification and Alcohol Rehabilitation For His Alcoholism and a Medical Evaluation Regarding His Depression

So Stanley used his common sense, called his physician, and set up an appointment for a complete physical exam. A week later after seeing his physician, Stanley unfortunately found out that he was addicted to alcohol. His healthcare professional told Stanley that he needed to get alcohol detox and alcohol rehabilitation for his alcohol dependency and that he also needed to get a medical assessment regarding his depression. In a word, Stanley needed treatment for his alcoholism and depression.

Fortunately After His Treatment For Depression and For Alcohol dependency, He Felt Like a New Person

His doctor recommended to Stanley that he request a 30 day leave of absence from work and get registered into a quality in-patient alcohol treatment facility where his depression could also be assessed and treated. This is specifically what Stanley did. The positive news is that after his treatment for alcoholism and for depression, he felt like a new person. Indeed, now that he was in recovery he hardly ever got depressed and he now understood how to more successfully and productively manage his relationships, his finances, his health, and his job.

Not unexpectedly, the biggest “test” Stanley came across was at work. Simply put, he still took potential vendors and his existing vendors to lunch and to various sporting events, but after his alcohol rehab he managed to stay away from drinking while entertaining his clients.

It can be emphasized that Stanley also discovered that none of his existing vendors or potential vendors thought any less of him because of his non-alcoholic lifestyle. To the contrary, he discovered that his potential vendors and existing vendors thought even more highly of him for staying true to his convictions.

After Stanley went through alcohol treatment, however, he found out that he was an individual who for whatever reason, could not drink in moderation or drink responsibly. In point of fact he found out the hard way that if he said “no” to drinking, all of the other meaningful parts of his life would be upgraded. At times, Stanley missed drinking, but the better health, finances, work performance, and the better relationships he experienced more than offset his love of drinking.

Comments (0 Comments) Apr 06 2010

Rick, a friend and coworker, recently pulled in his second DUI in about a year.  With legal fees of around $10,000, suspended license, and a criminal record, that first DUI was bad enough.  This was a problem.  This was going to turn molehills into mountains. He had no trouble getting job interviews, but there was never an offer.

Rick said it was a wake up call, but then he kept drinking.  He thought the DUI alone was enough to keep him alert.  His second DUI took him from the frying pan into the fire.  This meant going to two different courts – one for the recent DUI and another for violating probation on the first.  At about $20,000, his bill for this DUI was nearly double.

His sentence for the second DUI was house arrest, meaning an electronic ankle bracelet would restrict him to just work and home. Every moment of his day, his location was tracked by computer.  His job had just been abolished, and how would he get another job?  His criminal record popped up in every background check required before he could get a job offer. 

Fortunately, a friend was able to hire him into a menial position while keeping his background from the company.  The job was awful – he described it as “sucking the life out of me.”.  But he hung in there because he had no choice.

His job was eliminated after only four months. He then went to court in a different county with a different judge for violation of probation on the first DUI.  This judge came down hard on him and sentenced him to six months in jail.  Not house arrest – hard-core jail.  He be in the same cell with the violent criminals.  He was petrified.

His only hope lay in getting a full time job, which would enable him to be in a different jail where everyone was on work-release. This meant he could go to work during the work day and come back to jail nights and weekends. Plus he'd be in jail with other DUI offenders instead of hard-core criminals.  If you are in jail, just how do you get a job?? Getting a job had been an uphill battle before the DUI, but with the stakes far higher now he somehow pulled it off.

Rick is doing time now, and going to his job weekdays. He had never imagined that life could be this hard. But Rick sees himself as really lucky. Sitting in jail unable to pay bills or get jobs, many lose everything – cars, homes, friends, all they value. Rick says he will never take all he had for granted again; he had been just drifting through life before.

Before this all happened, he didn't confront that he really was an alcoholic. He always thought, “That can't happen to me.That's the viewpoint right before every DUI. 

What would you be facing if you got a DUI?  Read about the consequences in the article “Why You Need a DUI Lawyer – Know Your Rights.”

The laws and penalties are different for every state. To find the laws for your state, go to National Substance Abuse Index - the site is organized by state and each state has a section listing the laws and penalties.

Do you know someone else who needs help before getting that DUI? You can change someone's life by stepping in before it's too late. For guidance on where to get help, see

the article “How Helpful is that Helpline? A Guide to Finding Addiction Help on the Internet.”

