Tag: alcohol addiction

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

For example, in 2005, medical exploration and alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics revealed that alcohol abuse and alcoholism cost the United States an estimated $220 billion on an annual basis. It may be noted that this huge alcohol-related cash disbursement was significantly more than the cost associated with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion). While it is appropriate to underline these facts, it is also noteworthy to highlight the fact that an interrelationship exists between all three of these health conditions.

That is to say, chronic alcohol abuse and alcoholism are also highly correlated with obesity and with cancer.

Without a doubt, substance abuse investigation has revealed that alcohol dependency can amplify the risk for various types of cancer, particularly cancer of the voice box (larynx), esophagus, liver, rectum, colon, kidneys, and throat. Hazardous and recurring drinking can also lead to immune system problems and impairment to the fetus during pregnancy.

Hazardous and Abusive Drinking Destabilizes the Drinker’s Systems and Organs

Additionally, if alcohol addiction continues over a period of years, the person’s body organs will more likely than not be affected in a harmful manner. As an illustration, chronic, abusive drinking is especially injurious to the liver since 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 regenerate. This condition results in a progressive inflammatory injury to the liver that can sooner or later lead to cirrhosis of the liver, an acute and potentially incurable disease.Abusive, long-term drinking not only can result in critical liver damage, but it can also lead to damage to the heart and to the brain. Physical damage this critical may be irreversible and may, in turn, lead to serious ill health or premature death.

The Relevance of Alcohol Rehabilitation

It is important, as a result, to know how to recognize the various alcoholism symptoms and the “alcohol signs” so that the alcohol dependent person can be given the opportunity to get the quality alcohol therapy he or she needs.

Alcoholism and Technologically Advanced Brain Research

Fortunately, scientific research is continuously generating novel and significant information. Recent alcoholism exploration supplies an excellent illustration. More correctly, for roughly the last ten years, sophisticated brain-imaging scanning devices have confirmed that continuous and chronic excessive drinking modifies the configuration of the brain to a great extent, as a consequence resulting in brain disease that can last months, years, or perchance as long as the person lives.

Stated differently, medical research has shown that individuals who have been drinking excessively for an extensive length of time increase their risk for developing long lasting and substantial alterations in the brain.

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

Mental Disorders, Malnutrition, and Abusive Drinking

As a final example of different health problems that are substantially associated with alcohol dependency, consider that in accordance with scientific examination, the abusive and repeated abuse of alcohol can lead to erosive gastritis, a condition that reduces the absorption of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

This form of organ malfunctioning is correlated with malnutrition and to an assortment of acute mental and neurological maladies including memory loss, sleep disturbances, and psychosis such as Wernicke’s Encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome. This latter health problem is a long-term debilitating medical condition that is epitomized by persistent learning and memory problems.

Summary

It is obvious that continued, abusive drinking is directly or indirectly related to a number of acute medical conditions that can and do result in serious illness and premature death. Such information needs to be highlighted and presented to everyone in our society so that a large number of individuals will be able to refrain from hazardous drinking while others who have a drinking problem will get the professional rehabilitation they need.

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Heather is a sixty-four-year-old woman who is the top administrator in the human resources department at a large silver molding company. To help reduce the costs correlated with excessive sick days, increasing absenteeism, poor employee work performance, employee alcoholism and alcohol abuse, and work related injuries, Heather and the other members of upper management instituted a number of programs that made the work atmosphere substantially more productive, healthy, and safe.

For example, fourteen years ago Heather and the other company leaders instituted an Employee’s Assistance Program so that all the workers had access to first-rate counseling for their personal problems that could negatively influence their personal well-being, health, and their work performance.

Top Management Constructs a State-of-the-Art Exercise and Workout Room Complete With Exercise Equipment, Scales, a Professional Trainer During Business Hours, Mirrors, Weights, and Exercise Charts

As another illustration, about eight years ago Heather and the other company executives erected a forward-looking exercise and workout room complete with weights, many different types of exercise equipment, a professional trainer during business hours, exercise charts, mirrors, and scales.

Moreover, just about five years ago Heather and the other members of upper management invested in a purification system that filters all the drinking water that is accessible in the building. In a similar way, three years ago, Heather and the other VIPs started a “walking club” that is basically intended for workers who want to work on their cardiovascular system.

The Company Executives Launch a Weight-Watchers Class and Employ a Weight-Loss Trainer to Manage the Program

As another example, about two years ago, Heather and the other members of top management put into operation a “Weight-Watchers” class that presently meets every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 4:30 PM until 5:50 PM. Furthermore, top management employed a weight-loss professional to oversee the program.

