Coping with a Loved Ones Addiction Through Al-Anon

When a friend or family member is an alcoholic, it can be a very overwhelming experience. You want the best for them but do not know how to deal the situation in a productive way. A great program available to friends and family of alcoholics or recovering alcoholics in AA is a partner program called Al-Anon. This is designed to give people tips on how to deal with someone who has a drinking problem.

Al-Anon usually meets in smaller groups and allows people to find the best way to respond to someone who is an alcoholic or in recovery. These people can share experiences with each other and find new methods to try to cope with a loved one with the disease. Most people who live with an alcoholic end up enabling them and fall into patterns that are both detrimental to themselves as well as the individual with the addiction. These meetings can help break the cycle and provide a better life for everyone involved.

Al-Anon is an especially important program for children with parents who are alcoholics. Teenagers are especially vulnerable to developing long-term issues when a parent is an alcoholic. They can easily fall victim to something that they have little or no control over at a very important time in their lives. Getting help for young people through Al-Anon/Alateen is extremely beneficial.

Alcoholism’s effects can reach far and wide beyond just the person with the problem. Al-Anon offers loved ones of an alcoholic a chance to get their own lives back and gives them the tools to help someone that they care about. While people tend to feel like they can deal with their private issues on their own, a group like Al-Anon will show them that they need help too and many others just like them exist for everyone’s benefit.

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Learning About our Drinking Habits

Drinking patterns are hard to pin down, but scientists have discovered certain factors that affect how much or how little we drink (or if we even choose to drink at all). A thousand different factors can affect if we’ll drink on a given day, how much we’ll drink, and how fast we’ll drink.

A recently published study of Californian young men followed over 350 white males at age 20 and interviewed them every five years for 30 years. 25 percent of these men went on to develop a severe drinking problem by age thirty. In studying the family histories of these men, the researchers found that other drinking problems within the family were a significant factor in developing a drinking problem later in life. Men who either were divorced earlier than most men or received a lower level of education were also more likely to develop serious drinking problems.

Women tend to see alcohol as a better stress reliever than men do. Women generally believe that alcohol will reduce their stress levels (and women are more prone to feeling the effects of stress than men). Women also believe drinking tends to improve upon social situations and relieve tension or awkwardness in a given situation. Whereas women drink to further enjoy their social interactions, men tend to prefer solitary drinking. Another recent study examined women’s relationships with their mothers in terms of developing a drinking problem later in life. Women who said they had a poorer relationship with their mother were more likely to develop an alcohol dependence.

Other studies have discovered that a drinking environment affects the way we drink. People who drink alone at a bar drink the most, but stay the shortest time. Other studies have showed that music with rhythms closest to a person’s heart beat while resting produces the fastest drinking, while fast music slows our drinking down.

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Newfound Alcohol Statistics

In trying to develop plausible solutions for alcoholism treatments, Psychology Today published an article delivering some interesting facts regarding alcohol addiction. The figures showed how gender, sexual orientation, and nationality affects who drinks the most in the world.

First, the article stated that men drink more than women by 11 percent. This is true all over the globe, regardless of trouble. While percentages of drinking amounts vary by country (Iceland drinks more than Israel, for example), men drink more than women in every country studied in the world.

Interestingly enough, Sharon Wilsnack, a neuroscience professor at the University of North Dakota, has found that homosexuality reverses this trait. In her extensive research on alcohol-related behaviors (particularly regarding gender), Wilsnack has found that lesbians drink more than gay men. Other studies confirm her findings.

Overall, however, homosexuals tend to drink more than heterosexuals by 16 percent. This could be because throughout history, the only place where gay individuals could really socialize freely with other homosexuals was in designated gay bars. And what does one do at a bar? Drink. Some researchers believe that this could help explain why so many studies have found that homosexuals outdrink straights. Other potential explanations include the massive stress that the homosexual population face every day as a result of being a minority group that is still frequently discriminated upon.

In addition to finding that rich individuals drink more than the poor by 27 percent and that since 2006 the number of pregnant Americans who binge drink during their first trimester has almost doubled, the study also found that Ugandans drink more than anyone else in the world. Uganda holds the world record for massive drinking by a wide, wide margin. Most African countries have significant drinking problems that don’t help Africa’s struggles with job training, government building, and skill building. Unfortunately, Africa has so many other problems that drinking isn’t likely to take the spotlight any time soon.