Comments (0 Comments) Mar 26 2010

The beautiful piece of Jewelry Serenity Prayer rings are currently catching on like never before. Perhaps this is due to the economic downturn, because the most popular Jewelry Serenity Prayer appears on is in very affordable, long lasting materials like tungsten, titanium, & stainless steel. Once the province of those recovering from addiction (due to its famous incorporation into AA & other twelve step organizations), jewelry Serenity Prayer items are now sported by a much more general demographic. Because the jewelry Serenity Prayer appears on is, of course, regularly|usually|generally[/spin] too small to hold the full text of the Prayer:
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, & the wisdom to know the difference.”
Therefore, the jewelry Serenity Prayer version is generally abbreviated to the first few words or so.
With so much conflict & uncertainty happening all around us, more & more people are finding that jewelry Serenity Prayer is just what they need to stay grounded in reality. If you find you often get carried away with worrying, jewelry Serenity Prayer may be nice to give yourself as a reminder of your strength & resilience.
Are you one of those who: mulls over thoughts? Chews & chews on an idea like a dog with a bone? Beats a thought to death only to find that you gained nothing?

Fear st&s for False Evidence Appearing Real, & wearing your jewelry Serenity Prayer will remind you not to give in to fear when things get rough.

What you give your attention to will become your life, & what you most often think on or worry over will eventually become your life experience. What you allow your conscious mind to dwell upon will produce the seeds that the subconscious mind will plant & grow into your life experience. Wearing a simple token like the jewelry Serenity Prayer ring to focus on can help you keep your mind on the key virtues the Prayer outlines: serenity, courage, & wisdom.

This is not up for debate, what your mind dwells on will come into fruition.

Worriers have some general characteristics. Check yourself against the list & if you find yourself there, you need jewelry Serenity Prayer in your life!

Worriers:

Are selfish

Find fault with everyone else

Gossip

Blame others for their situation

Say a lot of “yes, buts”

Are slaves to the opinions of others

Spend more time pondering then doing

See yourself here? That’s okay; it doesn’t mean you’re a bad person. It means you’re scared! The earlier fans of jewelry Serenity Prayer can tell you that admitting your problem is the first & most difficult step to recovery. Now that you are aware of the problem, you can gain the insight to change your life.
As silly as it may sound, a small material item like jewelry Serenity Prayer etchings to carry with you through your daily life & use to help you meditate upon positive themes is a very valuable tool in creating this change.

Surviving Mesothelioma and Other Cancers: A Patient's Guide

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Comments (0 Comments) Mar 14 2010

How many individuals get injured or lose their lives in alcohol related traffic accidents every year? How many individuals face serious consequences in their lives because they received a DWI conviction? How many individuals lose their lives every year because of drinking problems? On an annual basis, how many alcoholics fail to get the professional alcohol treatment they require? How many children are born each year with fetal alcohol syndrome? How many individuals lose their lives each year from a condition that is one hundred percent preventable, such as alcohol poisoning? How many people’s lives are cut short due to irresponsible and destructive drinking? How many junior high, high school, and college students lose their lives every year due to an alcohol overdose? How many people are the victims of alcohol related violence or crime each and every year?

Why Would Anyone Want to Drink in an Excessive Manner?

So what’s the point in asking these questions? Basically to highlight the devastating and destructive nature of abusive drinking. Indeed, and based on the above questions, I wonder why anyone would choose to drink in an excessive and hazardous manner.

Stated more forcefully, with the host of financial difficulties, employment issues, legal proceedings, health problems, and relationship dilemmas that are interrelated with alcohol addiction and chronic alcohol abuse, why would any individual with a good sense of logic want to drink in an irresponsible and excessive manner? Indeed when some of the above topics are examined more closely, unhealthy and excessive drinking becomes more illogical and makes even less sense.

Wouldn’t you think that chronic alcohol abusers would be able to see some of the alcohol symptoms that they exhibit? In a similar way doesn’t it seem logical to think that more families would involve themselves in an alcohol intervention for the person in the household who is an alcohol abuser or an alcoholic? What is more, wouldn’t you think that people who drink abusively would try to learn more about their drinking behavior by reading about various alcohol related statistics?

After reviewing the alcoholism and alcohol abuse research findings, the point is so important that it needs to be reiterated: With all of the destructive and disastrous consequences that are directly or indirectly interlinked with repetitive and continuous alcohol abuse and alcoholism, why would any individual want to engage in hazardous and abusive drinking?

What Can be Done About the Extensive Nature of Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction in the United States?

So what can be done about the widespread nature of alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse in our country?