In the same way, two years ago Heather and the other members of top management instituted a “Stop Smoking Club” for workers who want to refrain from smoking.

In the last nine months, in conjunction with the Employee’s Assistance Program, Heather and the other company leaders initiated an “Anger Management” class for workers who want to learn how to better manage their anger issues.

The VIPs Initiate a Drug and Alcohol Testing Program

In the last three-and-a-half months, Heather and the other company executives put into operation a drug and alcohol testing program that is related to their drug and alcohol abuse prevention program. In actual fact, Heather is the key person in the company responsible for getting the message out to all the employees about the drug and alcohol testing program as well as the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program.

One of the main elements of the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcoholism and Depression” that meets every Wednesday after work. The main idea with this class is informing workers that abusive drinking and depression many times occur in the same person. It is hoped that comprehending this information will be able to help a person address both medical problems and get the alcohol rehabilitation and mental health therapy he or she needs.

Top Management Initiates an Alcohol Statistics and Facts Class

Another fairly recent enhancement to the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcohol Statistics and Facts.” The rationale behind this alcohol statistics and facts class is the reality that many individuals fail to appreciate the full impact of the results of alcohol abuse and alcoholism without first learning about some of the alcohol abuse and alcoholism facts and statistics that are available. Consequently, one of the objectives of this class is to provide various alcoholism and alcohol abuse facts and statistics to help workers gain a better realization of the host of problems that are linked to excessive and abusive drinking and how they can prevent these difficulties from coming about.

Most recently, Heather and the other company leaders, via comments from employees, developed a class that focuses directly on severe drinking entitled “What is Alcoholism”? This what is alcoholism class meets every Thursday morning an hour before work and focuses largely on the differences between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency and the different kinds of rehab that are available for people who drink in an abusive manner.

Although every single one of these preventative maintenance and health programs was relatively expensive, top management reasons that they are several thousands of dollars ahead by providing all of their employees with healthy, more productive, and safe working conditions.

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    Daniel had been engaging in fairly heavy drinking behavior since her junior year in college. Now, five years later, she drank more than ever. One Sunday night when she was feeling a little under the weather, Daniel made up her mind to stay home, chill out, and watch TV.

    While hunting for a program to watch that she would find appealing, she instantaneously became captivated with a special program about young adult and adolescent drinking difficulties.

    When Familiar Alcohol Dependency Signs and Symptoms are Exhibited by Alcohol Addicted Individuals

    The commenter went over the difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency and then discussed the subject of alcoholic symptoms and alcoholism warning signs. When the spokesperson discussed a person’s alcoholic behavior and some of the more customary alcoholic signs and symptoms that alcohol addicted people reveal, Daniel got quite worried because it almost seemed as if the narrator was talking specifically to her.

    After watching the television documentary, Daniel promised herself that she would telephone her health care provider the following morning and make an appointment to discuss her drinking problem.

    When the following morning arrived, true to her word, Daniel called her physician and made an appointment. In the meantime, she went online and did a search for alcoholic symptoms. Especially noteworthy were the following symptoms or signs: sleep problems, increasing irritability, sneaking extra drinks before social events, making excuses to drink at virtually every opportunity, and serious relationship and work-related problems.

    Stated simply, since Daniel displayed all of these signs she went deeper in her Internet search and found several websites and blogs that highlighted diverse alcoholic symptoms and warning signs.

    One of the signs that really grabbed her awareness was the following: “Do you frequently drink after making a promise to yourself that you won’t?” While Daniel never figured out that she may have a severe drinking issue, after reading about the diverse alcohol addiction warning signs and symptoms, she couldn’t renounce the fact that for the past two or three months, she again and again tried but was not successful at noticeably decreasing her drinking or totally stopping.

    When Coworkers and Friends Pester You by Frowning Upon Your Abusive Drinking Behavior

    Another alcohol dependency sign that grabbed her awareness was the following: “Have coworkers hassled you by taking a dim view of your drinking behavior?” When Daniel read this she immediately thought about a recent argument she had with her nephew about her abusive drinking. Additionally, Daniel visibly remembered a recent quarrel she had with her parents about her abusive drinking behavior. Due to the fact that Daniel truthfully thought that she didn’t have a drinking problem, when others mentioned her drinking behavior she true to form got upset and mad.