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Suppressing Stress Hormone May Prevent Alcoholism

It’s logical to think that stress may be linked to alcoholism; after all, we often drink not to make us happy but rather to make us forget we’re unhappy. Scientists have long recognized the link between feeling unhappy or depressed and resorting to alcoholism or other addictions to cope with their unpleasant feelings. The lower you’re feeling, the more you give in to cravings or addictions.

The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California has released a study that may prove that stress hormones are firmly linked to alcoholism. In the study, scientists took several lab rats and addicted them to alcohol. They did this by first exposing the rats to alcohol vapors at routine times. The researchers made alcohol readily available for the rats to drink. Gradually the rats began to drink more and more alcohol. These rats also showed signs of withdrawal when the scientists took the alcohol away. In layman’s terms, the lab rats became alcoholics.

When the rats were suitably addicted to alcohol, the researchers suppressed the rats’ stress hormones. They did this by giving the rats a chemical called a CRF antagonist that reverses the brain’s stress hormone’s effects. Stress hormones are what causes the brain to feel “stressed:” anxious, worried, etc. Now that the stress hormone was not affecting the brain, the rats consumed less alcohol. Note that the CRF-antagonist does not reduce the pleasurable feeling brought on by getting inebriated. Rats would have still experienced the same “drunk” effect, but they still drank less.

Researchers then gave rats that had not been addicted to alcohol the CRF antagonist to see if it would prevent the rats from becoming addicted to alcohol in the first place. The researchers tried to get the rats addicted through the same methods as the alcoholic rats: alcohol vapor, alcohol drinks, etc. However, the CRF-antagonist rats experienced no withdrawal symptoms when the alcohol was removed.

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Leadership And Ability To Say No – A Simple Way To Avoid Substance Abuse And Addiction

How can leadership programs and personality development programs help your child avoid becoming an addict to substance abuse? Well, many persons are encouraged and goaded by their friends and pears to start smoking, have a drink or give cocaine a try. Nine out of ten persons indicate that friends were the first guide or mentors in the journey towards addiction and substance abuse.

It is very important to teach your child to say no. However, a person with low self esteem and lack of confidence in one’s ability cannot say no. A person who surrenders to the star value and the coolness quotient of such drugs will obviously find it difficult to say no.

By enrolling your child in leadership and personally development programs, you will help him or her understand the real worth of an individual. If your child concludes that the coolness of an individual is not dependent on whether he or she smokes, it is obviously going to help avoid substance abuse.

On the other hand, if your child is impressionable and tends to follow the leader, choosing the wrong leader can be disastrous for his or her future. It is advisable to discuss these issues with teachers and education institutions. A program where all friends participate and learn new things about themselves and their personality will be a much better option than a lecture by parents or teachers.

It is advisable to make it a regular part and parcel of the curriculum. If the school is not ready to help you out, then you should take assistance of other social organizations to inculcate the quality of leadership. A sport is a very simple and useful way to teach leadership to your child. Teamwork, respect for physical and mental health and a sportsman spirit is what is required to understand that drugs are bad and life is better.

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The Time of Treatment: lapalomatreatment.com

It’s an assumption of immediacy, a belief that addiction can be defeated in one simple morning. An individual finally agrees to seek help, allowing his friends and family to secure him the necessary support. He is not certain he approves but is willing still to try. His life has been altered. His control has been lost. Equilibrium must therefore be restored – and treatment promises to offer this. He accepts.

But his abuse of a substance has ruined his judgment, his perception of time – he is familiar only with the effects of a drug, the fast consequences (injected always into the blood and able always to satisfy). Healing therefore is thought to be just as quick. A day should yield results. An evening should offer success.

It doesn’t.

Too often do individuals believe that treatment will be a swift process, able to be mastered within mere hours. The truth, however, is that it is a careful labor – demanding a user’s full attention, devotion and strength. The majority of programs involve 12 steps (each a slow increase of ability); but there is still the need to continue with therapy and sponsorship even when these steps are done. It is a lifetime of dedication. It is a constant care.