1. Our students need more relevant and more meaningful educational and preventative approaches and methods so that more students at all grade levels, including those at college, are “reached.
2. In a similar manner, our students need to learn how to become problem solvers in life rather than getting easily drawn to the “instant gratification” and the “quick fix” of an alcohol or drug abuse ”high” or “buzz”.
3. People who are alcohol addicts or alcohol abusers need to look at themselves in the mirror and ask why they are not getting the professional alcohol rehabilitation they require.
4. Society needs to get the message to more people about the unhealthy and debilitating effects of abusive and careless drinking.

There’s Room For Optimism if Those Who Engage in Abusive and Careless Drinking Can Become Motivated to Get the Alcohol Rehab They Need

There’s room for optimism and hope if individuals can start drinking responsibly and those who engage in abusive drinkingcan become motivated to get the alcohol rehab they require. Indeed, why put your loved ones through pain, turmoil, and suffering because of your repeated and continuous drinking when you have the power to control your life by drinking responsibly or even refraining from drinking if you can’t control your drinking?

Comments (0 Comments) Feb 10 2010

Shelly was recognized at work as a very conservative individual who had an exceptional work record. She in no way went to any of the happy hours following work and it was well-known throughout the department that she was an extremely spiritual individual who generally talked about the dangers of alcohol abuse and alcoholism in our country.

Try to think of the shock within the workplace when one Monday morning Shelly did not show up for work and not a soul had heard from her. In truth, it wasn’t until approximately 10:15 in the morning that the human resources department received a phone call about Shelly from the city jail.

Shelly Goes Out Drinking Along With a Several of Her College Pals

Seemingly, Shelly went out drinking together with a handful of her university dorm mates Saturday night and at some point about 3:00 Sunday morning, Shelly was arrested for a DWI. Due to the fact that her blood alcohol content level (BAC) was particularly high, she was required to spend two days in the county jail.

Shelly Has a Talk With Her Manager and The Human Resources Manager

When Shelly arrived at work on Tuesday morning, she immediately told her manager what had transpired and she asked if she could possibly go and talk to the Human Resources director about her “drunk driving” arrest.

When she got to the Human Resources department and met with the director, she described that she had not been intoxicated since her university days and that she was extremely humiliated about her “drunk driving” arrest. She also stressed the point that she wanted some help selecting a professional and productive “driving under the influence” attorney who would represent her DWI case. In other words, Shelly really wanted the Human Resources director to agree that she needed to see a DUI attorney.

The Human Resources director told Shelly that she ought to see somebody within the company employee’s assistance program to go over any potential drinking problem that she might have. The HR manager also stated that she needs to explain her desire to employ a DWI attorney to represent her regarding her DWI case.

Not only this but the Human Resources director told Shelly that it was really positive that she wanted to hire a DUI lawyer mainly because of the difficulties and severe outcomes that are linked to a DUI conviction.

The Human Resources director could tell that Shelly was plainly displeased and embarrassed by this overall situation. For this reason he informed Shelly that while he doesn’t think that conscientious people should ever get behind the wheel right after drinking, regrettably these predicaments at times take place to exceptionally good people.

The Human Resources manager then said that since such a state of affairs cannot be undone, what’s essential is what the particular person does from this moment in time forward. As acknowledged by the Human Resources director, “does the individual learn from her or his mistakes or does the person develop a pattern of alcohol related difficulties that cause the person chronic suffering and pain”?

Fortunately, Shelly Did Not Have a History of Hazardous and Heavy Drinking

Just before completing their conversation, the Human Resources director told Shelly that it was very positive that she doesn’t have a history of hazardous drinking drinking. Not only this but she hasn’t had an alcohol-related situation since her college days (which was around 6 years ago). As a consequence, Shelly ought to be in a position to confront her DUI arrest with sorrow but also with a degree of self-confidence knowing that she will confront and process this obstacle and turn out to be a better person down the road.

Shelly thanked the Human Resources director for his practical and encouraging words and then walked over to the company employee’s assistance program go over her “driving under the influence” arrest, her participation in hazardous and careless drinking drinking over the past weekend, and her aspiration to retain a “drunk driving” lawyer to represent her DWI case.

After reflecting on Shelly’s “story,” the therapist that was part of the company employee’s assistance program explained Shelly’s immediate “action plan” that she needed to address and follow. First, she would be required to take a DUI class to learn more DUI facts and information. Second, she would also be required to take an alcohol abuse class to address her possible problem drinking. And finally, it would be an especially wise thing to do if she were to consult with a DUI lawyer about her “driving under the influence” arrest.