    A third alcohol dependency symptom was the following: “Do you need a drink when you first awaken in the morning?” Until now, Daniel had been lying to herself about her drinking circumstance. After reading about the aforementioned alcoholism warning symptoms, however, she knew if she was really forthright with herself that she was facing a serious drinking difficulty, especially given the fact that she now felt that she required a drink the first thing when she woke up to reduce her anxiety.

    If this wasn’t enough, the next alcoholic warning sign really got her thinking about her drinking behavior: “Do you drink to keep away from pain or difficulties?” When she reflected on her life for a few moments, she realized that almost in every arduous circumstance in the past few months, she told herself that she needed a drink to help manage the anxiety in her life.

    The final alcohol addiction warning sign that made her feel fairly apprehensive about her drinking condition was the following: “Has your motivation declined since you started drinking on a more normal basis?” When Daniel read this sign she plainly comprehended that drinking had become a critical issue in her life because of her lack of energy and also because she quit pursuing her dreams and her goals.

    Conclusion: When Getting Down in the Dumps Turns Into Something Exciting and Something to Look Forward To

    After reflecting on all of these unhealthy alcoholism symptoms and signs, Daniel at first felt down in the dumps. Then something amazing took place. She realized that she was going to see her doctor about her drinking and she also knew that she would discuss all of the above alcohol dependency warning signs and symptoms with her. As a matter of fact, for the first time in a number of months, Daniel honestly felt a sense of hopefulness because she was addressing her drinking problems and was after all has been said and done ready to make the needed adjustments so that she could reclaim the life that was drifting away.

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      Jennifer is a forty-two-year-old data warehouse manager who has been drinking in an excessive and irresponsible manner since she and her live-in boyfriend discontinued their relationship. In point of fact, for the past five months she has been drinking just about a bottle of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking more than a few shots all the way through the day.

      After feeling downcast because she was beginning to neglect her health, Jennifer finally told herself that she’s had enough, that it’s time to quit the self pity routine, that it’s time to stop the abusive and hazardous drinking, and time to get on with her life. So the next Saturday morning at 10:00 AM, she came to a decision that she would stop drinking suddenly and completely without planning or preparation.

      When She Attempted to Stop Drinking She Felt Dreadful, Her Head Was Aching, She Vomited Numerous Times, She Had Utterly No Appetite, She Started to Perspire Extensively, and She Was Extremely Moody and Nervous

      When Jennifer quit drinking, she assumed that she would quite possibly be tempted to ”steal” a few drinks, but she never visualized that she would feel so dreadful. More directly, approximately an hour-and-a-half after she stopped drinking, she had absolutely no appetite, her head was aching, she started to sweat extensively, she was extremely moody and restless, and she vomited a number of times.

      When she called her best pal and told her that she had stopped drinking and that after a few hours she without any warning started to have flu-like symptoms, Lisa, her best pal, told Jennifer to call her healthcare practitioner and go over what she was feeling.

      She Admits to Her Family Doctor That She Has Been Drinking In an Excessive and Hazardous Manner, That She Just Tried to Stop Drinking, and That She is Going Through Extremely Unpleasant Flu-Like Symptoms

      So Jennifer called her medical practitioner, informed him that she has been drinking excessively for a number of months and that when she tried to totally stop drinking earlier in the day, within a couple of hours she felt as if she had the nastiest flu-like symptoms that she had ever suffered through.

      Her physician informed her that she may be experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms and that she should have a neighbor or relative take her to the emergency room ASAP.

      As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a relative to take her to the hospital. Interestingly, all the way to the hospital, as sick as Jennifer felt, the only thing she could think about was whether or not she might be an alcoholic.

      Obviously her healthcare professional had called ahead and told the emergency room treatment team to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by two paramedics who immediately told her to get in the wheelchair they had with them. After getting wheeled to the emergency room and undergoing two or three necessary tests, it was verified that Jennifer was in actual fact going through alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detox.

      A medical practitioner administered some medications to diminish her flu-like symptoms and also administered some meds to help eliminate the alcohol that was still in her system.

      An Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Medical Practitioner Explains in a Clear Manner That She is an Alcoholic and Then Goes Over What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcohol Addiction Stages Are

      After a couple of hours, Jennifer was removed from the ER and transported to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for nearly an hour, Doctor Hauser, a drug and alcohol abuse specialist, came to talk to her. He took his time and clearly explained that Jennifer had gone through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she quit drinking due to the fact that she had become addicted to alcohol.

      He then mentioned the fact that with excessive drinking on an everyday basis, the drinker’s brain slowly gets acclimated to the alcohol so that it can function in a “routine” manner. When the person then all at once refrains from drinking alcohol, as one would expect, the brain responds by creating alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Furthermore, her physician also clearly explained the different alcoholism stages that an alcohol dependent individual typically goes through as the disease advances.