It is also a necessity.

Addiction is a disease that can be cured only though diligence. Programs will offer the tools and techniques to counter cravings; doctors will provide relief from the physical effects. But success is still ultimately reliant upon the individual and his willingness to battle temptation each and every day.

And this is why organizations like lapalomatreatment.com are so important: they offer the knowledge to understand substance abuse and the support to overcome it.

Treatment is not an easy ideal. It is, however, still one that can be achieved. Patience is simply required.

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The Link Between Addiction and Mental Illness

Mental Hospital. Silence of reason.
Image by LunaDiRimmel via Flickr

Reatment for addiction can be complicated when a person who is seeking treatment for drug abuse also suffers from a mental illness.  Unfortunately, individuals who have a drug or alcohol addiction are twice as likely to have some form of mental illness.  According to the National Institute of Mental Health, individuals with addictions often have a mood disorder, anxiety disorder or some type of personality disorder.

Research through the National Institute on Drug Abuse indicates that there are several factors contributing to the link between addiction and mental illness.  It may be a form of self-medication; many people who are depressed or anxious will try to alleviate their discomfort by using alcohol or drugs.

There are some indications that drug abuse can trigger mental illness, perhaps because the same area of the brain that causes mental illness is adversely affected by frequent drug use. Dr. Nora Volkow of NIDA has said that early drug use can damage development of areas of the brain linked to depression.

There are others ways that substance abuse and mental illness overlap.  The triggers for substance abuse and mental illness are often the same.  These include trauma such as a death in the family, a job loss, or divorce as well as any increased stress.  Abuse, whether sexual, physical, or verbal, is a trigger that often results in both mental illness and some form of addiction.

The clear link between addiction and mental illness makes it difficult to treat either illness when both are present.  If a person is seeking treatment for substance abuse but is not properly diagnosed and treated for an accompanying mental illness, the chance of successful treatment plummets.

To improve success rates, everyone being treated for addiction should be screened for mental disorders as well.  An integrated approach for both abuse and mental illness needs to be used, and patients and families need to be educated about the importance of treating both problems.

Reatment for addiction can be complicated when a person who is seeking treatment for drug abuse also suffers from a mental illness.  Unfortunately, individuals who have a drug or alcohol addiction are twice as likely to have some form of mental illness.  According to the National Institute of Mental Health, individuals with addictions often have a mood disorder, anxiety disorder or some type of personality disorder.

Research through the National Institute on Drug Abuse indicates that there are several factors contributing to the link between addiction and mental illness.  It may be a form of self-medication; many people who are depressed or anxious will try to alleviate their discomfort by using alcohol or drugs.

There are some indications that drug abuse can trigger mental illness, perhaps because the same area of the brain that causes mental illness is adversely affected by frequent drug use. Dr. Nora Volkow of NIDA has said that early drug use can damage development of areas of the brain linked to depression.

There are others ways that substance abuse and mental illness overlap.  The triggers for substance abuse and mental illness are often the same.  These include trauma such as a death in the family, a job loss, or divorce as well as any increased stress.  Abuse, whether sexual, physical, or verbal, is a trigger that often results in both mental illness and some form of addiction.

The clear link between addiction and mental illness makes it difficult to treat either illness when both are present.  If a person is seeking treatment for substance abuse but is not properly diagnosed and treated for an accompanying mental illness, the chance of successful treatment plummets.

To improve success rates, everyone being treated for addiction should be screened for mental disorders as well.  An integrated approach for both abuse and mental illness needs to be used, and patients and families need to be educated about the importance of treating both problems.

Filed Under: Addiction, Drugs, Health Tips Tagged With: ,

Three Signs of Substance Abuse

What happens when those moments, few and far between, start showing signs that something might not be right?  Substance abuse takes a physical toll on someone.  Take into account these signs the next time that you see an old friend who may be a victim of substance abuse:

1. Significant Physical Changes to Appearance
Has your friend or family member gained a significant amount of weight since the last time that you saw them?  Or have they lost so much weight that they’re almost unrecognizable?  Even if it’s over a long period of time – a year or more – thirty or forty pounds lost or gained may be the result of a serious addiction problem.  Further, if they don’t bring it up – especially in the case of weight loss – you might find that as a sign that they are ignoring the problem.