Shelly Feels Comfort Knowing That She Will Learn From Her Oversight and Turn Out To Be Even More Responsible

It was very clear that Shelly was incredibly distressed with the whole “driving while intoxicated” situation, but right after talking to the Human Resources director and to the therapist in the company employee’s assistance program, she felt comfort knowing that she would in fact learn from her blunder and become even more healthy, even more responsible, and an even more grateful woman.

Comments (0 Comments) Feb 08 2010

Ralph had just received his second DUI. He was thinking about representing himself in court, but his father, Sam, told him that this would be a really big mistake. When Ralph heard this, he asked Sam why he should even consider hiring a DUI attorney.

Although Sam wasn’t a lawyer, he told his son that he learned the hard way when as a young man he received a “drunk driving” arrest, represented himself in court, paid thirty-five hundred dollars in penalties and fines, and served 30 days in the jail downtown. As he mentioned to his son, after he got out of jail, he found out from a lawyer friend that had he hired a DUI lawyer to represent him in court, he probably would have had his penalties and fines significantly reduced and he may have never served any jail time.

What a DWI Attorney Can Do in a DUI Arrest.

When Ralph heard this he knew he needed more DUI facts so he asked his dad for more information about what a DUI lawyer can do in a DWI arrest. His dad then stated the following: “If you have prior DUI convictions, hiring a DUI lawyer to represent you is strongly recommended. Why? Because DUI lawyers know how to get prior convictions removed from your record, thereby possibly reducing your penalties to a great extent should you be convicted.”

When Ralph listend to his father explain this, it was as if his eyes were opened for the first time about the relevance of hiring a DUI lawyer. Stated more precisely, Ralph realized that he needed a DUI lawyer.

The Honest Truth About Taking a Field Sobriety Test

He then told his father that he had heard a lot about field sobriety tests. Consequently, he asked his father what a field sobriety test was.

His dad responded with the following: “Ralph, field sobriety tests are given by police officers to establish whether a person has been operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs, alcohol, or both. Field sobriety tests are often based on coordination and agility. The ‘logic’ underlying these tests is that if a person is impaired alcohol, drugs, or from a combination of both, his or her agility and coordination will be adversely affected and the person’s ‘performance’ on these tests will suffer.”

Ralph’s father then wanted to underline the following: “Ralph, different than chemical tests like a saliva test, a blood alcohol test, or a breathalyzer test where refusal to take such a test can have extensive and adverse outcomes, a person is not legally mandated to take any field sobriety tests. The reality of the situation is that police officers have usually made up their minds to arrest the person when they have the driver take one of more of the field sobriety tests. In short, field sobriety tests provide ‘extra’ evidence that the driver inevitably ‘fails.’ Consequently, and in the vast majority of cases, a polite refusal to take any field sobriety test will be the correct course of action.”

Near the end of their conversation, Ralph said that was starting to comprehend more about DUI laws and what ”driving under the influence” attorneys can do for an individual who has received a DWI arrest, but he was still wondering why he was stopped by the police in the first place. In his own words Ralph asked his father the following question: “Dad, why was I pulled over by the police? Specifically what were they looking for”?

His dad answered Ralph in the following manner: “Ralph, there are several diverse reasons why you could have been ’stopped’ by a police officer. Some examples include the following: involvement in a traffic accident, expired registration tags, missing a front license plate, weaving in and out of traffic, speeding, tinted windows, and driving erratically. Not only this but someone could have also reported you to the police after seeing you leaving a sporting event, a party, a restaurant, or a bar ‘under the influence’ and getting behind the wheel of a vehicle. In a word, there are more than a few reasons why you were ’stopped’ by a police officer.”

After getting “educated” about DUI arrests, the role of ”drunk driving” lawyers, and the fact that he didn’t have to agree to take any field sobriety tests at the time of his arrest, Ralph decided that he would definitely hire a DUI attorney to represent him in court.

Ralph Gets Inspired That He Will Always Drink In Moderation and Never Suffer Through Another “Driving Under the Influence” Arrest

Something else, however, happened after he had talked to his dad. Ralph at last started to realize the critical nature of “drunk driving” arrests and as a result, he arrived at a decision that from this moment forward, he would always drink responsibly so that he would never again have to go through another “driving under the influence” arrest.

His father smiled at Ralph and told him the following, “Ralph, it took me until I was forty-five years old to realize what you just told me. I am very proud of you.

Ralph thanked his father and then said, “if I can always drink responsibly, I will never need to hire a DUI attorney again!”

Does Ralph Need Alcohol Rehab For His Alcoholism or For His Alcohol Abuse?