      It is Confirmed that Jennifer is in the First Stage of Alcohol Addiction and She Obtains a Favorable Diagnosis For a Total Recovery if She Gets the Alcohol Treatment She Needs

      Fortunately for Jennifer, it was established that she was in the first stage of alcohol addiction and, as a result, she received a favorable diagnosis for a full recovery if she gets the alcohol therapy she requires.

      Jennifer told the healthcare professional that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to reclaim her life and her health. She also articulated that she has an excellent hospitalization insurance policy that will almost certainly pay for most of the costs required for rehab. It was apparent that Jennifer was very pleased with her optimistic medical forecast and felt free from worry knowing that she will be able to get the alcohol dependency rehabilitation she requires so that she can begin the path to recovery.

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      Teresa was a forty-five-year-old insurance agent who knew that she had some drinking issues. For example, within the past month she has felt the need to have a drink or two before going to work, four months ago she failed to pass a random urine alcohol test where she works, five weeks ago she got stopped by the police for a DWI, and finally, for going on six months she has started to fail to remember what she says and does when she goes out drinking with her friends.

      Like hosts of other people, Teresa’s experiences with alcohol began gradually and stayed at this speed for quite a long time due to the fact once in a “blue moon” she engaged in intermittent social drinking. In truth, for about four years, every time she drank, she made sure to drink in moderation. Something about her drinking behavior, nevertheless, seemed to completely change when she got divorced.

      So She Can Come to Terms With the Divorce of Her Husband With Less Grief, Teresa Came to the Conclusion That She Will Start Hanging Around More Repeatedly With Some of Her Pals Who Love to Have Fun and Drink

      Teresa got exceedingly “down” about the loss of her husband, and as a way to refrain from dwelling on her negative emotions she determined that she would start hanging around more often with some of her buddies who love to have fun and drink.

      Quite forthrightly, Teresa believed that having fun almost every day by partying and drinking with her pals would help her get beyond the divorce of her husband with less grief.

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

      It didn’t take long, however, before her drinking escalated to a significant degree the more routinely she went to and drank at family get-togethers, sporting events, happy hours, dinner dates, and private parties with her pals. Moreover, the fact that her drinking friends were all quite a few years younger than she was and therefore able to drink and party more thoughtlessly was one of the reasons that she didn’t concentrate more on her increased drinking. In a word, she was drinking and having fun just like everyone else in her group of friends without much forethought about the negative effects of her hazardous and irresponsible drinking.

      Yet somewhere in her awareness she knew that she probably needed alcohol counseling but stayed away from the thought as much as possible.

      Teresa Gets a Physical Examination, Discloses the Facts About Her Excessive Drinking to Her Healthcare Practitioner, and Discloses the Truth About Her Depression

      One afternoon during her annual physical, her doctor asked her if she drank alcohol. Not wanting to lie to her healthcare practitioner, Teresa acknowledged that she regularly drinks more than she should. In fact, she said that she commonly drinks in a hazardous manner. Then Teresa told her healthcare professional about her sadness. More specifically, she stated that shattered relationships usually elicited a negative cycle of events characterized by increased drinking which further resulted in more discouraging feelings that, in turn, led to more drinking. And this is explicitly what happened when she and her husband got divorced three months ago.

      When her doctor heard this, he told Teresa that according to various facts and statistics on alcoholism he has been exploring, alcoholism and depression routinely arise in the same person. He then told Teresa that some of the alcohol statistics, facts, and research investigations he has been reading about also underscore the fact that people who drink in a hazardous and abusive manner and who also experience depression need to get treatment for both medical circumstances.

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

      Teresa’s healthcare professional then told her the following: “I am not trying to make an impulsive analysis, but with your medical condition we may be facing two separate problems. As a consequence, I think we should make an appointment for you to get an alcohol abuse and alcoholism assessment from my partner, Dr. Warner, who is a substance abuse and chemical dependency specialist. Whether your drinking circumstance is more related to alcoholism or alcohol abuse is not clear at this time, but I think that further exploration is needed. Then I feel we probably should schedule an appointment for you to get a psychological exam from another one of my partners, Dr. Myers, who is a clinical psychologist. I want to get a better understanding about your pessimism and see how much your drinking and depression are interrelated.” Teresa displayed her agreement with her healthcare practitioner’s strategy and thanked him for his time and assistance. Now all she had to do was to try to cut back on her drinking and get ready for her appointments.

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