2. Performance and Attitude
Note your friend’s energy level and performance.  Were they an energetic person before?  Do you find that they are barely able to keep up with the conversation now?  If so, it may be the result of an addiction problem.  Many people battling with substance abuse have decreased levels of energy.  An alcoholic may find them it difficult to walk without serious fatigue.  In many cases, the addict may have trouble focusing on the conversation and may be prone to tangents.  They may be incoherent and mumble to themselves.  All in all, a serious change in attitude and energy may be the result of substance abuse.

3. Avoidance
Was it hard to get a hold of this person?  Did you call and often have to leave many voicemails?  This kind of behavior is typical of those with substance abuse problems.  As their focus has decreased, so have their priorities changed.  A person who once found it important to be social and see friends may now be a loner and not call people back, especially if there’s no drug-related motivation.  Anti-social behavior, like all these things, are reasonable in moderation but a drastic change in personality may also point to substance abuse.

What happens when those moments, few and far between, start showing signs that something might not be right?  Substance abuse takes a physical toll on someone.  Take into account these signs the next time that you see an old friend who may be a victim of substance abuse:

1. Significant Physical Changes to AppearanceHas your friend or family member gained a significant amount of weight since the last time that you saw them?  Or have they lost so much weight that they’re almost unrecognizable?  Even if it’s over a long period of time – a year or more – thirty or forty pounds lost or gained may be the result of a serious addiction problem.  Further, if they don’t bring it up – especially in the case of weight loss – you might find that as a sign that they are ignoring the problem.

2. Performance and AttitudeNote your friend’s energy level and performance.  Were they an energetic person before?  Do you find that they are barely able to keep up with the conversation now?  If so, it may be the result of an addiction problem.  Many people battling with substance abuse have decreased levels of energy.  An alcoholic may find them it difficult to walk without serious fatigue.  In many cases, the addict may have trouble focusing on the conversation and may be prone to tangents.  They may be incoherent and mumble to themselves.  All in all, a serious change in attitude and energy may be the result of substance abuse.

3. AvoidanceWas it hard to get a hold of this person?  Did you call and often have to leave many voicemails?  This kind of behavior is typical of those with substance abuse problems.  As their focus has decreased, so have their priorities changed.  A person who once found it important to be social and see friends may now be a loner and not call people back, especially if there’s no drug-related motivation.  Anti-social behavior, like all these things, are reasonable in moderation but a drastic change in personality may also point to substance abuse.

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Is Joining Alcoholics Anonymous the Right Step for You?

Alkoholism
Image via Wikipedia

Alcoholism is a disease. When the urge to drink alcohol is no longer a choice, it’s time to find help. Here are some questions you can ask yourself that can help you decide if joining Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is the right choice for you.

Have you found it hard to stop drinking, even for week?

You might have made promises to loved ones that you would not drink for a week and you were unable to keep that promise. In fact, you may have many broken promises about drinking. Maybe your spouse asked you not to arrive drunk at your daughter’s birthday party but you did or you missed your son’s soccer game, which you promised to be at, because you were drinking.

In the past year, have you had any problems connected to drinking?

This could mean receiving a DUI, hurting other people because you were drunk, and other similar problems.

Have you lost relationships with people you were close to because of drinking?

This could be a spouse who divorced you, a sweetheart who dumped you, friends who no longer want to hang out with you, or family members who have disowned you.

Have you missed days of work or school because of drinking?

You might call it a sick day, but would you truthfully categorize it as a “too wasted to get out of bed and work” day? It’s especially not good if this has caused you to lose your job or flunk out of your classes.

The next one is the biggest question that you can ask yourself: Has the thought ever entered your mind that your life would be better if you weren’t drinking alcohol?

If you answered yes to the above questions then AA is right for you. Unfortunately, the cure for alcoholism doesn’t come is a pill bottle or prescription from your doctor. Getting over your disease will take hard work and a strong desire to not have the chains of alcoholism make decisions for you. With the support of your AA group and Alcohol treatment center, you’ll be able to get over your addiction and find happiness.

Filed Under: Addiction, Health Tips, Medication Tagged With: , ,