There was, however, one thing that neither Ralph nor his father thought about, namely, if Ralph needs alcohol rehabilitation for his alcohol abuse or for his alcoholism.  In fact, Ralph may be required by the court to get rehab for his excessive and abusive drinking.

Comments (0 Comments) Feb 05 2010

Giving up alcohol for someone who has had it in his/ her system for quite a time is never an easy task. While in the process of giving up this not good habit of yours, you will be tempted to drink and then you thirst for alcohol once again. Well, here is some good news for all people out there battling with this problem. Listed below are the top 4 alternatives in order to prevent such craved.

Sometimes our body misinterprets our desire for alcohol. You may thirst for an alcohol when in fact you could only be craving for sugar in your body. If you are that kind of individual who tends to eat sweets all through out the day, then needless to say, your body is really addicted to sugar. And so, therefore, you get this sugar content for your consumption from alcohol in return. Always take note whether eating sweets would likely reduce your thirst for alcohol during this craving moment. If this likely happens, then you need to reduce your sugar intake on the process and this will naturally reduce your cravings for alcohol. But, always remember that avoiding both sugar and alcohol is always a safe practice as many related diseases has been known to be associated to this two.

Daily consumption of healthy foods on the other hand is a good way to start your alcohol cessation plan. Most often than not, alcoholic individuals has notable history of skipping at least one meal a day. These individuals tend to favor drinking alcohol than having a healthy meal. So the next time, you get the desire to drink, eat something nutritious, and have a meal! You have to eat three filling and highly nutritious meals a day. This is the best way to decrease your desire to drink.

Increase your daily water intake for around 6 to 8 glasses a day. The standard water consumption of an individual in a day is 1 liter or around 6 to 8 glasses. We should learn to practice this habit as this will promote good hydration to our system. Unfortunately, many individuals do not adhere to this practice. Most of the time, we choose coffee, juice, soda and other beverages over a glass of water to relieve our thirst. This might be effective, but remember that our body needs amounts of water daily.So develop the habit of drinking plenty of water now and before you notice it, your thirst for alcohol is significantly reduce.

Keeping yourself physically fit by exercising daily is also another healthy way to divert your attention crave. Feeling bored and not knowing what to do may just give some people to crave for opening a can of beer. So, rather than doing this why not try to exercise? Even a short 15-minute walk in the park or a simple push and pulls exercises may help. Doing an exercise increases your oxygen flow in your body and this will change the way you feel about yourself and think. Surely, once you finish your exercise, you will choose to drink water over a can of beer anymore.

Another way you can prevent your crave for alcohol is through sports. As an active advocate of alcohol cesssation among individuals, I always recommend fishing sports. I usually use my favorite Shimano Baitcasting Reel for all my fishing trips.You can usually buy Shimano Baitcasting Reel at your favorite local store.

Comments (0 Comments) Jan 11 2010

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A leading wellness counselor offers a step-by-step holistic plan for the 50 million people in recovery—a personalized blueprint for adding years to their life and life to their years. Based on his twenty-five years in the trenches as a wellness professional and counselor, John Newport, Ph.D., shares "the missing dimension" in recovery and the ... [Read More]

Comments (0 Comments) Oct 26 2009

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VHS help your loved one with alcohol abuse

Comments (0 Comments) Oct 04 2009

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This funky old science film explores the process of alcohol moving through the human body. Using animation, and that vintage dry scientist narrator that old educational videos are famous for, the film not only demonstrates alcohols path through the anatomy of a human, but much more. The effects of alcohol and substance abuse are explores in detail.... [Read More]

Comments (0 Comments) Sep 28 2009

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This digital document is an article from Journal of Studies on Alcohol, published by Alcohol Research Documentation, Inc. on May 1, 1999. The length of the article is 4320 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately aft... [Read More]

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Comments (0 Comments) Aug 21 2009

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"New, scientifically-based approaches that recognize the biological basis of addiction have brought major advances in the treatment of addiction. Dr. Urschel is at the forefront of this treatment paradigm." Dr. Larry Hanselka, Psychologist The Proven Scientific Approach to Conquering Addiction and Defeating the Disease Healing the Addicted Brain is... [Read More]

Comments (0 Comments) Aug 13 2009

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Do You Have a Friend or Family MemberWho is Abusing Alcohol?Did you know that 40% of alcoholicsin the U.S. are women?Don’t Wait Until it’s Too LateGet the Answers You Need – TODAY!Substance abuse is rampant and alcohol tops the list of all forms of abuse. Sadly, alcoholism does not discriminate. The chances are very high that you have a fri... [Read More]

Comments (0 Comments) Jul 08 2009